Well it has been such a whirlwind of things the past few days....those of you who were with me at WOC and were blessed enough to hear Angus Buchan know just what I mean. I am not even sure I could put that experience into words, it was one of those things you just had to have been there. I will be forever grateful for that time though, and I find myself going back to little moments there quite often. I will try and share those as I can, or as God moves me to do so. In the meantime, though, please consider checking the messages out on WOC's website.
My thoughts for today though, actually started in the women's restroom after service last nite.....I know, I know...weird, but hear me out....
As I walked into the ladies room, I had to walk past two ladies who were chit chatting, and I couldn't help but notice one of them, touching up her makeup. Really? It was after 7:30pm on a Sunday night, services were over, what could you be planning to do at that time of nite, to warrant reapplying makeup? Who could you possibly be afraid of passing in the hallway on the way to your car? And then, no sooner than you got home, you have to scrub the mess right back off.....maybe it is just the freedom of growing up in the country, and having the benefit of having a good base tan....or maybe it is because I have never really felt the need to wear much of the stuff, especially now that I have two very active boys to chase after.....I don't think I have ever even carried a compact with me...I mean, yes, I do enjoy dressing up and wearing makeup when the need presents itself, but at 7:45 at nite??? I have to admit, I had a little chuckle to myself, thinking, how crazy is that? Who could she possibly be trying to impress this time of nite? And then....He spoke.....just a tiny little whisper to me...."you do the same thing, you know?" Excuse me? What do you mean, I don't even have a lipstick with me. And then, His voice, again, "True, True, you don't have a literal lipstick, but you, just like her, try to cover up, try to change what the real you looks like, afraid someone might see it". As I sit here this morning, during my quite time, I have traveled back to that moment last night, and asked Him what He meant. What He is showing me is, this is how I apply, or touch up that "make-up'd" or "made-up'd" version of myself:
Person in the hallway: "how are ya today?" Me: "Fine!"....foundation applied
Person in the sanctuary: "how are you feeling lately?" Me: "Good!" ......eyeliner applied
Person in small group: "what can I pray with you about?" Me: "Nothing, life's good!"
.....lipstick applied
You get the point, we "doll" ourselves up just as much as that lady does...we are so terrified of what someone might think about us, or how they might judge us, or God forbid,....might not even like us, that we miss the most important things: 1. God is our only judge....if we are walking the best we know how in His will, and someone else doesn't understand, or "like" us...then it is on them....He will supply the people in our circle to edify us, and through quiet time with Him and in His word, He will build us up, and set our feet firm beneath us....and 2 It is when we are most real...most open...most honest-(first and foremost with ourselves and Him)-....most broken, and sometimes that causes us to look a mess, ...that is when we are telling our Jesus story the best. That is when we truly let others see what a mess we would be if not for His love and intervention....That is when we can show our "canvas" that He is painting, and that is when we are most in the position to tell what He has done, is doing, and we are believing in Him to do in our lives. We can't take our compacts and our lipsticks and our beautiful manicured nails into Heaven with us,....all we can take is our testimonies, I don't know about you, but it inspired me to all the more "throw" away that "pretty little make up bag" that we all tote around with us....I want to be real....if that means me standing up in worship, looking insane with tears running down my face because yet, again I have had a glimpse of what He has done for me, then so be it....I can only pray He sends someone to ask me what is my issue....that He gives me the opportunity to tell them....tell them where He has pulled me from, tell them of the path He has set me on, tell them how they can also get to know Him, and His calling for their lives.
Today, I am thankful for my quite study time. I am thankful for God loving me so much, that He sent not one, but two men, two powerful prayer warriors of His-(and one wonderful lady as well)- all the way from Africa to me, and thankful for the messages that they brought to me. Most of all, I am thankful for a Father who can speak lessons to me when I am open to receive them, .....even if they are taught in a ladies restroom. Onward to tomorrow's part of this journey....but for the grace of God, go I.....
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