How to be beautiful in one easy step!

I was in the kitchen, cleaning, when I heard Hannah say something I hope I will never forget. It wasn't so much the words I hope I don't forget; it was the utter amazement in her voice as she proclaimed her newest revelation.

She was watching Dragon Tales, and in this particular episode, she saw a caterpillar turn into a butterfly.  I heard her suck in her breath, and all excited, she cried, "Mom!  Look!!  I didn't know a caterpillar could turn into a butterfly! Oh, wow!!!"

As I walked into the living room, I saw she was enraptured by what she was witnessing on the television.  Her mouth was agape, and she said a couple more times, "Wow... wow..."

I couldn't help but giggle and smile at her and feel grateful for having been there to witness this moment when my little girl learned that caterpillars can turn into butterflies.

It was an awesome moment!

And then, I had a special moment of my own.  Watching Hannah, I thought, "Yes, God turns caterpillars into beautiful butterflies, my sweet girl," and I then heard the Holy Spirit say to me, "Yes, it's what I do with people, too."

My mouth fell open, and I whispered, "Wow... wow..."

You see, God's power transforms lives - a transformation much like a caterpillar makes upon becoming a butterfly.  When you give your life over to the one who created you, He takes you and makes you new!  #beautiful

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation: The old is gone; the new is here!"
  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I have some questions for you: what do you see when you look at yourself?  Do you see a new creation? Is what you see beautiful?  

Let me clarify something: I'm not talking about your physical appearance.  I'm asking about your spirit.  How do you see your SELF?

Apparently, many see themselves as - at best - average.  Check out this video my Sunday school teacher shared with us this past Sunday.  It's alarming, really.  Watch it. Then come back here. I'll wait ;-)


I don't know about you, but when I saw this video, I knew instantly I would choose to walk through the beautiful door if put in that situation.

You see, I don't THINK I'm beautiful. I know I am.  I may have been average when I was lost in my sin, but after coming to know Jesus and feeling the new creation that I am in Christ, I KNOW I am beautiful.  And it's not some temporary, fleeting knowledge.  No. It is my reality.  

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach."  (Colossians 1:21-22)

Don't get me wrong.  There are still days when I don't feel beautiful, but feelings are not truth.  And the truth is this: if you are a child of The Most High King, you are beautiful. Embrace it!  Speak that truth in His name when you hear the lies form the evil one telling you otherwise.

You. Are. BEAUTIFUL!

Do you have that confidence in your life?  Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?  If not, what are you waiting for?!  He wants to make you new.  Just let Him.

For information on how to become a new creation in Christ, read "The Roman Road to Salvation."

Today's forget-me-not:  If you are in Christ, you are a new creation.  You are beautiful.  Thank Him today for His precious gift of salvation!

sacrificing contentment for greater contentment

I have taught English in the same high school for twelve years. It is the only place I have ever taught. But last year, I felt the Lord prompting me to apply for a transfer to a high school closer to home. At the time, I was very eager for a change, so I did not hesitate to in for the transfer.  A few months later, I had a promising interview with the principal at that school, but I didn't get the job.

I was confused.  I really felt as if the Lord wanted me at that location. I wanted to be at that location! After I was denied, I blogged about my disappointment in a post I wrote entitled, "Preacher Say."  In that post, I came to this conclusion:
"God will not give you what you want until you come to a place in your life where what you want is what He wants."
Translation: I have to be content with my current situation [His current will for my life] before He will move me.  That is IF He wants to move me - which I believe He does.
In other words, I need to come to a place in my life where I accept my current position at my current location with my current student population and my current colleagues.
It was hard, but I strove to do that. I knew I was going to have to work at being happy with God's current plan for my life. I was going to have to stay put, so it became obvious what God wanted for me at that time: He wanted me to learn to be content in all things, at all times, and in all places. 

I knew the Lord wanted to move me to the other high school, but it became clear to me that He wasn't going to change my current situation until I learned the lesson of contentment!

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances...I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)

So even though I was desperate for a change, I resolved to start this school year with renewed faith. After all, scripture said I could do all things through Him who gives me strength.  So every day I came to work, I went in as if working for the Lord. Everything felt good. The year was going well. I began to love my job anew! 

The transfer window opened again, and at first, I struggled with the decision of requesting another transfer to the high school closer home.  I was comfortable. My heart was once again at home with my current position unlike what it had been when I put in for a transfer the previous year.  I didn't want to do it, but I still believed God wanted to move me to this other school.  What was I going to do?!

Content with my current situation, I requested the transfer anyway.  Because more than being comfortable, I wanted to be in His will.  I laid my contentment on His alter and prayed, "I believe you want me elsewhere, and although it is scary to leave all I have ever known, Lord, I will do it if you want me to."

And you know what? I found out this week - I got the transfer!

It has been an amazing week!!!  At any time I get nervous about moving to my new school, God shows me how good and right this move is going to be in the long run.  I'll be pouring my efforts into a school my children will eventually attend - and that the children of many of my friends will eventually attend.  In addition to this blessed privilege, I'll be challenged to change my teaching style to meet the needs of a different student population.  I'll be able to grow as an educator in ways I would not be able to at my current location, and I'll be blessed to form more precious relationships with fellow educators.  

God knew I needed this before I did.  He prepared my heart for this and taught me something about contentment: it is yielding everything completely to His will - EVERYTHING.  This includes your current contentment.  And if you do this, sacrifice your current contentment for His will, you will find an even greater contentment.  With God, our sacrifices bring back great returns!

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  (Luke 6:38)

I can't even begin to express to you how excited I am to begin this new chapter of my life! Thank you, Jesus!!!

Today's forget-me-not: Be content and obedient in your current situation, and desire nothing else but what He puts on your current path.

The Color Run 2015


I did it again! No "oops" about it ;-)

For the second time, my daughter and I, along with some friends, ran in The Color Run - The Happiest 5K on the Planet!

Before the run! #nocoloryet
That morning, it was a bit cold.  This is why my daughter is all bundled up in the above pic. Because of the temperature, she was a bit moody at first, but she "warmed up" to the whole experience as soon as the sun came out.

I had a great time making memories with my big girl and our friends.  We took more pics than I could ever share on this blog!  However, there is one pic I absolutely MUST share! The Color Run photographers took a picture of Beth in mid-run, and when I saw it, I just fell in love with it!!!  

Intense concentration!  Future runner? 
When I saw that pic, this verse came to mind:

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, 
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I want my children to develop a love of being active. Hopefully that will translate into a love of running, but I'll settle for a love of fitness of any kind.  

I want them to also grow to understand the importance of friendship.  Developing healthy and fun relationships with others is one of the reasons we were put here on this planet. God wants us to enjoy each other.  I mean, Jesus had twelve friends with which he spent a lot of his time ;-) 

Besides, good friends are like family, and family is important.  You know they got your back if times get tough and you are ever in need. 

We had a great time with our friends; these ladies are like family to me!
Overall, we had a great time!  This is one of my favorite 5Ks to run/walk. I look forward to it every year.  Find out when it will be coming to a city near you, and sign up now!  I promise, you will not be disappointed!!

Memories were made in the three miles we experienced together...

Making our way to the finish line!
And this mommy and daughter had a great time!

#theend
Today's forget-me-not:  Consider what you want your children to value when they grow up, and start their training plan now!

a divine appointment

I did it! I ran my first 10K of 2015!

One of my new year's resolutions for this year is to run three 10Ks.  When I blogged about my resolutions back in December, I wrote, "I don't know why this is exactly, but I've recently had a desire to run some long distance races."

See, my desire to do this is particularly odd because of my reaction to running my first ever 10K race back in 2013 - the Atlanta Peachtree Roadrace.  Here is what I wrote after running that 6.2 miles:
I hate running 6 miles.  I just don't like it because I don't understand it, for ME.  Why run 6 miles when 3 miles give you the same high but a better sense of accomplishment?  Running 3 miles also gives me what I love most about running - time with myself and the metabolism to EAT!
But despite this response to my first 10K, I felt this irresistible desire to run a few races of greater distance in 2015.

So this past weekend, after a few months of training, my hubby and I set off to Berry College and both ran the 10K of the Berry Half/10K/5K race.

Now let me just say, I fell in love with this campus!  It is BEAUTIFUL, and the running course was almost entirely FLAT!!  This place is a runner's dream come true!!!  #illbeback

pic from anthrops lm
The above pic is of the trails at Berry College. I didn't see any deer, but isn't it just beautiful?!

As I ran through the beauty that is the campus of Berry College, I couldn't help but see the goodness of our Lord. How can you NOT think about your creator while running through all that artistry?! I couldn't help but reflect on His goodness to me. And then, it happened... I heard Him say, as close to audibly hearing His voice as I've ever heard Him, "I love you."

Tears were in my eyes that first mile as I thought about how blessed I was to be running on that campus.  Breathing in the crisp, fresh air...  Drinking in the vistas... I was overwhelmed with gratitude to Jesus for prompting me to want to run more 10Ks; because if He had not done so, I would not have gone to Berry College that day.  I would have never considered running in this particular race. I would have missed this time in God's beautiful creation. I would have missed hearing His sweet voice.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is he that takes refuge in the Lord." Psalm 34:8

That is how I felt in that moment: blessed.

Continuing on with the run, the reality that I was about to complete two 5Ks - something I would normally just do once in a single weekend - set in, and I felt a sense of dread.  Thankfully though, it was fleeting...

When you embark on a longer run, the only reassurance you have that you will make it to the finish line is found in your previous training.  You've put in the hours.  You've run the miles.  You have to bank on that.  You have to remember it.  And so you tell yourself after the "Ready. Set. Go!" - I can do this! You put your trust in the training. You trust.

And so I gave myself that mental pep talk when I hit mile two.  And I felt better.  And I again heard God's voice:

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me."  John 14:1

"Trust also in me..."

A wave of peace came over me at that point in my run.  I heard Him, again, so clearly: "Trust me." And instantly, I knew that I could.

I could trust in Him to help me finish my run. I could trust in Him to guide my family. I could trust in Him for our livelihood and our relationships and our everything!

I had an epiphany; I can do this more in my every day: trust.

I had an amazing time hearing from God on my first 10K run of this year.  I'm so glad I was obedient to the urging to take on the task of running a longer distance.  I can't wait to race another 10K and hear from God again!

Running Time 1:16:00  (a four minute improvement of my overall best 10K time)

Today's forget-me-not: He is good.  You are blessed.  Trust Him.