Teetering between the "hers".

Please forgive me for not wanting to "talk" about all of the issues we are facing today. I have not been blessed with a "natural" long-term heart that can deal with hard stuff for a long time. Give me a day or two of sick kids and stressful lives, I'm fine.

Give me a week or more of it??? (deep sighs) Not so "fine".

Hope is doing better, but we are still up and down. And it's been a downer morning already.

But, Today I want to talk about two women. Because I truly have found myself teetering between these two women this weekend. This was a big hit lesson during bible study and I need to refresh myself today of this whole concept.

*Please note these are all concepts from the Do You Think I'm Beautiful Bible Study by Angela Thomas.

Woman number one, we will call her the "Weak Willed Woman"

Her characteristics include these*:

*Consumed with Fears
*Self-Absorbed
*Caring too much about appearances and what everyone
*An invisible, frightened church mouse
*Loud, Brash, and dominant
*empty of ambition or passion
*Controlling
*deaf to the voice of God, never hearing Him call her beautiful
*full of self-pity
*defeated by depression
*harboring a grudge
*prone to gossip
*indulging in her obsessions
*easily hurt or offended
*attending bible studies but never changing or growing
*given to a critical spirit

Enter woman number 2: The Dangerous Woman For God
Now for her Characteristics:

*Desperate for God
*Ready to Jump in and do whatever it takes for Him
*A heart that longs for righteousness
*A life that represents obedience
*Has the power of trust
*Knows that she belongs to God
*Finds comfort in "being still"
*Is willing to fight out each battle in her life
*Dances in the Arms of God
*Knows that He calls her beautiful and believes it

So, here's the deal. No, I cannot fully identify with every single characteristic of the weak-willed woman nor every single characteristic of the dangerous woman for God. But there are a few things on that list that I tend to identify with more than others.

Here's the thing.....it only takes "one". One trait to knock us down for an insane amount of time. Or one trait to build us up for a life-time.

I find myself drawing a line down the middle of my body all day. Jumping back and forth from one "her" to the next "her". Sometimes it can come in the form of "MINUTES". One minute I'm this "her" the next the other "her".

Frustrating to say the least.

In my lesson that I taught on this I came up with a plan based on the study. Because I'm always a girl in need of a plan. I like to know A, B and C which will then lead to "results". Right?? =)

Ok,

Step 1. Being in God's word. Every. Single. Day.

This doesn't mean being in a bible study book or devotional book, this is you and I, personally, opening up God's word and letting HIS words speak to my heart. Just like God has given so many other's out there a "message", He too has a message just for you and I.

Step 2. Turning Your questions into Trusts.

Isaiah 41:13 says, "For I am the Lord, your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

For me, these are simple trusts. Like, "Lord I don't know why I'm being pushed to the limits this way, but I trust you are in control."

or

"Lord, I don't know what the future holds for this week, but I trust that you have it all in your hands."

Every fear we have can be turned into a trust. This may be something that doesn't come natural at first, it's still a struggle for me. But strength is found in trust.

Step 3. Know that an ending is all to often just the beginning.

All to often when something is removed suddenly from our lives, there is a reason. And it's a greater reason than we can every know!!

Psalm 25:5 "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long."

Step 4. Take your eyes off yourself and put it on others.

I was very easily able to do this while we were in the hospital. Just when you think your life is a complete mess and can't be any worse, if you open up your eyes you will see all around you there are many others hurting and that need a word of encouragement or love. Just because you are in the "thick" of being the weak-willed woman, DOESN'T mean that God can't or won't use you. Open up your eyes to see what's happening in other's lives. It's not all about you.

Step 5. Seek the help of qualified people if weakness overcomes your life.

If you find yourself more on the side of the weak-willed woman more than most of your time, It might be time to seek out some help. I at one point did need this. Depression overcame me and I sought help from a lady at our church. Again, this isn't a friend or a relative, this is someone on the outside looking in that will be able to say, "This is step one. This is step two."


Wow, I feel better just writing this all out. You know, sometimes "life" just overwhelms us. It's not God saying ok today you get this and this and this.......it's just LIFE.

Is God in control of it all? Yes.

Does He know every little detail before we ever see it? Yes.

But He's not a mean and grueling God who's sitting on His throne casting "life" on us. LIFE JUST HAPPENS.

Well, if anyone reads this and gets anything from it, praise the Lord. But if anything I just needed to be reminded of this!