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Forgiving, Even The Hard Stuff.

I made this sticker as a personal reminder to CONTINUE forgiving.

Forgiveness can be REALLY HARD. When we love deeply we can be hurt deeply. It is especially hard to forgive when betrayal, abuse and trauma, and other really hard situations are at play. As someone who is choosing to follow Jesus moment by moment through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, I am still called to forgive because of what Jesus has already done for me. Both healthy boundaries and forgiveness is biblical.

This is my reminder to KEEP forgiving…

To continue to forgive when people don’t know the truth and choose gossip over truth.

To forgive those who choose to slander and use their words to intentionally hurt.

This 70 x 7 sticker is the reminder to forgive those who I have put my trust in who proved to not be trustworthy.

This sticker is my reminder to forgive those who have hurt me and done things to me, I would never even think of doing to them.

I forgive those who has abused me, betrayed me, used me for their own selfish desires, and YES, I choose to forgive those within the Body of Christ who used positions for power, control, and manipulation, rather than servanthood.

I choose to forgive, moment by moment, and sometimes minute by minute.

Why?

Because Jesus went to the cross innocent, and took the punishment for MY sins. He did what I could never do for myself, SAVE ME.

If He can forgive me and chooses to forgive them, I can surely forgive them too.

Can I do this on my own?

Absolutely not,

But I can choose to forgive 70 x 7 with the help of Holy Spirit.

So…this is my in my face reminder to walk in humility, ask for help when my heart is cut deeply, and forgive because I am forgiven.

He didn’t just die for me, He died for them too.

Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”

“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.

-Matthew 18:21-22

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He Gives His Beloved Rest

In my morning devotional I saw this quote and it reminded me of the sweet rest that Jesus died to give His children.

So often, especially now a days with social media, we can fall into the comparison trap. Whether we fall into comparing ourselves to others or maybe we feel that we haven’t yet reached that level of success we thought we should be at. We end up heavy burdened, overloaded, schedules busy with an empty heart, and void of what is truly important.

Jesus didn’t die so we could strive for greatness here on earth or be the best of the best. His plan wasn’t for us to have a full schedule of what seems to be godly activities but empty of His presence that comes from the mountain. Jesus died so we would no longer strive but simply abide. It was to have fellowship with us. It was and still is, relationship that He desires.

Let us not get so busy that it takes away what is most important. May we not miss the mark by viewing and chasing worldy success rather than reaping an eternal reward. Let our heart posture be understanding and living from the place of what is most important in the heart of the Father.

Being One With Him —
Resting In His Presence By Knowing & Trusting His Character —
Trusting That It Really Is Completely Dependent On Him —
Surrendering It Isn’t Dependent On Us —
Knowing He Will Finish What He Started —

Our king’s pace isn’t the world’s pace and hustle culture is not kingdom culture.

He gives His beloved rest.

Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Psalms 127:1‭-‬2 NLT

🖼: Ruth Chou Simons

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Choosing The Greater Portion

Martha was serving…

Serving: diakonía – ministry; active service, done with a willing (voluntary) attitude

But she was also distracted.

Distracted: to draw around (περί, III. 1), to draw away, distract; passive metaphorically, to be driven about mentally, to be distracted: περί τί, i. e. to be over-occupied, too busy, about a thing

Jesus spoke that Martha’s service (ministry) took her away from the ONE thing that is NECESSARY — to be with Jesus.

What was meant to once glorify God was the very thing that was drawing her away from Him. We too, can easily fall in this trap.

Our identities can be misplaced in what we do and results, rather than whose we are. We can fall for the deception that it’s dependent on us. If we don’t keep it all together, it will all fall apart. Forgetting that it is GOD who gives the growth and His purposes are already finished.

May we purposely choose to be undistracted. May we refuse to check off the boxes of religion that leaves us empty rather than choosing true intimacy with the Father.

May we purpose to choose what Jesus says is necessary, to simply be with Him.

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Shame, The Tool Used To Silence

Shame: a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.

“Don’t you ever come near my tribe again”

“The next time I see you…”

“You have delayed your season because of this”

“You’re the reason you’re all alone”

“You are so emotionally unstable…Look at how unstable you are” (After not getting a reaction out of me)

“You have such a victim mentality”

“No one will believe you, you did this to yourself”

These are just a few of the words spoken over me as I finally broke free. By the power of the Holy Spirit I did not fight back but rather, He had me speak a promise.. I would now speak against abuse within the church and help people heal from spiritual abuse.

These last words were a tool to manipulate and shame me into silence, The uncovering of true character and motives had been uncovered. Fruit had been exposed and it was rotten.

With a history of childhood trauma it was easy to believe the lies that were sown. Often abusers use things that you tell them in confidentiality and care as weapons later on. You see, these people knew I had just went through another miscarriage, my husband was deployed, and knew I had went through prior abuse within the church. They used they very things I had asked them to pray about and twisted fears and insecurities I had into what looked like truth.

I finally blocked every single person that had participated in this hurt and began to ask questions. Would He actually hurt me with my husband not home? How could a godly leader threaten me over accountability for their own actions? Was talking about my problems and asking for prayer about abuse I had suffered in the past, really a victim mentality? I am really alone right now. But I was just trying to set healthy boundaries. Was this really my fault? Where is Jesus in all this? Is this how God really feels about me?

The Anointing at Bethany is a well known testimony in the bible where Jesus was at the house of Lazarus, Martha was serving, and Mary took the pound of perfume, pure and expensive and anointed Jesus’ feet with her hair. Judas Iscariot had plenty to say:

“Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.”

-John 12:4-6 CSB

Judas criticized Mary’s extravagant worship to Jesus. Like many abusers He shamed because there as a hidden heart motive at play. He shamed her. But what was Jesus’ response to this?

Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” -John 12:8 CSB

Jesus spoke up for Mary. He wasn’t ashamed of her actions and He was not afraid to stand up for her when shame was thrown at her to make her feel belittled. He saw the heart of the matter.

I am not sure where you are in reading this, but I do want to let you know that if you have endured shame being thrown at you by an abuser to silence you, know Jesus’ first response is stand up for you. Spiritual abuse can be confusing because it is someone who is supposed to represent God’s character. We can often relate our abuser’s to God’s character. We can fall for the lies and shut up and shut down. I want to let you know today that no matter what was spoken over you, Jesus is not ashamed of you. His grace, His mercy, and love outweighs it all.

More To Chew On:

-The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit. -Psalm 34:18 CSB

-Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me;
he fights and oppresses me all day long.
My adversaries trample me all day,
for many arrogantly fight against me.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?

 They twist my words all day long;
all their thoughts against me are evil.

 They stir up strife, they lurk,
they watch my steps
while they wait to take my life.
 Will they escape in spite of such sin?
God, bring down the nations in wrath.

You yourself have recorded my wanderings.
Put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
 Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.
This I know: God is for me. -Psalm 56:1-9 CSB

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. -2 Corinthians 1:3-5 CSB

Have a prayer request? I would love to pray for you. Click here.

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Soul Rest (Devotional)

When so much is happening around us or even to us, it can be easy to fall out of the place of rest found in Abba.

Let us think upon the goodness of God.
Remembering that our soul can be at rest with our heavenly Father who is with us every step of the way.
He is not surprised or taken off guard.
He is never weak nor tired.
He is trustworthy & abounding in faithful love.
His track record will never change. He is forever reliable.
Our souls can return to rest because of who He is💕

Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Psalms 116:7 CSB