home (n.) (pl.) \hom\

Over the past few weeks, I have had the blessing of visiting home.

Merriam Webster lists several definitions for the word "home", one being "one's place of residence." As with any other word in the dictionary, when looking it up, I was provided with the parts of speech attributed to the various definitions, the phonetics of the word (which I remember all too well from Advanced Grammar), and either a "si." or "pl." signaling the word to be singular or plural. Merriam Webster would like to tell you that the word, home is singluar.

I disagree. I defend that the word "home" is plural (pl.).

Let me give you a brief rundown of the last month of my life. First on my list of destinations on my month of travels (if you can even attribute that word to crossing a single state border) was Dallas. "I'll be home for Christmas. You can count on me" is running through my head. Well I was, and you could, because I was there. Often my family travels to Colorado for Christmas to visit my mom's side of the family, but this year, we were truly home for the Holidays. I made the trek from Tulsa and my sister, her husband and their precious daughter made their way to Texas from Phoenix (I guess I don't have a right to call mine a trek, despite my 2 hour detour attributed to my directional impairment). There, we got to celebrate and enjoy company with my parents and my wonderful grandfather. Although Colorado is one of my favorite places, and I would give about anything to be sitting in the mountains right now, there's something special about spending Christmas in the house you grew up in. It's home.

Post Dallas trip (did I mention it was a white Christmas?), I headed back to Tulsa. If you asked me a year and a half ago, even a year ago, there is no way I would have attributed the word "home" to this city. It was a place I worked and slept, counting the days until the weekends I could travel to visit somewhere else. If we have ever sat down to talk about my move from Oklahoma City, or if you are a follower of my blog, you probably think I sound like a broken record talking about God's faithfulness in my life this year. I can't say it enough. Despite people, things, and places I left behind in Oklahoma City, God made the trip with me. He didn't delay, and most of all, He provided. Perhaps not in the timing I would have chosen, but in the best way possible. I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude when I think about my life here and how much has changed for me over the past year and a half. On New Years Eve, I was sitting at a restaurant with a group of six people who I wouldn't have recognized on a sidewalk a year ago. My life and my heart have been filled in the past year with some of the deepest friendships I have ever been blessed with. Looking around the table, I couldn't help but smile as warmth filled my heart. Tulsa is home.

Finally, this weekend I made a trip to Oklahoma City. I attended college and lived there for four and a half years. My move to Oklahoma City after high school graduation was the first time I had ever lived away from my childhood home. What once was a sea of strangers quickly turned into a loving community I enveloped my life in. During those four and half years, I formed deep friendships I know will last for the rest of my life, began to discover who I was, and for the first time really took hold of my personal relationship with Christ and began to believe He had vision and purpose in my life. It just so happens that this weekend, a dear friend I met on my hall in the freshman dorms got engaged this weekend. Of course there is no way I could let a few tolls on the turnpike stand in the way of being there to celebrate that special day (shout-out to the future Mr. and Mrs. Henry!). Isn't it beautiful the way that God created joy to be shared? I sure think so. In addition to celebrating their wonderful engagement, I was blessed to spend time with people I love with my whole heart. On Sunday morning, I attended the church I went to for the majority of my college career. As I sat in the pews and sang the the worship songs, I looked around the room. So many memories were held even in that sanctuary. In front of me were altars where I had shed tears and shared joys. Next to me was an aisle I have seen several friends walk down as beautiful brides to meet the men who are now their husbands. Surrounding me were familiar faces and a support system I relied on for so long. In that moment, I knew, it was home.

My life has taken me places over the past 6 years I never imagined it would. I have lived in Dallas, Oklahoma City, Breckenridge, CO, Panama City Beach, FL, and now Tulsa. It's exciting to think that I have no idea where God will take my life over the next 6 years or even the next 60. Though the unknown can be frightening, I have come to the conclusion that the growth and the joy that come from God's provisions through life's changes far outweigh any fear that comes along with it. There is one thing I know for sure. Whether I am here in Tulsa or halfway around the world, I don't go alone. God is always with me.

I am beyond blessed to have more than one place to call home. Home is more than just a word in the dictionary. It's a feeling. It's a warm embrace from a familiar face. It's the unfaltering faithfulness of a Savior full of abounding love.

 If you ask me, home is plural (pl.).

I won't do it. I refuse.

It's here. The end. Well, the end of the calendar year anyways. It's time to go out with a hoorah. Tie up your loose ends. Leave your mistakes in the past. Surround yourself with those you hold dear, put on some cheesy glasses, reminisce, and make a toast that counts.

The hopeless romantic in me can't help to link most major holidays to movie scenes, and while Christmas movies take the cake, I have to give a shout out to the New Years Eve scenes that are there but are often overshadowed. For the 80's and 90's romantic comedy aficionados out there, maybe you are hoping for a passionate profession of love as the clock strikes 12 rivaling Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal's performance in When Harry Met Sally.  Or, in a more recent blockbuster, perhaps you'll end up as Lea Michele stuck in an elevator with Ashton Kutcher. Personally, I wouldn't wish that kind of  New Years Eve on you. I can think of about a thousand other people I would want to get stuck in an elevator with before Ashton. I would prefer to stick with the Billy Crystal scenario. Personal opinion. Anyways. 

Say goodbye to 2012, because despite popular belief, the Mayan Calendar interpretation marking our impending doom December 22 did not prove to be true, and tomorrow marks a new beginning. 2013.

Looking back, as any year does, 2012 held its ups and downs. My memory may not be the best, but lucky for me, I document most events in my life through photographs, allowing what my memory lacks to be filled in with digital images. 2012 marked my first full calendar year in Tulsa. People I met in 2012 are now some of the dearest friendships I hold in my heart and know I will for years to come. I said goodbye to my precious grandmother in August as she left us for her heavenly home. This year I got to celebrate my niece's 2nd birthday and my wonderful grandfather's 80th birthday (can't wait for your 79th next year). I successfully cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner with a little help from my pal Ree. I moved to an apartment by myself. I had the honor of being a part of two friend's weddings and attending even more. I started attending LifeChurch on a weekly basis. I started serving in in a class of four year olds every Sunday who now have my heart. I got to be a part of two amazing small groups, and I more recently started serving in the youth at my church. And how could I forget, as an Southern woman should, I learned to fry chicken.

As we all look back on our 364 yesterdays, we can all rest assured that tomorrow we can take our new calendar out of its wrapper, open it up, and see a fresh, blank page. The first day of a new year holds so much possibility. No regrets yet to add to this year's list. No bridges burned, no yearly weight yet gained, etc. However, as history would show it, the clock ticks, and calendar pages turn, allowing us plenty of time to fill in all those blank spaces with the ramifications of our daily decisions. How do we attempt to stop this natural process? Resolutions.

A trusty Google search brought up the most common New Years resolutions. Most of the lists included things like losing weight, being a "better person", fixing financial problems, joining a gym, enjoying life more (how vague can you get?), quitting addictive habits, etc.

I have never been one to make New Years resolutions, but I am always curious to hear what others have decided to do. I do have a bucket list, but I hardly think that counts for the same category, considering most of the things on my bucket list will not be accomplished for five or more years. If you want the details on my list, we will have to talk. You share your list with me, and I'll (maybe) share mine with you.

Back to resolutions.  A few weeks ago, as I started thinking about the upcoming year, I wondered what my resolutions would be if I made any. As I thought about it, I began to realize that even though I never  seem to have a list of "new years resolutions", I collectively throughout the year have a semblance of unnamed resolutions I carry for myself. We all have them. We set goals. We have preconceived notions of where our lives should be at certain landmark points. We see the changes we need to make in our lives on a daily basis. We decide what our lives should look like and what we "deserve" and begin to make our own path to get there.

The more I think about 2013, the more I become firm in my decision. I am not making New Year's Resolutions. I won't do it. I refuse. If I was really living my life the way I should be, I wouldn't need to resolve. Don't take this the wrong way. If you are making resolutions, I think that's great and I really do want to hear about them. My decision to not resolve lies solely in my personal recognition of my constant decision to place trust in my plans over God's. In my world, a resolution is too close of a semblance to a to do list. We all know how much I love a list and crossing things off.

At church yesterday, the pastor challenged us to stop and ask God what he wants to do with our lives and how He wants to use us in 2013. In the time I spend praying, I too often forget that it's a two way conversation. I spend plenty of time telling, but not enough time asking and listening. When the pastor gave that challenge, I began to wonder the answer I would get if I really sought God for his response.

What if I chose to trust God with the areas of my life that I know I try to control? It's easy to trust him with most things, but we all have those certain things that are harder to let go of. What if I let go, really let go, of my preconceived notions about what my life should be and let God fill in the blanks? This year I am praying for a change in heart, for a life change, and the ability to relinquish all.

This year, I resolve to not resolve any more. I resolve to stop looking to myself, and ask God instead. I resolve to trust in His plan.

However you are choosing to usher in the New Year, this evening as the clock strikes 12, and tomorrow as you hang your New calendar, resolutions or not, I wish you all a joyous new year. One filled with hope, answered prayers, love, and trust. And maybe even a monologue or two that change your life. Who says that all has to be saved for holiday movie scenes anyways?

Brown paper packages tied up with string

On Friday morning, along with the rest of my errands, I made a trip to one of my favorite places. I have a feeling this particular place may not rank high on most of your lists, especially during the holidays.

The United States Post Office.

The US establishment most love to hate. There are a few things you can be sure to find at almost any given Postal establishment during the month of December. To name a couple:
-  Foot-tapper Terry- a "Terry" will generally have several characteristics and ticks that will allow you to pick her out in the line immediately. She may or may not tap her foot, look at her watch, turn her head in every direction to make sure everyone in the front and back of the line knows how irritated she is to be waiting, and release a good number of frustrated sighs before reaching the front of the line to weigh her package and move on her way.
- Halting Harry- "Harry" is most often in line right in front of you. He reaches the front of the line, and you see the bright light at the end of the tunnel that is your wait. However, Harry forgot his debit card pin number, doesn't know the zip code he left off his package, and answers his cell phone in the middle of the check out process.

And then there's me. Post offices rank up pretty close to bookstores, libraries, and airports in my book. If you know me at all, that's saying quite a bit. Unlike a bookstore, I don't love a post office for the smell or the look, but more the general air and the actions the building facilitates.

There's not much that compares to getting something in the mail. Not an email, not a message through social media (don't even get me started on that), but a physically stamped envelope or package. Holding an envelope with a handwritten address brings a smile to my face like not much else can. I love getting mail, and I love sending it. I love the intentionality and the connectivity.

Sending and receiving mail is a dying art, as evidenced in layoffs in the industry in recent years, the rise of online bill pay, and the soaring success of social media outlets, text messaging, and smart phones. Convenience is king, and unfortunately, postal parcels don't fall under that category for most.

When I stand in line at a post office, I can't help but look around at the envelopes and packages my fellow peers in line carry. I wonder what's inside each sealed package, where it's going, and who is going to be on the receiving end.

I may not have the answers to those questions, but I do know one thing. Someone took the time and made it a priority to address an envelope or seal a box to make sure the item they are holding would be delivered to the intended recipient. Convenience goes out the window when you are standing in a line of Harrys and Terrys in my opinion. But it's more than worth it.

In general, should relationships and connections really be about convenience though? Our society seems to think so. A text message trumps a phone call which trumps an in person conversation. Almost any of those things would happen before someone would fork over a whopping 45 cents to mail a handwritten letter. I am not saying technology is bad. I use it, probably as much or more than most. That doesn't mean I love it though. Technological communication is obviously the way our society is moving. We should use it, and we almost have to in order to be a functioning member of society.

I don't think that means we have to throw out the old methods of communication though. I have been told many times, even this week, that I am an old soul, but just hear me out. Just because we can text doesn't mean we shouldn't pick up the phone to make a call every once in a while. Quality time is not replaceable by keeping up with the Browns through their Facebook timeline. And don't underestimate the ability of a handwritten letter and the effect it has on the heart.

Today after work, I went to my mailbox and was pleasantly surprised to find a hand addressed red envelope waiting for me. I immediately recognized the return address to belong to one of my dearest friends. I was a bit confused before I opened the envelope, seeing as she had already given me a Christmas card last week. However, when I opened the card, a smile immediately came to my face. She had said she knew she had already given me one Christmas card, but wanted to make sure I received one through the Postal system. Talk about intentionality.

This past week, in light of recent national tragedy, I think we all have stopped to evaluate the importance of those God has blessed us with and the fragility of time and life. Too often, I take my friendships and relationships for granted. There is so much beauty in the individuality and spirit God has placed within each of us to make us who we are.

Take time to relish that beauty in those you hold dear. Take the time to get to know those around you. Ask about their life, share in their struggles, and rejoice with them through God's blessings. Make that phone call. Ensure that quality time is a priority. Seal up that package. Share the love God has placed in your heart.

I have heard it said that life is meant to be lived. In addition, I think it is meant to be shared. Be real. Be intentional. Take the time to share love and share life. You won't regret it.

Play it again

Driving to work this past week, I realized something. I have a tick. I am a music repeater. If that isn't a thing, I just made it one.

On my daily drive, even if I put my iTunes on shuffle, I end up listening to the ten most recent songs I have purchased on repeat, skipping over all of the rest, even though they may have once made the cut. Saying there are ten songs on my driving playlist might even be too generous. It would be more accurate to say that I listen to the same five songs on repeat during my commute. Every day. They are that good.

My repeat list currently includes Florida Georgia Line "Cruise", some She & Him Christmas music, and a few acoustic nobodies I won't mention because you probably wouldn't know who I am talking about anyways. They may be nobodies to you, but everybody is somebody, and their songs make me smile so they are somebody to me. I'll save the topic of my eclectic mellow music taste for another day.

My play it again mentality carries over into other areas of my life, too. When I was growing up, I loved to watch the same movie multiple in times in one sitting. Once the movie was finished (more often than not it was the Parent Trap or a Mary-Kate & Ashley gem), I would get up, pop our the VHS tape (remember those?), put it in the rewinder, and start the process all over again. 

Even now, in the past week, I may have watched White Christmas three times, and Love Actually is on its way to the multiples list.

While listening to my current driving playlist yesterday, I started to think. What tracks am I choosing to play over and over again in my day to day life?

Too often, I get stuck on a playlist that might as well be titled "ME" (the capital letters are necessary). Some of the tracks might be titled worry, selfishness, fear, and doubt.  I am constantly reminded that with the Lord, I don't have to worry, that life is about serving others, and that I have no need to fear. However, even though I recognize these as things that shouldn't be a part of my life, I sometimes choose to leave them on repeat anyways, and soon they become the song that I sing through my actions and words.

Earlier this week, I once again was reminded that we aren't called to live life with our playlist. We are called to live life to a different tune.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I Thes. 5:16

Joy, Prayer, and Thankfulness.

Our natural tendency is to  be joyful when it's easy to be, pray when we feel like it or think about it, and give thanks when everything is going our way.  

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances"

As the holidays approach, it's so easy to get caught up in our own agendas, busy schedules, our shopping lists, and any stress we allow to come along with all of it. We put a big "ME" stamp on our agendas and march to the tune of a playlist we have compiled ourselves. 

What if we chose to change our perspective and our tune?

What if we felt the joy of the season, joy that can only come from the one who gave us the greatest gift of all? What if we really stopped and prayed, prayed for the world, those we know and those we don't, and prayed for God to give us His heart during the holidays and throughout the year? What if we took this time to stop and be thankful for all we have been blessed with and those we love that we are surrounded by instead of rushing through the time we have been given?

This year, especially through the holidays, I am praying for joy, a prayerful attitude, and thankfulness. I want them to be my song in my heart and lift my step.
 
The more I think about it, the more I realize what Paul was talking about. If we are truly living and dwelling in the Lord, of course we are going to rejoice always. God is always good and always present. Why wouldn't we pray continually? God answers prayers and is faithful. And once we  actually stop to realize all we have been blessed with, thankfulness should naturally flow from our mouths.

Living in the Spirit, joy, prayer, and thankfulness will become our natural tune. The perfect playlist. One we won't be able to wait to play over and over again.

in my heart.

There's something in the air. You know what I am talking about.

It comes around every year about this time.

It's the cripsness in the air. It's the twinkle in the lights. It's a glimmer of hope found in a stranger's eye.

Some call it magic. Some call it Christmas spirit. Others may even say love is in the air.

Whatever you want to call it, I believe in it, and I know it's real.

Maybe we create it, but regardless, I seem to look forward to it every year and participate in every aspect I can.

If I listed all of the things I love about the holidays, you would probably get bored and stop reading. Perhaps you already are, but if so, that's for you to know and preferably not tell me. I'll spare you and just mention a few.

The holidays warm my heart. I love the feeling of a warm drink in my hand against the cold air. Christmas lights and Bing Crosby classics make me swoon.  How can you not smile when Wallace and Davis along with the Haynes sisters set out to surprise General Waverly? (If you don't know what I'm talking about, we need to have a Christmas movie night asap). Don't even get me started on Christmas baking.

Another thing. Have you ever noticed that a room doesn't need any overhead lights once your Christmas tree is lit? Take my word for it. Light a candle, plug in the lights to your tree, and turn off the rest of the lights in your house. The feeling in your heart will tell you the rest. 

The holidays. They are in the air, in a song, and in our hearts.

I have the absolute joy of serving every week in a class 4 year olds at my church on Sunday mornings. I would have to say it's one of the highlights of my week. I have been serving for several months now, so I am familiar with most of the faces that come through the door. My Sunday morning usually consists of building a house out of legos, trying to identify the sculptures the boys build (it plays to my disadvantage that I don't have any brothers. I can hardly distinguish a Transformer and a Power Ranger), mouthing the words to kids worship songs to avoid anyone hearing my less than pitch perfect singing voice, and if I'm lucky, coloring a picture of Peter, Paul, or Jesus.

One of my favorite things about serving is the conversations I get to have. Some of the things the kids say catch me off guard, some make me laugh or smile, and some put my life back into perspective. A comment made this past Sunday left me with the latter.

Each week we read a Bible story and then ask questions about it. This week, we began talking about the Christmas story and angels coming to tell Mary and Joseph that Mary would have a baby and was to name him Jesus. As you can imagine, this wasn't the first time I had heard this story, so I didn't think much about it.

When we got to the questions, I read "Who is the greatest Christmas gift of all?" All the kids yelled "JESUS" in unison, but that wasn't it. One boy in particular looked over at me, touched his heart and said, "Jesus is in my heart."

Though we kept going with the lesson, my mind stopped. He had nailed it right on the nose. The greatest gift of all is deep in our hearts. He's not a feeling. He's not a passing breeze or a month on a calendar. He is in our hearts. Now and always.

Once the tree comes down, the crisp air slips away, and MIX96 starts playing regular music again, one thing doesn't change. God gave us a gift. He is there, and if we have accepted Him, He is in our hearts.

I believe in Christmas magic. I believe in that warm feeling you get when singing a Christmas Carol. But most of all, I believe in the one gift I know to be true. The real reason for the season. He is in our hearts.

What are you waiting for?

Today is Friday, November 16. One week from today marks a calendar block filled in on a yearly basis for many American shoppers. Black Friday. Once the turkey is carved and the pie is sliced, countless shoppers make their way to their favorite superstore (or the like) and get in line to wait.

 

I have to admit, I usually take part in this somewhat ridiculous tradition. Maybe it’s the crisp air, maybe it’s the anticipation, but there’s some kind of thrill to be found in standing in line with hundreds of people waiting outside a store at midnight to fight over items that probably were never on our shopping lists to begin with to save probably less than 5 dollars.

My mom is a great sport as I usually bring her along with me to fight the black Friday crowds. A couple of years ago, ashamedly, we ended up at Walmart at midnight in a line an hour long to buy a box of Tupperware we picked up on impulse. We knew we didn’t need it but somehow felt we needed to make a purchase to justify standing in a human stampede in the middle of the night. Regardless, we held our box, got in line, and we waited.

I have met very few people that love to wait in a line. However, (as someone who loves to shop) I have adopted the perspective that lines are an inevitable part of the shopping experience.  As with anything in life, you have 2 choices: to relish the moment and enjoy it for what it is or complain and wallow until the situation you are in passes. I relish time waiting in line. I always joke with my mom that it is “quality time” we have been blessed with to spend together.

What are you waiting for? Whether you are standing in a line at Best Buy on Black Friday or pressing on toward the next chapter of your life, our lives are full of  “lines to wait in”.

I have been retrospective lately. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s the change of the seasons or maybe its just my tendency in general.  As a result, I have spent many evenings reading back through old journals and flipping through old picture albums.

By chance last night, I opened to the back of the front cover of a journal I started using right after graduation from college. There, I had written a verse. It said:

“Live life then with a due sense of responsibility, not as those who don’t know the meaning and purpose of life, but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the evils of these days. Don’t be vague but grasp firmly to what you know to be the will of the Lord.” –Ephesians 5:15-17.

What are you waiting for? While we are waiting for our lives to start, we are missing out on this very moment we have been given to live, a breath to take in, and an opportunity to make a difference.

It’s so easy to fool ourselves into thinking life will be so much easier once we reach that moment we have been waiting for. God’s Will will suddenly become clear and THEN we will be able to live out the purpose He has called us to.

However, at the stage we are at in our lives right now (whatever that may be), we decide that God’s will is hard to decipher, we decide that we know what is best for our lives so that is obviously what God is going to provide us with, we adopt the “grass is greener on the other side” philosophy, and we wait for God to turn the grass he has given us to stand on to the shade of green we are longing for.

What kind of a life are we setting ourselves up for? Probably exactly the kind of life the enemy would love for us to live. If we are sitting and waiting, we aren’t acting, doing, and loving. God has called us to live life. Not only that, we are called to make the best use of our time and to not live like those who don’t know the meaning and purpose of life.

So often, I act like I don’t know the purpose. I am waiting for it to become clear and then I will start living. I forget that God has already given me purpose. He has given us all purpose as his followers. We are called to love others and share God’s love and message with those around us.

How simple is that? So simple that we overlook it. We trick ourselves into thinking that we need a high paying job, a white picket fence, a perfect relationship, and no problems before we can even think about trying to live out the purpose God has for us.

When Paul wrote those words, he was sitting in prison in chains. I don’t know about you, but my “life tragedies” seem like a walk in the park compared to this. Paul could have sat in chains, wallowed in self-pity, and waited to be set free so he could continue on with his God given calling. I wouldn’t blame him. Would you? But no, he didn’t wait. He continued to live. He wrote letters encouraging his friends in the places he was ministering to. He lived his life.

Sure there are things to look forward to in life, and I honestly believe those things can be blessings from the Lord. However, there is a big difference between looking forward to something and halting your life and waiting for it.

What are you waiting for? Live your life. Use all of that “quality time” God has given you. Don’t wait. Be Prayerful. Make the most of every opportunity.

Live. Love. Share. Embrace this life. Embrace this moment. You won’t get it back. Relish the moments in line.

And if you can’t stand the wait in the line next Friday, just wait a few days. Cyber Monday will be just around the corner.

Shameless Plug: Unglued

If you know me very well by now, you will know that I love a good read. There’s not much that compares to a bookstore or a library (especially one that smells of freshly ground coffee). The two-story half-priced books in Dallas always makes my list on trips home. I love the binding. I love the smell. I love the pages. I love the words.

There are books that make me laugh, books that make me cry, and ones that never fail to bring a smile to my face no matter how many times I have perused their pages.

And then, there are those books that completely turn my world upside down. This is one of them. 

A few months ago, I attended a women’s event at my church where a message by Lysa Terkeurst was broadcasted to our church’s different campuses. She spoke on women’s emotions and the way we react to different situations and different types of people. The topics she was speaking about were from a book she had recently published titled Unglued.

The thought crossed my mind to go buy the book. She was a great speaker. She made me laugh, and I left feeling challenged. However, the thought slipped away, and I forgot about my intended trip to the bookstore. A few weeks later I was perusing through Instagram, and an image of the book popped up on my feed.

Now, I need to be completely transparent with you. I may or may not follow the majority of the Bachelor and Bachelorette participants (past and present) on Twitter and Instagram. Emily Maynard may have been the one plugging the book on Instagram through her post. And that may have been the final straw that caused me to go buy the book. Glad that’s off my chest.

Regardless of what caused me to purchase this book, I am so glad I did.

Lysa Terkeurst is like a true friend that isn’t afraid to give you a good slap in the face when you need it. If you are looking for good honest truth, weaved in with scripture, this is a book for you.

If I am being truly honest, honesty probably isn’t what I am looking for most of the time. I would much prefer for you to tell me the things I am doing well, the right things I have said at the right time, and shower me with comforting words.

However, what I want isn’t always what I need. Like Lysa says in this book, “Knowing what you need doesn’t always translate into wanting what you need.” If one of you confronted me with the things in this book, I probably would have gotten defensive, offended, and interrupted you before you had the chance to finish. Luckily, Lysa is a stranger (is it ok that I feel like we are on a first name basis after reading this book?).  There was no way for me to interrupt her. And each moment I became defensive, she met me with scriptural truth. Who can argue with that? Lysa tells the truth in love, confronts honest emotions all women deal with, and tells it like it is.

The book confronts the topics of soul integrity, a woman’s daily battle with emotions, and the difference between Godly honesty and our “honesty”.

If you are a woman or know a woman, you can’t tell me that emotions aren’t a huge part of our make-up. I think most would consider me to be a fairly even keeled person. Even so, I would be lying to say that emotions aren’t a struggle. Whether they are about a conversation we had or something that someone didn’t say but should have, emotions are emotions. And most often they are there even if we don’t want them to be. 

So often, we have an experience, the emotions flood in, and we just run with it. We justify the way we feel saying that we are just being honest. We try to win others over to our side so we can dive further into the emotional pit we have created.

Reality check. (courtesy of Lysa Terkeurst)

“My honest feelings may not be truthful assessments of the situation…Honesty that isn’t true isn’t honesty at all. We need Godly honesty.”

 James 3:17 says “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

My emotional reactions would drastically change if I matched them up with the Godly honesty described in this verse.

Is my emotion pure?

Is it peace loving?

Is it considerate?

Is it submissive?

Is it full of mercy and good fruit?

Is it impartial and sincere?

If I took the things that I dwell on and tried to match them with the characteristics on this list, I often would be able to check off two or less. Before I get down on myself I need to remember another truth. Another topic Lysa discusses in this book is imperfect progress. It’s not wrong to have emotions. God gave them to us for a reason. However, we choose the way we react following them in our daily lives. I am a work in progress as we all are.

I am thankful that the Lord takes me as I am, emotions and all. I am thankful for people who aren’t afraid to speak Godly honesty and truth into my life. I am thankful for imperfect progress. I am reminded every day that I am nothing without the Lord. I am a sinful, selfish, and emotionally driven person on my own. Thankfully, none of us have to walk alone. With the Lord, we have the opportunity to turn our emotions, thoughts, and actions to bring glory to the Him. He is there to pick us up and teach us every step of the way.

Ladies, read this book. You won’t regret it. I promise. Here's the link. Now you have no excuse. 

http://www.amazon.com/Unglued-Making-Choices-Midst-Emotions/dp/0310332796/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352486926&sr=8-1&keywords=unglued+lysa+terkeurst