Celebrity has nothing to do with Jesus

It may shock some of you to know that I am a People Magazine girl. Yeah, it’s true. If you polled all of my closest friends, they would know this about me. In fact, if you don’t (know it), you probably also don’t know that I prefer jeans to shorts, don’t like to use public bathrooms, and have more issues with my teeth than any human person (is there any other kind?) should ever have in their lifetime. In other words, this knowledge gives you instant and intimate access into the quirky things that make up quirky me. Not that you want the access, but friends, I don’t know any other way to do it than to keep it real and invite you in.

So like it or not, you are now in the club.

You may not believe me, but I really don’t read People Magazine for the celebrity 411. Maybe at one time, but at this point in my life I truly don’t. I have spent my life as a studier of people, and I enjoy studying the stories of the people I read about in People Magazine. Ok, so a lesson in people-watching at the mall can yield the same results. But when riding on an airplane with nothing else to do or sitting in a dentist’s waiting office chair being bored or during a midnight bubble bath, where better to study people than to read People Magazine?

I know, I know. It’s a huge waste of time. A significant waste of money. It has no eternal value whatsoever. I get it. But I can also be honest and admit that sometimes I just need a little brainless activity, ya’ll. And that’s when I reach for my People Magazine.

Maybe it’s a vice. I can probably think of worse ones to have.

But while I sometimes like to read my People Magazine, I also recognize the danger in the celebrity factor that comes with it and other magazines, alike. Many of us put these photographed celebrities up on a highly stacked pedestal, certain that their lives are better in some way…fuller in some way…and happier in every way. We have been told no less than 3 bazillion times that these pictures of insanely skinny, insanely beautiful, and insanely rich celebs have been photo shopped out the wazoo, but still, we in some way continue to believe that they really are exactly how they appear to be. And that’s where the danger comes in.

It’s no secret that Hollywood thinks it’s all about them. It is a bit of a mystery, however, as to why we, too, often believe them.

I wish we stopped there, but we don’t. We take this theory to the Christian community, as well. We do it with Christian musicians, authors and speakers…people with a platform and level of notoriety. We turn our healthy respect for people of the faith into all-out reverence and awe, so much so that we lose sight of who they really are.

…A person.
…With flaws.
…A sinner.
…Rescued by grace.
…Possibly better known, but never better loved than the guy in the prison jumpsuit or the homeless woman living under a dirty bridge.

And when we do that, we lose sight of who He really is.

…I AM.
…Perfect and Holy.
…Blameless and innocent.
…The One and Only.
…Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent…
…God of the Universe.

Because friends, celebrity has nothing at all to do with Jesus.

Celebrity is just…celebrity. Something made up and manufactured. A dream. A myth. Oh, and one more slightly important thing. A lie. Celebrity is just another tactic Satan uses to eat away at our self-esteems and move us away from God. He uses celebrity to get us to revere and elevate people to allow them to become our focus. It doesn’t matter to him whether they live in Hollywood mansions or on stages or in pictures on the back covers of book jackets. He doesn’t care whether it is a friend or an acquaintance or a person you see at church or at a women’s conference or the shopping mall. He just wants you to exalt them in some way…even if only in your mind…so that in so doing it will result in you somehow feeling less important, less loved or less significant. His goal is to get your eyes off of Jesus and onto people, and he will use whatever means necessary to do just that. Including (but not relegated to) taking a beautifully innocent thing like respect and admiration for someone and turning it into full-on worship and adoration for them. I’ve seen it happen over and over again.

Which is why it is so important to keep it real and continue to tell the truth.

One of my best girlfriends has just recently learned to keep it real in a very significant way. As God has been taking her to a deeper level of authenticity in her life, she has opened up more and more about her flaws and fears. On the outside, she has it all together. A beautiful woman. Tall and lean, with legs a mile long. A gorgeous husband and 4 vibrant and healthy children. But on the inside, she struggles like all of us. And when a friend from church shared with her about how much it blessed her that she had opened up about her struggles she said to her, “I am so glad to know you struggle. I had no idea. I really thought you had it all together.” Instead of being flattered at her admiration, my friend was shocked that someone actually thought that about her. But what grieved her heart even more was feeling like in some way that was the message she sent to people. And this interaction convinced her on an even greater level to not waste anymore time pretending to be perfect.

It is something I can appreciate in her. It is something I can relate to. It is really why I wrote my new book and really why I am so passionate about truth telling in the first place.

The truth is, friends, that often we put people on pedestals who don’t even want to be there. We have a different set of standards for the people we consider beautiful, important, or significant. Yet some of the most beautiful, important and significant people in the world have never written a book, keynoted a conference, or graced the pages of a glossy magazine. The truth is that the most beautiful, important and significant Person of all time was rejected, dishonored and misunderstood…when He is the only One who ever was or ever will be perfect enough to be placed up on that highly elevated pedestal.

None of the rest of us even comes close to qualifying.

So friends, on this “Get Real” Monday, please remember that celebrity has nothing at all to do with Jesus. And when you get tempted to buy into Satan’s convincing lie to put someone you respect up onto that dangerously high pedestal, remember the words found in Deuteronomy 32:4… “He is the rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

Not even Hollywood can compete with that.

Lisa

At the end of the day

I've been diving into my heart the past 24 hours, searching my soul for what really matters to me. Ever since hearing that a childhood friend of my husband's has lung cancer that has progressed to places in his brain, the frivolous things aren't really on my mind.

He's just 36...my age.

He's never been a smoker.

He has a family...a beautiful wife and a precious 6 year old son.

He celebrated Easter like so many of us, probably thinking about where to hide the eggs so his son could find them and how much he enjoys going to church with his family and the banana pudding he would eat for dessert after lunch. In the midst of his celebrations, I doubt he ever thought that just days later he would hear the words no one ever wants to hear..."You have cancer."

Kinda puts my life into perspective real quick.

My daughter's cute hat that she lost today somewhere between running errands to Best Buy and Target just doesn't seem like a big deal to me right now.

Being frustrated over the piles of laundry that sit, waiting for me, in the laundry baskets seem like a bit of a waste of time.

Even the good stuff...the pedicure I had today and the new pajamas I got to wear on a quick trip with my husband to the beach...make me feel silly and trite.

We're talking about life here. And what really matters.

At the end of the day, the blessings of this life are our family, friends and people who love us. It is the impact we make for God. What we do to make a difference in eternity.

We'll never remember our last purchase or even, care about it. We won't wish we'd gone to the mall more. We won't want another minute in front of the TV.

At the end of the day, we don't know which day will be our last. So today...everyday...needs to be treated with care and commitment to something bigger than ourselves. Things that really, truly matter.

And that's what's on my mind tonight.

Kris Lawing matters. Please pray for him, my husband's old and dear friend, and his family. If you would, take a minute to visit a website in his honor at www.krislawing.com and watch the video so you can visualize who you are praying for. I think you'll be touched.

Thank you, friends.
Lisa

'Twas so Sweet! (Despite the twinkie jackets)

So, what do you do when you go on a trip with a girlfriend and find out when you get there that you packed the same identical jacket to wear? You hope and pray you have as sweet of a friend as I do, one with a true servant's heart! And...you hope and pray she brought another jacket she is just as happy to wear, instead. Or, you hope and pray that is what she tells you, anyway. Of course, that is because she is...well... so sweet.

My sweet friend is also my sweet sister-in-law/sweet assistant, Lynda. Here we are after arriving at the resort on Friday. I'll have more pictures of our excellent adventure later on in the post, if you're interested.














In case you haven't noticed, the word "sweet" is on my mind. That is because the weekend just was.

Sweet.

There was a sweet fellowship among the women who attended the conference...the other speakers and artists...the community of believers who came together with the shared purpose of glorifying a Holy God and sharing a message of hope and inspiration for all of us. I don't have enough words to tell you how awesome this conference was. I wish I could have packed you all in my suitcase and taken you with me! God showed up at the Godgirls in Motion Conference in Sandusky, Ohio, this past weekend, and I was so honored to be able to be there to witness it. Though I was not at full strength, I felt remarkably good and strong. He truly carried me throughout both of my sessions, and I have been praising Him ever since! (Thank you, friends, for all of your prayers and concern.) I just love it when Scripture sprouts legs, jumps off the page and onto my lap, and that is exactly what it did. II Corinthians 12:9..."But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' " Need I say more?

So...sweet.

And going back to the speakers who I was privileged enough to share the stage with, can I just tell you that my new friend, Linda Isaiah, spoke a WORD? Oh my, girls. I wish I had taken a picture with her because I would post it for you. What a beautiful woman of God. And oh, how God used her to bring it! After extending an invitation to come to Christ, hundreds of women came to the front and got real before God. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing to watch and experience. God's presence was by far the sweetest thing in the room that day. And what amazed me almost as much was how my very detail-oriented God weaved our messages together without us having ever talked with each other before we stepped onto the stage. Linda told everyone that I had "set her up" before she brought her message (right after my first session), and after lunch and as I closed out the conference, I told her and everyone that she had "volleyed it" right back to me. Oh, it was so beautiful to watch God do His thing. How sweet He is!

Another very fun person I got to meet and hang out with for a little while was Kerri Pomarolli. Here we are, goofing a bit. She looks way cooler than I do posing like this. She just struck a pose, and I tried to match her. Didn't work, did it? :)I just look like a wannabe. Actually, I did wannabe her. She is a doll and completely HILARIOUS!














On a far less important note, the accommodations were amazing. If you ever have a reason to go to Sandusky, Ohio, please make sure you stay at the Kalahari Resort! Unless the front desk guy was pulling my very sweet sister-in-law's leg, the resort houses the largest indoor water park in the world. Hmmmm....looked pretty big to me. Regardless, my kids would have dug it.














There are truly so many things I could say about this conference. God did some neat things in my life, and I got to meet such beautiful women who share my desire to get real. The conference theme of "Life is a Roadtrip" was the perfect theme for another stop on my journey...one I won't soon forget.

And for those of you who are truly interested...I will leave you with a few remaining pictures of Lynda and Lisa's Excellent Adventure. How sweet it was!

At the airport, on our way to Ohio, (medicated and happy -- um, and a bit puffy!)...













On the airplane, en route (still medicated and happy, but a little less puffy)...













At the conference on Friday night, trying to perpetrate professionals...













And on the plane ride home, tired, but grateful...(and trying to perpetrate sleepers)













'Twas so sweet.
Lisa :)

P.S. As promised, the winners of the book are Amy Brooke and Teri! Email me at info@lisawhittle.com and let me know where to mail them, and I will get them to you. Thanks, ladies, for all your awesome comments!

Tired, but Grateful!

Friends!

I just arrived home from my weekend in Ohio, and all I can say is, OH MY. Was it ever an adventure! I can't wait to blog about it on Monday. Please come back and visit me then to see some pictures and hear about the amazing ways God moved in the hearts of the precious women He brought to the GodGirls in Motion Conference.

But for tonight, this tired, but grateful girl is gonna get some rest.

I can't go to bed, though, without saying thank you, thank you...for all the prayers you lifted up on my behalf. God truly healed my body and gave me strength I didn't think I would have. I am so honored you prayed for me. I will look forward to the privilege of getting to pray for you, as well!

And to my Sandusky friends who might be visiting me for the first time, welcome! You girls truly blessed my heart.

Goodnight...
Lisa :)

A Tale of Two Nostrils

Hi Friends!

Thank you so much for your prayers and concern about my drippy, sniffy nose.

We arrived home from the beach last night, and I awoke this morning with a headache of monumental proportions. While the hubby and kids slept in, I drove myself to the handy-dandy Minute Clinic at CVS (do you have those in your area? AWESOME!) and saw the nurse practitioner on call. She took one look at my red, swollen eyes and nose and began writing up three prescriptions to fill for what has now become a full-blown sinus infection. She was so sweet and empathetic throughout the visit that I really wanted to crawl up in her lap and call her "mama." But I resisted the temptation and manically blew my nose instead.

So, as of this moment, I am currently on a heavy-duty antibiotic, a heavy-duty antihistamine, and a heavy-duty nasal spray. By the prescriptions, I think she took me seriously when I said, "I need to do whatever it takes to get my well enough to get me on a plane tomorrow and speak two times to a group of women on Saturday." I'm not altogether sure she believed that I would be speaking anywhere (and you thought my Exposed pictures were bad!), but she obliged me, anyway. And I am ever-so-grateful. :)

Between the meds and the prayers, I am already feeling better. So...thank you, friends. And PLEASE continue to pray for me for strength and renewed health. I need my energy level to go back up to speak these messages with the passion I feel in my heart! I want to give my BEST to Him.

I am leaving at 6am tomorrow with my sister-in-law/assistant for Sandusky, Ohio. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in His strength and despite my weakness. I am eager to hear from Him and watch Him do His powerful thing. I am so blessed to get to go and see faces of women who are just like me who desire more than anything else to be real and exposed before God. What a privilege it is to be His servant. It is a joy not even a sinus infection can kill!

I promise, promise to announce the winners of the book on Monday. I am just enjoying hearing from you about what you are feeling as it relates to the topic of the book, so I can't bring myself to cut it off today. I hope you understand and keep your comments coming! I truly love to hear and learn from others...from you!

Man, this journey is anything but boring. Oh, and my nostrils just said a big "amen!" HA-CHOO!
Lisa :)

Drip, Drip, Sniff, Sniff

Can you hear it all the way from Myrtle Beach?

Don't be alarmed...that's just the sound of my nose running off my face! Friends, please pray for me. Despite the beautiful day and sunshine we are enjoying, I woke up this morning with a really bad cold!

Normally, a cold just annoys me and I keep on going. But this week is different. I have a conference coming up this weekend in Sandusky, Ohio, that I am keynoting for...flying out early on Friday and opening and closing on Saturday. Needless to say, I need both physical and spiritual strength to be able to carry out the messages He has laid on my heart. So, would you pray for me if I come to mind? I know God has me going to Sandusky for a reason, and I don't want a Sudafed-induced coma to keep me from delivering His message. And besides, nobody wants me drippin' or sniffin' in my microphone!

Thank you, in advance, for your prayers. What a network of prayer warriors you women are. You rock!

And please...if you haven't registered to win one of my new books, go back to my last post and leave a comment. I can see by the comments that have come in, we are on such the same page! I hear your desire to be real, and I share it. I am so excited to share my heart with you in the ten chapters of Behind Those Eyes.

Journeying with you...and pursuing His Truth (despite the drippin' and a sniffin'!)

Lisa

She appeared on my doorstep, all dressed in brown -- oh, and wanna win my new book?

My baby girl arrived yesterday, enveloped in a brown covering, leaning up against the front door. She was far cuter than I even expected, and seeing her for the very first time made my heart sing. It was a beautiful moment when I first laid eyes on her, and I have been praising the Lord for her ever since!

Ok, so I am feeling a little corny this morning. Forgive me for the child analogy and the silly play on words...I am just really excited! I got my new book yesterday.

And just for the record, when you "push" a book out, you feel as though it is your child. And why the girl gender references? Well, this book is for women, all about women, and I am praying it will get in the hands of women, everywhere! So it just felt right to deem her female. :)

Behind Those Eyes is all about our need to get real...be honest...stop pretending...and start really living. It's all about owning our past but not letting ourselves be owned BY it. It's all about the truth that sometimes hurts, but the Truth that in the end, always heals. Yesterday as it arrived, I gave this book back to my Heavenly Father as my "yes" to Him, and I am praying that He will do with it whatever He wants.

And me, too, by the way.

I would love for you to go to my newly renovated website at www.lisawhittle.com and click on Resources to watch a 3 minute video clip of me sharing my vision of the book. You should know before you go there that 1) I do realize my white shirt with gathered shoulders makes me look like a middle linebacker, and 2) the microphone attached to my white shirt looks like a bug sitting up on my chest. These two observations solidify my reasoning with wearing black at all times, especially on camera! Seriously...the camera has to add 150 pounds! :)

I would LOVE to give out 2 sneak preview copies of my new book, not yet released to the general public until May 15! If you want to enter to win, please leave a comment with what you think women pretend to be the most...a "get real" moment of yours...or when the truth healed you in some way. I can't wait to read your thoughts, and I really can't wait to send 2 of you a book. Some of your stories are in there!

And for any of you "winners" who happen to not to get selected this time, there is a buy it now button on my resource page that will connect you to the listing on amazon. You can pre-order your copy today!

By the way, I think I'll name my new baby girl, Joy! It just seems appropriate.

Lisa :)

P.S. We are taking the kids to the beach next week for Spring Break, so I will not be posting my usual Monday morning blog. Instead, I want to give as many of you time to enter to win the book as possible, so check back with me next Thursday (April 10) for the posting of the winners!