Medals and Wash Rags

Today at church Pastor Clark was speaking directly to the men in the church about the way they are called to treat their wives, or future wives. As a girl it was easy for me to sit back and "Amen" every single thing he said - He talked about multiple issues that Men are called to take care of, issues that any of us women could talk about for days...

Towards the end of the sermon, He looked into the eyes of the Men in the congregation and said "Be her biggest fan." This struck a cord with me. It is a small idea that transforms relationships and ultimately lives. You could say that it's important to me because words of affirmation are important to me, but I refuse to believe thats it...

His main point was to be her biggest fan - but the subdivisions of this one point blew my mind and stirred my heart. The Holy Spirit was flowing out of him as he spoke about the way husbands should always call forth the potential in their wives. Here are some of the things he said that are worthy of note taking:

"Be her biggest fan. Your words should always bring more healing to her than hurt. We are all visionaries, and I know this because God is a visionary and we were created in His image - Ask Him to give you a glimpse of His vision for your wife's life. Tap into the presence and the power of God and catch a glimpse of the things God is doing in Her life. Listen to her. When we are fully being lead by God, we are leading our wives and our children to follow in the way of the Lord. He has plans for her the same way he has plans for you. It is our job and our duty as men to speak life into her and to encourage her, reminding her that she is dazzling and beauitful and worthy and flawless. When she is discouraged and battling insecurity and we say, "oh that's just how she is..." we are settling for what Satan has to say about her. God created her to wake up, ever single morning, in all humility and say, "I am the result of God's creation and I will walk with confidence in Christ praising Him for all He is, regardless of what comes at me today." As husbands, we must breathe life into her, into her dreams, into her potential."

What if, with every person we come in contact with, we looked them in the eyes and truly believed in their potential? Not just the people who have college degrees; not just the CEOs; not just the ones dressed in fancy labels; not just the ones who seem to be going somewhere in life; and especially not just the ones who might better us and help us out in return. What if we spent our lives encouraging and pouring ourselves into people?

When will we realize that life is not all about the things this world has to offer?! When will we acknowledge the truth that our lives come and go in a flash? we are here today and gone tomorrow... When will we stop carrying on comfortable casual conversation, and begin to rip off the masks and tear down the walls? When will our achievements and our trophies stop getting the best of us?!

I am so tired of the world getting the best of our generation. It's draining. Yes, school is so important and yes our resumes looks better when it has lots of pretty things on it... but man, how dangerous is it that Satan has such a hold on us that those earthly desires of being so successful and rich and achieved can consume us. When we will drop the rich, beautiful, materialistic lifestyle that we hold onto for dear life, and fall on our face before the Lord?

I don't just mean physically, I mean spiritually - we have to wake up. it's time we start doing what we are here to do. What are you investing your heart in? which kingdom are you so desperately clinging to? what are you putting your time into? What is defining you? What consumes your thoughts when you close your eyes at night? What consumes your thoughts when you're practicing piano, or football, or physics? What consumes your thoughts when you walk through the double doors of your dream job? Where is your life headed? Who are you speaking life into? Does it stop with your wife?

What will it take for you to exchange the medals of worldy success for a bucket of water, some soap and a wash rag?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

You were created for victory. It may not look the way you draw it out in your head, but that doesn't mean you've failed. You are an overcomer, and you are victorious.

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4

How cool would it be to see Jesus and be able to look at Him, hand him the baton, and say, "Finally, after 2000 years, we got it done for you."

Do something about it.

My Adventure Book.

Have you taken the time to sit down and think about the adventures you want to experience in your life? Ya know how the world seems to be getting smaller? It seems that within the past decade or so, we have become a whole lot more familiar with the world around us... There aren't many mysteries anymore. It seems that everything has been seen; discovered.

In the movie UP the little girl, Ellie, has a book called "My Adventure Book" - even more, she has a dream. Her book is a tangible illustration of what she wants her life to become... an idea of the things she dreams about experiencing. She doesn't want her life to be mediocre. She has big expectations.

A couple weeks ago I was at a women's conference at Journey Church and my heart was overwhelmed while I stood with hundreds of women in the presence of God. It was as if we were all living the way we were called to. As women, we have all experienced the chaos and drama that comes along with girl friends... and as I grow up, I learn more and more the importance of us women sticking together. I've said it before, we have to stick together. As I stood in that sanctuary with those women, I knew God was there in the room with us. We sang with one voice. When I heard the band play the chords of How He Loves my heart melted. How powerful for a room full of women to be claiming the truth that We are His portion, and He is our prize. Even though we all struggle with the things of the world - insecurity, heartbreak, self destruction, bitterness, regret... We were confessing, as a body, that when we thought about the way that God loves us, we could no longer contain those things.

We are loved beyond any measure we can fathom.

My heart keeps going back to a sermon I heard about a week ago about how unique each of us are. We talked about big names like Martin Luthar King Jr. and Abraham Lincoln... people who painted masterpieces with their lives. Courageous leaders who were bold enough to go into broken places. People who recognized their calling, even more their duty, and pursued it because not pursuing it would be too dangerous. People who knew their lives were temporary - and refused to let it go to waste.

I think we were all created to be artists. I think God longs for us to use what He has given us to paint something beautiful; something breath taking. I think he intended for it to be a whole world full of masterpieces. Different paintings, due to different ideas and creativity. I refuse to believe that he intended the world to be full of mass-produced 'color the number' paintings...

We were created to live in the brightest hughes



He delights in our beauty. He loves us more than we can fathom. He gifted us with unique creativity. He creates things for us to discover.

dream big. experience life. discover. be bold. paint a masterpiece. you have nothing to lose.