Hey Judas!

The other night my husband looked over at me and said "You know, I believe that Judas would have been saved if he hadn't killed himself. Not that I believe that he went to hell for committing suicide."

You know that got the ol' hamster wheel turning.

In our lives we tend to be like Judas. On a daily basis we turn our backs on Jesus.

Judas did not wait to see the fulfillment of Christ's plan.

He checked out.

Gave up.

Traded his ticket for what a quick get away from the guilt and shame.

Instead of waiting on the Lord, we tend to give up because we try to carry the guilt and shame of our lives and we CAN'T make it through.

Jesus never intended for Judas to go to hell. He didn't create hell for Judas, Judas choose to go there not by betraying Jesus but by not accepting the forgiveness that Jesus had offered for EVERYONE.

Yes as Jesus was on that cross, Judas was on his mind. You were, too.

So was everything that would ever happen to you or every sin you would ever commit.

Today, you need to accept the forgiveness that is being offered to you.

Jesus won't die on the cross again, He doesn't need too.

It's you who needs to die; to yourself, everyday.

It rids you of guilt and shame.

Now, the enemy will remind you of your guilt and shame but you can believe in confidence that it is no more.

He was, is and always will be perfect. His LOVE is perfect and will make you whole again.

All you have to do is accept the forgivness that is being offered to you.

And trust and obey.

Love,
Erica

What is Christmas to you?

Jesus- wrapped up in cloth and in hay with smiling parents. Isn't that sweet?

No wonder so many people believe that Christ's birth was a fairytale. I mean sure you have those that believe in science and have done "research" and will argue that there is no savior...no heaven or more than one way to get there if such a place exists.

I get it. I do. We want to feel OK in our lives, we MUST understand every aspect of our lives and it sure is a lot easier to just not even think about it.

I should say I did get it. Until I got it.

Jesus didn't come walking in to my life on a rainbow with flowers in His hand and we walked off into oblivion together smiling and skipping.

The truth is He jumped into the water with me where I was drowning...offered His hand and WAITED on me to take it...constantly offering His hand. There was no rainbow and I didn't emerge out of the dark water like you see in the movies glorious and all. It was ugly. Anyone who knows anything about healing knows that the healing is NOT GLORIOUS. 

To be FULLY healed IS glorious and I look forward to that day when I am no longer broken. 

Heaven.

Jesus was born in a cave, A NASTY dung filled goat cave (some believe it was a stable) Either way..it was filled with animals and filth. The lowest place possible. 

I know you've heard it. The highest born the lowest..yada yada. It means nothing to you until it means something.

So let's take the story of Christ's birth and make it real today. If Christ were to be born today...He would be born in the middle of Ferguson, or maybe with the starving in Africa...or how about in a crack house. It would be UGLY.

Jesus pursues the ugliness. The dark. The Widow. The Orphan.

The least. The forgotten. The addicted.

Having a relationship with Christ is about clinging onto the never changing Love of Christ. It's knowing that He pursues us in our darkness. He did not come to condemn but to be condemned. 

Some days it is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. Totally dependant on the fact that He has already taken the step and is there behind me, beside me and waiting on me all at the same time.

Last week I had condemned myself as the worst parent. I lost my cool and said some hurtful things out of anger. I felt far from God. FAR FROM GOD. I mean aren't Godly parents supposed to have low voices and sing praises to their children every 22 seconds?  Teenagers will suck the wind out of your lungs. How in the world are you supposed to even breathe? Much less sing. It doesn't seem like a big deal...you know losing your cool until you look at the fact that my child is now almost 18. Which in my mind means I'm still making mistakes. I still feel defeated. That's where Jesus comes. In the desperation and in the defeat.

I think about Mary at the feet of the Son of God and her son at the same time. I think about how it must have been easier to say "yes" when she was staring at an angel. But it had been 33 years since she had seen the angel...it wasn't a fresh memory. How horrible to witness your child being ripped apart.

I can sum it up in a few words but the one I choose today will be HOPE.

Christmas is about HOPE. Mary would one day see her child again. One day we will be made perfect by the perfect parent.

Being a believer in Christ is not always ugly, there are beautiful joyous moments. Mostly when we are following in the ways of our Lord and Savior. When we love the unlovable and do for the ones who can't do for themselves. 

That is Christmas to me. Hope in desperation.

Make us desperate, Lord.

Pumpkin

This afternoon, my children and I were carving pumpkins. I secretly compete against them. 

As the inside became more and more empty I began to have a feeling of sadness. It reminded me of how empty I was inside before I came to Christ. How I had made so many bad choices and this ol world had cut holes all through me and gutted me...leaving me completely barren. 

I have felt like that pumpkin looked, strong on the outside...nothing on the inside. 

But just as you and I look at the empty pumpkin and see a blank canvas with endless possibilities, God looks at us and desires to make us His masterpiece.

God can do a lot with empty.

God can create something from nothing.

 The more flesh that is carved out and done away with the brighter the light shines through in the dark. 

May our lights shine bright.

Slowing it down

On the news yesterday there was a 12 year old boy who has invented a "reminder" of sorts for parents of young children. It was to let them know to check in the back seat for their children as to not leave them there to perish in the heat of the car.

In his innocence, I'm sure he has no idea that some leave the child inside on purpose.

I can dwell on things. In this matter, it has caused lost sleep...nightmares, nausea.

Let's sit a spell and talk about this, do you have time?

We are too busy of a society. Too busy! We are always chasing the American dream. Whose dream was that exactly? Who told me I wanted a 200k plus house with a White picket fence and a BMW in the front yard? I've bought that lie before. Many times over in my life.

Know whose dream you're chasing.

A better word, well rounded. I want my (my child, my life) to be well rounded.

Isn't that why we post where we are all the time on social media, what we are wearing, where we are shopping? Look at my kid's trophy!  Oh, I'm preaching now (to myself,too!). Some of y'all done tip toed out the back door!

Matthew 16:26English Standard Version (ESV)

26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Nothing wrong with doing an extracurricular activity or nurturing a couple things that your children are good at but when you spend too much time running them around to this or that...and eating dinner in the car 4 nights a week? What bout working overtime to buy those $130 pair of shoes that your child "has" to have. Oh, I get it...he/she will get made fun of if they don't have them...

Or you'll feel bad because you as the parent are looked at as less because your child doesn't have what the others have.

Time with your children, your family...that can help your self centered busy lifestyle.

It's for the kids sake? No, children can be taught humility. Self confidence comes from knowing who they are in Christ not a brand name or activity.

Children who've been neglected in the time department desire worldly things much, much more.

We are so busy that we leave our children in a hot car. Our minds are too busy to even remember we have a living human being with us?

Oh, sound crazy? How many times have we been staring at a cell phone and one of our children have said our name 3 times before we hear and acknowledge them, not on purpose?

yoo hoo, over here! Yes, here...guilty.

Be selfish in a better way, selfish with your time with your children. Selfish in taking the time to teach them and spend as much time as possible with them.

 Practice saying NO to GOOD things to preserve for the BEST.

Read more about that here today (8 July)

One's best is never a thing.

Put down the phone, cancel the violin lessons because little Suzy will be OK she's already doing soccer, ballet, and basketball.

Realize and teach that your best friends share a roof with you!  And if they're not...let's work on our relationships with our spouses and children so that they become so.

Dinner at the table and a board game after is priceless.

Read a book that is made out of paper.

Need more ideas? Click here!

Sell the house, trade down the car. Whatever it takes to afford the time.

I can promise you that not one mature adult cares what you drive and how much you pay for your house. If you or someone you know is like that...it's time to grow up or get new friends. Or both?

If we could all just slow down.

Matthew 6:24English Standard Version (ESV)

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Love,
Erica

The Preacha's wife

When we told my Daddy that we felt like God was leading my husband to become a pastor, he laughed.

Like a deep gut laugh. Not because of my husbands inability to be obedient to God but because who he was married too. 

Did I ever tell you that I am JUST like my Daddy, except I have my (less than 5'2 foot tall) Mama's sass.

I wish I could tell you a story about how much my husband has struggled with the idea of being a Pastor. Sure, he has had his days...running from what the Lord has for his life. But not enough to blog about right now. I'll try to update when he starts Seminary (fun times) in the fall.

No, this one is about yours truly. Blah.

For YEARS I struggled with being a Pastor's wife. How in the world? I don't possess any qualities of your typical pastor's wife. I know...I know...so that's a good thing, you're not typical. But I couldn't help but feel like I was being hired as a chef and didn't even know how to crack an egg! 

I started seeking advice.

I keep getting similar answers from many pastor's wives that there is a way to do things, you have to play nice...that sometimes it can get political.

Once I worked with my sister over the summer at her office and before I left, I owned the title of being the sweetest girl in the world. (sweet?! PUH LEEEZZ)

I know how to play the game. 

Here's the problem...I gave up playing games when I met Jesus. 

I'm done praying for God to change who He created me to be. The one who laughs much (and loudly sometimes snorting), the one who tells it straight but hugs after and the one who desires for others to meet Jesus in a real way.

***This is not the same thing as praying God change me*** (blog post on that later. No, not next year...smarty pants! I thought we agreed for you to be patient with my belated blog posts?)

My husband and I have decided that it's ALL or nothing. If that means we will represent Christ in a church or if we do it working at Home Depot because "church" ain't having it...then that is what that means. 

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

Holding fast to that one, Lord ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑

                          

We are ALL in. We are not perfect but we are willing.

And you know I have full confidence that God will use me in great ways even if I can't carry a tune in a bucket  or play the hand bells. ( Is there a break-dancing ministry?)

We are at a point in our lives that we have only two choices 1.Trust God 2. Don't trust God

We're picking door #1

And it is SO much more awesome than the terrible I thought it would be!

All we have is everything worldly to lose. Praise God.

I am fully aware that there may be a day that those words are the only ones I am able to udder. But I KNOW that my God will not leave me or forsake me. Or you. 

Deuteronomy 31:8 

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS FOR OUR FAMILY!

Love,
Erica

Worn out

I often find myself overwhelmed and when that happens everything around me begins to be a burden.

First thought...give up, wash my hands, walk away.

Life gets heavy sometimes. We can do only a little to lighten the load.

Say NO a little more often, care a little less about the perfect house,yard, outfit and even thoughts that others have about us.

But friends, as long as we walk in these bodies and breathe the air of this world, we will become

overwhelmed, weary and worn.

There is NO changing that.

No vacation, salon visit, hour away from the kids and for my healthy friends...not even yoga can change it.

Those things are nice and do help refresh you a bit but they aren't a cure all.

I posted on my FB blog page a week or so ago asking my friends to fill in the blank of this question...

" I am weary and worn because _____."

I did that because I was feeling really worn out. Best way to combat feeling sorry for yourself is to peek into the world of others. To pray over their burdens (and your own).

After reading and praying the answer was clear

 (Did I ever tell you I am hard headed. The answer is always, always Jesus).

I'm pretty sure Jesus made up the word "Duh". Just for me.

We simply need to put our hope in Him. We are created to turn to Jesus in our weakness. He is the cure all.

I want to give us some encouragement today.

Psalm 121:3–4
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  

God doesn't sleep!

“Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

He wants us to come to Him in our weakness.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 


He will give us what we need to sustain us. 

Hebrews 13: 5-6
God has said, ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’”

Be confident in His help. 

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Enjoy the peace of the Lord. It's yours (ours) for the taking!


Love,
Erica

Living in the "if"

This morning my devotional was about Gideon. 

AKA me. You know, when one can identify oneself with so many different people of the Bible it isn't always a good thing. BUT it can always be a growth thing. 

In Judges 6:12 The Bible tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared before Gideon. (Many scholars believe that this was pre incarnate Jesus)

So Jesus says to Gideon "The Lord is with YOU, mighty warrior" and Gideon's response is this...

"Pardon me, my lord," Gideon replied, "but if the LORD is with US, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian."

How often do we repsond to God with something different than what He is telling us. The Lord said I am with YOU, Gideon. Gideon replies with an "us". 

His reply did not match up with what God had said to Him.

Gideon was in the presence of God but Gideon wasn't in the present. He was too worried about the past. About how things were better in the past. 

How many times have you based God being present with you on how good your circumstance is presently?

Then Gideon continues a bit later with  "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me."

If I get this job

If I get this car

If the test results come back clear

If my spouse changes 

Stop living in the "if" because it is truly exhausting.

Live in this present moment with God and know that He is with YOU. 

ALWAYS. (Matthew 28:20)

Love,

Erica