Unmasked

“Who is that?” I wondered as I saw someone completely dressed up including a costume mask walking around on Halloween. There were so many people, kids and adults, in a variety of interesting costumes. Some people might have acted differently than they usually do, simply because they were masked in costume and others didn’t know who they were.

Seeing all the different costumes made me think. How often do we go around with invisible costumes on pretending to be something we are not? How often do we try to please others by straying from ourselves?

In my life, I have found myself trying to please others by doing activities or events that I don’t feel I should actually do. This is especially true when I was in my high school and college days and I just wanted to fit in. I would like to say this mask went away when I got older, but it did not and I found myself trying to fit in with others so I wouldn’t feel left out even as an adult. I would say what people wanted to hear.

Have you ever pasted a smile on your face and told people everything was fine, but deep down you were struggling? Now to be clear, not everyone needs to know your problems, but it is important to take the mask off around trusted people and let them see the real you, struggles and all.

Why do we wear these invisible masks? Is it because we are afraid of being rejected, unloved or unliked? God knows and He will never reject us. He is our safe hiding place so we don’t have to hide behind a false self.

“For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.” Psalms‬ ‭32:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I told my middle school Bible study campaigners group the other day we must be who God made us and not try to keep a mask on pretending to be someone else. God made each of us unique and we need to step into that.

In what ways have you been wearing a costume mask? What is a small step you can take to slowly take off the mask? Maybe it’s asking for prayer? I would love to pray for you if that’s the case. Let’s be real.

Thursday thoughts #1 – Look around and be in the moment

Picture is not from my walk, since I had no way to take pic 😜

What if we went outside without our phones or electronic devices? Would we survive?

I did something nonsensical a couple of days ago. I had just finished loading my groceries in our work box truck at Natural Grocers and I was focused on getting everything in the truck and getting on with my to-do list. As I put my purse in truck and shut the passenger door so I could walk the shopping cart back, I did it. My keys, phone, purse, groceries, everything but my body were now firmly locked inside the box truck. I looked in the window at all my stuff and the empty drivers seat awaiting me. Sigh. I reached for my phone to call for help when I realized my phone was inside the truck. Sigh again. I went back into store and borrowed the sweet cashier’s cell phone to call my hubby so he could bring spare key and rescue me.

I hung up with him and realized I had 45 minutes with no phone, vehicle, money, or food. So I went walking down Main Street Fredericksburg. What else do you do when it’s 100 degrees outside and you are too embarrassed to sit inside the store. As I began walking I realized I usually listen to a podcast or read emails while I walk, and now I had nothing to do with my hands and mind. I began really looking around and saw so many things I probably would have missed if I hadn’t been so fully aware and present in that moment. Things like a small taco place (yum!) and the beautiful sounds of a bird chirping.

I began really looking around and saw so many things I probably would have missed if I hadn’t been so fully aware and present in that moment.

I learned a valuable lesson when walking with nothing on me, no way to communicate or be distracted. You can notice so much when you are present in the moment and not distracted. Will you give it a try?

Mid week miracles

God is all around us in big and little ways. Do we notice? As I’ve been down with Covid the past 11 days, I’ve had to really search for God and His encouragement. But you know what? God has been there every step of the way for me and I just have to look for Him. He shows up.

God has placed on my heart to write each week encouragement and real life stories about how we can see God in our day to day lives. I would love for you to follow along so we can all be encouraged by God this year, looking towards Him instead of all the negativity in our world. Even with the difficulties and craziness we are experiencing, God is with us. I would love to hear your stories and prayer requests so I can pray for you each week.

It’s a new year, and many people often look at setting goals or resolutions for themselves. The beginning of the year usually brings hope, but what happens when that hope is dashed? We already screwed up on our resolutions or something happened to make us realize we will have sorrow in 2022 also.

I started the new year not with hope, but with anxiety. The Christmas break got my sleep all out of whack (and then Covid didn’t help the sleep either) and lack of sleep was making me anxious. “What is wrong with me?” I kept thinking. I was in this cycle a few days when I finally stopped and listened to what God had to tell me. He simply told me to be still. “Really, God? That’s it?” But I stopped ruminating on my anxiety and got still and focused on God. When I did, He poured into me peace and wisdom. He let me know nothing was wrong with me, I had just make an idol out of sleep and I needed to focus on Him instead. God had been there all along, but I was focused on problems rather than on Him and missed what He was saying to me.

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” Psalms 37:7 NLT

“Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God. I am God above all the nations, and I am exalted throughout the whole earth.” Psalms 46:10 TPT

My sleep didn’t immediately get better that day when I had my aha moment with God, but my anxiety over it lessened and I stepped back into my life. What is stopping you from hearing what God has to say? Is something an idol in your life like sleep was for me?

Up in flames

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It’s fall and bonfire season!! Have you ever seen a bonfire? Like a really big, meticulously built bonfire? Last weekend, my hubby and I took our kids to our college homecoming festivities, one of the highlights being the bonfire. The Tarleton Plowboys are a spirit organization in charge of building the bonfire. For 2 weeks prior, the Plowboys spend many hours assembling the massive wooden and brush structure. There is careful planning and execution to get the bonfire as big as it is. Last Friday, our group of friends stood in front of the bonfire before it was lit admiring it and then watched in awe as a few key university people carried lit torches up to the structure and lit it. It took a few minutes to get started, but soon the whole bonfire was engulfed in flames. “That’s the biggest fire I’ve ever seen!” my kids exclaimed, “And it was started with those sticks (torches).”

Can’t life be like that sometimes? Maybe we’ve carefully built our schedule, house, meal prep, business, relationships, etc. We think all is well, but then a little spark comes in and burns it all up. That spark could be a lot of things….health setback, financial strain, disruption in normal schedule, anxiety, hurtful words. Whatever it is, it can come out of nowhere to quickly engulf us.

The little spark can also be a good thing. We get a spark from a new idea, new business venture, unexpected good news, help from a friend, etc. Our personal life can change with just a small spark. For me, whether the spark is supposedly negative or positive, I want to use it to draw closer to God. Will I let a negative spark burn my life up and send me spiraling? Or will I let it purify me and mold me into someone stronger, more reliant on God?

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:7 NLT

Our words can also be sparks used to either build up or tear down. One little lie can cause your world to go up in smoke. Or an encouraging word can spark a host of joyful emotions. We must be aware of our words, what we are saying and how we are saying it.

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.” James 3:5 NLT

What kind of fire are we sparking? Are our words building up or tearing down?

When a fire does come into your life, will you turn to God and lean on Him, or rely on yourself and be burned up?

Happy November!