From Death to Life

My heart is heavy.

 There is so much going on in today’s world that it is hard not to feel heavy-hearted.

This morning, the thing that has me feeling so heavy hearted, is the 2021 Grammy performance by Cardi B.

No, I did not watch the Grammys. Yet the performance is everywhere.

Before I get too far down this rabbit hole, there was a time, not too long ago, I would have joined the 8 million Americans and watched the Grammy’s. There was a time when I probably would have listened to Cardi B’s song WAP and not got entirely outraged.

You may be wondering what has changed so much that what I used to consider entertainment is now an abomination ( I do not use the term abomination lightly). Have you ever heard the saying “when you know better, you do better”? Well, that is precisely what happened to me!

Once I began following Christ, my life started to change. The things I used to enjoy, which only satisfied my flesh, began to lose their appeal. I started seeing things for the lies that they were.

My fellow 80’s babies probably remember shows like 90210 and Melrose Place. You probably grew up watching soap operas with your grandmothers and mothers. One of my all-time favorite movies growing up was Dirty Dancing.

I loved 90210 so much I never missed an episode! In fact I would watch old reruns of it. I even collected all their Barbies.

I was 9 when 90210 came out. I have a 9-year-old daughter. Would I allow my 9-year-old to watch it? Absolutely not!

I don’t know if anyone else watched that show, but I can still remember the drama, the sexually active teens, teen pregnancy, and alcohol and drug use.

Please don’t think I am entirely blaming my bad choices on a tv program because I am not. But do I believe the things I grew up watching had something to do with my programming? Absolutely!

This may sound crazy to some, and some out there maybe can relate. Growing up, I do not remember being taught that I was supposed to wait till marriage to have sex. Not saying my parents never told me that, I just don’t remember ever hearing it. It could be because culture had a greater influence on me than my home did. What I do remember is watching shows like 90210, Melrose Place, and movies like Dirty Dancing and Grease (It pains me to include my favorite films in this), where being sexually active was promoted.

So, the Cardi B thing is nothing new.

But I am!

It breaks my heart to see our youth being conditioned and programmed that being promiscuous is ok. I believed that lie, and the consequences were grave. For a long time, I thought my value was in how attractive I was, and before I knew it, I felt like it was a duty and obligation to have sex. This soon became the way I felt loved and needed. I did not value it for the gift God gave us. It was a means of making myself feel better.

Sex is a tool the enemy uses to steal our souls. God created it to be a beautiful thing between a husband and wife, and the enemy has wholly distorted it.

We live in a society where being a freak is celebrated, and waiting for marriage is old-fashioned. Yet, we can not understand why the sex industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and human trafficking is at an all time high. You may be thinking, “well, I don’t watch porn, so I’m not part of the problem,” or “I’ve never paid for sex, so I’m good.”

We are all apart of the problem!

Cardi B performing WAP on National Television proves this statement.

Over 8 million Americans watched the Grammys. I am sure that number has more than tripled at this point.

What are we teaching our children?

I looked up the lyrics to WAP. I couldn’t even finish reading them.

My heart breaks for Cardi B, the little girls and young women looking up to her.

I am also angry that, as a society, we think this is ok. I know there are people out there who think this stuff is liberating for women and think censoring such things is against our freedom of speech.

I, for one, see this as a setback for women. I see this as oversexualizing women. I see this adding money to a multi-billion-dollar industry instead of adding value to women. I see this teaching our young men they don’t have to value women or respect them because we are only there for their pleasure. I see this teaching our little girls that they have to dress provocatively in order to be attractive. I see more young women getting sexually abused and raped because we sex is constantly put across their screens. I see a lost and broken world.

I hope whoever reads this will join me in praying for this world, for our sons and daughters, and for the lies of the enemy to be revealed. I pray we use the platforms God has given us to expose the lies and reveal the truth.

If you’re like me, the thought has probably come into your head that you don’t have a platform. Do not believe that lie! Our homes are our platform, our friends, our schools, our jobs, and the people God has placed in our lives to influence are our platforms! Whether we see it or not, we are always influencing someone!

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I went to the beach today thinking it would be a great way to end this year. 2020 has certainly been a year I wont miss. Our country has been torn apart by racism, politics and a pandemic. People have lost loved ones and jobs, we have been forced to slow down due to shutdowns and quarantines. We have had to adapt to so many changes and find a new normal.

One constant has remained and that is the goodness of God!

I’ve spent allot of time these last couple days reflecting on this year. I’ve lost a loved one to cancer, lost friends to overdose, lost a job and have had to make some really tough decisions. All of this and I can still say with a certainty that God is still good! For every loss I’ve had multiple gains and reasons to celebrate life.

I pray we all take the time to reflect on our year, and as we do we look for all the blessings amongst the chaos.

Let me get back to my beach trip and what inspired me to sit down and write…

While at the beach there was a few guys working on some artwork in the sand. Anyone that is familiar with Johnnie Mercers Pier at Wrightsville Beach probably knows what I’m talking about. Right by the pier you will always find beautifully written in the sand the name of Jesus or a message about Him. Today I had the pleasure of meeting the crew responsible for this. There is a father, a son and a friend that faithfully come out everyday to either repair or put something new. I asked about how long it takes them and when he responded 4 hours I was amazed at their dedication.

Along with feeling amazed I also felt a little convicted. At times I struggle with spending 30 mins with Jesus, and they come out every day and spend hours on their knees in the sand and back and forth carrying buckets of water from the ocean.

I watched them work diligently and take the time to talk to each curious passer by, never getting frustrated at the constant stops they made or my questions. I listened as the older gentlemen of the group explained to some teenagers the meaning of “time for Jesus”. You could see the passion and joy they had for what they were doing, and that was spreading the word of Christ.

I thanked them for their hard work and dedication and their response was” it’s all for our King”!

Lord I pray going into this new year we all have the mindset of “its all for our King”! No matter what 2021 brings may we keep our eyes fixed on the One that never changes, our calm in the storm of life, our anchor in the raging sea. I pray we all have revelation of who we are in Christ and the gift that our salvation is. May we all make the choice to be atmosphere changers and show the love of Christ to each and every person we encounter.

Happy New Year and God Bless!

This morning after I dropped my kids off at school, this over whelming sadness hit me. I started having my own little pity party…

Does this ever happen to you? Everything will be fine and then BAM out of no where, you start feeling sorry for yourself?

Well my pity party quickly brought out some issues of rejection that were hidden in my heart.

After wallowing in this way longer than I should of, I got up and put on some praise music. I slowly felt the tangible heartache start to dissipate. And heard the Lord tell me to read Ephesians.

Boy, Ephesians is such a wonderful chapter! After reading the first five chapters all the rejection and despair I was feeling, was completely gone. Thank you Lord that Your Word has the power to change and transform our hearts!

Once I finished reading, I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to write down all the verses I had underlined, in the form of a letter. I started with the last verse I had underlined and worked my way backwards. The end result is a beautiful letter of encouragement.

I pray it encourages you as much as it has me…

My Dearest Beloved,

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have the light from the Lord. This light within you only produces what is good, right and true.

I beg you to live a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God!

I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts. As you trust in Him, your roots will grow deep down into God’s love and keep you strong. And you may have the power to understand, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. You will be made complete with all fullness of life and power that comes from God.

All glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power, to accomplish infinitely more than we can ask or even think!

Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

You are members of God’s family!

We are God’s masterpiece!

He has created us anew in Christ, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ, to be holy and without fault in His eyes! God decided in advance to adopt us into His family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.

That is what He wanted to do and it gave Him great pleasure!

He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered all kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.

He did all this so we, His holy people who are rich in glorious inheritance, would praise and glorify Him!

Understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us. This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead! (Ephesians 1-5)

It still amazes me how God uses His Word to speak to us individually right where we are. I pray that whoever reads this God speaks to you right where you are.