Today I sat in my car on our way to school and smiled at the two most precious little girls in my life. "So I heard you girls had a Red Door drill yesterday." They both looked at me and nodded very serious. "How do you feel about that,"I asked. Catie tells me "Mommy it's so we know what to do if something happens." Kiki says "I get scared at times, mommy." No mom ever wants to hear that her child is scared, but the reality is this is where we are. I am a post-modern momma, with two little girls, and I have to teach them how to navigate this world, not run from it. I have seen social media and shook my head at every political 'ideal' on both sides. I am not an 'ideal' person because, honestly, ideals divide us, they don't create unity, and they don't offer up discussion. We live in a very broken world, and some people are coming awake to this reality. I have to teach my children how to be light bearers and shine Jesus in this very dark world. I find it interesting that Jesus prayed for UNITY and to protect his disciples from the evil one before he died. He did not pray to pull them out of the world because they were not of it. (John 19) When everyone is losing their minds and allowing fear to rob relationships, I would like to present how my family is moving forward in this very broken world.
I will not bow down to fear.
I have made a conscious choice to fight, not to allow fear to rob me of my children, and to rob my children of their peace. Do you not think it too coincidental that the enemy is trying to fill a generation at the tender ages of 18 to five full of fear? We as Christian mommas and poppas have the opportunity to show our children not to run and hide from fear but how to stand in the tension of it and allow our faith to shine. I began 2018 with a song "I'm no longer a slave to fear, I am a Child of God." by Bethel Music. I decided I was not going to bow down to fear and anxiety anymore. I am not saying this is easy, or convenient, but what I am saying is I am choosing Faith instead of fear. My friend Alli Worthington has a great book on Fierce Faith I love her quote: "Fear freezes our faith, but when we choose to fight, our faith frees us from fear." Ladies and Gentlemen, we are in a knock out drag out war with Fear, and I for one will not bow down to this idol. The Bible says "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a SOUND Mind." When we choose to stand on his truth and spread truth rather than fear we stop giving it power in our lives. Faith isn't the absence of fear, but choosing to show up, even if we are battling fear.
Community matters, the whole community.
I find it interesting that in the Bible Jesus says that he was sent for those who are far away from God. Those who are damaged, those who are mentally unstable, those who are in prison, those who are poor, those who are under oppression. Jesus is the good shepherd, and he charges us to take care of our communities first. In fact, in Matthew 9 he tells his disciples "don't go too far away lands, but go first into your towns and communities and preach the good news there." Jesus gave hope, he healed, and he set people free. I see the disparity in our churches when we only want the best, the brightest, and those the church can shine a spotlight on. I see churches in my local community jump through hoops to schmooze those who have money and position but overlook the very ones Jesus came for. Our communities matter and our churches need to see that our communities matter. Our communities matter more than their visions, more than building a 'name for themselves.' We really don't need another big named speaker, author or preacher, we need those who can set the captives free, and know who they are in Christ, and be willing to go into the darkness and shine the light. We need our communities to be served by the bride of Christ, we are the ambassadors for Him, and I think we have forgotten why we are here sometimes, and who we are. I am not a Christian because I like rules, and I want to think I am 'saved' and therefore I am better than someone else. I am a Christian because I was in need of a Savior and He saved me, I am being healed daily, and know that I have a living, breathing Savior who can do the same for you. Paul charges Timothy "Do the work of an evangelist whether it's convenient or not." and right now it's not, but we still need to show up in our communities and stop hiding in our churches waiting for Jesus to come back.
What I can do, and what my kids can do.
So here is what I am doing as a mom: I don't need those kids to pray in school, I need them to see Jesus. I don't need them to be preached at; I need them to know that God values them and made them. I can do this by being present in my children's school and loving each one of those kids in their classrooms. I can do this by loving my community, by showing up and being a part of a culture change. What would happen if our Christian mommas instead of pulling their kids from their schools, showed up to support the schools? Instead of implanting fear into kids, we teach them how to spot those at risk and draw them into a community? Not to socially isolate them, shame, blame, demonize and discard them, because this just keeps cycles going. To love our communities as Jesus did, those who are fatherless we step into that role, those who have no mothers, we step into that role. Those who go home to dark places, we make sure we fill them with enough light to question the lies they are being told by the enemy. Culture matters and we are culture makers and also culture change agents. The same authority that rose Jesus from the dead lives in us, and we need to set our feet on the firm foundation of Christ. I believe in prayer, in battling for our children, and I will not bow down to the idol of Fear in my local community.
I will not bow down to fear.
I have made a conscious choice to fight, not to allow fear to rob me of my children, and to rob my children of their peace. Do you not think it too coincidental that the enemy is trying to fill a generation at the tender ages of 18 to five full of fear? We as Christian mommas and poppas have the opportunity to show our children not to run and hide from fear but how to stand in the tension of it and allow our faith to shine. I began 2018 with a song "I'm no longer a slave to fear, I am a Child of God." by Bethel Music. I decided I was not going to bow down to fear and anxiety anymore. I am not saying this is easy, or convenient, but what I am saying is I am choosing Faith instead of fear. My friend Alli Worthington has a great book on Fierce Faith I love her quote: "Fear freezes our faith, but when we choose to fight, our faith frees us from fear." Ladies and Gentlemen, we are in a knock out drag out war with Fear, and I for one will not bow down to this idol. The Bible says "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a SOUND Mind." When we choose to stand on his truth and spread truth rather than fear we stop giving it power in our lives. Faith isn't the absence of fear, but choosing to show up, even if we are battling fear.
Community matters, the whole community.
I find it interesting that in the Bible Jesus says that he was sent for those who are far away from God. Those who are damaged, those who are mentally unstable, those who are in prison, those who are poor, those who are under oppression. Jesus is the good shepherd, and he charges us to take care of our communities first. In fact, in Matthew 9 he tells his disciples "don't go too far away lands, but go first into your towns and communities and preach the good news there." Jesus gave hope, he healed, and he set people free. I see the disparity in our churches when we only want the best, the brightest, and those the church can shine a spotlight on. I see churches in my local community jump through hoops to schmooze those who have money and position but overlook the very ones Jesus came for. Our communities matter and our churches need to see that our communities matter. Our communities matter more than their visions, more than building a 'name for themselves.' We really don't need another big named speaker, author or preacher, we need those who can set the captives free, and know who they are in Christ, and be willing to go into the darkness and shine the light. We need our communities to be served by the bride of Christ, we are the ambassadors for Him, and I think we have forgotten why we are here sometimes, and who we are. I am not a Christian because I like rules, and I want to think I am 'saved' and therefore I am better than someone else. I am a Christian because I was in need of a Savior and He saved me, I am being healed daily, and know that I have a living, breathing Savior who can do the same for you. Paul charges Timothy "Do the work of an evangelist whether it's convenient or not." and right now it's not, but we still need to show up in our communities and stop hiding in our churches waiting for Jesus to come back.
What I can do, and what my kids can do.
So here is what I am doing as a mom: I don't need those kids to pray in school, I need them to see Jesus. I don't need them to be preached at; I need them to know that God values them and made them. I can do this by being present in my children's school and loving each one of those kids in their classrooms. I can do this by loving my community, by showing up and being a part of a culture change. What would happen if our Christian mommas instead of pulling their kids from their schools, showed up to support the schools? Instead of implanting fear into kids, we teach them how to spot those at risk and draw them into a community? Not to socially isolate them, shame, blame, demonize and discard them, because this just keeps cycles going. To love our communities as Jesus did, those who are fatherless we step into that role, those who have no mothers, we step into that role. Those who go home to dark places, we make sure we fill them with enough light to question the lies they are being told by the enemy. Culture matters and we are culture makers and also culture change agents. The same authority that rose Jesus from the dead lives in us, and we need to set our feet on the firm foundation of Christ. I believe in prayer, in battling for our children, and I will not bow down to the idol of Fear in my local community.
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