Manage It (Victorious in Christ) Monday: You Are Not Alone

We have had company staying with us for a week now: my brother and nephew came a week ago Saturday, and then friends (a young couple with their 3-month-old baby) arrived on Wednesday. My brother and nephew went to my sister's for the weekend, and will come back tonight.  The young couple and baby will be leaving tomorrow morning, but my brother and nephew will be with us until Saturday.  It's a little busy around here!  So, I decided this was a good time to re-post some articles which I have written in the past, which you may not have read and we need to be reminded of their message (me included!) and that I hope you will enjoy.  I'll also try to post some photos throughout the week, as time permits.  Please continue to comment, as I am checking my blog daily, and would love the encouragement of your prayers and comments! I'm still thinking about all of you and praying for you!

You Are Not Alone

Are you trying to "go it alone," so to speak? Do you ever think you're the only one whose boat is threatening to capsize with waves 10 feet tall on the rough sea while everyone else's is just sailing through on a sea of glass with a gentle breeze at their back? Well, I have news for you, my dear Christian friend: It's a lie from the devil! One of satan's favorite tricks is to make Christians think that everybody else has it all together, and they're the only one with any problems. We feel compelled to hide our "warts" and cover up any known or supposed "defects." We feel we must "look good" and appear perfect to everyone, especially other Christians! Satan tries to discourage us into thinking that no one else faces what we face. No one else is tempted, no one else needs prayer, no one else has sinful habits they're trying to overcome, no one else has any of the problems that we have. Everyone else's family acts lovingly to each other ALL THE TIME! Everyone else's children obey them the first time they speak! Everyone else's husband worships the ground they walk on, and their children rise up and call them blessed every morning! Right?

No, it's not true. We're all imperfect, until we step on heaven's shore and see our beloved Savior face to face. Every once in awhile, I open up and accidentally become transparent, unknowingly, and find out, "I'm not the only one"! I'm not the only one who feels like this! Here I thought she never had any problems, or she always responds to her problems with the perfect attitude, and come to find out, she's thinking the same thing about me (or other people)! Satan wants us to think, "She never struggles like me." Because that keeps us apart, and it keeps our eyes on ourselves, instead of on Christ, Who is the Only One Who can help us. Everyone struggles sometimes.

We need to pray for one another. It's not necessary to tell the details of sin, and we shouldn't be disloyal to our spouse or children, but don't be afraid to ask for prayer. We need to lift one another up to the throne of grace and to intercede for one another. You're not alone. 

"Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Can I Get Out Of This Popularity Contest?

There's a really excellent series over at Faithful Bloggers on "How To Become an A-List Blogger"!  It's not what you might think. (Actually, I avoided it for a day, because I didn't want to feel depressed!) 

Here is a part of the comment I left on the post at Faithful Bloggers:

"Yes, I admit that at times I get downright depressed going to a Christian woman's blog and seeing her hundreds of followers, dozens of comments, and a blog post that I could have written (i.e. nothing particularly special) and I think, "Why?" "What am I doing 'wrong'?" I continually come back to the foundation of why I am blogging--It's God's Blog! I want to be His pen--the pen of a ready writer. (Psalm 45:1) I'm reminded of the prophets in the Old Testament, who said exactly what God told them, and were the most despised, lonely, unpopular guys on the block. I haven't cared about popularity, or let it bother me, for years (and I have *no* desire to return to high school!) so I will keep my focus on the Lord and leave the results to Him. I will prioritize according to His will and His Word (God, husband, family first). Fame and earthly glory are fleeting. 'A woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.'" Proverbs 31:30

Have you, like me, sometimes felt like you were in a "beauty pageant" or "popularity contest" of Christian women? Sometimes it's a competition for "Best Christian Woman Blogger" and you look at all their followers, and their "credits" and accolades: writing here, there and everywhere, and feel very small.  Sometimes reading blogs you feel in a competition for "Best Christian Wife and Mom" and you feel incompetent and out of your league. Maybe you have felt this way, like me, at times.  I know when I feel this way that I have my eyes on the wrong thing.  I know that I have gotten my eyes off of the Lord, and onto people and things.  God has made me *me*.  He didn't make me *you*.  *You* have gifts, talents, experiences, and a message that I can never have. Your relationship with the Lord and the journey that you have been on with Him in your life, and the story that He is writing through you is unique, and special. Because of all the things that make you uniquely *you*, He can touch the lives of those around you, in your "sphere of influence," through your life, beautifully, when you allow Him to be the "Hand in the glove of your life." And He can do the same with me, in my completely different "sphere of influence," because He is the God who has no problem making every single snowflake different, unique and gloriously beautiful in its own way.

"Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain:
but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
give her of the fruit of her hands; ad let her own works praise her in the gates."

Proverbs 31:30-31