Good morning!
Since posting this blog in the wee hours of the morning, I have received word that my devotion "Secret Places" is being featured on the Proverbs 31 online devotions today. If you are visiting after reading that devotion, welcome to my blog! I had no idea that I would be sharing my "ugly" with quite as many of you today. But God knew...and again, He found a great way to help me kept it real. Hope you can handle my truth, visiting friends. I am praying that somehow this post touches your heart. I find it interesting that on the day I write about "secret places," He asks me to reveal some of my own. Grace for all of us! Lisa
Question: How "ugly" can I get?
Sometimes, I am the ugliest person on the planet. Seriously.
I’m not actually talking about how I looked in the hospital when I was in labor or the airport picture from 1990 my mom took of me when I was in college. Not that either of those categories are cute, mind you, but what I am talking about is more than a case of really sweaty hair and super swollen cankles or a lame pose in high-waisted jeans with thick glasses resembling coke bottles.
What I am talking about is something far uglier.
My “ugly” is what I look like when I love myself too much.
Unfortunately, this happens quite frequently, I’m afraid. I am selfish, ya’ll. And not just a little bit.
We’re talking grade-A…blue ribbon…gold medal…prime time selfish. The look-in-the-dictionary-and-you-will-find-my-picture-next-to-the-definition of the word “selfish” kind of selfish. It’s true. Lest you question my claim’s validity, let me assure you that this selfishness is, indeed, a long held tradition of mine.
~I think about what makes me most comfortable, most of the time.
~I dwell on my likes and dislikes, often spending time wondering what is the best way to get the things I want out of life.
~I get frustrated when things don’t turn out like I think they need to.
And…oh yeah…I really like to get my way.
On a surface-type level, my selfishness shows up in the most conspicuous times. Like when we go to a restaurant as a family …I like to be the decider of where we should eat based on what food meets my craving at the time. When I’m watching TV in my bedroom at night…I mostly hog the remote control and I don’t like to stop and talk to my husband when I’m in the middle of a show I really like to watch. (Especially if it involves me having to find something for him that he’s lost.) And that goes double for me when I am on my computer.
On a spiritual level, my selfishness shows up in the things I do and don’t do for God. I say “yes” to the things I want to do. I submit to His authority when it comes easy for me. I love Him a lot when He is blessing me…speaking to me…and ministering to me. I trust Him when I feel comfortable and safe.
Friends, it’s so ugly…but it’s so true. I am super selfish.
Of all people, God is intimately aware of my struggle with self. Because of that, He tends to graciously give me glorious opportunities to rid myself of the “Goliath” of pride in my life. He helps me keep it real, even when I’d rather keep on keeping it all about me.
Such an opportunity arose recently when He asked me to go and serve at a women’s conference without the expectation of anything, really, in return. No platform, no agenda, no banner, no book signing. Just service. It was something I was honestly not used to.
Upon receipt of my marching orders, I asked Him if He was sure. I reminded Him of my spiritual giftedness (NOT in the area of service). I gave Him my opinion. And then He gently gave me His…
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…”(Mark 10:45)
So I went. To the conference. And I served.
Honestly, I wasn’t very good at it. I was pretty awkward with it, really. I fumbled around with everything from microphones to banner assembly, and I was rarely in the right place at the right time.
But I went, and in some very small way, I served.
And when I did, my ugly was held at bay, and for a moment, I could see clearly what was and is real…
...Stretching myself to do what does not come naturally to me.
...Taking my Goliath out of the closet and staring it in the face.
...Laying aside my agenda to submit to His.
...Loving Him more than I do me.
If I’m honest with myself I’ll admit that my ugliness has prevented me from doing many things in my life. It has kept me thinking that somehow, anything was about me. It has made me crave the endorsements of others. It has motivated me to seek first the world according to me. It has, over the years, made me decide to trust myself more than I trust my very own DNA- making Creator. I’ve learned a lot about my ugly over the years. It’s been a part of me for a very long time.
Sometimes I see it for what it is, and sometimes, I don’t.
Sometimes I keep it real, and sometimes, I choose not to.
But thanks be to God, for just when my ugly starts to come out again, He gives me another glorious opportunity to die to my self.
And when He does, I will, undoubtedly, once again, try to convince Him that in some way, it still needs to be about me. And then, He will, undoubtedly, convince me that it won’t work if it is. And then I will, once again, re-visit ways to keep it real. And then He will, without fail, accept me back with open arms and give me the privilege to serve without expectation.
And I will take steps toward loving myself less and Him more.
And that is when my ugly leaves and my Goliath dies.
And I remember exactly what is real.
Lisa
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Question Series: Week #2: Do I have that "thing?"
I had a really cool interaction with a girl the other day at the nail salon. Her name was Libby. (I love that name.)
The first thing I noticed about her was her red curly hair. Really beautiful and sunny. It only took me a few minutes to see why God blessed her with that particular hue. It matched her personality to a “T.”
Libby struck up a conversation with me, sitting at the nail dryer. I have to tell you, it was not what I originally had in mind. I was thinking about hurrying to pick up my three kids who had been at a friend’s house for most of the afternoon. I was not thinking about having a conversation with a stranger. I wanted to get out of there. But Libby didn’t know it.
So we conversed.
Actually, Libby conversed, and I listened.
I smiled, uncomfortable at first in veering off of my time agenda. (If I haven’t mentioned it before, I quite like to plan out my life.)
But then I forgot all about it.
She talked about her children…her church…her impending adoption of a child from Ethiopia. I at first wondered if she noticed I wasn’t talking at all. But I’m not sure it mattered. With every word, passion spilled out of Libby. I found myself being caught up in listening to her. I thought about what a different interaction I was having with her than the one I had with the woman in the hair salon that inspired my book. I thought about hanging around to hear more. Where I was once ready to leave, I now found myself wanting to stay. And listen. To Libby converse.
She apologized for talking so much. I’m not sure she even heard me say I didn’t mind. I couldn’t believe it, but I didn’t.
Libby was familiar to me, though I was sure we had never previously met. Though I only knew her by her first name and her identifying hair color, I got a sense from her. She was real. Genuine. Not counterfeit. Completely non-fictional. And...captivating.
Listening to Libby talk made me want to do things for God on a day that I wasn’t really feeling the passion to do anything much, at all. I found myself wondering, What is it about her that makes me want to sit here longer and listen to her talk? What is it that in 7 short minutes of meeting her now makes me want to consider things I wasn’t considering today?
She had that “thing.”
That “thing” that drew me in. That “thing” that made me feel like I wanted to do more. That “thing” that caused an agenda-driven girl to lay aside her agenda and sit and listen, taking it all in. Libby had it. Suddenly, I knew where it came from.
“Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.” (II Cor. 3:16-18: The Message -- My emphasis added)
How can you tell if someone is truly real? Sometimes you can’t.
But most of the time, you just can. Because they have that "thing."
They are bright. They are beautiful. (and it has nothing to do with DNA) They are captivating. They stand out in a crowd and remind you of Someone.
They are strangely familiar, even in the first 7 minutes of meeting them.
They make such an impression on you that you write an entire blog about them.
They are genuine and real, and they don’t even have to tell you that for you to know it for yourself.
You just know.
Because once God enters your life to the point of infection, you look like Him, smell like Him, talk like Him, and shine like Him. Like Libby, you have that “thing.”
Lisa
The first thing I noticed about her was her red curly hair. Really beautiful and sunny. It only took me a few minutes to see why God blessed her with that particular hue. It matched her personality to a “T.”
Libby struck up a conversation with me, sitting at the nail dryer. I have to tell you, it was not what I originally had in mind. I was thinking about hurrying to pick up my three kids who had been at a friend’s house for most of the afternoon. I was not thinking about having a conversation with a stranger. I wanted to get out of there. But Libby didn’t know it.
So we conversed.
Actually, Libby conversed, and I listened.
I smiled, uncomfortable at first in veering off of my time agenda. (If I haven’t mentioned it before, I quite like to plan out my life.)
But then I forgot all about it.
She talked about her children…her church…her impending adoption of a child from Ethiopia. I at first wondered if she noticed I wasn’t talking at all. But I’m not sure it mattered. With every word, passion spilled out of Libby. I found myself being caught up in listening to her. I thought about what a different interaction I was having with her than the one I had with the woman in the hair salon that inspired my book. I thought about hanging around to hear more. Where I was once ready to leave, I now found myself wanting to stay. And listen. To Libby converse.
She apologized for talking so much. I’m not sure she even heard me say I didn’t mind. I couldn’t believe it, but I didn’t.
Libby was familiar to me, though I was sure we had never previously met. Though I only knew her by her first name and her identifying hair color, I got a sense from her. She was real. Genuine. Not counterfeit. Completely non-fictional. And...captivating.
Listening to Libby talk made me want to do things for God on a day that I wasn’t really feeling the passion to do anything much, at all. I found myself wondering, What is it about her that makes me want to sit here longer and listen to her talk? What is it that in 7 short minutes of meeting her now makes me want to consider things I wasn’t considering today?
She had that “thing.”
That “thing” that drew me in. That “thing” that made me feel like I wanted to do more. That “thing” that caused an agenda-driven girl to lay aside her agenda and sit and listen, taking it all in. Libby had it. Suddenly, I knew where it came from.
“Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.” (II Cor. 3:16-18: The Message -- My emphasis added)
How can you tell if someone is truly real? Sometimes you can’t.
But most of the time, you just can. Because they have that "thing."
They are bright. They are beautiful. (and it has nothing to do with DNA) They are captivating. They stand out in a crowd and remind you of Someone.
They are strangely familiar, even in the first 7 minutes of meeting them.
They make such an impression on you that you write an entire blog about them.
They are genuine and real, and they don’t even have to tell you that for you to know it for yourself.
You just know.
Because once God enters your life to the point of infection, you look like Him, smell like Him, talk like Him, and shine like Him. Like Libby, you have that “thing.”
Lisa
Monday, June 23, 2008
Hearts and Soles
Good Monday Morning, Friends!
Due to a case of complete fatigue and brain fry, I am temporarily interrupting my “Question” series to bring you a post about my weekend at the SheSpeaks Conference. (Plus, it’s just too cool not to share with you.) Please check back with me on Wednesday, as I will be continuing my “Question” series with another question that has been resting on my heart. But for now…my weekend at SheSpeaks…
I got these shoes at SheSpeaks. It’s kind-of a long story. But I’ll get to that later.
My other kind of “soul” was touched this weekend, ya’ll. I loved the SheSpeaks conference for several reasons. And only one of them had anything at all to do with shoes.
See…though I am not an official member of the P31 Team, I have a deep love for Proverbs 31 Ministries. So when my friend, Executive Director of P31 Ministries, LeAnn Rice, asked me to come and help her with the logistics of the SheSpeaks Conference, I jumped at the chance. Honestly, I was looking for an excuse to be there.
It’s not just because I love the girls who are on the team. But yeah, that is definitely one of the reasons I love the ministry. I have made some of the best friendships with the most amazing women in that ministry over the years, and I am constantly blessed to see how many talented women can actually be in a room together at one time and still get along. It’s just way too cool.
But I know there were people who came to the conference this weekend and saw me scurrying about who wondered who in the world I was and why I was there. Clearly not an attendee, I wasn’t officially one of the “team,” either. (I didn’t have the aqua P31 t-shirt, ya’ll.) I couldn't really stop and explain it them at the time, except for to say that I was helping LeAnn with the logistics of the conference. Which was true. In a way. But there was another very important reason why I was there, too. It is actually tied in to one of my “questions” in the series. But that’s for another day. (Sorry to keep you hanging, but look for that question and the answer to that next Monday. Which, incidentally, at its core, has nothing really to do with SheSpeaks. :))
Though I loved many aspects to my weekend, there are a few things that stand out in my mind about the conference. I tried to think of a super clever way to describe them to you this morning. But well, I already told you I have brain fry today. So the best I can do is say that they are…yeah…just way too cool.
First, I got the privilege to meet some of my friends from out in blogworld. Since I have never chatted on the Internet before this blog thing came along, I have never had an experience like this before. I’ve never gone on a blind date before, either, but this has to feel like the closest thing to one. (Without the dreaded "goodnight kiss" on the front porch at the end of the night, of course. :))
I cannot tell you how amazing it was for me to meet women I would have likely never otherwise met if not for this blogging thing. I have grown so fond of these women over the 10 months I have been blogging and trading comments with them, it is not to be believed. And all of them were exactly as I expected. All 5 of my “blind dates” from blogworld...
I met Amy Brooke first. I recognized her right away, from her picture. But the one thing that stood out to me immediately was how great her smile really is. Her picture, though beautiful, just doesn’t do her smile justice. In person, it is completely radiant. Poor thing, I scared her to death by walking up to her during her quiet time and introducing myself. But I just couldn’t help it. I couldn’t walk by and not introduce myself to my dear friend from blogworld. The only regret I have is that I did not get a picture with her! (Amy, I am so sorry about this. Please forgive me for not grabbing a free minute to do this. I really wanted one! :)
The next friend I met was Laura. Oh my, if that wasn’t a fun reunion. Like Amy, Laura looked like her picture but was even more beautiful in person. I was so excited to meet her, and I think I might have even gushed a bit when talking to her about her writing. But I couldn’t help it…I am nuts about things I am nuts about. :) Laura is one of those women who I wish I had 5 hours to just sit and have coffee with. I doubt we would run out of things to talk about.
Then came Angie. I met her sister, Aimee, first. I was standing behind the book table and asked her if she happened to be one of my friends from blogworld. She sweetly said she wasn’t, but I was probably referring to her sister. I passed on a “hello” to her sister, and within minutes, I was meeting Angie face-to-face. Such beautiful eyes on her, that woman. It was really special to meet someone I had spent some time in prayer for. A true spiritual connection.
I had been looking for Lelia since I got there. Laura and I kept asking the other if we had seen her yet. In the back of my mind, I was thinking I might have missed her, somehow. But then on Saturday, standing in front of the bathroom, I was approached by an striking woman in a gorgeous blue and white outfit. “I’m Lelia,” she said. Then came the hug. It was a really good one, and I found myself wanting to hug longer. We had several occasions to talk over the weekend, but it was not nearly long enough for me. I told her she had great hair. And I meant it. (She does.) But it doesn’t compare to the heart on that girl. Man, do I like her.
Meeting Elaine was unexpected, but very cool. I liked her immediately. She is just one of those people who I am betting can talk to anyone. But I was glad she chose to talk to me. She’s funny…smart…and a great writer. I have a feeling we will continue our friendship far into the blogging future! :) Plus, I read in her "bio" that she likes anything written my Ravi Zacharias. And she loves Lisa Bevere's writing. Ok, it's official. We're twins. :)
Another highlight of the conference had to be hanging out with MaryBeth and Shari in their room during my spare time. Such fun should not be had during breaks in a conference. But those girls rock so much and I just love any excuse to get to be with them. Lots of laughter came from room 218, for sure! (Thanks, girls, for sharing your room and squirts of hairspray with me!)
And I cannot end this post without telling you one last thing that I loved about this weekend. I made a new friend in Zoe Elmore of P31. Yes, I already knew who she was. But man, did God use her to bless my heart in a very unexpected way. Sitting in MaryBeth and Shari’s room on Friday afternoon, I began lamenting to the girls and Zoe about how bad my feet hurt. (Yes, wearing cute, yet painful shoes is a vice of mine.) After a few minutes, Zoe excused herself and left for her room. She came back just minutes later with the cutest pair of heels and insisted that I put them on. Though I was hesitant at first to do so, I soon came to realize that Zoe was not presenting me with another option. So, I relented. I tried them on and loved them immediately! Ok, they were still heels (and how comfortable can heels REALLY be?), but they were actually really comfortable, considering! I was so touched that Zoe had gone to find me some shoes to wear for the rest of the evening, but I saw it as just a really kind gesture. But when I tried to give them back to her, she wouldn’t take them. She flat out told me she wouldn’t be taking them back home with her. They were mine, she informed me.
And that is how I got the really cute cork shoes.
They may be my new favorites.
My heart and soul was touched this weekend, friends. I was touched by the people I met and didn’t already know and those I met who I felt like I already knew in all the ways that really mattered. I made connections with people I already had a heart connection with.
The hugs and smiles were just a bonus.
I didn’t need to meet my friends in person to know that I loved them or that they were important to me. But boy, was it fun.
Great fun.
Even more fun than getting my new pair of really cute cork shoes.
And without any foot pain, to boot.
Ya’ll, this weekend touched both my heart and my sole.
Too cool.
Lisa
Due to a case of complete fatigue and brain fry, I am temporarily interrupting my “Question” series to bring you a post about my weekend at the SheSpeaks Conference. (Plus, it’s just too cool not to share with you.) Please check back with me on Wednesday, as I will be continuing my “Question” series with another question that has been resting on my heart. But for now…my weekend at SheSpeaks…
I got these shoes at SheSpeaks. It’s kind-of a long story. But I’ll get to that later.My other kind of “soul” was touched this weekend, ya’ll. I loved the SheSpeaks conference for several reasons. And only one of them had anything at all to do with shoes.
See…though I am not an official member of the P31 Team, I have a deep love for Proverbs 31 Ministries. So when my friend, Executive Director of P31 Ministries, LeAnn Rice, asked me to come and help her with the logistics of the SheSpeaks Conference, I jumped at the chance. Honestly, I was looking for an excuse to be there.
It’s not just because I love the girls who are on the team. But yeah, that is definitely one of the reasons I love the ministry. I have made some of the best friendships with the most amazing women in that ministry over the years, and I am constantly blessed to see how many talented women can actually be in a room together at one time and still get along. It’s just way too cool.
But I know there were people who came to the conference this weekend and saw me scurrying about who wondered who in the world I was and why I was there. Clearly not an attendee, I wasn’t officially one of the “team,” either. (I didn’t have the aqua P31 t-shirt, ya’ll.) I couldn't really stop and explain it them at the time, except for to say that I was helping LeAnn with the logistics of the conference. Which was true. In a way. But there was another very important reason why I was there, too. It is actually tied in to one of my “questions” in the series. But that’s for another day. (Sorry to keep you hanging, but look for that question and the answer to that next Monday. Which, incidentally, at its core, has nothing really to do with SheSpeaks. :))
Though I loved many aspects to my weekend, there are a few things that stand out in my mind about the conference. I tried to think of a super clever way to describe them to you this morning. But well, I already told you I have brain fry today. So the best I can do is say that they are…yeah…just way too cool.
First, I got the privilege to meet some of my friends from out in blogworld. Since I have never chatted on the Internet before this blog thing came along, I have never had an experience like this before. I’ve never gone on a blind date before, either, but this has to feel like the closest thing to one. (Without the dreaded "goodnight kiss" on the front porch at the end of the night, of course. :))
I cannot tell you how amazing it was for me to meet women I would have likely never otherwise met if not for this blogging thing. I have grown so fond of these women over the 10 months I have been blogging and trading comments with them, it is not to be believed. And all of them were exactly as I expected. All 5 of my “blind dates” from blogworld...
I met Amy Brooke first. I recognized her right away, from her picture. But the one thing that stood out to me immediately was how great her smile really is. Her picture, though beautiful, just doesn’t do her smile justice. In person, it is completely radiant. Poor thing, I scared her to death by walking up to her during her quiet time and introducing myself. But I just couldn’t help it. I couldn’t walk by and not introduce myself to my dear friend from blogworld. The only regret I have is that I did not get a picture with her! (Amy, I am so sorry about this. Please forgive me for not grabbing a free minute to do this. I really wanted one! :)
The next friend I met was Laura. Oh my, if that wasn’t a fun reunion. Like Amy, Laura looked like her picture but was even more beautiful in person. I was so excited to meet her, and I think I might have even gushed a bit when talking to her about her writing. But I couldn’t help it…I am nuts about things I am nuts about. :) Laura is one of those women who I wish I had 5 hours to just sit and have coffee with. I doubt we would run out of things to talk about.
Then came Angie. I met her sister, Aimee, first. I was standing behind the book table and asked her if she happened to be one of my friends from blogworld. She sweetly said she wasn’t, but I was probably referring to her sister. I passed on a “hello” to her sister, and within minutes, I was meeting Angie face-to-face. Such beautiful eyes on her, that woman. It was really special to meet someone I had spent some time in prayer for. A true spiritual connection.
I had been looking for Lelia since I got there. Laura and I kept asking the other if we had seen her yet. In the back of my mind, I was thinking I might have missed her, somehow. But then on Saturday, standing in front of the bathroom, I was approached by an striking woman in a gorgeous blue and white outfit. “I’m Lelia,” she said. Then came the hug. It was a really good one, and I found myself wanting to hug longer. We had several occasions to talk over the weekend, but it was not nearly long enough for me. I told her she had great hair. And I meant it. (She does.) But it doesn’t compare to the heart on that girl. Man, do I like her.
Meeting Elaine was unexpected, but very cool. I liked her immediately. She is just one of those people who I am betting can talk to anyone. But I was glad she chose to talk to me. She’s funny…smart…and a great writer. I have a feeling we will continue our friendship far into the blogging future! :) Plus, I read in her "bio" that she likes anything written my Ravi Zacharias. And she loves Lisa Bevere's writing. Ok, it's official. We're twins. :)
Another highlight of the conference had to be hanging out with MaryBeth and Shari in their room during my spare time. Such fun should not be had during breaks in a conference. But those girls rock so much and I just love any excuse to get to be with them. Lots of laughter came from room 218, for sure! (Thanks, girls, for sharing your room and squirts of hairspray with me!)
And I cannot end this post without telling you one last thing that I loved about this weekend. I made a new friend in Zoe Elmore of P31. Yes, I already knew who she was. But man, did God use her to bless my heart in a very unexpected way. Sitting in MaryBeth and Shari’s room on Friday afternoon, I began lamenting to the girls and Zoe about how bad my feet hurt. (Yes, wearing cute, yet painful shoes is a vice of mine.) After a few minutes, Zoe excused herself and left for her room. She came back just minutes later with the cutest pair of heels and insisted that I put them on. Though I was hesitant at first to do so, I soon came to realize that Zoe was not presenting me with another option. So, I relented. I tried them on and loved them immediately! Ok, they were still heels (and how comfortable can heels REALLY be?), but they were actually really comfortable, considering! I was so touched that Zoe had gone to find me some shoes to wear for the rest of the evening, but I saw it as just a really kind gesture. But when I tried to give them back to her, she wouldn’t take them. She flat out told me she wouldn’t be taking them back home with her. They were mine, she informed me.
And that is how I got the really cute cork shoes.
They may be my new favorites.
My heart and soul was touched this weekend, friends. I was touched by the people I met and didn’t already know and those I met who I felt like I already knew in all the ways that really mattered. I made connections with people I already had a heart connection with.
The hugs and smiles were just a bonus.
I didn’t need to meet my friends in person to know that I loved them or that they were important to me. But boy, was it fun.
Great fun.
Even more fun than getting my new pair of really cute cork shoes.
And without any foot pain, to boot.
Ya’ll, this weekend touched both my heart and my sole.
Too cool.
Lisa
Thursday, June 19, 2008
What others are saying...
Hey Friends!
(If you are one of the awesome women from Stonebridge Community Church who is stopping by after last night's women's event, welcome to my blog! It was great to be with you. I hope to get to hang out with you, again, in the future!)
I am convinced I have the most awesome friends in blogland! Seriously -- I have met some of the coolest people ever through this "tool" I once so desperately wanted to avoid starting for myself. Yeah, I am a slow learner, ya'll. :)
Two of my bloggy friends have recently posted things on their blogs about my new book, Behind Those Eyes. One of them, Amy Brooke, wrote an open letter about it and talked about specific things that touched her heart. I was so moved by her words in this post, and I would love for you to read more by going there.
Another of my fantastic bloggy sisters just posted an interview we did for the book. Mary Snyder also happens to be a Thomas Nelson author, and her book on girlfriends will be out in '09. (Can't wait for that!) This post is our interview, and if you want to know more about what Behind Those Eyes is really all about, it would be a great resource for you.
I am hearing from women literally all over the United States who are starting Behind Those Eyes for their Bible Study at church or in their community. I cannot tell you how this thrills my heart, since as a Bible Study Leader myself, I wanted to gear this book specifically to be able to be used as both a good read you could have for yourself and also a Bible Study for groups. I know firsthand how so many of these books with Bible Studies in them (though great!) are not quite enough material for women to really use in a discussion time. Because of that, I purposefully wrote the Bible Study in the back of the book to be pretty indepth.
If you are looking for a Bible Study for the fall, please consider Behind Those Eyes. But please know if you are considering it...it "goes there." Yep, questions are asked and you gotta get real. But boy, is it worth it when you do.
And if you aren't planning a Bible Study, I would love for you to get the book and read it, yourself. I think there are some things in there that will mean something to you. I've prayed that they will.
Oh, and if any of you happen to be in the Charlotte area starting on September 2, I will be teaching the book at my home church of Hickory Grove Baptist North Campus. My friend, Michelle Jones, will be teaching it to our Main Campus women. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be asked to do this!
Sharing your passion to get real!
Lisa :)
P.S. Can't wait to meet some of you awesome bloggy friends at SheSpeaks! See you tomorrow!
(If you are one of the awesome women from Stonebridge Community Church who is stopping by after last night's women's event, welcome to my blog! It was great to be with you. I hope to get to hang out with you, again, in the future!)
I am convinced I have the most awesome friends in blogland! Seriously -- I have met some of the coolest people ever through this "tool" I once so desperately wanted to avoid starting for myself. Yeah, I am a slow learner, ya'll. :)
Two of my bloggy friends have recently posted things on their blogs about my new book, Behind Those Eyes. One of them, Amy Brooke, wrote an open letter about it and talked about specific things that touched her heart. I was so moved by her words in this post, and I would love for you to read more by going there.
Another of my fantastic bloggy sisters just posted an interview we did for the book. Mary Snyder also happens to be a Thomas Nelson author, and her book on girlfriends will be out in '09. (Can't wait for that!) This post is our interview, and if you want to know more about what Behind Those Eyes is really all about, it would be a great resource for you.
I am hearing from women literally all over the United States who are starting Behind Those Eyes for their Bible Study at church or in their community. I cannot tell you how this thrills my heart, since as a Bible Study Leader myself, I wanted to gear this book specifically to be able to be used as both a good read you could have for yourself and also a Bible Study for groups. I know firsthand how so many of these books with Bible Studies in them (though great!) are not quite enough material for women to really use in a discussion time. Because of that, I purposefully wrote the Bible Study in the back of the book to be pretty indepth.
If you are looking for a Bible Study for the fall, please consider Behind Those Eyes. But please know if you are considering it...it "goes there." Yep, questions are asked and you gotta get real. But boy, is it worth it when you do.And if you aren't planning a Bible Study, I would love for you to get the book and read it, yourself. I think there are some things in there that will mean something to you. I've prayed that they will.
Oh, and if any of you happen to be in the Charlotte area starting on September 2, I will be teaching the book at my home church of Hickory Grove Baptist North Campus. My friend, Michelle Jones, will be teaching it to our Main Campus women. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be asked to do this!
Sharing your passion to get real!
Lisa :)
P.S. Can't wait to meet some of you awesome bloggy friends at SheSpeaks! See you tomorrow!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Question Series: Week #1: What if Jesus reads my blog?
I had never been on a roadtrip like the one my husband and I took with our friend and mentor, Monty. It was several years ago, and I remember it vividly. We were driving along, somewhere between the Ozarks and Music City, USA, when Monty informed us that anyone that rode anywhere with him would have to answer some questions. Little did we know how much he meant it. (We quickly found out.) For the next two hours, we answered questions ranging from pretty simple (If you could have any other name, would name would you have?) to quite complex (If you could commit any sin if it weren’t a sin, what would it be?) Monty asked a lot of questions on that trip. And we did a lot of thinking. Sure, we could have talked about our summer plans or the best places to get a really good latte, but instead, we talked about life. We raised issues that got us past the surface and forced us to set up camp inside our souls. And it created intimacy between us.
I have since realized how important asking questions are.
Questions lead to soul searching. Questions make us hit pause on our life lived at light speed and force us to think about things we care about. Whether the questions are asked to others or to ourselves, asking questions is important. Not always easy, by the way, but important.
For that reason, I have decided to devote the next 3-4 Mondays to some questions that are on my mind. My hope in doing this is to get you to begin to ask questions of yourself…if not about this issue I raise with myself, maybe something else. Regardless, I challenge you to ask yourself at least one soulful question, today.
So for this week, my question to myself is: “What if Jesus reads my blog?”
I’ve been thinking a lot about it these past 24 hours. Ok…so…theology aside, I’m not sure how much Jesus cares about blogging. I’m not sure what He thinks about it in the first place. I know He cares about me and all the details of my life, including what I do with my time, but…I’m not sure if He’s actually stopping by on Monday mornings for my weekly post.
But for the sake of argument, let’s just say He is.
I wonder what He thinks of it.
This being my 73rd post, I know He’s read much of my opinion by now. In the past 10 months I have been blogging, I’ve shared some prayer concerns, some life lessons and some non-essentials along the way. I’ve blogged my thoughts…burdens…maybe even gone off on a few tangents.
But this morning I just have to wonder…if Jesus is reading my blog, is He pleased with it? Really…truly?
Because I am a person who likes visuals, I just have to picture the scene as I see it.
His Heavenly gaze is on my fingers as they type words to share with people who come by to read, some of whom I do not know and maybe will never physically see in this lifetime. He waits, praying as I type that my flesh will not get in the way and that my heart will be in the right place to deliver His message. He trusts that I will share about things that truly matter, that have eternal significance. He prompts and hopes that I will pay attention. And then He reads.
Is He pleased?
I hope so.
Do I represent Him well, or do I desire to just represent myself?
I hope not.
These are things I want to know.
Friends, please hear my heart. Know that I believe that Jesus is completely interested in every aspect of my life. I believe He is glorified when I share testimony of His goodness and faithfulness to me, even if its in sharing about a beautiful day spent at the lake with my family.
Which is why I can blog about these things every now and then.
But in the depth of my soul, I feel responsible with the time I invest in this blog and the things I ask people to spend their time reading about when they come to this blog. I may not be everyone’s style or taste, and that’s ok. But if I’m really honest with myself, I have to admit that I can’t buy into thinking that any of you who read this blog are really in need of my opinion. And I doubt you need to know much about my social calendar. The truth is, there are far more interesting people in the world to know about than me, if that’s what you’re after.
But if I truly believe that everything in my life centers around Jesus Christ and the charge He has put out there for me to share His message, then my blogging leads me to one sole purpose…
With every word I type, to shout His fame.
Ya’ll, I’m not interesting enough.
I’m not important enough.
I’m not wise or insightful enough.
I admit -- it’s hard to make a blog written by me not about me. But I want to try.
Because at the end of the day, if He is reading my blog, I want Him to be pleased with what He reads.
Which brings me back to my original question: If Jesus Reads My Blog, What Does He Think?
I’m not sure. I think I might ask Him.
A little intense for a Monday morning?
That’s what asking questions will do to ya.
Lisa
I have since realized how important asking questions are.
Questions lead to soul searching. Questions make us hit pause on our life lived at light speed and force us to think about things we care about. Whether the questions are asked to others or to ourselves, asking questions is important. Not always easy, by the way, but important.
For that reason, I have decided to devote the next 3-4 Mondays to some questions that are on my mind. My hope in doing this is to get you to begin to ask questions of yourself…if not about this issue I raise with myself, maybe something else. Regardless, I challenge you to ask yourself at least one soulful question, today.
So for this week, my question to myself is: “What if Jesus reads my blog?”
I’ve been thinking a lot about it these past 24 hours. Ok…so…theology aside, I’m not sure how much Jesus cares about blogging. I’m not sure what He thinks about it in the first place. I know He cares about me and all the details of my life, including what I do with my time, but…I’m not sure if He’s actually stopping by on Monday mornings for my weekly post.
But for the sake of argument, let’s just say He is.
I wonder what He thinks of it.
This being my 73rd post, I know He’s read much of my opinion by now. In the past 10 months I have been blogging, I’ve shared some prayer concerns, some life lessons and some non-essentials along the way. I’ve blogged my thoughts…burdens…maybe even gone off on a few tangents.
But this morning I just have to wonder…if Jesus is reading my blog, is He pleased with it? Really…truly?
Because I am a person who likes visuals, I just have to picture the scene as I see it.
His Heavenly gaze is on my fingers as they type words to share with people who come by to read, some of whom I do not know and maybe will never physically see in this lifetime. He waits, praying as I type that my flesh will not get in the way and that my heart will be in the right place to deliver His message. He trusts that I will share about things that truly matter, that have eternal significance. He prompts and hopes that I will pay attention. And then He reads.
Is He pleased?
I hope so.
Do I represent Him well, or do I desire to just represent myself?
I hope not.
These are things I want to know.
Friends, please hear my heart. Know that I believe that Jesus is completely interested in every aspect of my life. I believe He is glorified when I share testimony of His goodness and faithfulness to me, even if its in sharing about a beautiful day spent at the lake with my family.
Which is why I can blog about these things every now and then.
But in the depth of my soul, I feel responsible with the time I invest in this blog and the things I ask people to spend their time reading about when they come to this blog. I may not be everyone’s style or taste, and that’s ok. But if I’m really honest with myself, I have to admit that I can’t buy into thinking that any of you who read this blog are really in need of my opinion. And I doubt you need to know much about my social calendar. The truth is, there are far more interesting people in the world to know about than me, if that’s what you’re after.
But if I truly believe that everything in my life centers around Jesus Christ and the charge He has put out there for me to share His message, then my blogging leads me to one sole purpose…
With every word I type, to shout His fame.
Ya’ll, I’m not interesting enough.
I’m not important enough.
I’m not wise or insightful enough.
I admit -- it’s hard to make a blog written by me not about me. But I want to try.
Because at the end of the day, if He is reading my blog, I want Him to be pleased with what He reads.
Which brings me back to my original question: If Jesus Reads My Blog, What Does He Think?
I’m not sure. I think I might ask Him.
A little intense for a Monday morning?
That’s what asking questions will do to ya.
Lisa
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Sorry for the "sabbatical!" :)
Hi bloggy friends!
For those of you who visit me on Mondays, please accept my apologies for not posting my regular Monday blog. I took a spur-of-the-moment trip with my three kids to the beach with a girlfriend and her kids and was without Internet access for a day shy of one week! (But who's counting? :) Though it took me a few days to detox from email and blogging, it was a needed time for us to get away and take me away from my work/ministry. After all, when someone with a beautiful beach place offers to house you for free for a week, it is crazy to say no, right? I guess I have to face the reality that it takes sending me 3 hours from home and no Internet connection to get me away from this crazy computer. My kids appreciated seeing their moms eyes without interruption this week...and I loved looking into theirs, as well.
But still...I missed ya. :)
I have read your responses to my last post, and I have to tell you that my heart is so connected with yours. I am blessed to know that my own personal struggles have resonated in some way with yours. We are all on the journey together, friends... and He makes it possible for us to journey together -- even through this blogging thing. Too cool!
For those of you who have visited me for the first time, I am so glad you stopped by! I had no idea my friends at Girlfriends in God would be running one of my devotionals while I was gone, and I am so sorry I wasn't around to answer your emails or comments right away. But please know that I will look forward to communicating with you very soon!
And...for the one sweet soul who asked me for a word of encouragement on my last post...I want to do that, but I want to answer you personally, not on this blog. Could you email me at info@lisawhittle.com and let me email you back? I care about your concern and hear your heart.
I will definately post on Monday, if not before! Please come back and visit me anytime.
Journeying with you!
Lisa :)
For those of you who visit me on Mondays, please accept my apologies for not posting my regular Monday blog. I took a spur-of-the-moment trip with my three kids to the beach with a girlfriend and her kids and was without Internet access for a day shy of one week! (But who's counting? :) Though it took me a few days to detox from email and blogging, it was a needed time for us to get away and take me away from my work/ministry. After all, when someone with a beautiful beach place offers to house you for free for a week, it is crazy to say no, right? I guess I have to face the reality that it takes sending me 3 hours from home and no Internet connection to get me away from this crazy computer. My kids appreciated seeing their moms eyes without interruption this week...and I loved looking into theirs, as well.
But still...I missed ya. :)
I have read your responses to my last post, and I have to tell you that my heart is so connected with yours. I am blessed to know that my own personal struggles have resonated in some way with yours. We are all on the journey together, friends... and He makes it possible for us to journey together -- even through this blogging thing. Too cool!
For those of you who have visited me for the first time, I am so glad you stopped by! I had no idea my friends at Girlfriends in God would be running one of my devotionals while I was gone, and I am so sorry I wasn't around to answer your emails or comments right away. But please know that I will look forward to communicating with you very soon!
And...for the one sweet soul who asked me for a word of encouragement on my last post...I want to do that, but I want to answer you personally, not on this blog. Could you email me at info@lisawhittle.com and let me email you back? I care about your concern and hear your heart.
I will definately post on Monday, if not before! Please come back and visit me anytime.
Journeying with you!
Lisa :)
Monday, June 2, 2008
Ode to Us Underdogs
For anyone who has ever questioned God on your journey…this blog’s for you.
For anyone who has ever felt really insignificant…this post is right up your alley.
For anyone who has ever wondered why God would ever want or be willing to use a person like you…read on.
Welcome to my past two weeks.
It started out with a rejection. It wasn’t an “I don’t love you or like you” kind of rejection. It was more of an “I don’t want you – you’re not good enough” kind of rejection. It didn’t come from my family or close friends. But it was a rejection, nonetheless. And…well…it hurt.
Bad.
Don’t get me wrong…I’ve been there before in my life. But this one really hurt my heart and quickly began festering in my soul. Thoughts of my self-worth coupled with loads of self-doubt immediately started eating away at me. I knew all the right answers – as a matter of fact, as a writer, I had written them down for everyone else to glean from. But exercising them myself proved much, much harder.
Ya know, the whole practice what you preach, kind of thing.
Starving for approval, I needed something from God…a word…a sign…a confirmation…anything to prove to myself that I wasn’t just meant to inhabit space on this planet without a real, true purpose. So, standing in the middle of my bathroom one day last week, I began a straightforward dialogue with Him to get answers.
Me: God, I’m really hurt.
God: Yes, Lisa…I know.
Me: But God, I’m not sure I want to do this anymore.
God: Ok.
Me: No, I mean really, God. I’m really not sure. Maybe I’m not supposed to do anything more than what I’ve already done. It’s good. It’s been a great ride. Seriously, thanks.
God: Ok.
Me: Is that all you can say…just…ok?
God: What do you need to hear me say?
Me: I guess I need to hear you say that you do have a purpose for me. I guess I need to hear you say you have a plan. I guess I need to know that you can do something with me.
God: Ok.
Me: So…
Then, silence. Nothing. Cliffhanger-level suspense, ya'll.
For several days, actually.
Within a span of about 72 hours, I pouted for about 71.5 of them. God must have been getting kind of tired of it when He finally interrupted my self-defeating thoughts.
God: Hey, Lisa.
Me: Yes, Father.
God: Remember the Israelites?
Me: Umm…yes. I do. I’m intimately familiar with them, actually. Remember? I just finished a two-month study of the book of Numbers with You.
God: Remember all the things I did for them, yet they still wanted proof I could do more?
Me: Oh yeah, that.
God: There’s a lesson in that for you.
Then, silence.
For once, words wouldn’t come from this anxious heart. I knew immediately what the lesson was. It wasn’t that hard to pick up on. He had already given me the lesson…the illustration…the story…and the invitation all wrapped up in one in the story of my life for the past 36 years. (Ironically, close to the number of years Israel spent wandering and questioning.)
Yes, I remembered the Israelites. I remembered what God had done to show them He loved them and how He had rescued them from others…and even, from themselves. I remembered all His promises to them. And I remembered how, even after all of the God-things He did, they still doubted…still wondered…still struggled…still wanted more from Him.
Sounds eerily familiar.
But though I told Him I remembered, I guess He thought I needed reminding, again. So He directed me to the book of Deuteronomy. Here are a few of the “reminders” He sent my way…
“…Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the Lord do for you.” (4:9)
“Remember that the Lord rescued you from the burning furnace of Egypt to become his own people and special possession; that is what you are today.” (4:20)
“[remember] what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your very eyes.” (4:34)
“Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out with amazing power and mighty deeds.” (5:15)
And, as if I needed any more reminding, He gently directed me to Deuteronomy 7:7, “The Lord did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!”
My humble paraphrase?
“The Lord did not choose you or call you out in love because you were worthy or spectacular or famous or charismatic. Because the truth is, you aren’t any of those things. [Nor do you have to be.] He's good enough to compensate for your puniness.”
That is why I have respectfully re-named Deuteronomy 7:7, “God’s Ode to Us Underdogs.”
It is a beautiful reminder to me that while I am not capable enough, lovable enough, smart enough, or spiritual enough, He can use me, anyway.
And boy, does that matter in this day and time of one-ups, more beautiful, better known, and higher approved.
Friends, rejection hurts, no matter how it comes. It hurts to know someone doesn’t love you. It hurts when someone doesn’t even like you. It hurts when someone doesn’t want you or think you are good enough. Our natural flesh tendency in those moments is to question everything we are and everything we know and everything we feel about ourselves in the first place.
But…God.
Able to use small nations who complain a lot.
Able to overlook questioning children who forget all He’s done to prove Himself to this point.
Able to compensate for the puniness of underdogs everywhere.
whew.
Lisa
For anyone who has ever felt really insignificant…this post is right up your alley.
For anyone who has ever wondered why God would ever want or be willing to use a person like you…read on.
Welcome to my past two weeks.
It started out with a rejection. It wasn’t an “I don’t love you or like you” kind of rejection. It was more of an “I don’t want you – you’re not good enough” kind of rejection. It didn’t come from my family or close friends. But it was a rejection, nonetheless. And…well…it hurt.
Bad.
Don’t get me wrong…I’ve been there before in my life. But this one really hurt my heart and quickly began festering in my soul. Thoughts of my self-worth coupled with loads of self-doubt immediately started eating away at me. I knew all the right answers – as a matter of fact, as a writer, I had written them down for everyone else to glean from. But exercising them myself proved much, much harder.
Ya know, the whole practice what you preach, kind of thing.
Starving for approval, I needed something from God…a word…a sign…a confirmation…anything to prove to myself that I wasn’t just meant to inhabit space on this planet without a real, true purpose. So, standing in the middle of my bathroom one day last week, I began a straightforward dialogue with Him to get answers.
Me: God, I’m really hurt.
God: Yes, Lisa…I know.
Me: But God, I’m not sure I want to do this anymore.
God: Ok.
Me: No, I mean really, God. I’m really not sure. Maybe I’m not supposed to do anything more than what I’ve already done. It’s good. It’s been a great ride. Seriously, thanks.
God: Ok.
Me: Is that all you can say…just…ok?
God: What do you need to hear me say?
Me: I guess I need to hear you say that you do have a purpose for me. I guess I need to hear you say you have a plan. I guess I need to know that you can do something with me.
God: Ok.
Me: So…
Then, silence. Nothing. Cliffhanger-level suspense, ya'll.
For several days, actually.
Within a span of about 72 hours, I pouted for about 71.5 of them. God must have been getting kind of tired of it when He finally interrupted my self-defeating thoughts.
God: Hey, Lisa.
Me: Yes, Father.
God: Remember the Israelites?
Me: Umm…yes. I do. I’m intimately familiar with them, actually. Remember? I just finished a two-month study of the book of Numbers with You.
God: Remember all the things I did for them, yet they still wanted proof I could do more?
Me: Oh yeah, that.
God: There’s a lesson in that for you.
Then, silence.
For once, words wouldn’t come from this anxious heart. I knew immediately what the lesson was. It wasn’t that hard to pick up on. He had already given me the lesson…the illustration…the story…and the invitation all wrapped up in one in the story of my life for the past 36 years. (Ironically, close to the number of years Israel spent wandering and questioning.)
Yes, I remembered the Israelites. I remembered what God had done to show them He loved them and how He had rescued them from others…and even, from themselves. I remembered all His promises to them. And I remembered how, even after all of the God-things He did, they still doubted…still wondered…still struggled…still wanted more from Him.
Sounds eerily familiar.
But though I told Him I remembered, I guess He thought I needed reminding, again. So He directed me to the book of Deuteronomy. Here are a few of the “reminders” He sent my way…
“…Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the Lord do for you.” (4:9)
“Remember that the Lord rescued you from the burning furnace of Egypt to become his own people and special possession; that is what you are today.” (4:20)
“[remember] what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your very eyes.” (4:34)
“Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out with amazing power and mighty deeds.” (5:15)
And, as if I needed any more reminding, He gently directed me to Deuteronomy 7:7, “The Lord did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!”
My humble paraphrase?
“The Lord did not choose you or call you out in love because you were worthy or spectacular or famous or charismatic. Because the truth is, you aren’t any of those things. [Nor do you have to be.] He's good enough to compensate for your puniness.”
That is why I have respectfully re-named Deuteronomy 7:7, “God’s Ode to Us Underdogs.”
It is a beautiful reminder to me that while I am not capable enough, lovable enough, smart enough, or spiritual enough, He can use me, anyway.
And boy, does that matter in this day and time of one-ups, more beautiful, better known, and higher approved.
Friends, rejection hurts, no matter how it comes. It hurts to know someone doesn’t love you. It hurts when someone doesn’t even like you. It hurts when someone doesn’t want you or think you are good enough. Our natural flesh tendency in those moments is to question everything we are and everything we know and everything we feel about ourselves in the first place.
But…God.
Able to use small nations who complain a lot.
Able to overlook questioning children who forget all He’s done to prove Himself to this point.
Able to compensate for the puniness of underdogs everywhere.
whew.
Lisa
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