the biggest problem with the iphone 6

With a brand new iPhone 6 in my hand and the holidays right around the next bend, this video becomes all the more real.



I challenge you this Christmas season to unplug from your technology. Don't worry about the selfies, the pictures of all the gifts you received and everything going on around you. Instead try to remember those moments by actually living them, and plugging more into those around you. 

Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to The Lord for He is good.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

As I was washing my Rapunzel hair this morning (which for those of you that truly know me, you know that is a huge deal) I started thinking "what am I thankful for?" and then the idea clicked to write a blog post. As I am still washing my hair (side note; there is so stinkin much of this that I have plenty of time to think, hence the Rapunzel reference) I continued to think about what I would write about, but the thought also came to mind "why do you write?" and the answer to that was "to get the Lord's name out there, not my own." As much as I love having over 2000 views on my blog, and lots of likes, comments, and positive feedbacks... that is not my purpose for this blog. If I reach one person with this blog than it has served its purpose. As I continue to follow my calling to write today, I am thankful for so many things.


Give thanks to The Lord for He is good. 

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 118:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

the key words I pull out of those 4 scriptures are he is good. 

Is.

Is, is the present tense of be. 

Present tense. That means He is good now. How cool is that to think about?

When you think about How good the Lord is now and all the time. I think it makes it a little bit easier to have a thankful heart. 

In this month of thanksgiving, if you read a daily devotional or you get the verse of the day from some source, it is all about giving the Lord thanks and why that is so important, at least my Jesus Calling devotional was on point with that this month and I loved it. 

He has blessed me beyond words. & I truly believe if you have an attitude of thanksgiving in every situation, and you remember that The Lord is good and works all things together for our good, that your valleys will be just as sweet to walk through as your mountain tops.

Here is an example of that;

A couple of Thursday's ago at Vertical @ Biltmore Baptist, we were to turn and tell someone what we were thankful for. I turned to an unfamiliar face behind me and said "I am thankful for my family." He without hesitation responded "Wow, you must have a pretty awesome family." To which I said back "If you only knew." 

In my mind I was thinking.. if you only knew the hurt I have walked through. If you only knew my story. If you only knew how crazy times were. If you only knew how things have changed over 23 years. If you only knew how much fun we have & how our pretty cool our relationships are today. 

Because I have a thankful heart and I know that The Lord is good, I can see that everything I walked through with my family was all a part of His plan for good. Of course at the time I could not see how any of the chaos could ever be considered "good" But bless, am I thankful for every single step of life I have walked through with my family and sweet friends I have by my side. It was all part of God's plan for good in my life and it has shaped me into the woman I am today; with a strong love for the Lord and a heart of thanksgiving. 

If I had to guess, there are more than enough people walking through that part of life right now. Maybe it isn't your family issues. Maybe it's a job, another broken relationship, or a missing relationship. There is a blessing in it somewhere. The cool thing that I like to think about often is that everything I have been through, everything I currently go through, everything I will go through, every breath & every step I take was perfectly hand crafted especially for me. So all of this stuff, because the Lord is good was picked out and planned for your good because He loves you more than words could ever explain. 

I truly believe that when you taste & see that word of the Lord is good, and that He is good, and that he is working things all together for your good... those valleys you walk through will eventually become so much sweeter to you than those mountain tops. 

You can tell me, "well you don't know my story.. you don't know me"  & I can tell you that you are exactly right. But I know somebody who does. I know the One who breathed you into creation. I know the One who had all of your days planned before you were created. I know that He is good and that He wants good for you and that He has a blessing and silver lining in that dark cloud in that dark valley you are stuck in. 

"Let thankfulness rule in your heart. As you thank The Lord for blessing in your life, the more you will see. Focus on The Lord and what He is doing. Sing to God with a heart of gratitude." -- Jesus Calling 

You may be weak, but God's spirit is strong in you. Give thanks frequently as you journey through today.   Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

So I know I don't have a list here of what I am thankful for, but I hope what you take out of this is that I am thankful for everything. 

Again, Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your plates full of food you know you shouldn't eat. Enjoy your loud aunt, crazy cousins, and your uncle with the crude jokes. You don't get to choose your family, but God hand picked them especially for you! 

-B

Sometimes a "no", "do not", or "don't have" is a blessing too

She sat across from me with her hand gently around that red cup, in the seat where her back would be against the wall. She didn't much care to have her back to the room, she liked to be able to see what was going on.

She had answered questions about ministry, her time with The Lord, friendships, and more about her new season of life with her head held high and a smile on her face. With the last question she answered though, something changed so quickly. Her shoulders dropped, her tone changed, and without looking up she said "no, I'm not married."

The quick change was such a shock. From the things she had been saying it was very evident The Lord has blessed her with many many things and had His hand on her. This girl had answered everything so joyfully and then that one question, the answer to that one question she carried the answer around with her in shame.

She had so many blessings, but had she missed that because the enemy had pulled one of the oldest tricks in the book?

Let me explain. Go back with me to the beginning. Not the beginning of this story, but the beginning of The Story. Back to the Garden of Eden.

(There is a lot of scripture here so I won't insert it all, but I encourage you when you have a moment to go read through Genesis 2.)

Let me talk to you about Eve, the very first woman in the Bible, and the very first for the enemy to pull this trick on. 

Eve had a man (companionship).
Eve had 4 rivers flowing through the garden of Eden (water)
Eve had trees, plants, and animals within quick reach (food)
Eve had The Lord's blessing, protection, and perfection surrounding her.

She had it all, but one thing. And here is where the enemy pulls a fast one on her. He places a big ole spot light on the one thing she doesn't have. Using that one thing to distract her and make her think The Lord is holding out on her and does not know what is best for her. There is a reason she doesn't have that one thing in her possession, but she is encompassed in the enemy's trick that she can't see that. 

Sound familiar? See how these two stories are oh so similar? 

From the very beginning this has been a trick of the enemy's. Eve missed all The Lord had blessed her with because she was so focused on that one thing she did not have. She was so distracted by it that she couldn't even trust The Lord and know that maybe He had a reason for keeping that one thing she was lacking away from her. 

The same goes with the girl in the story with her head hung low in shame of the fact she does not have a husband. 

Can I be completely honest with you about something? That girl in the story, remember her? Yeah, that was me. Head hung in shame as soon as somebody asked if I was married. Every single time, my reaction was the same. 

Head hung in shame.
Shame wrapped in thoughts of they will wonder what is wrong with me, and try to figure out why I'm not married. 

Then one day I felt the Lord prick my heart and whisper "you are missing all the other blessings, because you are so focused on what you do not have. Be thankful, and keep your eyes focused on me and what you do have." and with that He placed the story of Eve on my mind. 

After reading and studying what Eve had in the Garden of Eden and how she had fallen prey to the same exact trap I did, it was like my eyes were opened. 

God calls us to be content, not complacent. 
Faithful, focused, and fruitful with what He has given us, not distracted, distraught, and disobedient because there are things He has not given us. 

Don't be so distracted by the do nots that you miss the sweet blessings of Your Heavenly Father. Sometimes a no, do not, or don't have is a blessing too. 

Just as Eve couldn't see that The Lord had a plan and purpose, I couldn't see that He had and has a plan for me too and that "don't have" is a blessing too. 

We all have wants which we feel like are our needs. Yours is probably on the tip of your tongue right now. I challenge you to open your fists and hand it over to The Lord. I challenge you to trust He has a reason for it not being in your life in this season. 

One day He may and you will know God is God and God is good. 
And it may never come but you will know that God is still God and God is still good. 

So friend if you take nothing from this keep this little nugget of truth in the back of your mind ...

Praise Him for what you do have, and  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,because the enemy comes to kill steal and destory. (1 Peter 5:8-9 & John 10:10) 

oh the joy of vulnerability

oh the joy of vulnerability

as hard as it may be to convey a tone in writing, I am hoping that you can pick up on my sarcastic tone in that statement.

Joy - a feeling of great pleasure and happiness

Vulnerability (or vulnerable) - susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm

A feeling of great pleasure and happiness of being susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.

 Now are you picking up my sarcasm? Those two just don't go together. At least not in a great pleasurable and happy way.

Have you ever opened up about something, poured our your heart, feelings, thoughts, and emotions only to be met with indifference. Or the cold, hard sting of the words, actions, or feelings you hoped for to never come your way.

To come to that place where you are susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm? That place where you want to shut off, close down, and never even dream of tip-toeing around that word, vulnerability? 

You have? Me too. 

Lately I have learned there is however a lot of learning, growing, and character development in vulnerability. 

As a quiet, calm (I laugh even typing those two words to describe myself) woman with a strong spirit, vulnerability might as well be a four letter word that catches you off guard when you hear it from somebody else, or a pile of dirty laundry you know exists but avoid it at all costs. 

I don't think it's harder for women than men to be vulnerable, I believe it is an across the board issue.

However, doing some thinking, reading, praying, and researching and actually putting myself in those situations where I've had to be.... vulnerable  has really made me think about how things would be different in my relationships, my ministry, or my discipleship groups if I was more vulnerable.

There is something about being vulnerable that makes you flip. Once you open that bag of vulnerability the fear of man instantaneously flies in. Happened to me, just last night. I won't go into detail about what, why, or who with, but I will say that I had to come to a point where I had to calm it down and try to see the positive side of my vulnerability. Which in turn is why I am writing this post. 

Reading around, I found this quote about that which we avoid, vulnerability from a man named Patrick Lencioni, A man I have never heard of or know anything about. Yet a man who has a good way of seeing how vulnerability is a good thing which is what I am looking for. 

"Vulnerability. It is one of the most undervalued and misunderstood of all human qualities. Without the willingness to be vulnerable, we will not build deep  and lasting relationships in life. That's because there is no better way to earn a person's trust than by putting ourselves in a position  of unprotected weakness." 

I can't help but read that and think of vulnerability and think of Jesus. A man who didn't pretend, wasn't prideful, boastful, but was real. He was an easy to connect with, easy to follow, easy to love, easy to want to be like kind of man. A man who gave us the greatest most amazing things he could, all by being vulnerable. 

That alone takes the sting out of vulnerability. 

How deep and real were Jesus' relationships, ministry, and discipleship? 

I don't know about you, but if having relationships, ministry, and discipleship like Jesus means being a little more vulnerable, i'm in. 

I don't know what that vulnerability looks like in your life. You're probably thinking now you don't know what happened to me the last time I was vulnerable. How stupid it made me feel, how others looked at me... you don't know.  Friend you are correct but I can be vulnerable with you and tell you I've been there. I've kept feelings in and when I opened up about them it was a little too late. I've had to swallow my pride and admit I was wrong. I've had to sit down with a friend who is hurting and broken by something I am all too familiar with and open an old wound so I could meet her where she is all by saying, "you'e not alone, me too..." 

So I don't know what being vulnerable will look like or has looked like in the past for you, but if I can encourage you to give it another try and to help take the sting out of it for you, then that is a start. 

I am by all means not saying please air your dirtiest, darkest secrets on social media, or at any other inappropriate times or ways. I am saying that it is okay to be attentive to a moment you need to open up about feelings, or swallow your pride and admit something, and be brave and follow through. 

I am saying that it is okay to come to a place where you can say "oh the joy of vulnerability" and mean it; and knowing if having relationships, ministry, and discipleship like Jesus means being a little more vulnerable, you too can say "i'm in." 

"God asks us to be this vulnerable all the time – with Him and with others – if we want true joy."

Psalm 21:6 For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

One of these days I may hand-write this all out for you, but I wanted it to get to you quickly so maybe you might cry as hard as I did yesterday (misery loves company, right?)

I'm not really big on goodbyes, I'm more of a "see you soon" kind of girl. There is something that is just so heavy about "goodbye", but "see you soon" just does something to ease the heart a little.

But before I say it, there is something you both need to know.

You both for the impact you have had on my life, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for that.

Together you both are a power couple for the gospel. You opened your door, your hearts, your ministries, and your families up to me.

You were the first to give me my first real leadership role on ministry. You were the first to show me what a real Christian family and Christian marriage looked like.

You taught me how to parent in a godly way. How to be hospital, to be nice to boys and act like a lady, and how to invest in people and expect nothing in return.

You showed me that I too have a love for the foster care system (well not so much the system, but the children in it) and that blood doesn't make you family.

Monday nights were always my favorite, because even if they were crazy hectic and you needed a 3rd driver to grab kids from appointments, or schools, or practice you did real life with a smile and an open heart.

And there was nothing like snuggling with each of the kids one by one in the chair when I would come back for a visit and we would, as C would say, "have the band back together."

Remember how hard it was for me to leave you guys and go an hour and a half away, and I sent Sadie Anne back to the van balling (which is probably good I didn't hug her goodbye, because we both would be reliving that moment, so I know you'll send her my love)

This moment is about a million times harder to let y'all go even further, but I know you promised my move to Franklin would be good & that The Lord is good so I know this will be good too.

You will forever be family and my spiritual parents, because just like you guys taught me, blood doesn't make family.

So there will be no goodbyes here, just see you soon with lots of FaceTime, texts, calls, and road trips in the near future.

Love you guys! Wish you all the best! 

Proverbs 31:30 charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears The Lord is to be praised.

I get asked on many occasions if I think before I speak, Maybe that's a sign that I should start to think before I speak, however my response usually is, "no, I like to be just a surprised and entertained at what comes out of my mouth as you are."  I  mean, who doesn't like surprises? 

That being said,  I may be just as surprised as you by what gets written in this post.

Something that has been on my heart for a long time, but more heavily this past week is the world vs The Word in regards to being a woman. 

When God created woman, because after days of creation and 7 times saying "it is good" He found something that WASN'T good.. for man to be alone. 

Now the key thing there is that God doesn't give Adam Eve right then and there. He could have, I mean HELLO he is God. King of ALL creation. But he waits, which is a whole nother blog post. So skipping to the point where God does create Eve for Adam, look at what it says

Genesis 2:21 So The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs. 

In the worst of my mother "He jacked the dudes rib" 

V22 and the rib that The Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 

God didn't make the woman from dust like He did the man. 

That there, leads me into my point... The worth of a woman, as The Word says. 

The reason the woman was created was because God did not like that the man was alone. We are a very special creation. The Word tells us we are made for the man. the world tells us we ARE the mans. 

Let me type out the list here that I jotted down in my notes...

 We are, as woman

*an investment not a sacrifice

*worth preparation not just promises

*a gift not a commodity 

*fearfully and wonderfully made! not a mistake

We are also made with very special hearts. We are made for relationships, that is a thumbprint of God on our heart. So many have a desire to marry and I think that concept has been so stolen and destroyed from its original purpose and meaning. 

A marriage between a man and wife is to glorify God. Before a woman can become a kingdom wife that will stimulate not stifle her husbands walk with God is first, she has to figure out her worth in Christ as a single and as a woman. 

Side note, I love Lysa Terkhuerst and all of the many wise things she allows The Lord to use her for. 

But one of my favorite quotes from her is that "no person profession position or possession can ever fill the cup of an empty wounded heart, that is a cup only God can fill" and she is SO true.

But that brings us back to fighting what the world says, that a man can fix all my problems. When I find the right man it'll alllll be okay.

Just FYI for those of you that still believe that, it's a load of crock... 

But because of that load of crock, women search for a husband and all they want is to get married. Our Disney movies and fairly tales tell us so. Movies and society continue to fester that wound as we grow into our teenage years. Pinterest feeds our lust for marriage as young adults. 

Beloved, let me tell you this. No man can ever love you the right way because of the way you have been designed. Our ultimate love is to come from God. You are worthy of more than ONLY the love of an earthly man, and marriage isn't the answer to ANY of your problems. It will never make you feel complete. You know what I bet sucks more than being lonely, having somebody that you can call your husband and share a life with but still feeling more lonely that you ever did before. Once that happens you will be that quarrelsome wife that is talked about in Proverbs 27 & 21. I think a lot of women today need to figure out their worth and who they are in Christ, so that when the chance arises to be a help meet for somebody, they are equipped and prepared to Glorify God as a kingdom wife. 

"A woman is not born a woman nor does she become a women when she marries a man, bears a child, and does their dirty linen, not even when she joins a women's liberation movement --- A woman becomes a woman when she becomes what God wants her to be." -Lady in Waiting

We don't become a woman when we can finally wear lace underwear, put on whatever makeup we choose, purchase push up bras, and wear low rise jeans or high heels. Those are all worldly things that the world mistakes for beauty and womanhood. 

BUT The Word tell us something different about who we are and what we should be concerned with. What makes a godly woman that turns into a Kingdom Wife

"Do not let your adorning be external the braiding of hair and the putting on of jewelry or the clothing you wear but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the IMPERISHABLE beauty of a gentle quiet spirit which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:3-4

 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman who fears The Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

"A wife of noble character is her husbands crown" Proverbs 12:4

"Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from The Lord" Proverbs 19:14

And Proverbs 31:10-31 tells us all about what that looks like.

So I urge you to ask yourself the same question I have asked myself this week, "what is a wife?" And answer it according to what The Word says. Not what the world says.

A wife is not somebody to keep the kitchen busy and the bedroom even busier, and the road between the two hot. Not something to complete a man but to compliment him. Not quarrelsome but prudent and noble. Not a sacrifice but and investment. Not stifling but stimulating in his faith & walk. Not a commodity,  but a gift from God, fearfully and wonderfully made, worth more than just empty promises and words. 

In today's society when there is a battle with the world vs The Word, many let the world win. But beloved I urge you to hold fast to the truth. Taste and see that the word of The Lord is good, and soak in all he has to say about you as a woman. As His daughter. 

You are worthy. Worthy of more than starving yourself, coloring your hair, skin, and nails, and shopping to be what the world says is beautiful. You are worthy of an in-explainable love given by a savior who died on the cross to know & have your heart.

For God IS love. An Unwavering love. (1 John 4:16)

-B

1 Peter 5:8 for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour

Yesterday listening to a sermon on the radio, this information was shared:

 

"The giraffe gives birth standing up, so the first thing that happens to a new-born giraffe is a fall of about 10 feet.

Still dazed, the baby tries to stand up on its four legs, but its mother behaves very strangely: she gives the baby giraffe a gentle kick which sends it sprawling. It tries to get up, stands, and is again knocked down to remind the baby how it got up the first time.

This process is repeated several times, until the new-born giraffe is too exhausted to stand. At that point, the mother kicks it again, forcing it to get to its feet. After that, she does not push the baby giraffe over again.

The explanation is simple: in order to survive predators, the first lesson a giraffe must learn is to get to its feet quickly."

To survive the predators, that prowl and would love to devour a baby giraffe, it must get to its feet quickly. 

Funny how that was a story used as an illustration in a sermon. I always wonder where these pastors and speaks find this crazy stories and how they even relate, but this story as crazy as it is has a very clear message.

Lately I've sort of felt like that baby giraffe. Each time I get to my feet and feel like I'm finally standing okay, I'm knocked back down. 

Feeling frustrated, strained, and confused I gather the strength to stand back to my feet and not sit defeated or quit. Even though I would be lying if in the quietness of my heart I think about just quitting and staying down. All the while wondering why why why does this keep happening. 

Hearing this story made me think of the scripture in 1 Peter 

Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. (1 Peter 5:8 AMP)

The Lord wants me to be able to get back to my feet quick, and He is conditioning me to do so, because if I don't get to my feet quickly (just like the baby giraffe that has to keep up with the pack) the predator in my life would love to devour me. 

If you feel knocked down, don't stay down. Get up quickly, and keep moving. 

Ephesians 3:20 To Him be the glory

At 2:01 on August 25, 2014, what would be my first day of my 2nd year of teaching, I lie restless. With mixed feelings. Mixed thoughts. Mixed emotions. 

After not writing in weeks, not wanting to pick up pen paper ipad anything, I get the nudge to write.

Like I normally do with my journal open, I flip pages praying that something jumps off the pages from the past and grabs my attention.

Tonight it did. 

February 15, 2014

"Because the Father has given ME full sufficiency in Him alone, as a thank you, I need to fulfill my ONE purpose to be used and spend every bit of my mental, nervous, and spiritual energy to disciple men and women to The Lord Jesus Christ. I am to do this no matter where I am. Church, classroom, or work."  

The joy of this is that I found these words after writing...

"Because sometimes, just sometimes, The Lord has to open the door to allow things into your life to remind you that you, you aren't I'm control and that no matter how hard you try you will never be able to plan it all out, and you won't ever have it all figured out. 

That something can be something awful bad or it could be awful good. I'm a firm believer The Lord has a sense of humor, but I'm even firmer believer that He knows what's best. So no 10 year 5 year or 1 year plan you could ever imagine will come to be. Some of it might, but most of it won't. Scripture tells is that there is nothing that can ever separate us from the perfect love of The Father, and because of that He has great plans for us that are FAR greater than anything our imperfect human minds could imagine. 

He knows best. His ways are higher.

To the one who can and will do immeasurably more, to HIM be the glory (Eph 3:20)." 

I find so much comfort in both of these, and I love as I sit here asking why to many things that just don't make sense in any way, The Lord has given me the answers right here, and both start with the word "because" 

Praying that this meets you where you are. Praying that you aren't also awake at 2:15 am seeking and searching, but if you are know that He has a plan.

To Him be the glory.

B

Isaiah 43:1 You are mine.

<sup>Pray for a clear heart, and a clear mind. Ask what The Lord needs to reveal to you, and jump on in the boat for the story.


John 21
3</sup> Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
⁴ Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵ Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶ He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. ⁷ That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. ⁸ The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards^[a] off.
⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

¹⁵ When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”


Now for those of you that have read this story a time or two (thousand because it is often used to talk about the different types of love) know that there is more to it. 

But I am stopping right there. At that last word. These.

These

T͟Hēz/ Plural form of this

So in this story, the these or this Jesus is referring to is the 153 fish Peter caught that day. Those fish which required a lot of time and a lot of effort because He had been fishing a while that day. He had fished, and he had fished, and caught nothing. Then, he cast his net out again and caught a net "full of large fish, 153 of them." I do believe this is a fisherman's dream. 153 large fish all together in one net, in one swoop. Can you imagine Peter's excitement here? 

Ladies, I know that whole fish reference may have just passed you by and you cannot understand why 153 large smelly fish are exciting. So bear with me. Think of the one thing that would make you more excited than anything. What is your number one want right now?

Peter wanted those fish, bad. So think about that one thing you want, bad. 

Jesus asked him, do you love me more than these 153 large fish you really badly wanted?

Because I don't know what your "these" may be that God might be asking you do you love Him more than, I am going to replace that word with "fish." Don't get distracted though. I'm sure you love God more than you love fish. but there is something significant in your life that you really want and God is trying to have you stop focusing on it and turn fully and whole-heartedly back to Him. 

Your fish may be the craving for a new job, a bigger pay check, a husband, a new job, a baby, or something more. 

At times we get so focused on the fish in our life that we lose sight of God. We forget who we are and whose we are. It is so easy to get distracted these days living in a world where the focus is always on the next big thing.

I want to pull in some more scripture from Isaiah 43 that can be a great help for turning that focus from the fish Jesus is asking, do you love HIM more or that? 

Isaiah 43:1 says that He who created you, and formed you says "you are mine." The rest of 43 goes on to say that He will never leave you nor forsake you, that no matter what you go through He will be there. 

Jesus wants to know if you love Him more than your fish, because He knows that when you pass through the waters He will stay with you, not your fish. He is trying to assure you that if you go through any sort of waters in your life, your fish will be gone. 

Fish (remember your these) in the water (trials of any kind in life) are gone. They cannot sustain you. 

So just as Jesus was asking Peter, which do you love more those fish, or me, He is asking you the same thing.

If you get nothing really from this, let The Lord whisper this in your life

"Do you love me more than these? (John 21:15) Because you don't belong to those things. I created you. I formed you. You are mine (Isaiah 43:1). Your identity is not found in that thing you want really badly that you may or may not have. Nothing can come close to how much I love you and nothing else can ever define your identity like I can. Remember that. You are mine."

 

  

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are you waysmy ways, declares The Lord.

This time next week I will be in Concord, NC attending the SheSpeaks2014 Conference. Those few short days are packed full of trainings, teachings, workshops, worship, and fellowship to help me sharpen the writing and speaking skills The Lord has blessed me with. That being said, I (knowing this when I registered back in early 2014) am to take with me a writing piece to have peer edited. As I have been praying, thinking, searching, and re-reading my old posts, I feel led to write a brand new post to take with me. So as you read this, I ask that you join in prayer for my time next weekend.



When you put God in a box, and He puts you in Franklin.

Let me share with you a little background before I share with you the heart of the story.

I graduated high school in four years, then went off to attend college. At Appalachian State University I spent four years studying Middle Grades Education. At 21 years old I began my career as a teacher. At 22 I began my career in ministry.

I know, that is a lot of life covered in four short sentences, but the backstory is not as important as the story story. Keep reading, and you will see how that little snapshot is relevant.

In that one year as a Middle School Teacher, I felt called to ministry. I just knew that teaching NC state curriculum was not supposed to be the limit on my teaching. I love to teach, but I wanted to teach a little bit more than 6th grade science.

I also will tell you I knew what that ministry would be too. I would be in Young Adult Women's Ministry working with Middle School age all the way to women in their mid 20s. I was just so sure in my heart of hearts that I was going into ministry, so I was just so sure that is what it would be.

Funny how we can be like that, huh? Maybe it's not you, maybe it's just me. By "that" I mean that we can be so convinced of one thing that we get this false confidence that we know all.

I cannot tell you how many times I prayed specifically for the position I knew The Lord wanted me to be. So much so that I eventually became frustrated with the fact no doors opened. I mean, I was so good at what I was doing. I was so good working with teens and women my own age. People around me commented on how they could see things in my past that had prepared me for that sort of ministry. I eventually put myself in a box, and in a box along side me I placed God.

By "putting God in a box" I mean I forgot how big, powerful, and sovereign He really is.

I told Him what He had prepared me for instead of really having an open mind to what He was preparing me for. I told Him what doors He should open for me. Again, funny how we get like that, huh? That false confidence creeps in and we start telling The Lord what to do.

I had limited my prayers to what I had wanted. I limited what God could do to what I wanted. I put God in a box. Needless to say, in this season of life I have started a career in ministry, but it is not Young Adult Women's Ministry. In this season of life, the Lord has placed me in Children's Ministry. I won't even begin to try to tell you why, or how God place me here. Knowing my tendencies, that false sense of confidence might creep back up if I try to figure it all out.

I put God in a box, and He put me in Franklin.

Hear me when I say that being in Franklin is not a punishment. Children's ministry is not a punishment. God did not scold me for putting Him in a box. He did however prove Himself to me, yet again. He is God, and I am not. He knows what He is doing, I do not. He is not surprised, I am (easily I might add).

He has things in store for me that are far greater than anything I could ever fathom. He has things in store for you that are far greater than anything you could ever imagine!

Join with me to make the decision to not place God in a box, not to shrink Him down and limit our prayers to our wants but pray boldly for The Lord to allow you to be part of what He is blessing.

If you're surprised by what the outcome is, remember that God isn't and His ways are better than ours.

It's only been a few short weeks but I can say that I love that God placed me in Franklin.

-B

Matthew 25:45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Matthew 25:45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

And the rest of the story, Matthew 25:31-46 of the final judgement was truly just a story until Saturday May 31, 2014.

Many things can be and will be said about social media, but it can be used for good. One day thumbing through I came across a post from a friend Katie Owen sharing what I saw as an opportunity to serve a ministry who was short on volunteers. Little did I know how that one share, and that one thought, and that one story would change my heart and unveil my eyes to something so real. 

Not knowing what I would be getting myself into I signed up to join this ministry and volunteer that coming Saturday. I called a couple of girlfriends too and when Saturday morning came, we woke up a little earlier that desired, and were on our way with little to no idea of what was to come.

Sometimes not knowing is best because it opens up the "anything is possible door." 

I don't want to give every detail, because like a good movie or book, if it's all shared others won't experience it for themselves.  I will tell you though that working with the LOT (least of these) ministry was one of the most amazing things I have been a part of. You think you are giving 2 hours of your morning to bless others, but the people who come to eat breakfast will bless you more than you could imagine. To see the joy on their faces pouring out from their hearts is something unforgettable. It will humble you, and put you back into perspective. The people you serve with and the people you serve are unlike any people you will find. 

I will also tell you that once you serve once, you will be back. The people, the love, the stories, and the body of Christ coming together outside of the Church walls will have you hooked. 

You may not have Jesus knock on your door and ask for food, but He will surely place opportunities at your feet to serve another. 

By serving others, you have served The Lord. I won't beg you to experience these Saturday mornings, but I can tell you if you do, you won't leave the same as you came. 

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

The first thing before anything else, I would like to praise The Lord. He has moved in huge ways in such a few short weeks.

From getting to go and be the hands and feet in Baltimore Maryland for the Southern Baptist Pastors Conference, to camp in the middle of no where with hundreds of students hungry and broken for The Lord, to doors opening for me to relocate to follow my call into ministry. The Lord is good. 

Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent. 

During all these opportunities and open doors, looking back the most important thing I had through it all is the counsel of older godly women I have in my life. Without them, there is no way I could stand strong through this. Spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or physically. 

Because God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, He uses other people to speak into our lives. 

That being said, if I could give you only one piece of advice for life, I would say that you should have a mentor or two in your life and a group of women (or for guys, men) who can give you advice both for the world and for your faith walk. 

In Baltimore I was blessed by about 7-10 women who have been walking with The Lord much longer than I have. I had the opportunity to ask them that same question I just answered for you "if you could give me only one piece of advice for life, what would it be?" That one question blessed my life.

I got some awesome answers, which I had no idea that I could or would need to use so quickly in life. 

Ask questions.

Be adventurous.

Put your hope in The Lord only. 

Be still and wait on The Lord. 

God is not surprised, remember that. 

All of these answers came from women that I can now go to for anything. That one simple question bridged my heart to theirs and it opened the door for more godly guidance and counsel in my life. 

If you try to walk through your Christian life alone, you will surely fall. There is a real enemy seeking to stop you every second of every day, and you cannot defeat him alone. 

Many of you have a counsel of people in your life that are close in age to you, and that is great, but nothing is sweeter in those struggling moments then having somebody who has walked through them walk with you, tell you how they got through it and how you will too. 

If you don't have a mentor, seek one. Not an earthly family member, but an older spiritual mother (or father, guys) in Christ. It will be one choice you will never regret. Also, seek counsel from older women (or men, guys) and ask them questions. Ask them that one question, "if you could give me one piece of advice for life, what would it be?" I promise it will bless your life. 

Praying that mentors will be found and counsels will be set into place, because without counsel plans fail but with many advisers they succeed. 

-B

Romans 12:6-7 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly... if it is teaching, then teach.

As the end of my first year of teaching comes to an end, I felt it necessary to share what I have learned. When I was about to start teaching, I searched for advice. Anything I could read, anybody I could talk to, and there were a lot of things I learned that nobody taught me, but the kiddos. 

So here is a letter to the first year teacher, from a first year survivor. 

First: take a deep breath

you may not get a lot of time to take a lot of those. Kidding. Even though it does not feel like you have time to even breath at times, you do. When you start to feel like that, stop right then and take a deep breath.

You will take a lot of deep breaths. Side note, do so loudly so you will be able to tune out the kids asking if you are okay, or why you are breathing so hard. 

Second: be yourself

you have nobody to impress, your a newbie and everybody knows it. If they don't know it yet, they will figure it out fast. That is not a bad thing at all. I used the "I'm a newbie" card a lot. It gives you a little bit more wiggle room to try new things and make mistakes. Definitely takes the pressure off. So be yourself and try those things until somebody tells you it's not a good idea and adjust things as you go. If you don't there will be so much pressure to live up to this unreal person you have created. It is okay to make mistakes around co-workers and the kids. If you teach the kids it's okay to make mistakes they will start to try more too. 

Third: become familiar with what you cannot do

knowing exactly what you cannot do gives you wiggle room. Plus, it is much easier to know what you cannot do instead of what you can do. Learn those things asap. 

Fourth: learn when to ask permission and when to wait and ask forgiveness later

that is very important. If you feel like you have to ask before you do any and every little thing, you will go insane. You will also drive others insane if you are constantly asking "can I...(fill in the blank)?" As long is it is not one of those things that is on the cannot do no matter what list it may fall under one of those categories. 

Fifth: set boundaries

if you do not set boundaries during your first few months, you will definitely not have them throughout the 2nd half of the year when you begin to question why you even became a teacher. Again, kidding. If you ask that question, you won't truly mean it but that honeymoon period will be over quick and all your kids are now being themselves. Fully. All day. Every day. Learn what time is a good idea to leave school each day, and how late of an exception you will make for those busier days. Do NOT check email outside of school except for special circumstances. You will set up the unreal expectation that you can and will respond to a parent at 9:00 pm if necessary. Decide what type of work you will bring home and what you will not. I did not bring any work home and everything that needed to be done got done. There is no rule anywhere that says you must work at home or on the weekends. Don't do it. Teaching is your job not who you are. Do not lose your identity to your work. Pick 3 things and do them WELL. Do not overwhelm yourself. You are a new teacher, you are not hot of the press teacher of the year. You cannot do it all. If you try to manage teaching and be everywhere all the time, you will never get anything else done. Added bonus, boundaries or not, you will never have time to pee, so start learning to hold it now. 

Sixth: remember that every day is a new day

yesterday is not today and today is not tomorrow. Remember that. Do not carry anything from yesterday into your today. If you do that, those kids will never stand a chance. Even if that same kid drives you nuts every day in the same ways, let him have a new chance every day. PS: throw out that "I will love all my kids the same. I will not have favorites" idea because you will not not have favorites or enjoy all the kids equally. People are different, and there are different personalities. You will not like them all but you can give them a new chance every day. 

Seventh: take time to learn all of your students

whether you have 25 or 125, take time to learn them all. It will pay off in the long run. They will know you care and you will learn how to discipline, teach, and reward each of them. And trust me, without that you have nothing. If you don't learn the kids you cannot build relationships with them. The most important thing is to build relationships with the kids not how much they learn. 

Eighth: know now that you will not have 185 instructional days and THAT'S OK

Some days you will learn absolutely nothing and you will watch the Magic School bus and play silent ball. Some days you will color, go outside dig in the dirt, and cut and paste. Do not take those opportunities for granted. Those are some of the best teacher days. Yes you have data to meet, and EOG scores to raise, but if you don't take those days off and enjoy those slow days your kids won't learn from you. They will check out quick fast and in a hurry. Take time to let the kids have fun. They can learn in fun ways. Do not beat yourself up for the days you get nothing academic accomplished. 

Ninth: kids love rewards and "I like" has more power than "I don't like"

Rewards are better than discipline. Telling kids you like something they have done is way better than fussing at a kid because you don't like what they are doing. Whatever grade you teach, they deep down secretly want to please you. "I really like" will take you MUCH further than "I really don't like" plus it will make you a more positive person. Reward what you like, ignore what you don't, they will catch on pretty quick. 

Tenth: set your standards HIGH and BE TOUGH

I don't care if you are the most laid back person ever, when you have 25 different sweet little children in your room, if you don't set some standards quick you will have chaos. It is OK to tell kids NO, you may not get up without permission in this room and NO you may not go to the bathroom. It is easier to say NO first and then later say yes. If you start saying yes a lot at first you will be walked all over. If you are not tough with the kids at first you will be walked all over. You might as well slap a welcome sign to you because congratulations, you are a door mat. You can love the kids and have fun but still be tough. There is a difference between being strict and being mean. Your classroom may be the only structure they see in their life. You may be the only one that sets rules and standards for them. They may not like you for it but later in life they will understand. You are helping develop their character. Remember that, they don't need a friend they need a mentor. 

I feel it is safe to stop at 10. 

What I would have changed about my first year is being spread too thin. Some days I was to tired and the kids caught it. Be prepared for the kids to ask if you are tired, or if you are in a bad mood. They will ask and it is frustrating. Law is it frustrating, but just take it as a compliment that they are comfortable enough to ask. You can reteach anything but you cannot recreate an environment. 

If you take nothing from my letter remember this ONE key thing. Take time to pray over your room and for your kiddos. Take time to pray before you discipline. What makes a good teacher is not how well she teaches, but her walk with The Lord. Pray pray pray. Seek The Lord's guidance in all you do. I could not have made it through this first year without Him. 

With 14 days left until summer vacation, I cannot help but to reflect. I have loved my first year and I have loved my kiddos. I have loved the days that crashed and burned. I have loved the days we painted, colored, played with food, and watched the Magic School Bus or Bill Nye. I have loved being deemed the "bully teacher" and earning that title (ps, be okay with the kids joking with you. let them know when it is appropriate and when it isn't, and no two kids will joke the same that's why you have to learn them all) because I had fun and the kids had fun. I have loved the crazy pictures the kids draw of me on the board, and the forced teacher appreciation letters. I have loved the cute awards, letters, and pictures the kids created for me. I have loved being called a witch and a dragon, having my hair, shoes, and outfits critiqued by preteens because that means they are comfortable enough to share their opinions, and at times way too comfortable. 

What I am trying to say is enjoy it. Soak in every moment. Let nothing steal your joy. Who you are on day one is not who you will be on day 185, I promise. Start praying, taking deep breaths, and learning how to hold your pee now. You will not regret it.

You will have a great year, you will be great, and it is okay to make mistakes. 

Sincerely,

a first year survivor teacher of tweens.