Check out this month’s Exemplify Magazine (click on the cover below) ; two great giveaways are on pages 23 and 59.
Have a super blessed Monday,
My Heart Cries Out!
‘Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.’~ Psalm 107:1-3
God really taught me a lesson over the weekend. Sometimes I start grumbling about all the things I need/have to do. I want to put up my feet once-in-while, just veg out (I hope I am not the only one)…
Saturday I watched a documentary called “The Forgotten Woman“. Have you ever talked to a TV-screen? Well, let me tell you; I talked a lot to the TV on Saturday; tears flooded my eyes; I shook my head over what I saw/heard.
The documentary is about widows in India. Talk about some awakening of my senses; my sense of injustice. I was upset about how society in India treats its widows; they are indeed forgotten. Did you know that women who lost their husbands are outcasts? They are called witches, because families believe that widows are the cause of their husband’s death? Oh my goodness…
One woman in particular broke my heart. She said: “If god is real, why did he allow me to be born?’…She was first mistreated by her husband; and after he died she was cast out by his family; treated like a slave.
You know what I said the TV? ‘God is real, but not the god you believe in’…Oh my dear sisters…I just wanted to reach through the TV screen and hug this woman; telling her about my God; the God of love, compassion and inclusion.
After watching this 2008 documentary, so many things have become clear to me. For one thing: why the orphanages are full. You know why? Widows that have children are most likely not to remarry, even if they are very young widows. It was said in the film that “A woman is like a flower, and should be only given once in marriage”. Ouch!!!!
There a some organizations that help widows in India to become independent. They educate the women, give them hope for a brighter future. I pray that one day these women will encounter the God of love; the God that truly cares for them.
I am thankful that I know a God, who scarified His only son; a God who loves me, no matter what…
Lord of Heaven and Earth. Thank You from the bottom of my heart that You have opened my eyes once again. Lord, there is so much hurt in this world, help me to see it. Lord, show me a way how I can support women who are mistreated. I am trusting in Your mercy. In Jesus’ name…Amen.
Dear sisters in Christ; I urge you to watch the movie. But I also want to put a disclaimer on it: it might be painful to watch.
Thank you for stopping by today…
Living Fearlessly in 2010 – “Do I Matter?”
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” ~ Matthew 10:29-31 (ESV ~ emphasis mine)
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” ~ Psalm 139:14 (ESV)
Did you ever wanted to be famous? I did. When I was a teenager I wanted to be a backup singer for T.Rex; I even learned all the lyrics to all their hit songs… Me, a backup singer to tour with a famous 70’s British band? Thinking back makes me giggle, because I was only 13 years old at their height of fame.
Max Lucado writes in his book “Fearless“:
“Ah, There it is. There is the question. The Amazon River out of which a thousand fears flow: do we matter? We fear we don’t. We fear nothingness, insignificance. We fear evaporation. We fear that in the last tabulation we make no contribution to the final sum. We fear coming and going and non one knowing” and “Connect to someone special and become someone special, right?”
Yes, there it is “connect to someone special…” and maybe, just maybe I can catch a little ray of their lime-light that I too would matter…
That was me when I started blogging some 5 years ago. If you look way back into my archives, I tried so hard to matter. I connected to famous woman so I too would matter in bloggy-ville. I wanted to change the world just like they did. I wanted to be heard – loud and clear. How can I archive that? Link up, hook up…
Well, God had a lesson for me on that…I truly believe that we have to be humbled before He can truly use our gifts. The word “discouragement” was often on my mind; as much so that I wanted to just quit blogging all together — “I didn’t matter”…
But God kept after me; to stay with it. I mattered to Him and His message. He reminded me that we all have different gifts. Not all can be a Beth Moore, Lysa TerKeurst, or Lisa McKay. He gives even ‘small’ people like me a voice – to share about His incredible love, devotion and grace with others.
Sweet one, you too matter to Him. Would’ve sent His only Son into a cruel world to die our death? Would Jesus go all the way up Calvary to be nailed to the cross if we would not matter? I don’t think so!
Today I link up/hook up because men and women are an inspiration to me. I no longer need their lime-light to matter – I matter to Him, and that is enough for me.
Where there times when you linked up so you could catch a lime-light ray? Please do share – it does not have to be connected with blogging; maybe in your immediate surroundings? Did you ever wish you could be like ________?
Over the next week I would like you to ponder the Cross. What does the Cross say about how much you matter to God? Come back here to share either in the comment section or write about it on your blog.
Also, if you have not read Karon’s guest blog last Monday, I would like to encourage you to read it. Karon has a marvelous message about “Fear of Change“. I will be sharing my own thoughts on change next Monday.
Thank you for stopping by today. Remember: not matter how small you think you are, you matter to Him who wonderfully created you.
Exemplify ~ February 2010 Issue
Check our this month’s Exemplify issue here. The theme is ‘Simplicity’…Don’t I need it ever to simplify my life. Sometimes my job gets in the way 😆 …
Have a blessed day in the Lord,