Avoiding the Terminator

Avoiding the Terminator

            We were all placed here on earth for a purpose. God created our destiny before we were even born (Isaiah 44:2).  It now becomes out decision whether or not we will fulfill that purpose, our destiny. We have a choice. You will either complete your destiny or you won’t.

            Two of the biggest hindrances to completing my purpose in life have been trials and a feeling of inadequacy.  I am pretty sure everyone at one time or another has experienced one of those two struggles. As humans living in a fallen world, we have struggles. Life isn’t perfect and it isn’t always easy.

            We had Lisa Bevere at our church for Chick Night a couple weeks ago. The message she taught was so powerful. She started with telling us about the movie Terminator. Since I have never seen the movie I’d like to explain it as close as I can to how she described the movie.

*** There was this girl named Sarah Connor. She didn’t seem like anything special. No boyfriend, no real career. Then the Terminator comes from the future to kill all of the Sarah Connors. He uses a phone book to find all of them. She finds out about this and goes and hides in a bar. The Terminator shows up there and start shooting people. Then some other guy from the future shows up to save her. Sometime in all of this he finds time to explain the situation to her. Tells her that the Terminator is after her because of some amazing plan she comes up with and that her son will be a General. Of course, she is pretty sure that they have the wrong person.***

            She told this whole story to explain that the attacks you go through are often not because of who you are now, but because of the potential of who you could be in the future. No other story had ever brought that point home so well for me. You are not here by chance. You are who you are meant to be! God has a purpose for you!

            This story shows both extremes. First, Sarah definitely went through an attack. My goodness, the Terminator was trying to kill her! Then there was the feeling of inadequacy. She didn’t think that she capable of what the guy from the future told her she would do.

            For Jason and I the biggest attack I feel we’ve experienced is the infertility. For a long time we let that dictate our actions. We let it hinder who could become and the plan that God had for our lives. We’ve learned a lot since we originally started going through this journey. Romans 8:28 says that God causes all things to work for good to those who love him. Now, let me be very clear, it did not say that God causes all things, but He sure can take a crappy situation and turn it for his Glory.

            You choose what you do with the attacks that you experience in life. You can fight back, or you can let them defeat you. This is one of the lessons that we have learned. Because we have walked this journey we now have the special opportunity to help and encourage other couples who are going through a similar journey. If you haven’t been through it, it can be difficult to emphasize. God doesn’t cause these bad things in our lives. In fact, we often cause them ourselves, but God does allow us to use them to help others. Just as I can help people going through infertility you have the opportunity to help others who have the same struggles you have had. Our imperfections can be turned to glorify God. Think about the struggles you have faced and how much God could take them and use them for his good.

            Another thing we have learned through our journey of infertility is how to trust and lean on God. Last year I went through a phase where my blood pressure kept spiking and I was having vertigo spells. At this point my primary care provider decided it was best for me to have an MRI done to make sure that there wasn’t a tumor on my pituitary gland. Now, I will not say that I was perfect in this situation and I will not say that fear didn’t creep in at times, but because of the faith practice we already had in God because of going through the infertility, we knew that God had our backs. We knew how to trust Him. I thank God all the time that the MRI came back good. I only tell that to remind you that some experiences help you grow your faith.

            Now on to the feelings of inadequacy, Gideon has already tried that, so there is no use in you trying that line too. Stop telling God what you think your short-comings are. He knows you better than you know you! He created you! God didn’t pick you because of how qualified you think you are. God picked you because of how qualified you are in Him. In Judges 6:15 Gideon tried to convince God that his was the weakest clan. God didn’t care because He knew what He created Gideon to do. Philippians 4:13 says that I can do all things through Christ. It does not say that I can do all things through myself. Remember, God doesn’t expect you to do things on your own. Not trusting yourself to do what God has called you to do is like telling God you don’t trust in His abilities. Our qualifications are in Him. He deserves all of the glory and honor forever and ever. Trust Him to use you.

Remember…

1.      Attacks will come.

2.      Take them as a compliment. They mean the enemy knows what you are capable of!

3.      Realize your potential in Christ

 

The Winning Hand – How to Play with the Cards Dealt to you

The Winning Hand – 

How to Play with the Cards Dealt to you

Scripture Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

            My family spends a lot of time playing cards. This might be why this is such an easy analogy for me to understand. This is an analogy that I have gone to many times in describing the way my life seems to be going at the time. Fortunately, I had a co-worker correct my way of thinking and the conversation we had has always stuck with me.

            In July 2010 I had my third surgery to remove endometriosis. Six months after that I had to have a follow-up appointment with my specialist.  This appointment did not go well. This appointment about broke me. My doctor was not happy that in the six months after surgery I hadn’t conceived. Then when he asked me about the pain things just got worse. I told him that the pain was not as bad since having the surgery. Unfortunately, because I still had any pain he informed me that I still had endometriosis and proceeded to call it an active disease for the rest of the appointment. He strongly encouraged me to go on birth control to hinder the endometriosis until I was ready to try to get pregnant again. This would be a simple request, but when he said try to get pregnant again he meant in-vitro fertilization (IVF). By the time I left that appointment was absolutely devastated.

            When I got to work it took everything in me to hold it together. In fact, I am sure I cried that day. I eventually went and talked to one of my co-workers. I complained that this was just the hand that was dealt to me and it was a stinky hand. Thankfully, this was a very honest co-worker and I didn’t get upset with him when he was brutally honest with me. He corrected me and told me that I was dealt an amazing hand; I just got one lousy card.

            Here is my question to you: when that one card becomes overwhelming, have you looked at the rest of your hand? So, in my case, when I was so focused on the infertility card I was missing what my hand really looked like. I didn’t see that potential I really had. I began to ignore all of the good cards and focus only on that one card. In all reality, this is what my hand really looked like.

            There was only one bad card in my hand. Then, to take this analogy one step further, in poker, you can still win with a stinky hand! The right attitude can help you win.

            Then, after every game you are dealt a new hand. You have the potential to get dealt the perfect hand; you have the potential to get dealt a stinky hand. Odds are you will not always get the perfect hand, you will have to face trials. In those times that you are facing a trial, don’t forget to look at the rest of your hand.

And no matter what…

Always by joyful,

Never stop praying,

Be thankful in all circumstances

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem

            Today’s blog is going to be quite different. If really has nothing to do with infertility, but it is all about hope. In today’s society it is really easy to struggle with self-esteem issues. I recently wrote a letter to one of my family members and wanted to pass some of the information I am sending to her onto to anyone else who may need it. Honestly, I think every once in awhile everyone could use a reminder of how amazing they truly are. I hope you enjoy this blog.

            When I was younger I constantly struggled with thinking that I might not be good enough for anything. I thought I was ugly and that no one liked me. At about 12yrs old I was on the puppet team at our church and I can remember going home from every practice crying. One night in particular I remember walking in and all of the girls looked at me and walked to another room so that they wouldn’t have to talk to me. People can be mean, especially when they are young and don’t know any better. They also weren’t aware that I felt like a loser all of the time. I felt like the ugly duckling.  Then when I was about 19yrs old I dated a boy that only increased my feelings of insecurity. He told me that comparing myself to one of my friends was like comparing him to Denzel Washington. Having a boyfriend tell me that she was so much prettier than me only increased these negative feelings. No matter what I did, I never felt like I was good enough.

            I could tell you countless stories like the two I just typed, but that is not the purpose of this blog. I am doing great and I understand that my self-worth is found in Jesus. Time and time again I focused on this scripture

Romans 8:38-39

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is my favorite verse of scripture because it tells me that I am good enough. It tells me that nothing can separate me from God’s love.

There are four areas that I would like to cover.

11)      Knowing who you are in Christ

22)      …because you are the child of the King

33)      Real Beauty

44)      Don’t compare yourself to others.

Knowing who you are in Christ

            The Bible is very clear about who you are and how God sees you. God sees you as wonderful. You are His creation, His handiwork. He has a plan for you.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

            Notice this scripture says that God has good plans for you. Again, He thinks you are wonderful. You are who He created you to be. He created you with specific talents! You are wonderful!

Psalm 139:14

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

You are WONDERFULLY made!

You are MARVELOUS!

God made you to be exactly who He needs you to be!

…because you are the child of the King

John 1:12

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

            You are the child of the King.  When you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He adopted you in as His child. You have the most amazing Father that there has ever been.

Galatians 3:26

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith

Every morning when you wake up you need to look in the mirror and say “I am a child of the King!” You aren’t the child of just any King. You are the child of the King of all kings.

Revelation 17:14

¹⁴ They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

            Not only are you the child of the King of kings, but He cares for you. Like I said earlier nothing can separate you from His love, and He has good plans for you.

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Real Beauty

1 Peter 3:3-4      

³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

            You should be striving for inner beauty. That is the beauty that will change lives. You being nice and walking in love toward someone could change their life. It could save them and be the hope that they need. Your physical appearance will never help anyone or change anyone’s life. Your gentle and quiet spirit is the beauty you should be growing. Focus more time on growing these qualities in your life, rather than the outer quality that doesn’t benefit anyone.

Galatians 5:22-23

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Don’t compare yourself to others

            I can’t stress this point enough. Do not compare yourself to others! God did not create you to be them. God created you to be you! If you continuously compare yourself to someone else you will never be happy with who you are. You are who you were created to be. God created you for a specific purpose.

John 15:16

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

            Do not ever let anyone convince you that you aren’t good enough. God chose you!