Not 1% Less

On September 26, 2017September 26, 2017 By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & MusingsLeave a comment

So I want to share with you a journey I have had in the lasts few years. It began in a bad place. It really didn’t have to be that bad but there was one move I made that I will not make again.

People make mistakes. Maybe you never have. Maybe you have never made the wrong decision or never said something hurtful to anyone or said anything negative behind someone’s back. Maybe.

It all began when I made a series of mistakes. I concluded something and it was the wrong conclusion, which led to the wrong behaviors. I can’t change that and I’m okay with that now. But that’s not my point in this article, what I did that I will never do again, is turn my back on myself.

I have become very familiar with these thoughts inside our heads that will replay mistakes, or wrong words, or wrong conclusions. At first I believed them because I thought they were true. For example, I was wrong, therefore I should like myself less. This equation is not true in heaven.

I was wrong! And it really affected people. And I still have permission to love myself today! I thought I was worth being thought less of. In a way, I was punishing myself because I thought that’s what I deserved. I questioned myself and doubted my partnership with God. BUT did you know there are no mistakes in heaven?!?!

Did you know that maybe I was setup to experience this whole in my character so that God could build a new thing there?? Learning requires humility to not know something to begin with. All of these things are okay and never have to involve the self-destruction of shame, guilt, condemnation, or exclusion.

Did you know God still loves you and values you? He never thinks less of you based on this learning journey you are on?? Did you know he speaks of your value, your worth, and your ability to always brush yourself of and dive right back into life. SO….

In conclusion, you may be having other thoughts. Even small incremental thoughts that get you to like yourself just a little bit less, maybe even one percent. I don’t believe these thoughts anymore. None of them. For any conversation, presentation, appearance or decision. Not one percent less. They are not from heaven, and God will rebuild in your life, wherever you tear yourself down. I will not partner against his work any longer.

You and I walk with a breastplate of Christ’s righteousness on that doesn’t let any accusing arrows through. Not one. There is no hole in his righteousness, no gap, no interruption, or weakness. His righteousness is a perfect FREE GIFT that I have experienced more now than ever before. Do not make room for any thoughts about yourself that get you to like yourself even one percent less. They are not from Him.

50 Conclusionary Thoughts (from life experience)

On September 10, 2016December 10, 2016 By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & Musings3 Comments

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Salvation is not earned, it is a gift.
God loves everyone more than we can fathom, not just a small group of religious people who earn special entitlement (still taught in the church today)
The practice of spiritual gifts is not more important than the practice of love.
Operating in power is not necessarily more powerful than operating in faithful love.
Expression (creativity in any form) can be an act of worship and is free from failure because the purpose is in the expression.
God can repair anything that appears unrestorable.
God can carry you through something you can’t carry yourself through.
God can make beauty from ugliness.
Many of the most precious things in life never draw attention to themselves.
Sometimes things that revolve around lots of attention are rooted in brokenness and unhealthiness.
God cares more about our inward peace than our outward performances.
Relationships based on expectation aren’t based on love.
Different seasons of our lives can feel like completely different lifetimes and aren’t always meant to be resurrected once they’ve passed.
God has the ability to keep me better than my ability to keep myself.
God only is ever acting out of love towards me.
I can always trust God completely, including with absolutely everything, right now.
Money has never been a good enough reason to direct the course of my life.
Risk on the side of courage, fearlessness, and failure rather than on the side of safety, self-protection, and the approval of others.
God has never asked us to worry and never will.
God lives extravagantly.
God doesn’t love the church because she’s earned it.
Lack of understanding is not cruel, it is freedom and a fertile land for growing trust.
Remembering our forgiveness really can make any cloudy day bright.
The most selfless people on the planet have the titles “Mom” and “Dad”.
Everyone is worthy of love. No matter their religion, location, looks, or titles. No one has earned it.
God really does know the intimate details of our lives.
Some christian movements that have drifted into maintenance of works or divisive theology began with the strong, simple message of God’s love.
Love listens.
You are meant to enjoy being alive.
God can take any negative influence in our life and make it a place of liberty and strength.
Belief in Jesus is coming into the realization of the truth that he loves us.
Being understood feels good but is largely inconsequential in life.
All things are heading towards the unveiling of God’s goodness.
Eliminating the desire and the need to control other’s words, actions, or choices is your first step towards loving them.
The root of control is ultimately fear, not love.
Nothing can replace the experience of God’s love in our lives.
Your value in God’s eyes never had its origins in your perceived productivity in his kingdom. He has already given you his love for free, not as a reward for works.
God does not love in gradients or degrees, it is who he is.
Feeling bad about something does not earn your forgiveness for it.
God’s gift to humanity is people. The people in our lives are a gift to us.
Love is not motivated by fear.
Your relationship with your family is more telling than the accolades of strangers.
God created people to fall in love. With him and with one another.
Let yourself be happy.
Let yourself change.
You are really forgiven, live as such.
Play is one of the secret weapons of living.
God is good company if we let ourselves simply enjoy him.
Yesterday and tomorrow have no right to steal from today.
God helps us become friends with ourselves and helps us stay that way.

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Here and Now

On July 26, 2016December 10, 2016 By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & MusingsLeave a comment

Here’s the other little tidbit of thought redirection that has been taking place internally of late. Of course we observe that so much regret involves the past and so much worry involves the future. Neither of which we are really invited to control much. Jesus says don’t worry about tomorrow and Paul says put yesterday behind you and look forward. Another spectrum for me that my thoughts wander to other than time is location. I’m thinking about what’s happening here or there, or with this person, or with that person and this can all be well and dandy but it can also be nothing to do with Life in my heart.

So the phrase that I’ve been prompted to through song and just grace is “Here and Now.” Are your thoughts engaged with here, meaning his presence with me and the people around me and the opportunities around me HERE?? And are my thoughts engaged with NOW, such as not things that already happened or things that could happen in the future that I don’t need to worry about, but are my thoughts on today NOW??

If my thoughts aren’t in one of those two place either here or now, they better be accompanied by feelings of excitement and joy otherwise my mind doesn’t have any business bringing my heart there again.

Jesus and his presence and his goodness are with me HERE and with me NOW and will be with me wherever and whenever I get to those future times and places, even if they involve hard conversations dealing with things that have happened in the past. He has my heart and those moments in his hands and is leading and living with me in kindness, strength and joy. He really does want to experience the life and joy within the moments surrounding me and I accept his invitation to let go of control or fear or regret in exchange for trust and thanksgiving setting me up to engage with him HERE and NOW.