Winning through Losing

Sometimes losers win.

You read that right.

While it might not be focused on so much in our society, there are times when you can lose something, even something incredibly important to you, and still come out as a winner.

This coming Sunday is Mother's Day.

As most of my readers know, this will be my first Mother's Day after losing my mom to cancer last year.

What has made this blog relevant since I started it in October is that I write from my own experiences.

As difficult as my mom's death was to me I feel like it should be laid out before you all in this post so that hopefully someone will benefit from this chapter in my life.

God really does give us beauty for our ashes.

My mom was my best friend.

Growing up she was my shoulder to cry on when life punched me in the stomach (literally and figuratively.)

She was my congratulatory hug when I had a personal triumph.

She was my ear that was always open to listen to me in the middle of the night when I felt confused or heart broken.

My mom was my spiritual guide.

She spoke into my life with insight and knowledge that only God could give her.  

If she asked me once, she asked me a thousand times, "Did you pray about that?"

She was an intercessor who spent hours in prayer daily; a minister who spent most of her life loving and reaching out to people; and a teacher who spent countless evenings studying the word.

I can truly say that there was not a single instance in my life when she was not there for me when I needed her; her arms stretching toward me with her unconditional love.

For my mom, to act like a Christian meant to show Christ to others, not judge them or scare them into salvation, but love them as Jesus loves them.

One of my favorite quotes of hers is,"God called us to catch the fish, not clean them."

She truly believed that as long as we reached people for God, He would take care of cleaning up their lives.  

To quote my mom's friend, the late Tammy Faye Bakker, "We as Christians should act like hospitals to people, not court rooms."

My mom went home to be with Jesus on July 9th, 2010.

I should tell you that when I started typing out this post my plan was to show how God has moved in my life mightily through coping with the loss of my mother.

And, that is very true.  

He has certainly given me beauty from my charred ashes of hurt and despair.

He has certainly made me a winner through this personal loss.

However, as poignant as that message is, there is an even better example of "Winning through Losing" that I can share with you.

You see, my mom lost her life, not on July 9th, 2010, but many years before as a teenager when she laid her life down before God and accepted Jesus as her personal savior at Hunter Street Baptist Church.

At that moment, she lost everything.

And at the moment, she won eternal life!

She took on a new master in God, yielding her dreams, her hopes, and losing her very existence to the will of her Heavenly Father.

Through accepting His calling on her life she lost her career of teaching students in a classroom but she won a lifetime of teaching hundreds more about the promises of God!

She lost her plans of taking simple family vacations each summer but she won a ministry that took her to every state in the US as well as 17 countries throughout North America, Europe, and Russia.

She lost much of her free time but she won a close relationship with God that allowed her to just sit in His presence and listen.

The writings that came from those quiet times with God resulted in two books.  

She was even granted permission to present a copy of her first book, "Love, Father" to Pope John Paul II.

To a society that sees success in terms of money, wealth, and fame, my mom was a loser.

To a God who sees success in loving Him with all her might, and loving her neighbors as herself, my mom was a remarkable winner!

On this Mother's day I pay tribute to Dorothy Street, my mom, and her legacy of winning through losing.

I hope that you will join me in surrendering your life to the will of God today!

Imagine the plans that He has for you.

They are so much more then you can comprehend!

Your destiny is yours alone to live and experience.

Lose your life and Win Your Destiny!

One last thing before I wrap up, If you have lost your mom, I am praying for you.  

As I mentioned above I know how difficult it is to face this day.

Surrender that pain to your daddy God so that it can become your testimony, making you a winner through that painful loss.

Please remember that He will give you beauty for your ashes!

As always remember:

God Loves You!

God Created You!

God Accepts You!

Until next time,

SavedByGrace

Ps. Below is my mom's favorite song.  

It gives me peace to know that she now lives every day "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

Happy Mother's Day Mom. 

I Love You!

Judy Garland - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Resurrection

Here I am, at the end.

I'm in need of resurrection.

How did my heart become so lifeless and cold?

Where did the passion go?

I've used up all my strength and there's nothing left to give.

I can't fake it anymore.

Does this describe you today?

It's okay to admit it.

There are times when life seems to overwhelm us; when we can't see the silver lining because the cloud is so big we aren't able to even find the edges.

Maybe your heart feels lifeless and cold because it has been hurt.

Has it been trampled into pieces?

Are you putting on a mask for friends and family while inside you are crying and yearning for some relief?

Does it seem like that relief never comes?

Maybe you feel like you can't fake it anymore.

When you stare at the sky you might feel like God is a million miles away.....

if He even exists at all.

For some people the God that we sought in our youth is just a distant memory.

He's become like unicorns or fairies, a fantasy we believed in because we were ignorant kids.

If any of the above applies to you then please know that this post is for you.

God has laid you on my heart tonight and you need to read this.

You are in the right place.

As Easter approaches our thoughts naturally turn towards the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

We remember how Jesus was brutally nailed to a cross through His hands and His feet.

He was bleeding profusely and still in pain from the horrific whipping he had endured.

Centurion guards placed a crown on his head that was made of sharp thorns. 

Those thorns dug into his skin.

He was stripped naked and humiliated.

Onlookers laughed at Him.

They taunted Him shouting, "Look at the king of the Jews!  Where is your God now?"

That day Jesus of Nazareth died a slow and painful death.

It was so torturous that I doubt we can truly comprehend it.

Even as He endured this pain, He still offered salvation to the thief who was being crucified on a cross next to him.

While our Savior struggled for every breath He told the thief, "Today you will be with me in Paradise."

As you read this, listen closely.

Can you hear Him?

Close your eyes for a moment and picture this man who was being murdered yet still offering forgiveness, hope, and everlasting life in His final moments before death.

He wasn't just speaking to the thief who was hanging on the cross next to Him.

Jesus wasn't just offering him salvation.

No, He was calling out to you.

He was saying your name.

Can't you hear Him say it in his last breaths, "Debbie, Tyler, Joe, Aimee, Jenn, Elizabeth, Ryan, John? Do you believe in me? You will be with me in paradise"

We are no different then that thief.

We are no better.

We are no worse.

Romans 3:23 tells us,"All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." (NKJ)

The promise offered to the thief is the same promise that is offered to all of us.

Jesus died for you no matter who you are or what your past may be.

He didn't care about how much money you have or how many good deeds you have done.

He died for all of mankind; for you; for me.

After Jesus exhaled His last breath on the cross He conquered hell and took the keys to death, hell, and the grave.

Then on the third day, on that first Easter, the power of almighty God raised Jesus from the dead.

The body of Christ came to life with explosive power.

Angels rolled the stone away from His tomb and He stepped out to show Himself to His followers.

No matter who you are or what you have done, when you accept Jesus into your heart that same power lives inside of you!

It doesn't matter how far in the sewer you might feel you have sunk, the God who raised Jesus Christ will raise you up today!

That same power can breathe life into your soul.

This resurrection power can place you on your feet when you have fallen and set you on the right path when you are lost.

If Jesus Christ can be dead for three days and then come back to life cannot God calm the storms that surround you?

Can He not heal you and take the pieces of your shattered heart and make it whole again?

This Easter it is time for us to grab hold of the power that is the Resurrection!

Take off your mask before God and surrender your life to Him so that He can light the flame that once burned bright within you.

He will give you passion again.

The promise of healing, forgiveness, hope, and everlasting life is yours!

Trust in God and believe that He can do for you what He did for Christ 2000 years ago.

Join me this Easter as we experience our own personal Resurrection!

Remember that God Loves You.

God Created You.

God Loves You.

Until next time,

SavedByGrace

Resurrection by Nicol Sponberg

Be Still

Life gets so hectic.

Some days it feels like I'm driving in the fast lane.

I try to change lanes but I can't get over.

I'm stuck!

Then, life bombards me like an 18 wheeler, riding my bumper and trying to force me out of the way.

Not only is that 18 wheeler riding my tail but it's honking it's ridiculously loud horn and flashing it's bright lights!

I want to get out of the way but I am stuck and life is breathing down my neck threatening to run me off the road.

Do you ever have days like that?

If you answered "no" then stay tuned for my post on lying in the next few weeks.

We've all been there:

-When it seems like our mind has a to do list that is longer then we can comprehend

-When the cares of this world make us feel overwhelmed and stressed

-When we want to just crawl back into bed and restart the day

What should we do when we find ourselves in these moments of stress and worry?

Human nature tells us when things start moving really fast that we need to move even faster to keep up with it all.

That is actually the opposite of what God tells us.

He says, "Be still and know that I am God..." Ps. 46:10 (N.I.V.)

In these times we should trust God completely, not worry about our situation.

In Matthew 6:24-25, Jesus tells us not to worry. He says:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 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? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (N.I.V.)

That sounds good but how can I not worry? I have responsibilities.

Yes, we do have responsibilities and God knows that. 

He understands that better then we do.

Notice in verse 32 above when talking about food, clothing, and necessities of life that Jesus says, "...your heavenly Father knows that you need them."

God knows that we need these things and He is the one who provides them for us.

It's not up to us.

It's up to Him.

How awesome is that?

The key to not worrying is to surrender everything to God.

Lay your worries at His feet.

Give him your responsibilities concerning your family, your job, and your relationships.

Anything that represents that 18 wheeler breathing down your neck can be handed over to your Father God.

He promised us not just life, but life More Abundantly through Jesus.

It's time to stop letting worry keep you up at night.

Give it all to your heavenly Father.

He will be awake all night anyway!

Once you have surrendered the things that cause you anxiety you can truly Be Still and Know that He is God.

As always remember:

God Loves You!

God Created You!

God Accepts You!

Until next time,

SavedByGrace

Amazing Grace

How Amazing is God's Grace for Us?

His Grace is boundless.

It reaches into the most hardened hearts and whispers to them, "Come home."

His Grace sees us through the blood of Jesus, without our mistakes.

It finds us even when we are hiding in our most secret sins.

It guides us when we are so lost that no compass can point us in the right direction.

God's Grace marches into the deepest gutters, takes us in it's arms, and carries us out into the bright light of a new day.

It reminds us not of the times we have failed, but of the times we will be victorious!

For me personally the Grace of my father God is like a life guard that is always there to jump into the rough seas of my life. 

It swims out to rescue me when I am drowning.  

Through Grace, God pulls me to the shore and gives me the breath of life once again.

We have a perfect example of Grace in the life of Christ. 

The Grace that we find in Jesus teaches us how to extend Grace to others.

Even dying on the cross He extends Grace to a thief and leads him to salvation.

That thief had no time to go out and do good works.

He had no time to make amends to the people he had wronged or to build great churches in the name of God.

No, all that thief did was accept Jesus.  

He was drowning in sin and being killed, literally, as a punishment for his mistakes.
But, he allowed Jesus to be his life guard.

At the very moment of dying he accepted the gift of salvation and received new life.

In the midst of being brutally crucified, Jesus came to the rescue for that thief.

Jesus saved him, showing him Grace, by forgiving him of all of his sins through the blood that He was shedding at that very moment.

Jesus said to him,"Today you shall be with me in Heaven."

How Amazing is God's Grace?

It's so amazing that no matter who you are or where you have been, God Loves You!

Even if you are nothing more then a common thief being put to death for your mistakes, God extends His salvation, forgiveness, peace, and joy to you through His mercy and Grace.

In God's eyes he was not a common thief.
To God, you are not your sins or your mistakes.

You are not the nasty or hateful names you have been called.
You are not the fears or insecurities that haunt you.

When God sees you He sees one thing:

A Beautiful and Cherished Child of God.

That, my friends, is Amazing Grace!

As always remember:

God Loves You!

God Accepts You!

God Created You!  (And God doesn't make mistakes!)

Until next time,

SavedByGrace

Chris Tomlin - Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Simple Christianity

There are many Christians, old and new alike, who ask the same question,

"What does it mean to live life as a Christian?"

One church doctrine gives one list of rules.

Another gives another list of rules.

Some theologies say one thing while other theologies seem to say the opposite.

In truth, the answer to this question is a simple one.

Live Like Christ.

I know what you are thinking. 

"I can't live a perfect and sinless life!"

You are right.  

None of us can.
But, we can strive to be like Jesus in all that we do.

We do our best and let God's grace and mercy meet us where we are and take care of the rest.

How did Jesus live His life?

Here's a few examples from His life and teachings that we can apply to our lives today:

-When you see someone hurting, do what you can to help them.

-When you see someone who is hungry, feed them.

-When you see someone who is cold, give them your coat.

-When you find someone who is troubled, listen to them. Pray for them.

-When you come across an outcast, reach out to them.  Become their friend.

-When you see injustice against those who are weak or have no voice, speak up for them.

-When you find religious people throwing stones at a "sinner", stand up for the "sinner."

-When you are hurt by somebody, forgive them.

-When you are betrayed by your friend, kiss them on the cheek.

-When you encounter your neighbor, love them.

-When you don't know what to do in a situation, pray to your Father in Heaven for strength and guidance.

Love everyone.

Make time to listen to children.

Minister to the least in society.

Live a life of confidence, not fearing what others think about you.

Be yourself, unapologetic about who you are. 

Be genuine.

When the trials of life seem to have tortured and killed your spirit, when you find yourself dead and buried, remember who you are and who your Daddy is!

Tap into the power of God Almighty, Roll Back The Stone, and Rely on Him to Resurrect You!

You have in your hands the same power that healed lepers and opened blinded eyes.

The same love that reached multitudes lives within your heart.

The same God who defeated death, hell, and the grave empowers You today!

What does it mean to live life as a Christian?

To live as a Christian means to live as Christ.

While doctrines and theologies are debated around you every day, hold to these words from Matthew 22:37-39:

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first commandment. And the second is like it, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (N.I.V.)

This is the key to living like Jesus.

It is not difficult.

In fact, it is Simple Christianity.

As always remember:

God Loves You.

God Created You.

God Accepts You.

Until Next Time,

SavedByGrace

It's Independence Day!

"Let freedom ring. Let the white dove sing. Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning! Let the weak be strong. Let the right be wrong. Roll that stone away. Let the guilty pay. It's Independence Day!"

Check out the video posted below of Pat Benatar and Martina McBride singing Independence Day before you read this post.  

It's the inspiration for tonight's blog and shows once again that God can use anything He wants, not just songs from a "Christian" artist, to minister to us.

Are you lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered, queer, questioning, inter-sex?  

It's Independence Day!

Are you straight?   

It's Independence Day!

Have you been hurt by the Church or other Christians?  

It's Independence Day!

Do you think that you don't measure up?  

It's Independence Day!

There is freedom in understanding God's Love for you.

There is amazing Grace that fills your soul when you realize that no matter how many mistakes you have made; No matter how many times you have disobeyed God's plan for you; No matter how many times you have fallen or been hurt........ 

Today is Your Independence Day!

There is no place you can fall that is too far that God's loving arms cannot reach you.

There is no addiction so strong that the power of Jesus cannot destroy it.

There is no sin so great that the blood that was shed on Calvary does not forgive.

There is no hurt so deep that God cannot heal and restore you.

Rise Up and take your place in Equality as a part of the Body of Christ!

Allow God to meet you where you are and Heal You; Love You; Reveal Himself to You!

It doesn't matter what has happened to you, TODAY IS YOUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Wake up each morning and drift to sleep every night knowing that the price for your Independence has already been paid on Calvary's Cross.

Take hold of that Hope, that Victory, and Live in it.

No matter who you are or where you have been, there is freedom through Jesus.

His salvation is for you!

If you feel like you have been held back by anything; sin, abuse, addiction, complacency, guilt, or shame, shake off those burdens and claim your Independence today!

Through the Love, Mercy, Grace, Redemption, and Hope that is shown to us from our father God through His Son Jesus, every day is our Independence Day!

Live today in Freedom!

It's Your Independence Day!

Always Remember:

God Loves You!

God Created You!

God Accepts You!

Until next time,

SavedByGrace

Martina McBride - Independence Day (Live)

Promises of Hope

You might notice a recurring theme on this blog.

That theme is Hope.

Hope is talked about in one form or another in almost every post.

Why is that?

I'm glad you asked!

Everyone, especially the lgbtq community, should hear the message of Hope that we have been offered through God's unconditional love.

There are so many things in life that try to destroy our hope.

They try to convince us that we have little to live for; a bleak future.

We are bombarded with messages of chaos, disaster, pessimism, and pain at every turn.

At the end of the day, even if it is the worst day you have ever endured, you are left with one thing...

Hope

There is Hope that tomorrow will be better.

There is Hope that this too shall pass.

There is Hope that life is more then just the sum of past mistakes, hurts, and failures.

There is Hope in Jesus.

God's promises are yes and amen and through those He offers us Hope.

What are God's promises for me?

Here are just a few for you.

These are for ALL people so stand in them.

Claim them as your own!

Salvation- John 3:16-17 "¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (NIV)

Healing- Isaiah 53:5 "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (NKJ)

Joy- Psalms 30:5 "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." (NIV)

Peace- 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of Power, and of Love, and a Sound Mind." (KJV)

Protection- Luke 10:19 "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." (NIV)

Victory- Philippians 4:13 "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (NKJV)

Love- Romans 8:38-39 "³⁸For I am persuaded beyond doubt that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (AMP)

These are just a few of the amazing promises that belong to ALL Christians.

Thankfully, there are many more where these came from.

I encourage you to study God's word and find out just how much Hope is in there for you.

When you need joy, healing, victory, when you face obstacles that seem too large for you to overcome, grab hold of the promises that God has given you!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News Full of Amazing Mercy, Boundless Love, and Incredible Promises of Hope!

Learn and accept these Promises of Hope that your father God has offered.

I promise you that they will change your life.

As always remember,

God Loves You.

God Created You.

God Accepts You.

Until next time,

SavedByGrace

Brokenness

"I can't serve God until I've got it all together."

How many times have you heard someone say this?

It must be hundreds of times at least! 

Even this week I have heard it from old friends.

I can remember times in my own life when I felt this way too.

I thought, "I'm not good enough to be a Christian.  I'm not good enough to minister to anybody.  I'm not good enough to lift my hands in praise to God, or even to talk to Him alone in prayer."

In these times I was broken.

At some of these points in my life I had been broken by sins or mistakes.

There was a period of my life where I had lost myself in addiction.

Sometimes it was simply life's circumstances that broke me.

I can remember after the death of my mom I felt like I was the last person God would ever use to share His good news. 

I felt hopeless and broken then out of grief and out of anger at God for what I felt like should have been a miracle instead of a tragedy.  

I understand now that mom got her miracle after all.

In each of these times, no matter what brought me to the place of brokenness, I felt so inadequate.

How could God use me as His vessel?  

Would He even care enough to try?

The funny thing is that it was in those places of brokenness that I found God.

That is still true today.

When I feel guilt and shame from mistakes, God reaches out to me like I'm the prodigal son that He is welcoming back home.

When I am confused, He gently guides me with His quiet, still voice.

When I am hurting He wraps me in His loving arms and holds me as His child.

It is during the times when I feel broken, destroyed, inadequate, completely unworthy, that God becomes so real to me.

His greatest work in my life, whether it be healing, ministering to others, or acceptance of His love for me, always begins at those times of brokenness.

It is when we are broken that we fully learn to trust God.

When God is all we have to turn to we rely on Him with child like faith.

When all we know to pray is "fix it Jesus", we are giving God complete control.

Jesus is the ultimate example of someone being used by God during a time of brokenness.

Isaiah 53:5 says,"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. " (N.I.V.)

While He suffered and died on the cross, nails in His hands and feet, bleeding from torturous beatings, whippings, and a crown of thorns on His head; at a place of such brokenness, Jesus accomplished His greatest work.

In His time of being broken He saved the whole world.

When you find yourself feeling destroyed and utterly unusable by God, rely on Him.

Trust Him.

Talk to Him and let Him be real to you.

Surrender yourself completely so that He can heal and restore you.

It is during that time of healing and restoration in your brokenness that God is preparing you so that you can be used to help heal and restore others.

Our father God will take the things that try to destroy us and turn them into our testimony of His victory!

If you find yourself in a place of brokenness rest in our father's arms, trusting that He will give you beauty from your ashes.

As always remember:

God Loves You!

God Created You!

God Accepts You!

Until next time,

SavedByGrace