Tuesday’s Trench Truth

Church bashing… it’s become even easier to do, especially on social media platforms, but how do we respond when we see comments on the various platforms that are riddled with negativity and resentment?

Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Tuesday’s Trench Truth with Trench Classes United.

I was scrolling through my feed the other day and the eyes of my heart caught a post that was written by someone who obviously had some resentment towards a certain church. I read through the comments, most of them encouraging this person didn’t need to go to church, others empathizing with her sharing their “bad” experiences with church.

Now, I know it wasn’t her motive to do harm to the “Church,” and that’s the deposit I started with. I then went on to validate her “feelings” which are rooted in a lot of her own unresolved stuff and suggested she go straight to the person or persons who had apparently offended her; that perhaps that would be a more direct route towards resolution instead of using a social media platform, which would only serve to taint the reputation of all churches even worse.

When Jesus confronted others with their “sin,” He didn’t get on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or Linkdin…or any other public platform. He did it one on one, like the “ho” at the well! He showed love and respect while pointing out her sin, not attacking her character. See, the more people we involve in the conflict, the bigger the conflict becomes.

When confronted with a conflict, friend, why not take the direct route to conflict resolution?

Truthfully,

Evinda

Monday’s Mantra

“I think you’d get a laugh, if you saw a tall giraffe, swinging by his tail from a tree,

I think an octopus would look quite ridiculous knitting sweaters at the bottom of the sea …”

Did I get your attention? Great! Mission accomplished.

Welcome to Coffee Hour at Chicklit Power and Megan’s Monday Mantra, with Trench Classes United.

The above ditty is from Danny Kaye’s “Tubby the Tuba at the Circus” It was on the very first album I had as a child. I memorized every word of it.  I caught this catchy little tune playing around in my head a few days ago and I realized its message is just as important today as it was then.

The song, being sung by a sympathetic elephant to a disenchanted Tubby, continues …

“Be yourself - you can’t be anybody else.

Be yourself, is my advice to you or else you’ll always be a nobody so, be yourself, or else!”

How many times, in my past did I observe someone and wish I possessed a quality they had? How many times did I wish my life was more like someone else’s life or wish I was more like someone else?

When I was 17, I was the fastest hot dog maker at the Sea World in Ohio. I could steam, bag, and load the hot dog into their bins in record time, which kept me in the hot and humid main snack bar for the duration of the summer. I seriously doubted this talent would ever serve me well. I longed to be gifted like the animal trainers, or accomplished like the managers. Yet, this seemingly insignificant skill-set, in all of its various forms, has weaved its way through my life, blessing me and making all the difference.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (ESV) “Now there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but the same God who empowers them all in everyone.”

I have often wondered why it is so easy to recognize other people’s gifts and talents but not our own.

Tubby the Tuba wanted to sing like a piccolo and fly like an acrobat, never dreaming his “Um-Pah” could make the elephants dance as they have never danced before!

Are you aware your own gift or talent could make the elephants dance as they have never danced before?

“BE YOURSELF …

I think that you’d be happiest by being no one else but you.”

Your comments are always most welcome.

Lovingly in Christ,

Megan

  

Faith Filled Fridays

Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Faith-filled Fridays with Trench Classes United! Grab your coffee and come on in for some heart-to heart sharing from Jennifer, to you and me!

Imperfect

As part of my freedom journey, I have learned to accept my imperfections.  I was raised to be a perfectionist and the fear of failure has always been a trap for me.  A year ago I learned that failure is an option.  The first time I heard that I wanted to scream “excuse me?! Failure is never an option!”  I’ve since learned that it is an option because I am imperfect; we all are.

The prophet Isaiah knew a lot about failure.  In Chapter 5 he proclaims his visions and the judgment of God for what the Israelites were doing.   The imaginary is quite gruesome.  In Chapter 6 he sees the holiness of God and becomes aware of his own imperfections.  I can so relate to what he must have felt, maybe you can too. One thing’s for sure: It’s quite startling when you see yourself in a different way; wouldn’t you agree? 

How can this be freeing, you might ask.  It is the absolute definition of freedom for me because for once I don’t have to be right, know everything, or be everything.  I can be me and allow the Holy Spirit to unpack for me what I am in Christ.  The realization released me from self-doubt and the paralyzing fear that comes from doubting everything that I did.  The weight of that burden was gone!

Don’t get me wrong; we are all held accountable for our mistakes and wrongdoings but the freedom has come in realizing and accepting this truth: I don’t have to live there! I don’t have to live there. I can move on and forgive myself…love myself as He loves me!

How do you see yourself?  Do you see flaws that you wish were perfect?  Do you hate your reflection because you don’t like who you see?  Accept that you are not perfect and ask Him to show you who you really are.  For me I had to learn to accept His love because I didn’t think I deserved it because I wasn’t perfect enough.  I am enough; you are enough!  

In the freedom journey,

Jennifer

Thursday’s Trench Truth

It’s rather telling when you go to dinner with your spouse and look around and you see other couples…on their phones and not speaking a word! You know what I’m talking about, right?

Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Thursday’s Trench Truth with Trench Classes United.

In a world of social connection, we seem to be disconnecting from one another. Studies are proving that phone/computer games, text messaging are taking the place of face-to-face connection, crippling communication on so many levels. Likes, hearts, shares and re-tweets are how we feed our egos. Cyber bullying is at its highest ever!

How do we connect with those we love in such a technologically-driven, fast-paced society?

Join us for our next trench class to learn how to connect healthily with those in your circle of love.

https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=41095324221

Hope to see you there!

Evinda

Wednesday’s Word

It was Christmas Eve, and I had stepped outside to give my four-legged baby a bathroom break…without a leash. The older she gets, the more skittish she becomes so I’m not exactly sure why I did this, and not just once, but several times that evening. L Do you ever do something over and over and ask yourself, why am I making it so difficult? Oh, I have, and too many times to count. Thanks for joining me for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United. Come on in.

At this time it was so dark out that the only light was the stars’ twinkling and a street lamp off in the distance. I followed her closely and soon she blended into the dark. My heart raced as I struggled to focus in on her little self.

When I went out to the next time, something struck me: Why don’t I put her leash on and then I won’t have this problem? As I’m writing this I’m almost embarrassed to share how much more difficult I made this easy task of walking my little four-legged fur baby, how I could have turned a little event into a huge problem.

I grabbed her leash, you know, the kind that stretches from here to at least a hundred yards and allows them to think they’re not on one? I put it on her and lifted her up and out of the truck and set her down.

She began to prance around, looking adorable in her Christmas dress and obviously feeling free from my hovering. In that moment, a thought went dancing through my head and nestled in my soul: How easy it is to complicate things! I mean, really! All I needed to do was put her leash on each time and I wouldn’t have had to be so anxious during our potty breaks outside. In fact, I could have really enjoyed the beauty of the silent stars and quietness of the Eve before the day we celebrate our Savior’s birth.

The next thing I thought of is my relationship with God. Sometimes I’m running so fast in my physical walk that I may blend in with the dark, just like my little fur baby, in my spiritual walk. And when His Spirit comes up and over me, it may startle me but it’s a reminder He’s always there to protect me, just like I protect my four-legged child.

The solution to any distance from God is actually as simple as putting His leash of love back on. When we do, our life becomes a lot less complicated and makes a lot more sense. See, that leash is analogous to His Spirit. When we draw near to Him, He draws nearer to us. [James 4:8]

Oh, Coffee Hour Friend, can’t you just picture the simple act of putting His leash on and breathing a sigh of relief because of the protection and simplification it offers? We just need to practice His presence, invite Him wherever we go, whatever time of day and His Spirit will work like that leash, leading, guiding and protecting us wherever we go.

Pray this with me: Yes, Father, please unleash your love upon me and may the leash of your powerfully gentle Spirit keep me by your side come whatever may in 2018.

Amen!

Evinda

P.S. Don’t forget to join us for our Facebook live convo tonight at 6:00 PST…Love, Sex and NO Rose Ceremony!

Tuesday’s Trench Truth

When you watch shows like, “The bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” don’t those dates look amazing? I mean, who wouldn’t fall in love with $3000 dates with a helicopter ride, a candle lit dinner on the edge of a volcano in an unheard of country?

Thanks for joining us for Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Tuesday’s Trench Truth with Trench Classes United. Come on in for a moment of truth and an invitation, too.

Could it be that we’re in love with the idea of being in love because of how shows like The Bachelor and/or the Bachelorette hype up the romance? The best time for romance is in marriage!

Join us January 3^rd to talk about love, sex and no rose ceremony!

Evinda

Monday’s Mantra

The ancient Babylonians are said to be the first people to make New Year’s resolutions some 4000 years ago.  During a religious 12-day festival, the Babylonians would crown a new king or reaffirm their loyalty to the reigning king. They would also make promises, or resolutions, to their gods, to pay debts and return the things they had borrowed. If they kept their word, their pagan gods would bestow favor upon them. If not, they would fall out of their gods’ favor – a position no one wished to be in.

Welcome to Coffee Hour at Chicklit Power and Megan’s Monday Mantra with Trench Classes United.

Approximately 42% of all American adults make New Year’s resolutions. Self-improvement, weight, and money related resolutions top the list. Sadly, learning something new, improving relationships, and doing more good deeds for others, land at the very bottom. Only 8% of people who make New Year’s resolutions are successful in achieving them. Thank God the other 92% do not live back in the days of the Babylonians!

There are countless things I would change about myself, but I quit making New Year’s resolutions long ago. I learned, the hard way, living and working in my own strength did not make me successful in achieving my goals. Instead, I have made one life-time resolve: to practice being still in God’s Presence so that He can strengthen me and change the things I cannot or would not change myself.  

To quote Sarah Young, In Jesus calling:

“Come to me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increased attentiveness to My Presence.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Have a Happy and Blessed New Year!

Lovingly in Christ,

Megan