Back On Assignment Dec. 2004/Jan. 2005

Encouragement For Women

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you

may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Hello, and welcome to the first “issue” of Encouragement for Women! I am truly very excited to be typing this and sending it your way. Oh and you are probably wondering why you are receiving this email/newsletter. Well, it is because I chose to send it to you! You and I have a relationship as sisters in Christ and God has gifted me with sharing my life and for encouraging others. Although my sin often gets in the way and I loose sight of encouragement and its importance. Alas, God has this assignment for me to keep me on the straight and narrow. Simply put, everything I write is SO convicting to me and is reflective of what God is doing in my life.

Back On Assignment

I used to have a great part-time assignment. It required my creativity, input, decision making skills, communicating with people and the joy of writing. The hours were flexible, so I decided when I wanted to work. I can’t remember now how long I was actually involved in it, yet I do remember one day just giving up and quitting. I loved it, I enjoyed how it stretched me and I could use my talents but one day I just became bored. No one thanked me, no one congratulated me, no one ever said, “Wow, look what you’re doing” and I lost sight of my goals. I forgot that when I accepted the assignment I knew there were no benefits and I was never promised any recognition or praise for my work. However, one day I just said, “Good-bye” and never looked back.

A few years later I found myself seated next to a woman who I had seen before and I was almost certain I knew her name. We introduced ourselves and sure enough she was who I thought she was. I knew nothing of her, just her name and face. Though what she said to me shocked me to the core. She said something like this, “Oh, aren’t you the one who used to do _______________?” Apparently another woman we both know told her about this assignment I used to do.

About two weeks later I find myself typing this all out. You see the “assignment” was a web newsletter I used to put together titled “Encouragement for Women”. God placed this burden on my heart to reach out to other women, sharing my struggles and victories as I experience life through my relationship with God. I had lots to share, being a newly wed woman and all; my world had been “rocked”! Then like I mentioned the goals became blurred. Before it was all for the glory of God, to use my life experiences and what God was showing/teaching me so that others might also be encouraged. Somehow I began looking for some recognition; my pride/ego became way too involved. So I made up some excuse, emailed it to everyone I had been emailing my newsletter to and said to myself, “whew, that was that.”

Funny how God works, huh? Since then life has had many bumps, thumps and bruises and some intense moments of joy, peace and love. This woman reminded me that I accepted an assignment and I had better get back to it! Back to the goal of glorifying the God I serve – and not seeking after the approval, appreciation, or praise from others.

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. –Galatians 1:10

I Just Gave Up

Revelation 2:4
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

When I was a senior in High School I was invited to a Wednesday night church service. I had been in and out of churches growing up and the environment was comfortable, but I was awestruck as to why anyone would go to one on a Wednesday night. My Christian friends at school kept using the word revival and my curiosity grew and grew, so I went. That night would prove to change my life forever. I found out what the word revival meant (apparently it had been going on all week long and the Pastor every night pleaded with people to bring their unsaved friends & family) and most importantly I met Jesus. In one 2 ½ hour period I went from “yeah, I believe in God” to “wow, I believe that God really does love me and I no longer want to live in my sin. Jesus I give my life to you, Jesus please come into my heart and be my Lord.”

For the past few years I have been in Bible studies, listening to Pastors teach via the radio, read web devotionals, attended church and read books by Christian authors. I have been a hearer of God’s word for a long time, yet I failed to be a doer of God’s word. As a Junior High Youth group leader for a few years I was always frustrated by a common student response of, “I should read my Bible more and pray more.” Recently I read through some old journals and Bible study notes of my own. I found the exact same phrases. Not just once or twice, but numerous times.

I had been reading my Bible and I had been praying. However I read my Bible as if it were a homework assignment, cramming to get it done. I read it but didn’t seek to hear God speak to me from it, nor seek to live my life according to what it says. When I prayed I also lacked in listening. I presented my requests to God, yet a heart filled with repentance was missing. Then other things pressed for my time and I began reading less and less of my Bible. I was distressed anytime the words “I’ll pray for you” flew out of my mouth. I knew I would forget, or would be in a hurry to say one.

There is a great quote from an intense movie I have seen. The movie is rated “R” so I won’t give its title so as not to entice you to want to see it. A main character says quite frankly to another character something like this, “Do you know what the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was? He got the world to believe he doesn’t exist.” And I would say to you, “do you know the second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled is?” He got us to believe that we are worthless and that others are worthless. When our sin gets in between us and God we can’t hear from Him. We loose our vision, our sight of Jesus and His gift of forgiveness for our sin because of his sacrifice. We stop praying for others and we stop worshipping because we feel like hypocrites. We often opt for just getting by but not getting too deep.

I decided one day that it was all worthless. I gave up, my life issues were just too much for me. Then through a string of events God brought me to the floor in tears, desperate for Him. Unfortunately I am headstrong, proud and an “I can do it myself” kind of person. When I fail and learn lessons it almost always is the hard way. Yet I rejoice because it is in those hard ways that I am broken, humbled and see my absolute need for God. It is really only then that I hear from him. He reminds me: “You are worth it. Everyone is worth it. My son Jesus died for you. My son Jesus died for everyone. My heart was pierced for you, for everyone. Seek me first.”

The Past Is the Past

“Here and now is where I want to be,

not holding onto worn out memories.

I know the best thing for my Lord.

Sometimes ya just got, ya gotta let it go.”

Jadon Lavik “Let It Go” self titled album

This is so unbelievably true. Unfortunately I find myself as one of those people who can’t “just let it go”. I find myself keep records of wrongs all the time. Man, I can’t remember peoples names, where I found something in the Bible, what I did last week or why I just walked into a room – but you better believe I can remember who wronged me, when, how I felt, what I did, what I said back (or better yet- I have an internal movie of how I would have liked to have handled the situation) and every time I remember it I think it becomes more and more irritating.

Worn out memories can also be really good ones. Like when you were dating. Or when someone did you a great favor, or totally helped you out when you thought no one would. However, the hard pill to swallow is; the past is the past. The future can seem daunting or perhaps just a repeat of all the stuff you already have experienced. Or the future can hold a spark of adventure, excitement and trusting in God’s promises. Like Jeremiah 29 ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.

Let’s look at the facts: God knows his plans for us, those plans are; to prosper us, not harm us, hopeful, more time (a future). As those plans are fulfilled we will call upon him, drawing near to him and praying to him. He will listen to us. If we use our whole heart (being sincere) we will find him as we seek him. He declares that he will be found by our searching. He promises to restore us, gathering us from where ever or whatever we have been held captive.

What does this mean to me? Since God promises to take care of me, give me life, and listen to me and to restore me – then I want to call upon him, draw ever nearer to him and spend more time in heartfelt prayer. I want to be set free from the things that hold me captive, Lord set me free so I can have more of you!

What does this mean to you? I hope you see the excitement for moving forward in a deeper relationship with God. If you and I are to move forward we have to face the direction we want to go. If part of us is in the past and part of us headed toward the future, the only thing we can do is fumble, trip or wipeout. Let’s be content with the here and now – yet stepping forward for what God has ahead!

Praise our Heavenly Father who churns the heart to serve Him! Elizabeth

(From the Dec. 2004/Jan. 2005 Issue)