Silent Signs full of Spoken Lies

You know the videos. 

Those silent ones where people bring a powerful message or story to life by flipping several cards or signs for their audience to read.  Hearts exposed.  Pain revealed.  Many times sharing the hurtful things that people have said or done.  Other times sharing their own thoughts or secrets that have never broken past their own skin.  Some of them inspiring and hopeful, others desperate cries to escape the entrapment within their own skin.  All are stories Christ cares deeply about. 

Ever feel like your silently carrying one of those signs?

Words penned on it that someone else has spoken about you.  Words you wondered if they were true.  Spoken by another. Sometimes we speak them to ourselves.  We pen things across our minds every single day in our self talk.  How would your silent video sign(s) read today?

I will never amount to anything.
I can't do anything right.
Worthless.
Fat.
I always mess things up.
I am hated.
Failure.
I'll be stuck forever.
Lazy.
I ask dumb questions.
Moron.
I have stupid ideas.
Ugly.
Not enough.
Perfect.
Unlovable.

We all have lies dancing through our thought life.  Some we've put there.  Some others have.  Parents.  Friends.  Enemies.  Coworkers.  Family.  Strangers......  It doesn't matter who spoke it, all lies are straight from the pit.

Many of us have been guilty of shouting these lies to our own children in moments of rage or anger.  The very ones we hope to build up, not tear down.  (Ouch!  Parents-saving this one for next time.)

What if the lies tattooed on our minds would suddenly raise to the surface and be worn on our skin?  Some appearing in bold large font in highly visible places.  You know, the ones you've heard all your life, or maybe were only spoken once, but who said it to you had great significance in your life.  Others would be faded from the years, but still there.  The recent ones would be still slowly being inked across your skin the more you toy with them.  A label someone else gave you.  A label you gave yourself.  For all to read.  For all to know.  A false identity.  Thankfully, this won't happen.

Something more incredible already has.....
Truth has been spoken about you. 
Before you were even born.
A real identity.

The world is very interested in self worth.
I've worked with lots of hurting girls and learned this:

The world does not need more self worth.
The world needs more of His worth.
We need to know who He says we are.
We need to know who we are to Him.
Jesus Christ.

Because once we know that, we can take the lies of this world that have been tattooed in our minds and hearts.... the silent signs that we are holding up today, and replace them with the truth.  Anytime, anyplace.  I'm sharing my favorite Truth cards with you below.  These are the ones that have helped me replace lies in my own life...  This is how I bring the gospel, the good news, alive in my own life each day.  The more stock I place in these truths and the less credit I give to the lies, the more content and meaningful my life becomes.  They are my true identity, who I was created to be.  I took hold of all of these things when I accepted Christ, but I still have remind myself of who I am in Him every. single. day.... when I blow it as a mom or wife..... whenever doubt, fear or worry comes to visit me.... when I look in the mirror and all my imperfections seem to magnify-- I am still taking hold of them each day.

Read through them.... S L O W L Y.   Listen to the truth that has been spoken of you, dear one.  This is what Jesus has written on top of the lies of your silent sign for you today. Try a little bit of HIS worth on for size, and I think you'll find it looks good on you.  Take just one today, and repeat it to yourself over and over and over.  Take another tomorrow.  Begin to let the truth set you free.

YOU are the apple of My eye…  Psalm 17

you are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY MADE…  Psalm 139

you are My TREASURED POSSESION…  Deuteronomy 7

you are REDEEMED... Galations 3

you are My RIGHTEOUSNESS in Christ... 2 Corinthians 5

you are the TEMPLE of My Holy Spirit... 1 Corinthians 6

you are FREE from condemnation! Romans 8

you are MORE than a conqueror! Romans 8

you are FREE from weaknesses and diseases… Matthew 8

you are a JOINT-HEIR with My Son… Romans 8

you are a BRANCH of My TRUE VINE… John 15

you are the LIGHT of My world… Mathew 5 & Ephesians 5

you are in the palm of MY HAND… Isaiah 49

I will NEVER leave you or forsake you…Deuteronomy 31, Joshua 1, & Hebrews 13

you are the SALT of My earth... Matthew 5

you are COMPLETE in Me. Colossians 2

you are ACCEPTED in Me… Ephesians 1

you are ALIVE in Me...Romans 6

you are covered by the shadow of MY HAND… Isaiah 5

you are My AMBASSADOR... 2 Corinthians5

you are a MEMBER of My HOUSEHOLD… Galations 6

My LOVE and FAITHFULLNESS go before you… Psalm 89

I LOVE you as much as I love My Son… John 17

NOTHING can pluck you from my hand... John 10

you are DELIVERED from darkness… Romans 6 & Colossians 1

you are a NEW CREATION… 2 Corinthians 5

you are my CHILD… 1 John 3

I LOVED you before the creation of the world… John 17

in ME there is REST… Matthew 11

I know the PLANS I have for you…Jeremiah 29

I give POWER to the weak… Isaiah 40

I supply ALL your needs… Philippians 4

OVERWHELMING VICTORY is yours through My Son… Romans 8

the PEACE I give, the world cannot… John 14

My GRACE is sufficient for you… 2 Corinthians 12

My STRENGTH is made perfect in your weakness… 2 Corinthians 12

even now My Son is EXHAULTED in your body…Philippians 1

My promise preserves your LIFE…Psalm 119

let my UNFAILING LOVE be your COMFORT… Psalm 119

Selah, my friend.... Selah.

Parents, more on bringing this good news to your kids (especially after you've blown it) next time.

Remembering those who have laid their lives down for me....

13 years ago I was working on a team that was designing a concept powertrain/transmission/PTO for a new line of Caterpillar ag tractors.  It was after our annual team outing to the Farm Progress Show when I received "the call." 

The first of many more to come. 

A good friend and coworker directed me to use the phone in his workspace.  News, silence, words, and tears were shared as my throat closed up, swollen with grief.  It would not be the last time that this same friend would offer timely integral words of grace following a life changing call from that very same place.  It is the very character of God to surround us with His fingerprints even, and especially in difficult times... I'm grateful for His touch.

The call.

He had been sick for a while.
Every time we spoke I would wonder if it was the last.
I felt every. single. inch. of the 600 miles between each time the receiver would click.
I will never forget the conversations we had over my lunch breaks.
We knew it was only a matter of time..... as it is for all of us.

Every single day so many lives change forever....
Because of that messenger we all know as "the call."
On the other line is the end of life as you once knew it to be.

Death, cancer, sickness, injury, and birth....
That place where life is truly seen as precious.
Where we feel the depth of our hearts.
Where priorities get aligned.
Love is extended.
Families gather.
Souls awaken.

His name was Randy.
He was my father.
He was a gift.
He was the man who loved my mother....
and adopted her children not by name, but by heart.
We now call him Pappy in our home.
He is missed.
Incredibly.

He was taken far too soon for us all.
A son, brother, uncle, friend, husband, and father.
He had been in our life for a short 13 years.
Raised up half a dozen kids that were not his own.
Survived being the father to 5 teenage daughters all at once.
He didn't get to walk them all down the isle.
Never held a grandchild in his arms.
Didn't get to finish raising his sons.

He was gone too soon.

In his life, he taught me how to be a living memorial.
Selflessness, sacrifice, service, unconditional love.
In his death, he taught me to tend to my soul.
I am thankful for both.

Because the truth is, we all are gone too soon.
A life cut far short of the Master's original plan for us.
We were designed to live a life with Him forever.
It doesn't matter if we live a total of 2 hours, 2 months, 2 years, or 102 years.....
We all live lives cut far short of the original plan.
Even the longest of lives is but a blink compared to eternal life.

We're all gone too soon.

The really hard part of grieving loved ones from a distance, is that the only words that are spoken are words of sorrow and sympathy.  There is no shared remembrance.  It is absolutely and completely void of sharing loving memories with people who understand who this person was to you.  Isolation is it's own grief, and it greets you the moment the long road home is staring you in the face. 

Remembering is important, God places no one in our lives by accident.  Now, I love to take the time to remember loved ones with people I never new, especially if they are grieving away from their loved ones.  One day, who knows... I may even recognize one of them.


Memorial Day.


It's a day we honor those who have laid their own lives down for us.
A day to honor sacrifice, service, and selflessness.
I remember soldiers.
I remember the cross.
I remember my Pappy.

Absolutely, honor those who have laid their lives down for you.
Certainly, remember your loved ones who touched your life.
Mostly, consider what it means to be a living sacrifice.

Thank you Pappy, for showing me how to do this.
You've made it easier for me to follow Jesus.
Through your life....
And your death.

Mother's Day-Honoring untold stories

It's that time of year.

Another delicate topic.... Mother's Day. 

My heart goes out to women everywhere as this time approaches. 
This day brings such mixed emotions for women. 

As a follower of Christ, I've began most Mother's Day mornings gathered with other believers in worship.  Many times, the most peculiar thing happens..... all mothers are asked to stand to be honored, to be blessed.  I've been in many different places on this day, and most of the time this seems to be common practice.  I dread this moment.

This is my job.
Full time.
No pay.

.....and yet,  I loathe this moment terribly.

Sure, I long for acknowledgement of what I do.  Sure, it is a day of honor.  Sure, motherhood is worth celebrating.  But, there is something about the women left sitting that absolutely breaks. my. heart.  And, if you look at some standing, you see it there too. 

Pain.  Silent pain.
Stories mostly untold.

The woman who has been trying to conceive for a long time
The woman silently carrying an unexpected child
The barren woman
The woman forced to give up children
The woman needing brokenness healed between children
The woman with children missing
The post abortive woman
The woman grieving child gone too soon
The woman pondering the life she once carried and gave to another to raise
The woman struggling to raise children alone
The woman whose children have gone astray
The woman who recently miscarried
The woman struggling through infertility


Part of the wonder of motherhood is you never, ever forget a child that was entrusted to you, no matter how long.... even if it was only in a dream.

I'm sorry if this moment hurts you, as it does me.
I can't stop this moment from happening.
But I certainly can encourage you with the Truth.

You see, as a follower of Christ, we ALL have children.  I am the daughter of many women who never chose to carry or raise me.... but they tend to my Spirit regularly.  I have many daughters in Christ.  Some that I've carried within, others that I have not.  All are daughters, all are worthy of honoring, blessing.

So women, followers of Christ, friends.....

....stand up!
 
Embrace that YOU are a mother if you are a woman in Christ.
God has given you sons and daughters in His family.
STAND UP.
Let God begin to fully redeem your past.
Permit yourself to be honored.
Be blessed.
Be healed.

And know..... you are not alone.
If these eyes have seen you.... how much more has the Lord.

Uncovering the lies behind the new nursing norm....

This topic will likely surface some emotion.... it's sensitive. 

But sensitive topics are real, and sometimes really need attention.

I recently listened to several young women discussing the increasingly popular trend of nursing uncovered in public....  Great conversations were had by this group of young moms and moms-to-be.  There were those who followed Jesus, those who did not, those who nursed uncovered, those who didn't..... all equally torn and passionate about this sensitive topic.  Then it was finally said:  " I wonder what Jesus would think if He were here, and what He'd want us all to do?" 

I offered my perspective as did other experienced nursing mothers. 

Eyes were opened, scales removed, lies left behind.  A beautiful thing.

I hope that happens today.

Whether you follow Jesus or not, I believe there is at least one gem to find the in this post for you.  I hope when you find the nugget that was intended just for you, that you would take hold of it... even if it's a little sharp and stings at first. 

I believe we can follow Jesus in ALL areas of life.... even when feeding our infants.  Yes, even then.  Although Jesus never fed an infant, I believe his invitation to follow Him still applies to us then.  After all, Jesus never said:  "Come follow me... exception given to hormone imbalanced nursing mothers".

Yet, somehow many of us have bought that lie... at least once. 
Others of us are camping out there. 

Nursing uncovered in public. It is the increasingly new trend of nursing children without any covering in public places.  Often times, it is preceded by posting success photos on social networks for the whole world to see.

Recently while out to eat, two nursing mother friends were nursing uncovered in the booth next to me.... their conversation early in the meal was all about a preteen daughter posting inappropriate pictures of herself online, and the mother was completely overwhelmed about how it came to be and what she could do about it.  Following their meal and conversation, the moms debated about which nip (nursing in public) pictures to post of themselves, and on which forums/groups.

Hmmm... I wonder where that preteen daughter has learned it.....

Beneficial to the child, harmless, no consequences?   I bet you'll think differently when little Emmy's body begins to change or when little Jonny's grows up and his big boy friends find photos of mommy and him online and they go viral...

Viral in his entire teenage world anyway.

Side note, so you think you've been posting them only in private and closed groups.... try again--score a few likes from other mutual friends, and BAM..... larger-than-life you now appear on my wall too, in full postpartum glory.

I understand we have the "right" to do this as a women living in America today.  I see exactly how these trends come to be.  We all realize this.  To be honest, in our ever increasingly unhealthy hyper sexualized world,  I expect a constant increase in self centered behavior based on self-liberation.... it is the times in which we live. 

However, some of these terrible freedoms have also come at a terrible cost.  And the cost has been great....   Just look around, I bet your Facebook newsfeed has several examples of how "good" things were when we "used to"_________ .  Insert whatever common sense behavior you'd like, there is something WHOLE  and right and good about it.  We've now somehow regressed to taking third world pictures of half dressed Amazonian women in war paint holding machetes and use them as the American nursing in public meme models... pride.. power...self..... liberty.

Yet, in the quest of liberty... I see slaves.

Slaves to rebellion.... it comes at a cost too.  The need to justify behavior.  The need to vomit emotionally to everyone in hopes that one person defends their self seeking cause.  A constant itch that needs scratched.  Anger towards others.  Restlessness.

.....all in the name of what is natural... what is best for the child.... choice.... freedom.

Freedom, terrible freedom...... producing self induced slaves.

Freedom doesn't feel like that, friend.

It doesn't wear the face of anger or justification.

It feels right.... for everyone.

That said, I wish to offer a huge challenge to present and future nursing moms who have decided to follow Jesus a little deeper.  Those who have decided to give Him their all, who are ready to release to Him even the smallest area that they are doing life for themselves instead of for Him.

Topics like these are so sensitive. 

I believe largely it's because it is something God designed to be sacred and intimate, and we are so far from that.  Because we've bought the lie the enemy has fed us..... It makes perfect sense to me.  Why not tempt the mother who lays everything else down for the needs of her family with doing something to liberate herself?  Why not place blinders on to see only the moment of infant child and not growing child?  Why not wave the illusion of control during the season of learning to surrendering control a little deeper?  Self.  Anger.  Justification.  It's all vomit from the same enemy.  He's vomiting lies, and we're devouring them as a nation.... and using a third world machete woman as our mascot.

My I gently encourage you to ponder these thoughts:

While nursing uncovered, am I serving myself and my desires or serving those around me? 
Is my desire to nurse uncovered mostly selfish or selfless? 
Today, how can I die to self more so that He can be best honored in and through me? 
Am I following Jesus, or the crowd on this one?
Could my own rights and freedom have me held captive as a slave?


I have a dear friend who is nursing a child with special needs.  He does not tolerate his body being covered.... I respect this friend for searching and trying to find certain fabrics that he would tolerate so she could make small custom privacy cloths to cover herself.  In addition, she wore certain underclothing that allowed her to remain covered sans blankets.  If there is anyone I have ever known who could have justified exposing herself for the benefit of her baby, it was her.... but she chose to follow Jesus and serve those around her instead.  It is beautiful... friend, I respect you for clothing yourself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

While feeding her baby in public and keeping herself covered, she was following Jesus.  She was silently serving the sexually unhealthy around her by minimizing unhealthy urges or hurts, she was helping the post abortive, cancer surviving, or grieving women around her to be more comfortable in her own silent pain.  She was helping present and future marriages all around her community by not impressing visual images of taken women into the minds of men that cannot ever erase them, and she was showing the teenagers in the room that there is something sacred and intimate about not only the bond between husband and wife, but mother and infant child as well.  She was loving her neighbor more than herself, and taking the time to consider the interests of those around her ahead of her own. 

She was following Jesus.

Not because she was following the rules perfectly.

Not because she was better than anyone else in the room.

But because she followed Jesus into that room.

Because she cared about the condition of the hearts of those around her, just as Jesus does.

And because she knew His ways are better than her own.... rich in modesty and grace.

We live in a world that embraces the list of reasons and rights that are continually thrown in front of us justifying why we should live for ourselves.  The truth is, women, we do not know what is like to be a teenage boy with a testosterone super highway being built within us.... or what it means to fight the battlefield within the visual mind of men.  We may not be sexually unhealthy, post abortive, or live with the real scars of female cancer, or be in the midst or wake of the loss of a child.  But friends, that doesn't mean we can ignore that they make up a VERY large percent of our public community.  I believe following Jesus means we deny ourselves and follow Jesus instead of the newest self righteous trend.

Following Jesus isn't just about bringing Him glory, but it's also for our own good.

He knows the hearts of all.

He understands the pain of all.

He sees the scars of all... hidden or visible.

And He laid is life down for every last one of us.

When we follow Jesus, he's asking us to do this too.... to lay our self down for them as well.

Jesus came to teach us it is about our heart condition.... not to give us a list of rules.  A list of should's and should not's is not what we need, nor my goal with this.

My goal is to gently encourage you to examine your own heart when given the moment to serve self or others and weigh out a few thoughts...."Am I being selfless or selfish.... am I serving and loving my neighbors.... am I following Jesus or the crowd....or am I feeding the never, ever satisfied pit of pride, power, and self."  .....am I buying a lie, that is affecting others around me?

Only you know.



I think it's best you talk to God on your own this time.

This time, I'll leave you with the same question of my new friend..... 
" I wonder what Jesus would think if He were here, and what He'd want us all to do."

Talk it over with Him.