Will The Circle Be Unbroken?

Y'all, I knew that when I decided to write and ride for 31 days that the ole sneaky snake would try to stumble me up.  I knew this.  And yet that dang spineless dumb dumb tried to steal away my focus today.  

It has been a truly beautiful walk with God the past few weeks.  I have been digging in the Word of God.  And not even to a point where I can day, "I've never dug deeper."  I have, but I've never dug this deep when I didn't have to.   

It has truly been circles... repetition that is leading me to the King.  It is making me aware of the Father that is helping me as I screw up... even when it's teeny.  It is opening my eyes to the Kingdom around me.  It is placing blessings at my feet...like where I REALLY see them.  Y'all, I feel the love.  

Sure, I have always had faith... blind faith, but I was never ok with just being "me" in front of my Father.  Isn't that sillies!?!?  He sees me.  He knows me.  And He brutally allowed His Son to be killed FOR me.  And I'm just circling away.  

But I'm circling in a great way... in a way that is allowing God to show me His mysteries like never before...  And see change in the peeps around me too.  They want to dig deeper.    

And It's the little things...  And I pray for each of you, BBs, to find a way to make this kind of connection.  It may not be 31 days of writing, but maybe 31 days of reading Psalm, or 31 days of the Gospels, or 31 days of a Bible study.  

But when your heart is determined to do good and faithful BB work, you are going to be tempted.  And it's, yet again, the little things that bring you down.  Satan knows this.  Our household is a strong and mighty power right now, but it's also a fortress very much under attack.

Today, someone said something ugly about my husband.  And a few days ago about me.  It's not the first time, but it hurt a lot today.  And I truly cried.  "She has won," I thought and cried out.  "I'm tired and done with the drama. God, how can someone that has never met me continue to say truly ugly things about me?  How can someone who doesn't know my husband anymore feel this way?  Why won't she put the yuckers aside and just get to know US?"

And it took my happy away at that moment.  And when it crept in and tried to steal my joy, something had to give.  

As I lowered my head and prayed that the tears would go away, so that I could get on with my very long day, God's sweet voice spoke to me.  In a blunt, but kind, language that was so very clear.

"You and you husband have chosen to live in a small house with your family because you do not believe in excess.  

You wear hand-me-downs and cut your own hair, so that you can provide for your children first. 

You love your husband and truly allow your fiery spirit to step back and let him lead your household. 

Your husband loves you and his whole family with a love like mine!!!!

You give of your time to my church and my children when you are tired and weary.  

You have chosen to dedicate this month to me... and the animals that you love and that I love and that I have given to you.  You are my shepherdess.

You've made hard decisions and bad decisions and great ones, and I'm still walking with you.  I have never forsaken you.

Count your blessings, and listen to me.  I AM the God who sees."

Y'all, He never gives me that much of a pep talk.  This circling thing evidently opened my ears too.  and I needed it!  And I praise Him for it!!  His words are so sweet and made that little nasty comment shrivel up like a dead flower.  So I stopped and truly counted my blessings, and Satan and his sneaky snake, spineless minions began to step down.  

You see, even when the enemy is at work, he still knows that one day EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.  

And it was all clear... as I counted my blessings...  

Satan wants to destroy my circle of joy and peace.  

And yours too!!  

BBs, stand firm today and realize that the enemy is at work around you.  And start believing that you have the power of God in you!!  As I've said before... the same power that made blind men see and rose Jesus from the dead is LIVING in you!!!!!  

So that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:9-11

Be a part of the RIGHT kinda circle and not the circle that the tempter weaves. 

Will the circle be unbroken, 

By and by, Lord, by and by.

There's a better home a-waiting,

In the sky Lord, in the sky.

-A.P. Carter

HOLLA-lujah, BBs!!!!  There's a better home awaiting.  

What Do You Do When You Feel Like You've Hit Rock Bottom?

I sat talking with her about life.  She was antsy and distracted and weepy... all at the same time.  The little things of life seemed to be building up around her.  Some of it was just life happening.  Some was due to some bad decisions with money and relationships.  It was just a big ole pile of stuff.  

It was easy to be empathetic for her.  We've all made bad choices.  I've had my fair share... that's fo sho!  

It was equally as easy to say, "Come on girl, you have got to get your life together... you have a child to think about!"  

But she had hit rock bottom and was not ready to take the next step.  How do you find hope in a negative circular pattern?  

I've noticed with animals that some have a will to survive and some just don't.  It's the craziest thing.  But what happens when you are BB with very little desire to press forward and not just survive... but THRIVE?  You miss out on the Kingdom.  

God desires for you to have a life in His eternal Kingdom, but here's the deal.  It's easy to just waste away when you've hit rock bottom, and say, "Well who cares.  I wasn't made for this world anyway.  I'll just sit here and do nothing... or minimally survive until then."  But that's not what we are supposed to do.  

God is very clear that we are going to go through trials and temptations and struggles.  We live in a broken world, so it's inevitable, but we are called for MORE!  And I speak this from a place of constant exhaustion... while dealing with the circular pattern of horse poo that this world creates around me on a daily basis. 

The Kingdom of God is right here on earth.  Plain and simple.  But BBs, we will never experience it while hiding or running from our problems... or even pretending that they do not exist.  We have to put on our big girl panties and put on those boots that were made for walking and carry on, sweet friends.  

As hard as it is.  

As much as you think you're God has forsaken you.  

You have to chose to keep on going.  

When you are sitting there hopeless... invite God to hang out with you.  He will!!  He will meet you in that valley and on that mountain top and even at the bottom of the rocks.  Choose to start building a new foundation from those rocks.  One at a time.  And take time to look up, because do you know what?  You have the best view of the Father and His Kingdom from down there!

If you feel as if you have hit rock bottom, would you message us on FB or Twitter and let us know how we can pray for you?  You are loved by a sweet and mighty King!

And if you are struggling with a friend that has hit rock bottom, PRAY!  And get your friends to pray.  NOTHING is impossible for our powerful Creator!

 

Circles Towards Eternity

So, as I explained Thursday, I'm halfway determined to do this thirty days or riding... well, writing thing.  It's amazing when you commit to something so simple, how truths start flooding around you.  The first day, I started with my big, sweet, cray cray mare and we did circles.  Big ole boring 20 meter circles.  

When I was a young rider in training, we did TONS of circles.  I learned so much about the horse and how she moves underneath me from these circles, so I went back to my roots.  It was fun and my horse loved this little change in training.  And I remembered that lovely feeling of truly feeling the horse underneath me.  

Now yesterday was a little different.  I so wanted to stray from the circles and turns and do something different.  But I didn't... I kept at it.  And it was ok.  My horse was amazing, and I was so tempted to just stop or work on other things or do something harder.  

About that time, when I told myself for the 10th time to just stick with it, I looked up.  Oh BBs, it was beautiful!  As my eyes raise and my thoughts went from "I don't wanna" to "I'm going to keep it up," do you know I saw?

I saw a beautiful horse underneath me.  A huge and strong living creature that was LETTING me control her.  A horse God put in my care for a reason.  

And then I saw my husband.  My sweet husband on his gigantic sweet horse.  They were working hard at walking around the arena.  I saw a man that loves me and loves my passion... not out of a "have to" attitude, but out of an attitude of appreciation for his wife and her interests.

And my little girl ran down the hall.  Instead of watching television or playing video games, she was choosing to spend her afternoon skipping down a barn aisle and petting ponies and playing with kittens.  Who wouldn't, right?

And I saw horses and riders and people that are kind and loving and hardworking.  Something I don't always see as I am going through my day.  

And I saw a farm with a different philosophy.  And it was lovely!  It thrilled my heart.  

Even though sometimes I feel like I lose my passion for these animals, it's always still there.  Through those dang boring circles, I found my passion again.  

It was the repetition that allowed me to understand more fully the simple things that are staring me in the face.  And that's the thing to take away here...

We can take repetition and use it to actually dull out the boring and make things more beautiful.  We CAN circle towards eternity.

That's the beauty of making circles in God's word.  When we feel lost or disconnected, we can read a verse.  Over and over.  And because God's word is living in active, it molds and changes and grows in our hearts.

Now don't hear me wrong... the meaning doesn't change.  We can't change God's word to suit our purpose.  That's a no no, BBs, but it is living and active.  It does grow and change and the mystery of it all diminishes as we grow in wisdom.  

And sometimes wisdom comes in just a simple repeat of the obvious and simple.  

It's about repeating the little things... over and over until we can look up and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.  

I challenge you today, BBs, find somewhere to circle today and see what beauty unfolds!

Thirty Days of Riding... Ummm... Writing

So evidently, October seems to be a challenge for bloggers. Write for 31 days. I'm not gonna lie, I totes heard this as RIDE for 31 days. So I decided to do BOTH!  We shall see how this goes. I'm known for not caring much about challenges and goals like this one. 

Tomorrow, I have a blog post on prayer. Y'all, I was pushed to pray for someone this week that I just don't like. She is not a BB, but she needs so much love. And I'm not sure I have enough Jesus to love and pray for her... Even though I do want her to be a BB one day. 

But I found a beautiful side of the Holy Spirit during this battle. And that's what happens. We go round and round with ourselves and God. 

Often times, the repitition allows for us to feel and appreciate the little things we often overlook. 

And then I rode... My sweet horse that is a big ole hot mess of attitude. I rode twenty meter circles... Round and round. And I learned something about human nature. Round and round and round we go... It's through repetition that humans learn and can branch out in to the "infinity" world in which our God operates. 

But we humans are dumb dumbs. One distraction and we miss out on the beauty of a Kingdom of eternity that is available RIGHT NOW. 

We become caught up in circles.

Habits. 

Patterns. 

This is what I'll be writing about. 

Circles...

That lead to an understanding of Infinity. 

The boundlessness that is only possible through knowing and remaining with your Heavenly Father. 

Less Than...

I am looking around the room at a bunch of people that are clueless.  I don't say that in a harsh manner... but it's true.  We all understand that there's a mystery.  That's why we are all there.  We all understand that there's something to figure out, but we are completely clueless.

Someone has been murdered.  We all know who did it, but no one has stood up and truly accepted the blame.  Funny enough... no one is pointing fingers either.  So we all sit around tables... talking and laughing and hugging and eating roasted chicken and pink cake... with yummers pink icing.

And inside most of us are struggling somehow, but we are happy to be in the same room eating dinner with people like us... with people that know the truth... with people that love us and encourage us... but the real truth doesn't change.

Someone has still been murdered.  And we lived to tell about it.   And we didn't deserve it.  If Angela Lansbury had been there or maybe even Professor Plum,  there may have been some closure.  To some there IS closure... 

the unspoken is many times the most harsh reality.

And then it happened... our leader emerged.  He called us all around and I was, quite honestly, a little nervous.  Would they look at me?  Would they think I was the one with the candlestick in the ballroom?  And I began to look around and notice all heads were slightly lowered.   All eyes were searching.

And our leader reminded us that we all are guilty.  And I realized that this wasn't a mystery at all.  Or at least HOW the man died wasn't a mystery.  And I was there to tell the story.  I was there to remember.  I was there to embrace the death and not let things go unspoken.  But why me?

For it is by grace that I was there in that room that night.

It is by grace that no one threw the first stone at that dinner.

It is by grace that I can walk with my head held high... all while understanding the mystery of the murder.  For the murder wasn't the end of the story.  And the murder wasn't the reason we were all gathered... although it played a large part.

It was by grace that Paul was shown mercy, so that the Kingdom could be glorified.

And it was by grace that I was chosen to lead, when I wasn't deserving of a leadership role.

BBs, the scene I described wasn't from a movie or a board game.  It was real life.  It was a leadership dinner... for our church.  Haven't you felt that way before though?  As if you didn't deserve to be somewhere?   Maybe it wasn't as dramatic as that... but you felt less than?

As I looked around, I saw a band of gypsies.  I saw a group of men and women that are wandering around in this world that is not our own.  I saw a broken mess of people sitting at tables. 

Imperfect. 

Undeserving. 

A group of misfits... called for leadership.

And isn't that what God does?

He picks the lowly.  

He picks the broken.  

He picks the murderers... 

to lead.

And I wonder how can it be?  And I started to understand that when someone is broken to the point of collapse... when someone is constantly stuck in the trenches... when I can. not. go on...

The beautifully broken do one thing.

We look up.  It's the only place to look when you've fallen down so much.

We fix our eyes as we run... in the mud and muck... on the one true King.

We come boldly on our hands and knees to the throne of the Living God.

We only have one direction... Up.

And in turn, we have no other choice but to lead.  

We have no other choice but to reap a harvest.

We have no other choice but to serve... for we are already on our hands and knees.

So why... you that are beautifully broken and on your knees... do you feel less than?

Boundaries… The Danger Of Saying “Whatevs

Boundaries are stinkin’ tough.  If you are anything like me, you don’t like to hurt people’s feelings.  If you are a lot like me, you hurt peeps’ feelings a lot with your honesty.  Usually by the time a boundary line has been crossed multiple times, your head is about to spin in a billion directions.  This topic came to mind as my family had to make some hard decisions regarding boundaries with family members.  Boundaries are tough for a Christian.  We think that turning the other cheek works in all situations and to be like Jesus, we should be kind always.   Now don’t get me wrong… this is true, but please remember one thing…  

Jesus warned friends harshly of the ripple effect of their actions. 

“You’d be better off to have not been born” is pretty clear to this BB (Matthew 26:24).

And Jesus cursed trees (Mark 11:14).

AND Jesus flipped tables (Mark 11:15).

This is where we make our mistake… Jesus was NOT always sunshine and roses.  He was without sin, but NOT without righteousness and the emotion that couples it.

Here’s the deal, BBs, we think because God is love and Jesus said that the greatest of these is love and so on and so on that love and kindness looks like a Sound of Music  or Brady Bunch scene.  BBs, is love not disciplining your child for a lie?  Is love not calling your husband out for stepping one foot towards a temptation that could destroy your marriage?  Is love not calling out a friend that speaks out of line towards another?  Is love not setting a boundary? 

Jesus set boundaries all of the time.

“Let the children come to me” was a boundary.  He rebuked the disciples’ actions (Matthew 19:13). 

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” was a boundary.  He challenged the ones that were calling themselves righteous (John 8:7).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” was a boundary.  He set this boundary for false teachings and non-believers (John 8:58).  And they picked up stones.  And he hid.

He knew the danger of boundaries.  He hid, BBs.  He knew.  And he still knows today how hard it is to stand up for what it right.

The story gets complicated for a BB when we see the patterns of unhealthy.  BBs, we must be careful with creating a healthy "family" around us.  We can’t create perfection... which is what I expect of course... but we must set boundaries in a world that has learned to hide behind sugar-coated niceties and passive aggressive behavior… all of which is then given a facebook façade of perfection. 

I’m gonna get FO REALZ with ya now… this shapoopy has gotta GO.  All a lack of boundaries gives a BB is a petri dish of yuckers.  All saying “whatevs” does is sweep the yuckers under the rug. 

Here me once and for all, BBs…

Boundaries are OK! 

Now when setting these puppies up, we hafta go to God’s word.  AND we have to use the peeps in our lives on whom God threw discernment.  AND if a boundary is thrown up on us, we have to respect it and pray about it and trust that God will use it to His glory!  This is tough boundary business, but is it even more important today than it was thousands of years ago.  This world is a nasty place, and we all need to be kept in check from time to time!

We, believers, are living out His Kingdom right here on earth, so shake off the yuckers!  BBs, I challenge you to pray and get in tune with Jesus and his love and be strong in His love… then go flip a table or curse a tree if ya need to!  

Unveiled

So BB’s, we are in the middle of Holy Week!  Last night thousands of years ago, the Son of Man sat in an upper room and invited his friends to his table.  And let’s be real… these friends weren’t the cream of the crop.  They were true BB’s to the core.  Broken and messed up.  It was like the island of misfit toys up there.

They left everything to follow him. 

Some were hated.

One talked too much.

One questioned everything.

Some fought too much.

They bickered and were jealous of each other.

They vied for his attention.

They would fall asleep when he needed them most.

One would even betray him and have him killed.

But here’s the deal BB’s… he STILL invited them to the table.  He invited them to the most intimate dinner.  He knew their faults, yet he still washed their feet.  He was still a servant until the end.  He was still humble.  He adored them. 

Today he would have been turned over for crucifixion.  It’s Good Friday.  He was beaten.  He was tortured.  He was mocked.  And then he was beaten some more.  A crown of thorns was shoved on his head and his frail body was hung on a cross.  And in the evening when he breathes his last breathe, something happens. 

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.”  And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”  Mark 15:33-39

Do y’all catch that, BB’s?  When Jesus uttered his last cry, the curtain was torn.  The veil was lifted. 

Do you know what this means?  Your Savior beautifully broke down the wall between you and your almighty Creator.  Grace was extended to you.  You at your very worst are still loved SO much that God sacrificed his only son for YOU!

You have a place at His table.  Right now.  No matter what you have been through or how bad you think you are or how far away you think He is, you are invited to rest in His presence. 

You are invited to sit.  To rest.  To eat.  To drink.  To remember. 

And Sunday, BB’s, we celebrate!!