• Home
  • About the Work in Progress
  • Confident Faith
    • Christianity
    • Women of Faith
    • Weight Loss Journey
  • Confident Marriage
    • Marriage
    • Marriage Resources for Christians
  • Confident Parenting
    • Parenting
  • Confident Blogging
    • Blogging
    • Favorite Link-ups
  • Work with Me
    • Graphic Design
  • FREE Resource Library

Being Confident Of This

Grace for the work-in-progress woman

Like a Proud Big Brother: Your Identity in Christ

October 9, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 10 Comments

One day after our seven-year-old’s soccer game, he waited in line at the concession stand.  The rest of the family waited a few feet away, arms full of camping chairs and water bottles, ready to head back to our trusty minivan.

I watched as our son’s easy grin lit up his face while he talked animatedly with a teammate behind him.  His team had remained undefeated, and he was on cloud nine!

He called out to his younger brother to join him.

As the four-year-old brother bounced closer to him, our middle son’s smile widened and his eyes crinkled.  He bent down to the younger’s level

“This is my brother, ” he told his teammate.

“Say, hi!” he encouraged the four-year-old.

Pride shone forth from his face as he talked about how he teaches his younger brother and sister how to “do sports” and how they listen to him and do what he says.

This conversation totally changed my perspective on Christ and how He feels about people like me! He's like a proud big brother who just can't wait to show us off. Such encouragement for those days when we feel utterly worthless. identity in Christ, Christian women, women of faith, devotional thought, our relationship with Christ, Christian encouragement

 

He put his arm around the four-year-old in a protective and possessive way, completely pleased to be the big brother.  “Gimme five,” he instructed.  The younger brother gladly obliged and bounced back to where the rest of the family waited.

Then, he called over his younger sister, also four, and the scenario played out all over again. She giggling and he smiling in her face.  Her quick wave to the teammate was cute and girly.  She, too, gave a five and then pranced back to join us.

I listened as our son and his teammate continued to converse. “So, they’re like your minions?!” the teammate asked, impressed.

“Yeah, pretty much. They’re my minions.” Our seven-year-old nodded his head.

As I laughed quietly, I realized how true it is.  They are his minions.

They trust him.

They listen to him.

And most of the time, they do his bidding.

But he also cares for them.

He helps them.  He plays with them.  He loves on them.  He gives things to them.

And when his friends are around, he introduces them with such beaming pride that you would think he birthed those two four-year-olds himself!

I didn’t think much more of that overheard conversation until later that week when I attended a Beth Moore simulcast.  She spoke on grace and law, how we often trust grace for salvation, but we fail to trust it in our everyday lives.

 Instead, we walk as if still under the law, guilty and defeated, when we could be living free and victorious!  We so often neglect to embrace our identity in Christ.

At the end of the day, Beth brought our attention to the fact that we, who are in Christ, are fully accepted by God; there is nothing more or less we can do to “please” Him.  Then, she ended with a speech given to us, one phrase at a time, to repeat to a partner.

It was a speech of words about who we are in Christ, and a speech about how Jesus would present us, His sisters of inheritance.

As I spoke the words aloud to my partner, I suddenly recalled my seven-year-old’s beaming face.

And I. was. undone.

Because that’s exactly how Jesus feels about each one of us, my friends!  

He’s the proud big brother; in His eyes, we are something to be joyful about.  

That’s our identity in Christ – that Someone is proud to have us in His family, proud to call us His own!

Jesus, our brother

Just imagine it with me now:

With a smile on His face, He calls you to His side, slings His arm around your shoulder, and proclaims for all to hear…

Father, this is my sister.  Isn’t she great?

Look how beautiful she is!  I love her so much that I willingly gave my life for her, covered her sins in my blood.

She is infinitely precious to me, a daughter of the King.

The Father smiles back at Him and nods in agreement.

The Christ-brother holds out His hand for a celebratory five.

And the angels rejoice!

Let’s live from that identity in Christ, friends.

Because we have a proud big brother.

And His name is Jesus!

Jen 🙂

To read Beth’s commissioning prayer (and other goodies from the simulcast – like the Grace Poem), click here.

And if you’re interested in learning more about your identity in Christ, join our newsletter list of thousands of work-in-progress women who are learning to find godly confidence. We’ll send you this FREE min-devotional:

Grab your FREE 5-day, mini-devotional! Reflections on the Cross by Jen Stults is the perfect reminder to preach the gospel to yourself.  #christianwomen #freeprintable #biblestudy #devotional Being Confident of This | community of work-in-progress women | progress not perfection | identity in Christ | Christian confidence | godly confidence | gospel | Jesus | Easter meditations | resurrection meditations

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: big brothers, Christ, Christian living, Christianity, Devotional Thought, Encouragement, God the Father, Grace, Identity in Christ, Jesus, siblings

Three Biblical Reasons for Suffering: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

September 26, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 22 Comments

 

Have you ever wondered why the Lord allows suffering to enter our lives?  Or what the reasons for suffering are? He’s omnipotent God, after all, and could supernaturally prevent such trials if He chose to do so.

Obviously, this suffering is part of what makes us human, but it truly wasn’t His original plan!

Adam and Eve lived in a perfect atmosphere – no sin, no death, no sickness, no hardship of any kind.  That’s the sort of perfect existence our Father God intended for us to experience from the beginning.

Nevertheless, our present world is full of evil, pain, suffering, and trials.So what happened?

Suffering and Evil are real problems that plague today's world. Why is this so? Isn't God all-powerful? If so, why doesn't He eliminate suffering? Here are 3 reasons for suffering according to the Bible. Bible study, devotional thought, encouragement for Christian women, faith, overcoming discouragement, God's Truth, believing God, trusting God, why God allows suffering and trials

3 Biblical Reasons for Suffering:

1. Suffering because of Sin

In the Bible, God’s message to us, we find that the first suffering took place when man first sinned.  As a result guilt and death entered the world.

It must have been horrifying for Adam and Eve to realize that because of their choices, an innocent animal must be slaughtered, especially since they had never experienced death.

And to realize they must leave paradise and the very presence of their Lord God?

Equally horrifying.

So by this token, one of the reasons for suffering is related to sin. Sin leads to suffering and eventually… death.

Sometimes we experience natural, earthly consequences as a result of our choices to follow our own ways and ideas rather than God’s.  We choose not to stay inside the fence of His protection and leave ourselves open for calamity. That’s one of the reasons for suffering in the world today.

But wait; there is still good news!

We serve a God of grace.

Even though Adam and Eve brought sin and suffering to the world, God did not leave them to suffer alone.  Instead, He promised a Deliverer, the Messiah, who would one day restore man to a right relationship with Him.

Consider the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:10-32 -an ungrateful lad who left his father’s household to pursue his own desires, which led to his eventual ruin. But when he realized his mistake, his sin, his father welcomed him home with rejoicing! Not grudging acceptance, but rejoicing!

He was fully restored.

It’s the same for us, Chosen Children – no,  even more so!

For if an earthly father could forgive an ungrateful son and welcome him home with full acceptance and even rejoicing, how much more can our perfectly loving Heavenly Father welcome us back when we make wrong choices?  

So, even if we suffer for a while because of sin in our lives, God promises redemption and restoration.  Although we may feel too ashamed to ask for His help, He willingly offers it!

 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:7-10

2. Suffering at the hand of Satan

~ For the Lord’s Glory

We also read in 1 Peter 5:8-9  that suffering and trials can be brought upon Christ-followers simply because we belong to the Lord.

Satan is God’s enemy and does not desire that we should exist in a harmonious relationship with God.  1 Peter describes him as prowling like a lion, seeking to devour.

Even the very world we live in is also our enemy because of our beliefs according to this passage in John.

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19

Thus, sometimes our suffering is a result of the enemy’s attacks.

Never was there a clearer picture of this type of suffering than the life of Job, a man who lived uprightly. Satan asked for permission to test his faith and the Lord granted it.

Why?

So that through his endurance, Job might bring glory to the Lord!

But the story doesn’t end there, friends.  Because the Lord required the loss of Job’s family, possessions, and even his health, He also blessed Job abundantly by restoring him and adding to all that he had before.

And through it all, the Lord was glorified! Not only that, Job’s story continues to be an encouragement to others to this day.

What suffering have you endured that the Lord might want to use for His glory?

We sometimes like to hide away those painful things, but what if our restoration can only be found in surrendering those things to the Lord to do with as He pleases?

Suffering and Evil are real problems that plague today's world.  Why is this so? Isn't God all-powerful? If so, why doesn't He eliminate suffering?  Here are 3 Biblical Reasons for Suffering.

 

3. Suffering for Refined Faith

 “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10

In the Bible, we read that trials will refine our faith like precious metals are refined by fire.

Such suffering is not a punishment from the Lord, although it may feel like it at times.  Rather, these trials are intended to grow our faith, to help us better understand who God is and who we are through Him.

Therefore, James 1:2-4 can admonish us to “count it all joy” when we suffer.

We can count it joy, not because the suffering is painless,  but because we believe that God is faithful to use it for our benefit.

 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…” 1 Peter 1:6-7

Friends, our human perspective is skewed.

We see and live in the here-and-now.

Any present suffering feels bad, unbearable even.

But God’s view is all-encompassing because He is all-knowing and eternal.

God alone knows how something that looks bad can actually result in good for us.

He can also see how the lives we live today will not only affect those around us now, but also how our lives might affect generations upon generations to come.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (emphasis mine)

This, this right here is the light at the end of the tunnel, folks. 

Not the deliverance, although we’ll certainly be grateful for that when it comes.

It’s the purpose: to know that we do not suffer in vain.

In the midst of your trial, remember you are not being punished by an angry God, but pruned and pursued by a loving God.

In tough times, we are often tempted to ask God "Why?" Here are 3 biblical keys to understanding suffering. Bible study, christian women, hope in the midst of trials, suffering, discouragement, encouragement, devotional thought, why we suffer, the problem of suffering

And, oh, the beauty of it all.

When He takes our insignificant pain and suffering and uses it to comfort others in need, I’m just in awe .

This is the God we serve, Who takes the ugly and make it beautiful,

Who turns weeping into rejoicing, pain into promise,

Who lifts up the humble,

Who chooses the weak,

Who redeems the sinner and exalts the unworthy!

He is the Lord and is worthy to be praised!

Suffering and Evil are real problems that plague today's world.  Why is this so? Isn't God all-powerful? If so, why doesn't He eliminate suffering?  Here are 3 Biblical Reasons for Suffering.

Take heart, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Whatever trial you are going through,

there is purpose in the pain.

Jen 🙂

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: Bible study, Biblical reasons for suffering, Comfort, Devotional Thought, Faith, God, Suffering, suffering in the Bible, trials, Why God allows suffering

Answer the Door!

September 22, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 Leave a Comment

Image

Rev. 3:20

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock;

if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him

and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

He’s knocking today.  Will you answer?

Jen 🙂

I’m trying something new today over at The Sunday Community.

I may also be linking up at any of these lovely blogs.

Filed Under: Christianity, Uncategorized, Women of Faith Tagged With: Bible, Biblical truth, Christ-centered living, Christian living, Devotional Thought, Faith

While Sea Billows Roll: Waiting on the Lord

September 13, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 32 Comments

It’s more than a bad hair day and more than spilled milk.  It’s one of “those” days, the ones you really do weep over, when wave after wave of some trial (new or old) sweeps over you as you struggle just to keep your head above water.

And just as you gain your feet, another waves swells up before you.  In the midst of such trials, we can do little else than cry out for mercy, for deliverance.

Sometimes “those” days last longer than just a day or two, or even a week.  Sometimes, we experience whole seasons of “those” days, whole seasons of trial, and illness, and heartache. Whole seasons of waiting on the Lord.

If you read regularly here, you know our family has been in the midst of such a season for a while now.  I’ve been wanting to share with you all some of my “discussions” with the Lord about this spot He has us in, but I’ve honestly been confused about the message He’s trying to give me.

I don’t want to wallow in self-pity, but I do want to allow myself the grace to rest and recover when needed.  I want to keep using  those Grace-colored glasses He’s been teaching me about.

You see, it’s not just the practical and physical difficulties of a trial that make life on one of those days oh-so-difficult, but it’s the emotions that come along for the ride, too.  I’m frustrated by the condition of my physical body and even by the condition of my fragile emotions. I’m feeling guilty that I cannot do the things I normally do, nor fill the roles I normally fill – mom, wife, friend, leader.

What I really wanted to give you was a how-to post:  how to survive when Mom can’t be mom, but this is what came out instead…

How to Survive While You Are Waiting on the Lord

I do have a few ideas about that one, a few tips the Lord has been helping me with.

1. For instance, He’s been telling me to lower my expectations.

So what if the twins watch an extra hour of cartoons?  So what if beds go unmade and the soccer shirts aren’t clean on game day?  If at the of the day, we’re all fed and alive, then we’re surviving!

2. What about Teamwork – be a team with your spouse?  Yes, that’s a good tip, too.

When I feel overwhelmed by circumstances in life, I often fight against my husband instead of with him.  In return, I reap the added burden of marital strife to an already trying situation. So, teamwork is good, blaming my husband for my own limitations and frustrations is bad.  Okay, I got that. 🙂

3. Resist Satan’s Lies – tip number three.

Of course, I know that in spite of my guilty feelings, I’m doing the best I can and that’s enough for the Lord.  Of course I know that He promises to be my Deliverer.

But sometimes I just don’t want to wait for deliverance.  I’d rather try to fix it myself, right?

Are you with me here?

Some days I'm all "onward Christian soldiers" and others I'm moaning about like an Israelite, lost in the desert. Some honest questions about suffering and the Father's surprising answers about waiting while sea billows roll.  christian women, suffering, trials, struggle, pain, bible study, devotional thought, christian encouragement, how to trust God, learning from trials

4. Lean on the Lord for both physical and emotional strength. That’s another good one, right?

Chin up, soldier because God is on your side.  If God is for us, who can be against us?  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  And all of the other platitudes we like to sprinkle about when someone is suffering a trial.

The Problem with Christian Platitudes for Those Who Are Waiting on the Lord

These statements and verses are all true – they really are -but sometimes they do little to comfort the weary soul.

Sometimes… instead of lifting us up, those verses and sayings make us feel like crummy Christians.

Because if I’m not “counting it all joy” every single day of this trial, then I’m once again failing somehow, am I not?

And what about “count your blessings,” which goes right along with “think of those less fortunate”?  You know some days that really works for me. Most of the time, I can see all of the good things around me that the Lord has blessed me with.  I can find the silver linings.  I know that my temporary suffering pales in the face of what others have gone through before me, namely Jesus. 

But other days I can count my blessings, think of others,  and still feel frail.  Some days I know I’m not clinging to joy, I’m not embracing peace, because I have no strength left to do so!

So while I sit and think on all of these good things I feel I should be doing to try to help myself in this season of trial, the waves grow all the stronger and more ominous around me.

Crashing, crashing, always crashing, this storm in my soul.

I feel like Jacob, wrestling with the Lord, and I wonder, what’s wrong with me?

Why can I not seem to overcome?  Am I not obedient enough?  Not trusting enough?  Not hopeful enough? Have I sinned in some way I’m not aware of?

A Changed Perspective on Waiting on the Lord

Then,  I read this post here about not having a formula for success in the midst of trial but just “hanging on for dear life” and this post here about resting in the mud, in the mess of it, because He’s willing to sit right there with us.  I began to wonder if I was seeing it all wrong, if I was trying to earn favor rather than be willing to receive favor.

I’m beginning to hear a new song from the Lord, a refrain of comfort to my weary soul. His song tells of a Shelter in the storm, strength found less in doing and more in waiting, a peace gained not from a change in circumstance but from His very presence.

In my devotion time this week I feasted on these lines that seemed to be meant just for me:

“We must learn to wait on the Lord and look for His return…. As you wait on Him, you will discover that this attitude renews your spiritual strength, clears your perspective, and reduces your giant-sized problems to manageable size.  Let David’s words become your marching orders: ‘Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.’” [Excerpt from Joy of Living Bible Studies: Hebrews, pg. 102]

Image

What I Learned from Studying the Word “Wait”

In the original language, this word wait is qavah (pronounced kaw-vaw’) and is a verb meaning to look for, to wait for, to hope for.  I found it even more interesting that the original meaning was one of binding together by twisting, as in a rope.  (And here I am, dangling at the end of mine.)

I found that this verb is very active, not an idle sitting by the wayside, but an expectant waiting.  We are to actively be on the “look out” for the Lord to work on our behalf. While we wait, qavah, we are also to be strong.

The phrase “be strong” from the Hebrew word chazaq (prounounced khaw-zak’) is also a verb.  In essence, this chazaq is an also act, something done rather than a state of being.  It was used numerous times in the Old Testament to describe a scene of supernatural strength: David vs. Goliath, Samson’s final act, Joshua’s entrance into the Promised Land. [NASB, Hebrew-Greek Keyword Study Bible]

So this being strong is an act that comes not from any natural or human means, but only from the Lord.  Thus, it’s impossible for us to “be strong” in the chazaq sense on our own.

So, how does that look, practically speaking?  I mean, how can I wait and be strong without striving and stressing?

I can be quick to meet Satan’s lies with truth from the Word.  I can earnestly seek moments of joy in a day full of trials.  I can watch to find His hand already at work in the situation and trust that it’s happening even if I can’t yet see it. I can speak words of hope.

I can earnestly seek moments of joy in a day full of trials.  I can watch to find His hand already at work in the situation and trust that it’s happening even if I can’t yet see it. I can speak words of hope.

I can watch to find His hand already at work in the situation and trust that it’s happening even if I can’t yet see it. I can speak words of hope.

I can speak words of hope.

The Only Source of Strength While Waiting on the Lord

But it’s more than that, isn’t it?  Because some days I don’t have it in me.

That’s the key right there – it’s not in me to wait and be strong.  What is naturally in me is to despair, to cry “Mercy, Father, it’s too much!”

And maybe sometimes that’s just the best place to be: at the Father’s feet, completely undone, utterly dependent on Him alone.  No strength of our own left.  Completely at His mercy.  Humbled and low-down.  At the end of the proverbial rope.

I’ll be honest, that’s a really hard place to sit in.

I much prefer to jump up and busy myself doing something because at least then I feel useful.  But what if that’s not what He desires?  What if what He most desires is to hear me admit, I can’t do it, Father – I’m not capable –  I need help?

I think the most difficult aspect of learning to walk a road of suffering is understanding when to “be still” and when to “soldier on.” 

I still don’t have it figured out. I seem to pendulum swing between the two, trying to find that balance.

Some days I’m all “onward Christian soldiers” and others I’m moaning about like an Israelite, lost in the desert. 🙂

It’s all part of His work in progress in me.

 

Is it one of "those" days?  Or maybe it's been a whole week, month, year of trial after trial?  Read here for some honest questions about suffering and the Father's surprising answers about waiting while sea billows roll.     suffering, Christian suffering, faith, doubting, Christian women, trials, struggles

So this is the heart of my struggle, really: what is it you require of me, Lord?

Here’s how I believe He’s answering me:

Daughter of mine, wait for Me.  Listen for My voice.  When it’s time to get up and walk, I will tell you.  And when it’s time for you to sit and take rest at my feet, I will tell you.  And when it’s time for me to carry you because you have absolutely nothing left to give, then I will carry you.  Stop trying so hard and just rest in my embrace.  No squirming now, not yet.  Sit. Relax. Cry if you need to.  Confess if you need to. Question if you need to.  I’m big enough to handle all of that and more.  Just let Me hold you because that’s all I really want.  You, beloved daughter.  I want you.  Take heart; rescue WILL come, for I am the Faithful One, God of all Hope and Comfort.  But for now, just wait.

Because the truth is that our Father God loves with a perfect love, so much more perfect than ours, and our best comfort is found in waiting on the Lord!

Which one of us mothers would look at wounded, heartbroken child and chide her for her tears? I’m not talking about tantrum tears or even repentance tears, but tears of helplessness and hurt.  Does their sorrow not bring forth our very compassion?

And which one of us mothers would fail to come rushing to the aid of a child calling urgently for help?  Which one of us would refuse to comfort and console?  Which of us would leave that child to struggle alone?

We would not.

We cannot because our love compels us to respond.  If this is the way we imperfect humans feel about our children, how much more so does our Father God have compassion for us, His beloved, chosen ones?

With that perspective, those crashing waves don’t seem so ominous anymore.  They still knock me down from time to time, but maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly where I need to be.

Perhaps those waves of trial aren’t reaching up at my waist in order to suck me under and drown me, but to push me to a better shore.  If I would just quit fighting them, give in, and ride the momentum, I’d find myself safely on the other side.

And there I can find the rest my soul is so desperate for.

My sister in Christ, if you’re struggling in the surf of suffering today, take heart.

You are not alone. Rescue is near.  He welcomes you into His embrace and asks that you just sit a while.

Listen for His voice.

And keep waiting on the Lord.

Jen 🙂

If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy:

http://sarahjofairchild.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/just-one-of-those-days-again/

I’ll also be linking up at any of these places.

Sharing with: Grace and Truth

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: Bible study, Christian living, Devotional Thought, Doubt, Faith, Suffering, trials, Wait on the Lord, Women

The Day I Saw Red

September 6, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 31 Comments

Today I saw red.

I was so angry at the injustice that I burst into tears.  That’s my response, ya know, when the going gets so tough that all kinds of nastiness is about to spew forth from my lips.

But I know I’m held to a higher standard than the world; I know the tongue is sharper than any two-edged sword.  I know letting those words escape would be wrong.  So I gulp the words down and they rise up as tears instead.

You see, there was this insurance claim for a broken bone, which happened during our family vacation (see the story about Buttkill Falls).  And even though we followed every step that we should have, even though we did everything according to procedure, the insurance company still refuses to pay.

It’s really not just the fact that this month we’re already short, and the medical center has already removed money from our account.  After all, I know Our Provider can handle dollars and cents.  

It’s not even just that my tailbone still hurts and now I’m miserable with a cold, too.

It’s the incredible injustice of knowing you did everything right, yet still you suffer.

I saw red, and I was tempted to despair.

For when you have one of those days. "Whenever I get to that point, the point when I'm telling the Lord He's not being fair, He has only to say one word..." The Day I Saw Red

I asked the Lord, “Why? Hasn’t enough gone wrong already in the last few weeks?”  And the truth is that it really has been an incredibly crazy few weeks for us.  One trial after another.  When it rains it pours.  That kind of few weeks.  The kind of weeks that string into one long line of day after day of some new problem to cope with – problems with

The kind of weeks that string into one long line of day after day of some new problem to cope with – problems with ministry, problems in the home, problems with old, leaky  pipes, problems with finances, problems with health.

You cling to His promises and try to face each new challenge with a trusting heart.  But it all sort of piles up on you until you feel like you can’t breathe anymore and you want to beg for rescue, cry out for mercy.

It feels unfair.

And whenever I get to that point, the point when I’m telling the Lord He’s not being fair to me, He has only to say one word…

Jesus.

It wasn’t fair to Him, either.

He did everything right and nothing wrong, yet He suffered even unto death for my sin, my wrongdoing, my evil.

Oh, the shame!  The shame of having questioned.  The shame of telling myself my petty, short-term suffering is unbearable, that it shouldn’t be required of me.  The shame of my sinful pride.

And the perspective!

The perspective of realizing there are so many others suffering much, much worse evils around the world.  People struggling just to survive.  People dying for their faith.  People dying without any Hope.

The perspective of remembering Who is on my side – how could I forget?  Has He not proven Himself faithful time and time again?  And still I doubt, like Peter who saw the 5,000 fed, yet feared the wind and the waves, walking toward Christ, yet slowly sinking.

The perspective of remembering Who is on my side – how could I forget?  Has He not proven Himself faithful time and time again?  And still I doubt, like Peter who saw the 5,000 fed, yet feared the wind and the waves, walking toward Christ, yet slowly sinking.

So, I saw red today.

My face turned red.  Tears fell.  I shouted angrily at the Lord, even if only in my mind.

And then He showed me Red.

Red blood dripping from the sacrificial Lamb, the perfect Son of God who deserved only glory, not death.

My salvation and my forgiveness.

The One who understands true suffering.

It was the day I saw red, and I told the Lord it wasn't fair.  Whenever I get to that point, He only needs to say one word to me...

Forgive me, Father, for my faith is weak and I sometimes doubt.

But You, You are good.

Even when I am not.

And You love me, even when I fail to love You.

Thanks for reminding me that I’m a work in progress, and that work is not yet complete.

I have Hope in You.

Jen 🙂

 

Okay, I’m pretty sure I bent the Five Minute Friday rules again today, and this is way more personal than what I’m comfortable sharing. In fact, I’m downright embarrassed and a little afraid.  But… when I sat down to write, this is what came out at the end of a long day, concluding a long week.  And I can’t hide it away as I would like to, or I wouldn’t be a truth-teller.

My friends, we all have sinned. And we all doubt.   Even missionary kids.  Even ministers’ wives. Even faith bloggers.  🙂  If you’re struggling today, I want you to know that you’re not alone.  And that He loves you anyway.  Just listen to the words of the song below.

Read more encouraging words from another blogger who’s having “one of those days” here.

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: Christian living, Confession, Devotional Thought, Doubt, Encouragement, Faith, Five Minute Friday, Forgiveness, God, Jesus, Suffering, the day I saw red

Fast-food Spirituality

September 1, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 20 Comments

If you had the choice and neither time nor money were factors, which would you choose:  fine dining or fast food?  A professionally cooked steak or a microwaved burger?  While I crave the occasional french fry or milkshake like any other person, given the choice between the two, I would rather eat a meal of real food than the more convenient alternative.

However, I can’t always say the same about my spiritual food.

Too often I let fast-food type nuggets of truth pass for quiet time with the Lord.

A quick prayer offered here and there.

A verse I saw on facebook.

Even a well-written, Christ-honoring blog post.

Don’t get me wrong, all of these convenient options are good; we should be continually praying and consistently abiding in Him.   I know that finding Mary moments in our Martha world is difficult, especially with little ones in the home! Those brief snacks help us to do just that.

But which of us mamas would feed our little blessings a steady diet of fast-food only?

We wouldn’t!  In fact, we often work hard to make sure they get what they need nutritionally.  We do things like sneak in veggies, plead with picky eaters, and sometimes even resort to the bribery of dessert because we know they need to eat those green beans! 🙂

In the same way, our heavenly Father does not wish to see us settle for a spiritual diet that lacks substance.

In the busyness of life, we often become content to "dine" on spiritual fast food - a quick prayer offered here and there, a verse of the day, an inspiring facebook meme. But such fast food alternatives fail to satisfy. What we really need is the spiritual food that comes from...  Fast Food Spirituality

“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine!”  He desires us to drink deeply of the Living Water,  not to live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.  He wants to see real growth so that we might experience that abundant life that He planned for us from the beginning.  He offers real spiritual food, the kind that satisfies.

And don’t we feel the difference, friends?

When I snack on spiritual fast food, I might feel okay for a little while.  I can check “quiet time” right off of my list.  I might even maintain a patient and loving demeanor for a time.  

But the truth is those little snacks are not enough to carry me through a long day and the next…and the next…and the next.  The temptation to substitute the quick, convenient alternative for a real meal eventually leaves me running on empty.  And if I carry that pattern out for a few days, that outward facade is sure to slip.  I become grouchy, impatient, unloving, and downright selfish. I’m dissatisfied with life.

Even my blessings become burdens.

On the other hand,  when I take the time to really dine with the Lord, I feel so alive, don’t you?  His presence provides me with a jolt of energy and grace that lasts a good while longer, and the benefits only multiply if I dine on His spiritual food consistently!

What would happen if we quit substituting spiritual snacks for the real deal?

Might we experience a deeper walk?

Would the fruits of the Spirit come more easily?  Would grace reign in our hearts and homes?

In the busyness of life, we often become content to "dine" on spiritual fast food - a quick prayer offered here and there, a verse of the day, an inspiring facebook meme. But such fast food alternatives fail to satisfy. What we really need is the spiritual food that comes from...  Fast Food Spirituality: what you need to feed your soul

My goal for the week is to choose the feast consistently, to be steadfast in my pursuit of real spiritual food.  I want to be satisfied in Him, not empty.

Will you join me, friends?

As a mama of four, I know what I’m asking is far from easy!  I’ve spent those long days unshowered and unfed.  I’ve trudged through those sleep-deprived trenches, just desperate to survive, never mind thriving.  And some days, yes, a fast-food option really is the best spiritual food we can manage.

But I also know the strength and endurance I need to be the wife and mother the Lord wants me to be cannot be gained from spiritual fast-food alone.

  “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you

the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,

is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

 But solid food is for the mature,

who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Hebrews 5: 12-14

My brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s not be spiritual babes, content to feed on what is easy or convenient. Instead, let’s accept the challenge to dig deeper, to run to the banquet He prepares before us.  

Choose the best spiritual food, the Bread of Life.

Will you dine with the Father this week?

Jen 🙂

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: Bible, Christ-centered living, Christian Women, Devotional Thought, devotions, Fast food, Lord, Religion and Spirituality, spiritual diet, spiritual disciplines, spiritual food

My Everyday Worship

August 30, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 22 Comments

my everyday worship

Everyday Worship…

It’s not about church or silence or lengthy prayer or even calm quiet with Him.

It’s about living and loving and serving amidst othe chaos of snotty noses and dirty dishes and kids who just can’t seem to get along.

My everyday worship looks more like…

Doing dishes with a song in my heart, or teaching my preschoolers about patience.

Folding laundry even though my eyes are sleepy, or listening to a kid-story that I’ve already heard a few times too many.

Looking up from my work and into their eyes.

Stopping to hug my husband even if I’m in the middle of something.

All this and more makes up my everyday worship.

It’s counting my blessings in the midst of real pain or confusion or doubt because the blessings are many.

It’s choosing to be purposeful in my parenting but still at peace.

It’s dancing in the car with the Christian radio station turned up.  Little hands waving in the air to the beat and grins plastered on their faces.

It’s feeling the sting of conviction when that small voice asks, “Are you happy, Mommy?” when she knows I am not.  And choosing to let go and embrace real joy.

It’s planning family fun night even when I’d rather just relax.

It’s the heart-swell of awe and thankfulness that comes from seeing something truly beautiful, be it a mountain or the ocean or a sunset, or a preschooler’s delight over a firefly captured in her hand.

My everyday worship.

It doesn’t just happen at church, folks.

Jen 🙂

 

I learned so much about worship and living out my purpose in everyday faithfulness in the seemingly small things from this book by Rick Warren (affiliate link):

Filed Under: Christianity, Marriage, Parenting, Uncategorized, Women of Faith Tagged With: Christian living, Devotional Thought, Five Minute Friday, Motherhood, Women, worship

When Church Becomes Worship

August 24, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 20 Comments

It’s almost here:  Sunday, a day when brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world gather together to worship the one true God.  And this Sunday, I will be able to go to church!  Isn’t that exciting?!

I’m ready, ready for worship, for fellowship, even for conviction to sting my heart during worship.

I’m ready for serving, for listening, for both giving and receiving.  I’m ready for hugs and how-are-yous and happy-to-see-you-todays.  I’m so ready that I would love to skip right over Saturday straight to Sunday!

I wish I could say I felt this way each and every Sunday, but the truth is that I don’t.  Many Sundays, I would rather not attend church.  I would rather not serve or worship or fellowship.

I usually go anyways; it’s kind of hard not to when you’re the pastor’s wife. 🙂

But on those Sundays when I grudgingly rise up from bed and grudgingly head out the door to church, I’m the loser, the one who misses out.
Sometimes even the pastor's wife doesn't feel like going to church.  Here's a change in perspective that moves us from church-going to true worship.  When Church Becomes Worship

There is nothing different about those Sundays except for my own attitude.  I take worship for granted and fail to see it for the privilege that it is.  Thus, I miss out on the blessing church attendance could be.

It’s funny, really, how an illness or injury or absence of any kind can help you to appreciate those things in life that sometimes feel like burdens rather than the blessings that they truly are.  Like family.  Like motherhood.  Like worship.  Like serving the Lord.

We who are in Christ, especially here in America, are blessed with so many privileges that we fail to see as such!

When does church attendance become a burden?

When do we forget the blessing of knowing God, of being chosen?

When does spiritual life become less razzle-dazzle and more ho-hum?

It happens when we forget who we are and who He is.  Because when I remember what an unworthy sinner I am, how flawed, how small, how unlikely to be chosen, I know my real place.

And when I remember who He is,

the King of Kings,

Creator of the heavens and earth,

Blessed Redeemer,

Constant Provider,

a Refuge of Comfort,

Faithful Friend,

Lover of my soul,

then I leap at the chance to give Him the praise He is due!

I’m reminded, too, that I live in America, the land of the free, while so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world do not share in that privilege to fellowship and worship without fear!

In fact, nearly a third of the world does not even know the truth of a Savior who willingly bled and died for the sake of our redemption from sin and slavery.

And with that perspective, the opportunity to worship with fellow believers becomes a blessing and not a burden, a delight rather than a duty.  That’s when church becomes worship.

Sometimes even the pastor's wife doesn't feel like going to church.  Here's a change in perspective that moves us from church-going to true worship.  When Church Becomes Worship

I wish we who are in Christ could feel this way about a chance to worship Him in church every Sunday! How powerful would that be?  Even if our church isn’t perfect (and which one is?), even if our relationships aren’t perfect (yes, those, too), even if we aren’t perfect (and no one is, no, not one), our God is perfect.

Does He not deserve our adoration and obedience?

Hebrews 10

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Where will you be this Sunday?  I plan to be praising my Lord at church because

He

is

worthy.

Jen 🙂

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: Biblical truth, blessings, Christ-centered living, church, Devotional Thought, God, Sunday, worship

Spirit-propelled Life

August 19, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 Leave a Comment

Good morning, friends! 🙂  Today I’m honored to be guest posting over at Encourage 24/7, a website all about encouraging Christians in their walks with the Lord.

 

Do you ever feel like you push and pull your way through a long day?  Are you sometimes overwhelmed and ready to give up by 10 am?  Do you ever long for something more, something better?

If so, this post is for you!  Come on over and join us at Encourage 24/7 to find out what I learned from my Kirby vacuum.  🙂  Be sure to check out the Testimony Posts tab, too, for more encouragement from other bloggers.  Just click on the link below to find the post.

Lessons from a Kirby

Filed Under: Christianity, Parenting, Uncategorized, Women of Faith Tagged With: Christ-centered living, Christian, Christian Women, Devotional Thought, Encouragement, Faith, Struggle, Women, Women of Faith

Like a Mustard Seed

August 16, 2013 by stultsmamaof4 12 Comments

Faith the size

It’s one of those paradoxes of Christianity, like “the first shall be last” and “you must first die to live.”  He chooses the small, the weak, the completely inadequate as vessels, rather the big, strong, and impressive.

It’s one of those things that I struggle with often, in spite of my work-in-progress mindset.  How can I possibly do these big things He’s asking of me?  Who am I, Lord, who am I to take on these giants of life?

I’m so small.

I’m so flawed.

I’m not right for the job.

There are so many better equipped, stronger in faith, more Christ-like. Would they not be better for the job?

Like Moses, I doubt.  Like Jonah, I wish to run.  Like David, I plead for wisdom and I wait. But like Mary, I also say, “let it be done to me according to your word.”

And like Isaiah, in my bravest moments I whisper, “Here am I. Send me.”

I may be small, but my God is not. I may be flawed, but Christ was not. I may not be perfect for the job, but I am a willing vessel.

Because when I am weak, then I am strong.

Only because of Christ.

With the faith as small as a mustard seed…

Jen 🙂

It’s Five Minute Friday, but I’m a day late thanks to recent events.  On Five Minute Fridays, bloggers from all over the globe write on a single word prompt for five minutes.  No planning, no editing, just raw and real writing.  Then we all share at www.lisajobaker.com .

Filed Under: Christianity, Women of Faith Tagged With: Christian living, Christian Women, Devotional Thought, Encouragement, Faith, Five Minute Friday, Identity in Christ, Women of Faith

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • Next Page »

Hi, I'm Jen: a work in progress. I'm imperfect - a mom of four, pastor's wife, discipler, and sinner saved only by grace. I like to sing, read, write, teach, and smile. I have a heart for encouraging women everywhere to understand God's limitless love for them and what His grace means for everyday living. Welcome! :) Read More…

Contact Me

jstults[at]beingconfidentofthis[dot]com

Reader Favorites:

  • Why Reading Isn't Enough ~ Study the Bible
    Why Reading Isn't Enough ~ Study the Bible
  • 7 Scriptures for a Steadfast Heart
    7 Scriptures for a Steadfast Heart
  • The Pumpkin Gospel
    The Pumpkin Gospel
  • 7 Creative Methods for Teaching Scripture to Children
    7 Creative Methods for Teaching Scripture to Children
  • My Favorite Life-changing Books
    My Favorite Life-changing Books
  • We Are Family: Building a Strong Family Unit
    We Are Family: Building a Strong Family Unit
  • The Secret to Being a Warrior Wife
    The Secret to Being a Warrior Wife
  • How to Study the Bible: 4 Resources
    How to Study the Bible: 4 Resources

Join the facebook page for everyday encouragement!

Join the facebook page for everyday encouragement!

Share This Blog:

Facebook Twitter More...

Follow Me on Pinterest

Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.
Hope for the Hurting Wife: 30 Days of Practical Encouragement for Your Marriage.   marriage book|difficult marriage|husband|wife|hard times in marriage|marriage encouragement

Categories

New devotional release from Jen Stults - Being Confident of This: 30 Days to Discovering Your Identity in Christ. This book is for every Christian woman who wants to walk in confident faith instead of struggling with doubt, fear, and insecurity! self-esteem | self-confidence | self-help | motivational | personal growth | spiritual growth | how to be more confident | Christian women | devotional | Bible study | identity in Christ | superwoman myth | being like Mary

Copyright © 2025 | Crave Theme by The Pixelista | Built on the Genesis Framework