Sweet Freedom

“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Psalm 119:32 (NIV)

Since moving to North Carolina nearly 13 years ago, this midwestern girl has found a new love. Besides my wonderful hubby, this part of the country has introduced me one of its most fabulous features…the sandy beaches of both North and South Carolina. I admit that I have fallen for the smells of salty seawater, soft sand and cool breezes at night. I am in love with the mighty crash of the ocean waves, sometimes gently beckoning all in its sight to come and play…sometimes charging with the ferocity of a bull to a red cape, daring anyone to come a step closer. Either way, the beach has made its mark on me.

One of the things I love the most about the beach is the sense of freedom I feel when I approach the water. Sweet freedom. Take my shoes off and run freedom. Almost sheer abandoned freedom. And for a non-spontaneous soul as myself, that is no small thing.

I think other people must share my feelings, as I have observed quite a few beach goers running toward the waves the minute they step foot on the sand beneath them. It’s almost as if, in that moment, they want the ocean to swallow them up in an act of ultimate freedom. Freedom from work concerns. Freedom from health crises. Freedom from relationship woes. Ahhh…to experience such sweet freedom, if only for a moment.

There is a song I love that we sing often in church that echoes this sentiment. It’s entitled, I Am Free, and its lyrics are simple and yet, powerful and hold great significance for the beach lover in me.

I am free to run…
I am free to dance…
I am free to live for you…
I am free…
Yes I am free…

While the beach certainly provides such freedom to run (and maybe even, in my most playful moods…to dance) for a moment when I run toward its waves, the freedom I have found in my relationship with Christ provides ultimate and lasting freedom – the kind that won’t come and go with occasional visits or vacational moments. It’s true that I love the beach, but it has nothing on how much I love the giver of life’s truest freedom, the spiritual kind of freedom that cannot be matched by anything earthly.

What about you? Are you free? Don’t answer right away. Think about it for a minute before you do.

You might be physically free to run…and to dance, like the song says, but what about your heart? Is it free? Or is it bound by hurts and burdens that make you feel chained and locked up and anything but free?

Though you may feel trapped in a prison of hopelessness, doubt or fear, you don’t have to stay in such confinement. Whether or not you live within 1000 miles of a beach is irrelevant. Wherever you are coming from, you can run towards the freedom that is now and has always been standing right in front of you. The freedom that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Seek His face today. That sound you hear is Him calling you to sweet freedom, greater than the kind that running your toes in the sand can provide. And there truly is no better feeling than that.

Lisa

“So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.” John 8:36 (The Message)

Which will you choose?

It’s great to be back!

Before I write anything else, I would first like to thank all of you who sent in your stories for my book. It has been truly amazing to hear about how God has touched each of your lives in very different ways. Through your testimonies, I am reminded anew how only the love of our Heavenly Father can truly satisfy a heart and change a life. Thank you for your honesty and your willingness to share with complete vulnerability in order to impact a reader’s life. These stories surely will. So, thanks!

If you’ve wondered where I’ve been for the past several weeks, our family just got back from a week’s fun in sunny Florida! We have had this trip planned for many months, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. After the flurry of school starting, two birthdays, our wedding anniversary, the conference, Bible study, and the book edits, my brain was in full overload and needed to do some “brainless” activity! Where better to do that but DisneyWorld? :)

Needless to say, we had a great time. The kids are at just the right age to go, as we no longer needed diaper bags or strollers to haul around…and they were all willing to walk without being carried! It was a beautiful thing for us, as we have never been in that position before on a vacation. We had great empathy for our fellow Disney-goers who were in that current situation. We wanted to tell all of them, “Believe me, it gets easier!” (In some ways, that is. :))

The point of my blog today is not to tell you about all the fun we had, though I could fill this blog with our many adventures. But there is something I observed on our vacation that I am itching to write about, since it ties in heavily to my next book, Behind Those Eyes. And these days, that is heavily on my brain.

On the way to Disney, we made a quick stopover at SeaWorld in Orlando. I must admit, this was as much for me as it was for the kids. I absolutely LOVE all things water, including (but not relegated to) aquariums and sea life. Once there, we did the necessary rides to appease the kids and visited several gift shops full of stuffed Shamu’s and shark necklaces. But the highlight for me came with the Sea and Land show… code for dolphins and birds. I was mesmerized with all the sights and sounds around me – the vibrant colors of the stage and the grand costuming of the performers. I was amazed and enthralled by the acrobatics and the mastery of the performing dolphins, all jumping in unison on a single cue. It was a beautiful representation of the genius of God of the Universe in creating such magnificent creatures of the deep.

As I took in the show, I periodically glanced around the auditorium filled with 5,000 + fellow SeaWorld attendees, all of whom appeared to be sharing in my awe. It was then that I decided that this had to have been one of the happiest places on earth…watching a dolphin show at SeaWorld. I saw older men, young children, moms, dads, teenagers, grandmothers, and babies, alike, all grinning madly and applauding loudly. It was a happy, blissful scene.

But as we left the auditorium that day at the conclusion of the show, I noticed that the bliss left with us. I overheard one woman in front of me as she snapped to her young son, “Sean, you just stepped on my foot! Watch where you are going!” The smiles and looks of pure glee had been erased from the faces of those who had minutes before looked like they could not have been happier. Which brings me to my point. In this life, is it happiness we are searching for…or something else entirely?

Robert J. Morgan, a pastor and author from Tennessee, once said in a sermon, “Happiness is an emotion, and joy is an attitude. Emotions come and go, but attitudes come and grow.” This statement could not have been truer had he written it specifically for my friends at SeaWorld. And I witnessed its truth that day, firsthand.

So, while we may think we just want to achieve happiness in this life, happiness is quite a fickle emotion. Just like those of us experienced 25 minutes of pure happiness during a Sea and Land show at SeaWorld, so do we experience temporary moments of happiness most everyday of life. Want proof? Think about savoring a meal full of all your favorite dishes. For those few minutes of indulgence, you are truly happy. Getting a great parking space at the mall brings at least a few seconds of happiness. And receiving a kiss from a child you love has the same effect.

But then…what are we really left with? When the emotion comes and goes, what stays with us? Do we live from happy emotion to happy emotion to fill a void deep in our soul for something lasting?

I submit to you today that what we are looking for is JOY, not happiness. A joy that is lasting and true. A joy that cannot be squelched by outside circumstances or determined by happy moments in life. This joy is amazing and it only comes from one source… Jesus Christ.

Think about that today. Are you happy? Or are you full of joy? There is a big difference, I have discovered.

I, for one, choose joy.

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

Help me write my book!

I need your help in writing my next book!

As you may know, the book I have coming out in April is entitled, Behind Those Eyes: What’s Really Going on Inside the Souls of Women. Here is the description of the book, taken from the Thomas Nelson catalog… “A look at the various roles women play as they cover for the inadequacies they feel, why they do so, and who they really are in and through Jesus Christ. Behind Those Eyes encourages women to face the reality of who they are and who God created them to be. The result helps to mend broken souls, repair relationships, and strengthen connections with family and friends.”

So, here’s where you come in…

~Do you have a story or insight that speaks of a time when you tried to be perfect, act confident when you really weren’t, tried to fake being happy, or wanted people to see you as more spiritual than you really were?

If you do, then please send it my way! It just might be included in one of the chapters! (Please only send stories that you don't mind sharing with the readers. First names only will be used, and names can be changed for protection and privacy. Send stories to lwhittle@juno.com.)

But here’s the catch…

1) I am in a little bit of a time crunch. This book has already been edited and is now in the stage that it will go to proofing by Nov. 1…so…I have this week to work on it, but then next week we are on vacation all week. When I get back, I will have two weeks to complete the copyedited manuscript changes until my deadline. So, I would need your story soon!

In tweaking the book, it became apparent that we needed a few additional different kinds of stories to appeal to a cross-section of women…which brings me to my next stipulation…

2) If you are married, I need a story that doesn’t involve your husband or children (if you have them). We are looking for stories from when you were single or before you had children.

I can’t wait to hear from you! I know you have a story to tell!
Lisa :)

All...Him!!!!

If excitement were an emotion I could adequately express through the keyboard, you would see that my heart is doing back flips right about now. Breath of Heaven 2007 came…and went…and left a God-sized impression on many hearts, including my own!

There are so many things I could write about this morning, regarding the weekend. I could talk about the speakers and the messages they shared -- how their words of encouragement and truth resonated with everyone in the room…or the dramas -- how completely insightful and meaningful they were (my gifted friend, Vanessa, wrote and acted in several of them)…or the dances -- how moving and beautifully appropriate they were…or the music -- how we jammed, rocked, and praised Adonai together…or the videos -- how funny and clever they were…or the set -- how amazing the lighting and staging looked -- SO many things…too many things…that I could write about this morning, though all the adjectives I am coming up with right now to describe the conference aren’t quite doing it for me, as I think back on my experience.

The truth is…I really want to write about something else -- something that made this weekend much more for me than just another conference.

This past weekend, I watched the body of Christ work together in the most beautiful way to accomplish what one person would not be able to manage alone. And it was one of the most thrilling things I have ever watched happen.

See, forgive me for being cynical, but with all of the discord, backbiting and backstabbing that often goes on in Christian communities, (and we likely all, have at some point, experienced), I admit that sometimes I fall into the trap of believing that Christians simply cannot co-exist for long without drama. And…even if we can manage to co-exist for a period of time, we certainly cannot work together without something happening to break the cohesion at some point.

But this weekend changed my mind.

This weekend convinced me that what God details about the body of Christ in I Corinthians 12 is, indeed, both His intention and His passion for us as sisters and brothers in Christ. Because, as I witnessed with Breath of Heaven, where the spirit of the Lord is, there can be and will be…cohesion.

My mind this morning is filled with thoughts about our cohesive team. I love and appreciate all of them so much that I simply have to share them with you…

~The gift of service was manifested by….women like Cindy, Melissa, Valarie, Traci, Carole, Rita, Ashley and Shannon…women who came and gave of their time and talents to create an atmosphere of love and warmth out of their pure love for God and others. (Thanks, Dianne, for lugging the rug to the church and back!) And women like Lynda…a beautiful woman who radiates joy in literally every situation and lives to serve God and those she meets. (You think I inspire you, girl? You inspire me…doubly.) Greta, Rhonda, Dawn, MaryAnn, Jennifer, Donna, Julie, Hope, Christa, Maria, precious Libby and all of the other women who cared less about what they could get than what they could give.

~The gift of exhortation was manifested by…many of my sweet sisters on the Proverbs 31 team. I think especially of Shari and LeAnn, who God clearly sent to deliver to me a specific message of encouragement on Saturday. Thanks for listening to His prompts. You girls prove that girlfriends truly CAN cheer for each other!

~The gift of administration and leadership was manifested by Teresa, and Matt, and Jason, and Corey, and helped by Trey and Donna and Keith…and others. Working alongside of all of you was so much fun and made me remember how much giftedness there is in our community of believers.

And others like…

Debbie and Tara…girls that I both really like and really love, and girls who seek no personal recognition…whatsoever. Both of you have encouraged me in ways you don’t even know about. Your “behind the scenes” details did not go unnoticed by me or Brenda. You truly kept things rolling. (Including, me!) :)

Ginny and all of those who helped keep our "tanks" full by nourishing our physical bodies.

Sweet Nedra…who hung with us and kept smiling, even when I knew she wanted to go home and soak her feet!

Blake and Will…who have more talent in their little fingers than most of us have in both our hands – and feet. You are so clearly gifted by God. I enjoy watching your creativity.

And Brenda. Wow. First of all, I love you. You are my friend, and I enjoy being on your “team.” You are an amazing example of how to do a job with excellence, but without losing your ministry heart. I greatly admire how God uses you to allow women to use their gifts by your open and discerning spirit. Talk about the gift of administration! It’s all you, girl!

Praise be to Jesus…for showing up at our conference – HIS conference – and breathing into us His life and grace and truth. Praise Him for His spirit that unifies, not divides. Praise Him for His power to touch hearts…and change lives. Praise Him for giving us His all and allowing us yet one more opportunity to give Him back our all. Praise Him for His Sovereignty. Praise Him for his purposefulness. Praise Him for His love. Praise Him.

Breath of Heaven 2007…was all Him. And man, did it show.

Lisa

“God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful!” (I Corinthians 12:4-11: The Message)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wreXolBRAsg

(Brenda McDowell and me before the conference, smiling through our STRESS! :)

Nobody

I recently heard the news that a woman I once knew and cared about is sick. She has cancer. I’m not even sure what kind. But whatever kind of cancer it is, she is very sick.

If I said her name, you wouldn’t know who she was.

How do I know?

Well…I don’t know for sure. But I doubt you would know her.

I, myself, haven’t seen her for years. But here’s what I remember about her…

She was always a very unassuming woman. She has never held the limelight in anything, so far as I know. She isn’t in to fashion, and never has been. (I’m sure she doesn’t own a pair of designer heels.) She is not wealthy. She lives alone. Her nails are yellowed from nicotine, and her gravely voice reflects her long-standing addiction. Her middle is thick and her teeth aren’t exactly white. She isn’t a Nobel peace prizewinner. She doesn’t have her own website. To most, she is probably a nobody. And now, this “nobody” has cancer.

My mind is filled with thoughts about this “nobody” this morning. For years, she was my teacher. She was also my friend. She was kind, compassionate and witty, and she influenced my life. I doubt she knows that I am writing about her this morning or even, that I am thinking of her. But I am. Though in the eyes of the world she may be a nobody, she’s a definite somebody to me.

Much more importantly, she’s a somebody to God.

Jesus says so Himself in Romans 9:25-26 when He says, “…I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved. In the place where they yelled out, ‘You’re nobody!’ they’re calling you ‘God’s living children.’” (The Message)

Though the accolades of the world will likely never find her, my friend, the “nobody,” has the eyes of Jesus gazing intently on her. He doesn’t care about her fashion sense or her social status. He doesn’t notice her fluctuating weight or her shade of teeth. When Jesus looks at her, He doesn’t see a nobody, but rather, a beautiful somebody that He dearly loves and cherishes as if she was the Queen, herself.

You are, too, by the way. Dearly loved…and cherished…and elevated by God. Lest you are finding yourself feeling like a nobody today, please remember that He is the one that calls out the “nobodies of this world” and “makes them somebodies.” Talk about a powerful endorsement!

My friend, the “nobody,” may not live to become an earthly somebody. If the cancer doesn’t take her life, eventually, something else will. But because of her relationship with Jesus Christ, her Heavenly status in the Kingdom of God trumps any and every earthly success that would give her the recognition required for you to know her name.

You can call me a “nobody” any day.