Who are you?

Our church is doing an awesome series called "Who do you think you are?" It really has opened my eyes to who I am in Christ. You should check it out at lifechurch.tv!
I have noticed that there are many times, my view of myself does not match up to how God views me.
I had the to opportunity a while back to give the prayer at the Lakers/Thunder basketball game. It was a really neat experience, but something happened during the experience that has stuck in my head ever since. My husband and I were walking down the tunnel to the court where I would wait until they called me to center court. This tunnel was also the tunnel that the Lakers players walked through as well. As we were walking through we heard fans above us say, "Wait, Wait here comes somebody." I was feeling pretty good about myself-yep! I am somebody.....that lasted for about 5 seconds. As we were coming out of the tunnel, we then heard them say, "Nah-it's nobody." Wow! I just went from somebody to nobody in the matter of 5 seconds. What changed in that 5 seconds? Was I really a nobody? Well, yes to the crazy Laker fans I was, but to the King of Kings I was still somebody!!!
We all go through those times of identity crisis of Who am I? Our identity can get wrapped up in being a mom, wife, teacher, friend, supporter, cheerleader, and sometimes feeling like a nobody. These are not who we are, they are what God has called us to do.

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons (or daughters) of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you

have received the Spirit of adoption , by whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children of God then heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ..."

Romans 8:14-17

We are loved, beautiful, and above all.....somebody!! Oh and not just anybody, we are daughters of the King of Kings-princesses if you will! We are co-heirs to the throne with Christ Himself!

Last night, I was at an FCA event where Landry Jones, quarterback for the University of Oklahoma, shared his faith and there was one thing he talked about that hit me like a rock. He was explaining that when Jesus was baptized, the first thing God says is, "This is my son." Jesus then when into the wilderness for 40 days. After the 40 days, Satan came to him to tempt him 3 times and the first thing the enemy said was, "If you are the son of God..." If our enemy can make us doubt our identity then he can make us doubt our purpose. And if we doubt our purpose, we miss out on all the things God want to do in and through us. Jesus came out of the wilderness defeating the enemy because He knew who he was and therefore, knew his purpose. The bible says he then came out of the wilderness filled with the Holy Spirit. How we respond to the wilderness determines if we come out empowered by the Holy Spirit. Isn't that powerful?!!!!

Do not let the enemy make you doubt who you are! You are God's Daughter and you do have purpose!! Be excited...You are somebody!!!!!

Day of Love

Happy Valentines Day, girls!!

I woke up this morning so excited about Valentine's Day-I love Valentine's Day because it is a day set aside to celebrate those we love! Ready to start my day of love, I turned on the radio to hear people talk about how they hate Valentine's Day. I then get on facebook and read post after post about how they hate Valentine's Day too. People hate it because they are single, they hate to buy stuff, they hate it because their spouse will once more disappoint this Valentine's Day. I've been awake 3 hours on this day of love and I am depressed! What!! This is crazy!

We are suppose to celebrate LOVE today and the Bible says God IS Love so why are we not celebrating God today? Girls, it is time to change the focus on this day to the way St. Valentine first intended-celebrate the love God has for us and that we have for others!
The bible says in 1 John 4:19, "We love each other because God first loved us." And how did he love us? Well...."God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. I don't care if you are single, married, divorced, or separated, you have something to celebrate today: You have a God that LOVED YOU so much that He was willing to die for you! Jesus gave his life so that you could spend eternity with him. Does love get any better than that? You are loved! Celebrate!

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11

Notice it didn't say since God loved us, we should sit and wait for others to love on us too. No!!! We are to go out and show each other the same love that God shows us. You may not get flowers today, but you can sure send some. You may not have big dinner plans, but you can sure take some one to dinner. You may not feel loved today, but you can sure show love today. I am super excited to show love to a friend today who lost her husband to cancer 6 weeks ago by taking her to lunch. I want to love on her because she needs it. There is someone in your life that could use some love shown to them today and you could be that someone.

In the letter to the church of Ephesus in the Book of Revelation, Jesus tells them they have abandoned their first love-Him. This day is not about flowers, chocolates, or cupid etc. It is about returning to our first love, Jesus. I do love my husband, but He is not my first love. I do love my children, but they are not my first love. I love my friends, but they are not my first love. This Valentine's Day, lets return to our first love, the one who laid down His life for us. Then, let's show others how much we love them! This is the day of Love! And God is Love so let's celebrate by loving others!!!

Oh and last thing.........

I Love You!!!

The "Times" and "Seasons" in our life

Good Morning, Ladies!

Do you know how excited I am to write to you all today? Super excited! Why? Because that means I am not snowed in my house in Oklahoma! Last week was crazy and not the crazy that I am used to. This was stir crazy. As much as I loved the time I got to hang out with my family roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, getting my rear kicked in the Dora Matching game, and watching countless movies-this snow storm was not letting us do what we wanted to do. This storm was not letting us keep our schedule. This storm found us asking,at times, "is the winter season almost over yet?"

Isn't this what we do when we go through storms of life? We want to ask God why this is happening because this was not in the plans that we had. This storm in our life is not letting me do what I want to do. Is this stormy season in my life almost over, God?
The disciples asked Jesus a similar question in Acts 1:6, "So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?"

This was their way of saying, "Jesus, is our storm over yet?" They had waited a long time for Israel to come back into power. In their mind, that is what the Messiah was suppose to do. Jesus was suppose to restore Israel into a great nation once again. The disciples wanted and thought they needed to know if this time in their life was going to be over, this season was going to pass. "Is it now Jesus, is it now?"

We might be asking Jesus, "Is it time for my season of having a struggling marriage, over?"
"Is it time for my season of having a rebellious child, over?" Is it time for my season of having a job I don't like, over? "Is it time for my season of struggling with depression, over?" Is it time for my season of having sick kids, over?

Let the answer Jesus gave to his disciples be the same answer He want to give us today:
"It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."

If you are like me this is not really the answer we want, but it is the answer we need! He is asking us to trust Him with our entire being and that means with our questions, our hard times, and yes, our stormy seasons.
Here is the encouragement....
Being married to a football coach, I have to get ready for the season mentally, spiritually, relationally, and physically because I become single mom, my husband's number one fan, confidant, cheerleader, and his water girl. As hard, fun, and crazy as it is, there is always one thing that I can count on...off-season. The season does end and there is always an off-season. A time where we get to reconnect, re-energize, and re-load.

We need to be reminded that we may not get to know when the stormy seasons in our life ends, but just that they do and until they do God will give us the Power to sustain and become stronger! I read this statement in a book I was reading and loved it: "We are promised in the 23rd Psalm, that we walk through the valley of the shadow of death-we don't set up camp there."

So... as we prepare for another snow storm this week in Oklahoma, I know this too, will pass and Spring will come. You may not know when your storm will pass, but trust that Jesus does and will see you through to your Spring Time!