Jenn's Journey from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Good morning! I hope the weekend has you refreshed for another busy week. For you moms out there, I hope you had a beautiful Mother's Day that celebrated all you do! As moms, and parents, we are busy building lives…and it can get overwhelming at times can't it? Join me today as I reflect on this.
Over the past few weeks, I have been extremely busy making some changes around my home. Luckily, I have a very handy dad who is willing to help me with these projects. It is exciting to see the differences and to see my visions for my house come to fruition. I've had this house as a single woman and mom for 6 years. I once worked on it with my former husband, and find that making it my “own” has a way of helping my healing from an ugly marriage and divorce. At the same time I've been taking Transfrom I classes with Evinda as another way of healing and rebuilding…and I find it interesting how both these processes intertwine.
The most recent project was building a pathway of flagstones. As my dad and I were laying the foundation for it, he said something that struck me. He said, "You have to build the foundation correctly so that the rest of the pathway will remain in place" It's quite a process to build a path. The first step is to dig down far enough to make enough space for the foundation; then you have to scrape away what is unnecessary -- this may be dirt, weeds and rocks. Next, the ground has to be leveled to make sure it is smooth and even. After that, gravel and sand must be poured in before the flagstones can be laid down. Once the stones are placed into the sand, they also must be leveled and settled firmly into the foundation. Voila! The masterpiece is done!
We are all on a pathway of life. Sometimes this path needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Can you relate to this? I certainly can. Life sometimes tears us down simply because it is life on a fallen planet. Other times, we realize that we need to make a change and we choose to tear the path out or choose a new one. In my experience, life has been mostly about this. I don't always attack these times as vigorously as I did building that walkway to my front door!
But, throughout all of it, I've been aware of my foundation. A verse I have loved for many years stands out in my mind. Psalm 127:1 says "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain" Oh my. Who wants to labor in vain? God, who has been my ultimate foundation…has used the times I've felt the most torn down, to make something new. He's helped me to dig down deep. Has He had to clear out some weeds, and rocks? Absolutely. The scraping away process is sometimes most painful. But, in the end, He replaces the old with the new. I can be walked on, weather beaten, and whatever else comes my way, but I cannot be moved…IF I build on Him.
Are you on shaky ground? Feeling worn out by the storms that hit your life? Give it to God...let Him begin a building process in you. It will be worth your while!!!
Until next week, be blessed.

Jenn

Faith Filled Fridays From Croley’s Corner of Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Welcome to Faith Filled Friday’s Coffee Hour. Today’s blog may seem simple yet for certain we are always in need of a reminder that our words are powerful in that they can bring life or death. Grab your favorite beverage, journal and join me for a moment as we look into God’s word together.
Proverbs 18:21 teaches us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Our words have a tremendous ability to heal and bring peace or to destroy and hurt others. We also find in Matthew 12:34–35 Jesus reminds us that the words we speak are actually the overflow of our hearts.
I have five amazingly talented, gifted, beautiful grandchildren, I guess I’m a bit partial, then again, what Grandma or Grandpa wouldn’t be? We have three girls and two boys, the ages ranging from 12 to 7. The two boys are 7. Now mind you, I love them dearly; however when they are together, it seems like there’s an army of them…literally! They seem to multiply right before my eyes! I find it funny that the boys seem to emulate one another more so than the girls, maybe because of their ages, yet I’m not convinced, (girls do as well; however, we’ll leave that for another time of blogging.)
One thing for sure what one boy does the other will soon follow, repeat or even act out. I recently bought them some Lego’s. Soon after they opened their packages they began comparing each item, one was better, bigger, more pieces, and had more men. As we watched them interact you could sense the atmosphere changing and quickly a verbal argument broke out. Of course at this young age the worst word one could hear was, at least from our grand boys, was ”That’s stupid,” and I’m keeping the name confidential for the sake of privacy. :)
He quickly turned and looked at us, to see if we were going to react. He definitely had a look of ‘uh oh’ I’ve just said something that wasn’t nice. Immediately you could see the reaction on the other boy’s face. He, too, was surprised, hurt and then angry. Yet within a few minutes the offender said, "I’m sorry". He recognized he brought brokenness between the both of them. Even at the age of 7, they recognize that their words can harm one another and bring improper actions.
The power of our words can actually rescind one’s spirit. It could have been a whole lot worse; however, I was thankful for the tender-heartedness of our grandson to ask for forgiveness and yes the other grandson responded…. “I forgive you.” They hugged and played on.
We find in Ephesians 4: 29 that Paul warns us “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Here Paul is emphasizing the positive over the negative. The Greek word translated “unwholesome” and means “rotten” or “foul.” It originally referred to rotten fruit and vegetables. Yet another blog for another day!
Although Paul was speaking to a mature church, we find that it’s not impossible to be equipped and empowered by what is good, acceptable by the power of our words... at any age, for that matter. How blessed are we when we use our tongue to lift up and encourage the people around us. Simple as that!!!
Prayer: Father continue to show us in your Word that our mouth would be a means of grace… a tool that would bring You glory and that the hearer will know that our words are covered with Your love. Help us to be reminded whose got their eyes on us that they would find we are able to control our actions, our words that may feel like it requires us to respond in a corrupt way. We recognize that the fight for purity of mouth starts in the heart… in that we should emulate the example of Jesus whose words were so filled with grace that the multitudes were even amazed. Amen!!
Have a wonderful weekend… and keep Him close to your heart.
Love,

Deb

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Oh, it’s a great day to write from my heart to yours, to have this sort of fellowship/communication that I don’t take lightly but cherish knowing we spend this time together! Grab your coffee and come on in for some more foundation of communication.
Hebrews 13:16 says: "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." The word “communicate” means to share what you have. But why am I trying to spiritualize communication, you ask? Well, the simple answer is: This is a spiritual matter but let me explain a bit more, and thanks in advance for hearing me. :)
I don’t know about you, but my flesh can be incredibly greedy and stingy and unwilling to part with my acquired pride which drives my opinions and my need to be heard and/or understood! This becomes a fleshly hindrance to a spiritual gift but also a key to the ultimate way that communication is a sacrifice. See, the Spirit in us is quick to share, to give, to communicate. And not that we want to compare sacrifices or level of sacrificing, per se, but God is pleased when we sacrifice that which hinders the type of communication that edifies and builds up. This sacrifice pleases God because God is a living God and desires for His children to be like Him, pursuing relationships, healthy relationships.
Did you know that information is giving out while communication is pouring in? I just heard that in class the other night and thought I’d share it with you! :) So communicating is a type of sharing of ourselves, especially when it leads us to helping others or to consistent fellowship. This of course requires that we share our time, thoughts, resources, and our prayers with others. Sometimes the greatest gift you can share with someone else, especially with God, is yourself. And when people you love the most communicate the least, isn’t that infuriating? No communication is like being in a big dark room with someone and you know you’re eventually going to bump into them, but you’re not sure when! You’re left with all kinds of suppositions, predispositions and crazy expectations.
Just the other day, my husband and I were walking to our car and he communicated something to me that brought me out of what feels like that dark room and I stopped as he spoke. He said, “You know how when you’re asked, ‘how’s your day,’ or ‘how is this,’ or how is that going,’ and you don’t even think and you just say fine?”
I wasn’t quite tracking what he was saying so I said, “Sort of.”
And then he gave me a sweet example where he replayed a typical conversation we’d have at the dinner table with little Bryden and asking about his day and his one-word answers were either good or fine and we’d have to get a little bit more specific to help him use some different words. I smiled at the memories and nodded my head.
He suddenly indicated to his head by pointing to it and saying, “Well, I have so much in here, but when you ask me stuff, all I can say is the same thing.”
I was stunned into silence, my heart falling more in love with him. I didn’t know what to say. Imagine me, speechless! :)
He went on: “I know it’s a guy thing, but I don’t want to be that way with you.”
My darkroom suddenly went white with bright light and all I could do was hug him to me and suggest that maybe I could slow down, and be a safer place for his thoughts, as jumbled as they may be to lands.
Oh, you talk about a huge dose of sweet humility! Coffee Hour Friend, things are never as they seem, even in the darkroom of no communication. Continue to pray, seek to speak words that edify and build up that you and those you desire to communicate with can rise above the darkroom of no communication or painful conflict!
Love,

Evinda

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks so much for joining me for Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and more of this third sacrifice in the Seven Sacrifices to Joy! Communication is what makes or breaks a bridge! Grab your coffee and your strand of faith and let’s go tie some more knots in our ongoing conversation about communication!
How is it that we can hold our tongues, be slower to speech, step back before we jump forward with our words? There is a truth that I know has been very helpful to me in this constant trial of speaking words that build up instead of tear down: Out of the abundance of the heart, a man/woman speaks! (Luke 6:45b) See, what is in our heart will come out of our mouths.
Oh, I can’t even begin to tell you how many times that something has escaped from my mouth like a robber quickly taking off with his sought-after loot only to be hit in the face with a picture of my heart!
Then I am left with the gentle conviction as my words are left exposed, as if engraved in the sand after the tide rolls away. They are there for me to stare at, their tone not hidden in the grains of sand, rather echoing back over the sound of the wave, convicting me, moving me to seek forgiveness from Him first, and then go to the one who is still stunned by the stink that my words have left in their being.
I know there is no condemnation for I am His, and yet I struggle with this question, and maybe you do too: Why does this seem to be an ongoing struggle? I mean when I started blogging four and a half years ago, one of my first blogs I wrote was about mouthing off to my husband! Does this mean I haven’t grown in this area? Ugh! Can you hear me groan?
The answer I keep hearing is: keep the heart clean. See, the heart is like the closet of the house; everything gets stored in there, but little gets cleaned out of there! If there is even a tiny bit of dust in the heart with somebody’s name on it, then out of the mouth will come that dirt. The cleaner the heart, the cleaner our words!
Whenever there is a tiny hint of resentment, any little piece of unresolved conflict, it will be the aroma that comes out with any form of communication creating more tension, and a wall inhibiting integrity. When someone steps on our emotional toe, why is it that we can’t say ouch out loud …without trying to hurt the one who hurt us? When will we realize that a hurt + a hurt = a double-hurt? Oh, don’t we need this consistent reminder? I know I do! The good news: there is forgiveness and with a truly repentant heart comes change, and grace, like a wave coming back in to wash the shadow of the pain caused by the hurtful words until we can feel the sting no more.
But how about those who don’t know how to say ouch, so they keep it in for fear of how the other will take it? In other words, they anticipate the response, assume how they will respond and so the hammer comes down again, sealing in bitterness and resentment.
Again, I hear the clean heart analogy. If we say “ouch” with a motive to hurt and tear down, or to repay evil for evil, more likely than not, the fire will grow higher and higher and the wound deeper, but if our motive is to restore, repair, then the rest is up to the other person, whom you cannot control! We must not hold back an apology based on what we think they might say, or even because we feel they wronged us first. Remember, when we get there, He’s going to talk to us about how we responded to the step on the emotional foot. Others’ hurtful behavior isn’t a free pass to misbehave.
See, God knew we’d have conflict; that’s why He spoke through Paul in Romans 12:18, for as much as is possible with you, live peaceably with others. You do your part; He’ll take care of them. Go ahead and put your name in that verse: for as much as is possible with _________, live peaceably with __________. Who do you need help communicating with today? Claim this verse over U for without the U, there is no “Us”!
Oh, that I would be so slow to speak, that my words would lift up and not tear down …
Until tomorrow,

Evinda

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks for taking the time to make the time to have Coffee Hour with me! Today we are returning to the Seven Sacrifices to Joy, and we are still on the third sacrifice of communication. Oh, what a gift … and a curse communication can be! Grab your coffee and your SOF (Strand of Faith) and let’s go tie some knots in our faith.
There are only 14 references to communicate/communication in the Bible, and its major translation means fellowship, but in many of those references unity is mentioned and so is conflict. I could feel you bristle as you read that word “conflict,” but we’ll talk about that in a minute. :) Unity is as a result of good and effective communication while conflict is as a result of not-so-good communication. Could this be why we are instructed in James 1:19 to be slow to speak? And look at all the instructions in Proverbs about holding our tongues, watching our words, etcetera. Did you get any sort of visual for either of those? Because I did and it was pretty funny!
For James 1:19 I get this visual of an extremely fast-paced runner of life being held back ever so firmly to do everything in slooooooooooow motion! Oh, what a great reminder, especially when it comes to handling conflict, or confronting someone when their words are speaking differently than their actions. See, for the sake of the greater good, in an effort to not kick the bird out of the nest, so to speak, we must be contemplative in our approach, not as though we are sneaking up on them and trying to scare them so they fall out of the nest, or the church, but gentle and thoughtful and in love expose what has been revealed that they may be restored to abiding in the Bride of Christ.
How about the visual of holding your tongue? Go ahead, grab your tongue and look at yourself! Sorry, but that’s worth a giggle or two and definitely brought back a memory or two, which I’ll share in a moment.
Proverbs 12:18 says that reckless words pierce like a sword! Ouch! I know that that thing in me called a tongue has caused more damage than any other weapon known to man! Oh, how many times have I wished that I would have held my tongue before letting some incredibly ugly words come out of my mouth! Have you ever regretted something you said almost as soon as you said it? Isn’t the feeling horrible, like a lead anchor in your heart pushing you down!
I can remember the aftermath of an argument with my second husband – third time’s a charm! We were sitting on the floor, calmly talking through an argument and discovering exactly where it had derailed into an all-out ugly fire! I was really listening to him … that didn’t happen often; trust me, and all of a sudden he said, “Give me your tongue.”
I looked at him, dumbfounded, shook my head to see if anything rattled differently and would echo a different statement and all I could say was, “What?”
He repeated himself.
I stuck my tongue out and he gently grabbed it between his thumb and index finger and the words he said etched in my heart and have remained there: “Of all the hurtful things you do, this hurts the worst.”
All I could do was burst into tears. He wasn’t trying to shame me; he was simply letting me know that every time I opened my mouth to hurl swords of insult, words that cut him down, that hurt more than anything else I had done.
Can you think of a time when words seared painfully into someone’s soul?
Yes, conflict can be a character builder, building up both the offended and the offender … but only if we are slow to communicate, step back before we jump forward.
Join me tomorrow for more on this huge subject of communication.

Evinda

Jenn's Journey from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Hi! Happy Monday. It's good to be back. I've had some technical difficulties which resulted in needing a new computer. I think I am back on track so it's good to be here on a Monday, having coffee with you.
The other day I picked up my One Year Bible…and happened upon a story that I have heard many a time, and was struck with a slightly new perspective. It's the story of a man named Zaccheus. You remember him, the man who was so short he couldn't see over the crowd, and eventually had to climb a tree to see Jesus. He was greatly disliked because he was a tax collector...not only that but he was in the habit of cheating people and keeping some of the money for himself.
The Bible commentary says that tax collectors were shunned much like lepers were in those days. You can find the story in Luke 19:1-10.
There is a bit of a back story as well. Zaccheus had apparently heard John the Baptist speak and his heart was touched. He was curious enough to want to see Jesus, which I take to mean that he was being drawn in just by the stories he was hearing. This is one reason we need to share our stories of what Jesus has done in our lives. Oops, I just digressed.
One day Zaccheus heard that Jesus would be coming to his town. He immediately ran to the edge of the city to see if he could get ahead of the crowd.
I can imagine that Zaccheus had quite a few feelings going on inside of him. Not only was he realizing the depths to which he had sunk, but I bet he had some insecurities coming from being a short man and having a hated career. I can bet that he felt really low…and perhaps thought that if he could get up in that tree, he'd have a bird's-eye view but he'd be hidden as well.
I can relate to that so well. If I can just get close enough, yet not completely risk having it all out in the open. It seems easier to be on the sidelines getting it together first.
Well, Jesus had another idea. He knew, supernaturally, what was going on in Zaccheus. He went right to that tree and stood under it. He spoke: "Zaccheus, you come down. I am coming to your house today." I can almost hear that kind and gentle voice. The commentary says that this is the only account in the Bible where Jesus invited himself to a person's home.
Zaccheus scrambles down out of that tree and excitedly tells Jesus that he is sorry for all he has done wrong and that he will pay back, up to four times, the amount he has cheated people out of. He must have been quite well off, you think??
The commentary has more to say on Jesus’ visit to Zaccheus's home. He merely wanted to instruct him on the ways of the kingdom. Can you imagine how awesome that would be? To have Jesus sitting in your living room, kindly instructing you on His pure and awesome ways? Nearly brings me to tears.
Though we will have to wait until heaven to sit and talk face to face with Jesus, He is standing next to you, to me, saying "'I'd like to be a part of your life;, will you let me in?" Revelation 3:20 says "Behold I stand at the door and knock."
I've struggled most of my life thinking I need to get it together before coming to Jesus. Not sure just where this came from, but lately, He's been showing me it's okay to be transparent with Him and allow Him in to make some changes. I pray that each of us will listen to that knock, and open the door. God's kingdom and His ways will make our stay here on earth a whole lot better!
Until next week, be blessed.

Jenn

Faith Filled Fridays From Croley’s Corner of Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Wow, can you believe it’s already May 1^st? If this is your first time to Faith filled Friday, welcome. I hope this day has already found you rejoicing. Grab your coffee, journal and let’s see what He has for us today.
My oldest granddaughter Jordan came to stay with us for a few days and during that time she would go with me on my prayer walks. She asked me why I came to this particular spot and I told her I can overlook the valley and be at peace and hear from the Lord and it’s my time to talk to Him as well. She was happy with the answer. We stood there for a few minutes then decided to move on.
As we walked back home she started picking up rocks. She soooo LOVES rocks. There were so many different sizes and colors. She was in rock heaven. Her little pockets were stuffed and overflowing, and in addition, her hands were just as full. She asked if I wouldn’t mind helping her carry some back to the house because if there were any boulders I’d find a way to carry them. I answered her: of course, I’d be happy too.
I suggested to her, however, Jordan, why don’t you get just a few and leave the rest behind. She simply answered: “Well, Tutu, each one is special. They have different colors and some are just really unusual and I can’t just leave them.” I could see her heart and where this was going.
She wanted to inspect each one when we got home and soon she realized how heavy these small rocks became in her pockets. She said, “You know, if you could somehow melt these all together, wouldn’t that be awesome? It would make one big rock with multiple colors”!
I said, “Yes, it would be awesome…but each rock has its own significance and each one if fitted together just right would make a pretty good foundation.
So started the thought …the rock!
We represent, by our confession the type of person on which the true church is built on.
The Rock is what Jesus is referring to in Matt 16:18: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”… Jesus refers to Himself as the rock.
A rock is a symbol of strength and immovability it also was a place in the Old Testament where people in danger often took refuge. God is depicted as the Rock of Israel, being the strength, security and deliverance for his people.
Where do we run to when our lives begin to become weighty?
There’s no excuse for us as believers. We may be barraged and seemingly bombarded by the enemy and honestly we too can be our own worst enemy. Sometimes all he has to do is plant a little itty bitty seed and then we run amuck filling our minds like my granddaughter did with her rocks, and they became too heavy. We find ourselves flailing our arms and running in a mad circle, going nowhere but into confusion and defeat!
Christ has given to us a sure foundation, yet it’s up to us whether we continue to build on it or allow the foundation to become unsettled which can cause a shifting and cracking.
Ask yourself this question: What or who is prevailing against you? Remember, you have that choice to allow it to “prevail over you” or “you to prevail against it!” Conquer! Overcome! Get the better of it! Win through it! Be victorious!
Acts19:20: “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed...Prevail and Carry the day. Make it a great weekend; keep Him close to your heart….
Until next week,

Love Deb.