The Real Me

It is so easy to pretend to be ok, to pretend to be something that we're not. But what's the point of pretending when God sees the real you any way? We can fool each other, but there's no way to fool God. He doesn't care what you've done, where you've come from, or who you are pretending to be...no, He loves us ALL just as we are!

We need to be able to just open up our hearts and let Him in; to let Him heal our brokeness. He knows what we're going through, He knows that life isn't always going to be easy...but then He never said it would be. God has a HUGE heart and His love can soothe the hardest heart! We need to realise that unless we can be true to ourselves, God can't use us...He has a significant plan for each of our lives, but He can only use us if we let Him...we need to stop hiding ourselves and let God into EVERY part of our lives...otherwise we're just pretending...we're fake, and most of all...we're missing out on all that God has promised us!

I love the song by Natalie Grant called "The Real Me". I've posted the lyrics here, and you can listen to the song through my music player at the bottom of this page.

THE REAL ME

Foolish heart looks like we're here again

Same old game of plastic smile

Don't let anybody in

Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break

How much will they take before I'm empty

Do I let it show, does anybody know?

But you see the real me

Hiding in my skin, broken from within

Unveil me completely

I'm loosening my grasp

There's no need to mask my frailty

Cause you see the real me

Painted on, life is behind a mask

Self-inflicted circus clown

I'm tired of the song and dance

Living a Charade, always on parade

What a mess I've made of my existence

But you love me even now

And still I see somehow

That you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely
I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me

Wonderful, beautiful is what you see

When you look at me

You're turning the tattered fabric of my life into

A perfect tapestry

I just wanna be me

Cause you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely
I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me

And you love me just as I am

Wonderful, Beautiful is what you see

When you look at me

Don't Limit Yourself!

‘He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.’ Luke 19:3-5

Here we see a man who was so desperate to see Jesus that despite his own limitation he still went out of his way to make it possible. Often we can let limitations in our life prevent us from spending time with Jesus. We can let our busy lives dictate to us how much time we get with Jesus. Also, when Zacchaeus made a decision to push through the limitations before him, it results in a unique opportunity where Jesus came to his house for dinner. This was an opportunity that no other person in the crowd had. When we choose to go after God with everything we have, God will honour our efforts.

Prayer
Today God I want to go after you and not let anything hold me back.. I make a decision now to push past anything that will try to limit me and stop me from experiencing all of you.

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As I read through this devotion today, I realised that I need to be more like Zacchaeus and push through the things that I am allowing to limit me.

I've been struggling to get through the past few weeks, and worrying about how I'd get through the next 15 weeks. I've allowed myself to be convinced that it's just all too hard, and I began to question my competence and purpose. I mean, I've never worked in mental health before, and I really don't know anything about it. But it's not only that...I've allowed myself to get anxious about all the reading, all the assessment, and all the learning that I need to complete over this time, and how I'd never be able to understand any of it. Then, I went and let it seep into other areas of my life...I began to question my place in this world, my true purpose, where do I fit in, why am I here?

I found myself becoming more and more obsessed with the fact that I had nothing to offer, that I wouldn't ever get through, that I was useless. I reflected on the fact that I wasn't able to conceive a child, so therefore I had nothing to offer my husband; I was always getting sick, so therefore I'd never be able to work full time and would be a burden on my family, etc, etc, etc...noticing a pattern? Yeah...I was convincing myself that I was completely useless...I was speaking these words over my life and declaring them as truth, when in fact it is all lies. Lies that I've been telling myself. Lies that I've allowed to dictate my thoughts, my actions, my emotions...me!

But then after the 9:20 prayer session, the sermon at church today, and this devotion...I realised the truth. I am a child of the most high God. I am wonderfully and fearfully made! I have been placed on this earth and in this prac placement because it's exactly where God wants me to be. He has chosen me for such a time as this. He loves me for who I am, and what I have to offer. He is calling me to His side, asking me to draw near to Him, so that He can be my comforter, my counsellor, and my best friend!

The following one of the most inspiring, encouraging, uplifting verses that I know, and it has made me realise that God is definitely for me; He's in control and looking out for me, always:

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:13-18

I've also found these scripture to help me get through this time of pushing through my limitations; and, to remind me of God's great love, and of His purpose for my life:

• 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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
• "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:6-7
• "Come near to God and he will come near to you." James 4:8
• "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13
• "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

92 Year Old Pastor

I received this email from a good friend of mine and I thought it was great, so I'd love to share it with you, and let it minister to you!

While watching a little TV on Sunday, I watched a church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age. After a warm welcome, introduction of this speaker, and as the applause quieted down, he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gate to the podium.

Without a note or written paper of any kind he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak...."When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50-odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me... the only thing that would comfort was this verse...

"Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, we are weak but He is strong...Yes, Jesus loves me...The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his footsteps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it. A pastor once stated, "I always noticed that it was the adults who chose the children's hymn 'Jesus Loves Me' (for the children of course) during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because I could see they knew it the best."

"Senior version of Jesus Loves Me"
Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you others, check out this newest version of 'Jesus Loves Me'.

Jesus loves me, this I know, Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES, JESUS LOVES ME.
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow, With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may, He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long, In my heart He puts a song,
Telling me in words so clear, "Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done, And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above, Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know? Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)

Take a look at the words of this 'new' version; it's so true...God loves us sooo very much! We couldn't possibly ever know the extent of His great love; but if we let His Holy Spirit lead us and guide us each day, we can go on through all the ups and downs of life and look back knowing that God loves us, and that He's ALWAYS there for us!

The Cross

Well, it's been about 2 weeks since I last left a Blog, so I thought I better post another entry.

I received this email from a friend the other day, and even though I've seen it before, it reminded me of just how awesome our God is. It reminded me that even though we go through challenges, and question God...He's always in control! He knows what our future holds; so we (I) need to always trust in Him and follow His directions.

Awesome! We complain about the cross we bear but don't realise it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we cannot! This email will be a reminder to me, over the next 4.5 months while I'm on Prac and not working, to carry the weight of the cross, to trust God, and to always know that todays challenges are preparing us for tomorrows successes! God won't give us more than we can handle!

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain,
There will always be sunshine, after the rain;
Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall,
But God's always ready, to answer your call.

He knows every heartache, sees every tear,
A word from His lips, can calm every fear;
Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish, by dawn's early light.

The Saviour is waiting, somewhere above,
to give you His grace, and send you His love.

May God fill your day with blessings!