As most of you know, my posts and status have shifted over to the Pray For Bray site. This was my post for today- maybe you want to read it, maybe it is too long- We attended the Dawson McCallister seminar last night and it was eye opening. I am doing my best to be educated on things that I have never struggled with before. Recognize things I have never had to look for. And be looking for things that seemed only others had to deal with, not me and or my family. Dawson said 3 Rules of a Dysfunctional Family are 1. Dont talk 2. Dont trust 3. Dont feel This didnt shock me too much. They do not talk about issues, they do not have someone in their life they feel like they can trust, and they are taught to shove their feelings aside and not to feel them. I think as a mom, I can say, it would never be the intention to have a sign on the door that says those 3 rules, however, it is our actions that convey a different story. Do we allow our kids enough time to talk to us. I remember hearing in a conference once that teens especially can open up if they are not looking eye to eye. So car rides, turn the music and phones off. I even heard of one person challenging parents to TEXT their kids, to sit in a different room of the house and text each other. I am sure this goes against every grain in your body, but it makes sense to me. And I guess if getting kids to open up is the real goal, then the technique to doing so shouldnt be the issue. Then feel. How do we or do we not validate their feelings. By brushing them off, or saying that wasnt that bad, or you can get over it, we are basically saying DONT FEEL. CUTTERS- I learned a lot about this. He said They have more than a habit, they have a secret That shook me. Our eyes want to see the cuts and the scars, but behind that cut is 90 minutes of an endorphin driven high where they can not feel. He said You are only as sick as you secret, you have a secret and your secret has you, bring it to the light and you will be alright. He said most cut to get the anger out, they do not know how to release anger, fear, and tension. They have an overwhelming amount of anger and do not know how to get it out of their body.-- What they have to understand is that their problems, secrets are so great that unless God heals them and delivers them, there is no hope, there is no place for that anger to go. I learned a lot last night, I will explains more in posts to come- but for right now, I just want to say. Hurting people hurt others, Hurting people hurt themselves. It is a painful world when our past, our pain, our injuries our scars define us. But it is so hard to explain how to turn to God. I am praying God can use me to explain this. The best way I can say it now is our strength has to come from the Lord, we do not have enough strength on our own to get through, or get out of our pain hole. (pain hole is a word I made up, its the only way I can describe the place I am seeing in my mind and in my heart) Isaiah 40:31 says But those who trust in the Lord will find NEW strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint Our connection with God is our life line. It is by Him that we can be empowered, renewed, restored and spiritually strengthened. This is from me, my heart, my readings, and my personal views. SPIRITUALLY STRENGTHENED- what does that look like. On the outside we think it looks like success, well put together, clean, expensive, smart. But I want to encourage you that that is a perception that our eyes see, not that our hearts feel or that God is concerned with. I was challenged recently to view Spiritual Strength by considering this: If God had a camera, who would he take pictures of as examples of spiritual strength, remember he sees the inside, he is not looking at the outside. Would it be the top CEO who is dressed in the nicest suit or the CEO who shuts the door before a board meeting and prays over his words and direction. Would it be teen who was able to wear the latest trend, or a teen who just turned her back to peer pressure, or a teen who just showed their physical strength by punching someone out of anger or used that strength to hold the door for the elderly. Is it a couple who holds hands in public, or holds hands together as they pray in private. I want to clarify, that I honestly do not come from a judgmental position on this, I have done all of these, I have cute jeans, I have gone into meetings with out God directing me, I have even punched a guy once It is more so a call to action of what is God looking for, our inside appearance or our outward appearance. Once you know he is looking for the inward, then you have a BIG choice to make- Am I going to believe the LIE that I am too broken for Jesus to even want me? Psalm 51:17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart. **The application to this verse reads: God wants a broken spirit and a broken and repentant heart. You can never please God by outward actions- no matter how good- if your attitude is not right. Are you sorry for your sin? Do you genuinely intend to stop? God is please by this kind of repentance.** Lord, in your name, I pray my words were few, and your words were many. I pray that we all can find beauty in our brokeness because we have you to depend on to build us up and put our feet back on solid ground. Lord I pray that we find hope in your words and promises and trust in the future you have planned for us-
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 22:47:32 +0000
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