Let's Be the Same!

Before I begin, here are 5 random facts:

1. As of today, we've been back in Idaho for one year!
2. Four years ago today, we got engaged!
3. I just threw dinner together. Literally.
4. I'm drinking leftover Dutch Bros., and my heart may explode. Not literally.
5. I find "Baby Einstein" rather entertaining.

So...there you go.

Today, I'd like to talk about my biggest take-away lesson from this past year of being back in Idaho, and it can actually be summed up in this quote from Pastor Judah Smith:

Source: ME! Actually, PicMonkey helped me make this image.

Be the same. Privately. Publicly. Personally.

It sounds so simple, and this message has been shoved in my face since I was a kid: "Just be yourself!" It's one of those messages that goes in one ear and out the other because it's so incredibly cliche, in both church and non-church culture.

Yet the Lord has never constantly bombarded me with the same message like He has this past year.

Be the same!
Be you!
Be yourself!
Stop trying and JUST BE!

I think I finally heard Him, and I'm glad for it. Trying so hard all the time is ridiculously exhausting.

I'm definitely ready to just be.

We've all struggled with trying to be something or somebody we're not. We've tried to keep up one appearance with one person and another appearance with someone else. We've tried to define ourselves by outward things, only to feel the exact opposite on the inside.

This is hypocrisy, and it isn't just a Christian problem as some people seem to think; it's a human problem.

Furthermore, I'm convinced it's an identity problem.

If you've been hypocritical and have never repented for it (or if you're currently struggling with it and are ready to repent), I encourage you to do that now. Heck, I've probably been a hypocrite today, so I'll join you:

Father, forgive me for being a hypocrite. 

Forgive me for believing or speaking one way, and acting or thinking another.

Thank You, Lord for Your forgiveness, grace, and mercy.

Help me to recognize when I'm being hypocritical or when I'm being tempted to be. 

Reveal to me the areas in which I struggle with this the most.

Help me to be true to myself, and true to Your Word.

In Jesus' name, amen!

Now, if there's someone our hypocrisy has wronged, let's apologize to them too. We can call them, get together with them, text, Facebook, email - whatever works and whatever you feel comfortable with. I've had to make this apology more than once, and while it's never fun to admit our faults, it's incredibly freeing and it encourages others as well. We're not perfect, and it's OK to admit it.

And after you've admitted it - to yourself, to God, and to anyone you may have knowingly wronged - it's water under the bridge. No reason to dwell on the past; we have good futures to look forward to!

But how do we make sure that from this moment on, we endeavor to live, be, think, and act the same way privately, publicly, and personally? (Which, wouldn't you know, is all a part of living on-purpose as well. Hooray for unintentional tie-ins!)

First, what do privately, publicly, and personally mean?

(I'll be honest: I don't know the context of Judah Smith's quote, so I'm going to give my own interpretation of it.)

1. PRIVATELY. Merriam-Webster defines it as "not known by the public or by other people." This to me speaks of a person's home life, or, what happens behind closed doors (literally).

Brent and I want to be in ministry for the rest of our lives. That's what we went to school for, and it's what we feel called of the Lord to do. We knew going into this that part of being in the ministry ( and ultimately, just part of being a Christian) is that at some point, the reality of "living in a glass house" will surface.

"Living in a glass house" simply means that people are watching you, whether you (or they) realize it or not, and whether you (or they) like it or not. It simply comes with the territory, and quite frankly, isn't worth complaining about (if you're living the way that Christians ought to be living...*cough*).

But at the same time, regardless of profession, every Christian person, couple, and family does have a private life. There will always be a time when the windows are shut, the doors are locked, and my family is all alone in our home or car.

What we do and say (and yes, even think) apart from the outside world is very important, and will affect every aspect of our lives. So will what we bring into our home and the things we're surrounded with in private.

I cannot effectively teach or preach the gospel if I never take time to pray, worship, and read God's Word. I can't effectively encourage others in living a holy life if I'm watching trashy television all the time or constantly listening to secular music. I can't love people if I'm gossiping at home. These are just some examples of what our private lives might entail if we're not keeping them in check.


2. PUBLICLY. Merriam-Webster defines this as "in a way that is meant to be heard or seen by many people" or "in a way that can be used, seen, bought, etc., by anyone."

Regardless of profession, age, sex, denomination, or relationship status, all Christians are called to live out their faith publicly and in front of others.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16, NKJV)

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12, ESV)

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. (Ephesians 5:15, NLT)

How are we behaving, speaking, and thinking in public? Whether we're at work or school; in the grocery store or at a coffee shop; chatting with a friend, at a family dinner, or on the phone with a debt collector; preaching from a pulpit, sitting in church, or sharing the Gospel with a friend...how are we behaving publicly?

What are we saying that will most likely be heard? How are we behaving that will most likely be seen? What are we thinking about that may come across in our facial expressions or body language? All of these are important things to consider.

3. PERSONALLY. Good ol' MW defines personally as being "in a way that involves a particular person and no one else" or "for oneself; as far as oneself is concerned." Merriam Webster also defines personal as "of, relating to, or affecting a particular person" or "relating to an individual or an individual's character, conduct, motives, or private affairs." 

This includes what's unseen about us, but isn't the same as our private life. This refers to our thoughts, motives, character and heart, and is probably the most important of the three. The Bible instructs:

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)

The NLT words this verse as follows: Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. The Bible has a lot to say about the heart, both good and bad. Ultimately the takeaway is that our heart is very important to guard and protect because, if left to its own devices, is deceptive and troublesome ("The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9, ESV). 

What are our intentions? Our motives? One way we can test our motives is to go to the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says in the ESV: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

We can also ask God to reveal things about our character, motives, intentions, thoughts, or heart that we may not even recognize.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT)

Obviously, this isn't an exhaustive list of all the things we can do to keep ourselves on track in being the same privately, publicly, and personally. There are so many more scriptures I didn't touch on, and so many more examples of all three. 

And of course, none of us will ever be perfect at this. We'll all have slip-ups from time to time, as we see plainly in Psalm 37:24 (NIV), which says: "though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand."

At the same time, I do believe that we as Christians can live holy lives and not stumble, which we see possible in 2 Peter 1:10 (NASB): "for as long as you practice these things, you will NEVER stumble." Even so, living that kind of a life takes work and a conscious, concerted effort on our part. Check out the verses in 2 Peter 1 leading up to verse 10; that doesn't happen overnight! 

This was kind of a longer post, but it's just something I've been thinking about. Blessings as you endeavor to live each and every day being true to yourself and to God's Word.

Lord, show me the areas of my life - private, public and personal - 

that I'm not being the same in, whether I realize it or not.

Teach me how to be more consistent.

Thank You, Lord, for always being consistent in my life.

You are my Rock; faithful, unfailing, and always true!

In Jesus' name, amen!

We've Moved!

I feel like I've dropped off the face of the planet since deleting my social media accounts! And it's been wonderful.

(For the record, I didn't delete anyone; I deleted myself. I'm not mad at or trying to get away from anyone either. I just wanted to clear that up, because I've been asked. If you're curious as to why I left social media, you can read some of my reasons here.) 

But as wonderful as said departure's been, there have been a few drawbacks...like not being able to officially announce that WE'VE MOVED!!! We found out a little over two weeks ago, and moved into our new place exactly two weeks ago today.

It's been a bit of a whirlwind to say the least, but it's been an adventure nonetheless, and God has made it quite known to us that this is where He wants us to be.

I'll make it as short and sweet as I can because a lot has happened.

1. Brent and I had began the process of making a potential move (looking for apartments, applying for jobs) only to soon after decide on just staying where we were for the next six months or so, and to just commute to church twice a week.

2. But three weeks ago, Brent was called for an interview. And two weeks ago, he was offered that new job and lost his previous job...on the same day! (He lost his job due to accepting his new one because the two companies are in direct competition, so he was unable to put in a two week notice. But he's still in good standing with his previous company, so praise the Lord that he was able to leave on good terms!) Anyway, we decided to step out in faith and go for it: we were moving!

3. I told the new apartment manager that we wanted a two-bedroom and that we'd move in on May 1st, and so I also told my landlord we'd be moving out. However, in the hustle and bustle, I made the mistake of not giving him a 30-day notice! Whoops. Even so, because of the job situation, at that point we didn't really have a choice. My landlord said if someone rented it by May 1st (only 11 days from when I told him!), then it might be ok, so we started believing God to bring in a new renter for our landlord who could pay rent on or by May 1st! A stretch in the natural, sure...but nothing is too big for our God!

4. We started the moving process that week, and when we went to sign our lease, we found out that a three-bedroom was available for only $50 more! They offered it to us, and of course, we took it. What a blessing! It's the most space we've ever had, and there's so much natural light - it's great! The landlady also gave us the keys that day. So...Brent found out he got the new job on Monday, and we moved into our new apartment that Friday. Talk about a whirlwind!

5. The best part is that one week later, we were informed that a renter had been found for our previous place and would be paying rent...on May 1st!!! Talk about a faithful God! Not only that, but someone also anonymously blessed us with a large financial gift. I literally cried when I found out. Moving costs money, and this was a quick one so our finances got a bit out of whack. We were expecting God to provide, but we were expecting Him to provide just enough to cover all of our bills. However, I sometimes forget that He's the God of more than enough. "HE IS ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ask or think!" (Ephesians 3:20)

We were beyond grateful and blessed, and were in absolute awe of God's provision and His answers to our prayers. Where He guides, He definitely provides! And it gets even better: we don't have to drive 160 miles every week anymore, haha! Now we can just walk to church, and it's amazing.

Here's the view we get to see just out our front door every day:

This picture however, with it's dumpster and storage sheds, simply does not do it justice. Here's another one from one of the bridges in our new town:

God is good!

And yesterday, we got our internet hooked up, so I can finally share this awesome adventure with whoever might like to read it. Thank you to any and everyone who prayed for us, and to our amazing families for helping us with the craziness of moving in so many ways.

Also, just a few quick Declan updates:

• Declan is 5 and a half months old, and has TWO teeth coming in already! He's hasn't seemed to be hurting too bad, which is great.

• He's also eating baby food now. (I kind of started with rice cereal, buuuuut...I also kind of skipped that part. *cough*) Surprisingly, his favorite are peas! He also seemed to like avocado a lot. I've also given him some taste of banana, apples, and pears, but he still seems to like peas the best. Weird, but hey...that's fine with me if he likes his veggies!

• Since he was 3 months old, he's rolled over only two times (by accident, hehe), but he's still just content to scoot, lay on his back or tummy (sometimes - he's not a big tummy time fan), and play in his exer-saucer. He'll do it when he's ready, so no big deal. He's a talker (like his mama) and seems to be a thinker (like his daddy). He's also very content, social, and happy! We fall more in love with him each day.