Repairers Of The Breach

I was drawn to Nehemiah chapter 3 this morning. It is so interesting to read about all the different types of people who were involved in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.

There weren't construction workers, there were priests, neighbors, gold smiths, officials, daughters & temple servants all involved in the repairs, they all had a part to play in it. 

Likewise, today we all have a part in sealing up the breaches where the enemy comes in to attack the family of God. Our shovels and trowels have just been replaced by the word of God, prayer and ministry.  

The place that you are called to build up may be families, teens, children, women, men, drug addicts, sex trafficking, abused, elderly and so on. Be prepared to jump in and tear down the rubble first though.  You must to have a solid foundation to rebuild on. It may take time to uncover all of the lies of the enemy and replace them with God's truth. This happens through love and relationships. Genuinely caring and pouring our lives into those God places in our lives is the best place to start.

Remember also that the inhabitants of the city were not working on the barrier because construction was their trade but rather they saw the need for and value in the safety the wall provided and they were willing to jump in and be a part of it rather than say "oh that's not my job". Many of them just worked in front of their homes & neighborhoods, others took on greater responsibilities. Be open to hearing from God what your part is and willing to follow through beginning with what is right in front of you. We are all called to build the kingdom of God. 

Made For Battle

Made For Battle

As Christians, we are made for battle.  God's word tells us clearly that we will have trials and tribulations, or in today's vernacular, challenges and struggles.  

"Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm." Ephesians 6:13

The enemy can NOT win unless we give up, however, sometimes we don't throw in the towel but we do back away from the battle, we retreat to what we think is a safe place and we find that the struggles seem to ease up, the challenges appear to be a bit easier. We convince ourselves that we can take a break without losing any ground. What we don't realize is this is a tactic of the enemy, if he can't get us to surrender, he'll trick us into a powerless position.  Much of our skirmish take place in prayer and study. We need to be on the offense and prayer puts us there. Our goal needs to be to continually march forward into the the battles laid before us.  When we do, we grow and learn personally but we also make a way for those around us to step into their battles.

There may be times when we are overwhelmed and flat out exhausted, when we do not even know how what or how to pray for ourselves. This is why God calls us to live in community with other believers and why He calls us to me merciful, compassionate and full of grace for one another.  When we find ourselves tempted to run for the hills, we need to instead sound the alarm. If we will share with our trusted brothers and sisters in Christ, they can come along side of us or maybe even surround us and battle on our behalf until we are strong enough to join back in. This way, no ground is lost, the enemy gains nothing on us. 

Yes the victory is God's and in the heavenlies, it is already secured but we must still do our part, for ourselves, for our children, for the less fortunate, for the lost and wayward.  Our role is vital and God has given us every tool we need to be successful and advance the battle lines for His glory. Be alert, be aware, be willing to sound an alarm when needed and be ready to respond to the battle cry of those around you.

Why A Homecoming Nomination Mattered To Me

A Mother's Joy

This is my son's senior year in high school. He is a part of the marching band, serves on the loading crew, participates on UIL teams, and is the Debate Club President. In many ways, he is not unlike his peers, but I am delighted that he has found so many activities that he enjoys and so many places where he belongs.  In spite of his many activities, I was quite surprised and excited to find out that he had been selected as a nominee for Homecoming King.

It is probably safe to say that most, if not all, parents would be beaming with pride and joy to have a child nominated for the Homecoming Court.  So naturally, why would I be any different and why am I making such a big fuss about it? Some people may think it is from a place of parental bragging rights or some sort of assumed status, but in all sincerity, for me it comes from an overwhelming sense of awe and gratitude. There was a time when my son's future did not seem to have such a wonderful outlook.

You see, when he was just two-and-a-half, he received a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum. At that time, he had no communication skills whatsoever. He would not speak, he would not make eye contact, he wouldn't even point to things he wanted or needed. And if that wasn't enough to scare a mother of a small child, he also had uncontrollable  meltdowns almost daily caused by a sensory processing disorder and our inability to understand what he needed.

Before his diagnosis, I had imagined grand things for him.  I envisioned that he would be a great pastor, godly politician or honorable military leader. I dreamt of great and mighty things he would accomplish.  So the news that he might never speak, might never develop social skills, might not ever be independent blindsided me in a way I never could have anticipated.

With a little time of processing this news, I came to realize that I needed to mourn the loss of my expectations for my child in order to really accept him for who he was and then become the best advocate and cheerleader for him that I could be. I might have had to lay aside my expectations but I refused to give up my hope that he might live a rich and rewarding life. One in which he would love and know love. One in which he would know purpose and be able to contribute to the lives of those around him. 

It's been a long, and often challenging process, but as my husband and I looked for ways to help meet his needs, always pushed for what was in his best interest and educated everyone who had influence in his life about his challenges, we have seen him grow and blossom. Often times it required us to nudge him just outside of his comfort zone so he could learn what he needed to and gain confidence. Of course, we had lots of help along the way:  family, church family, para professionals, and many teachers have all contributed to his success. We certainly could not have  done it without them. The progress he has made is truly awe inspiring. Most people who meet him now never suspect he has an Asperger's diagnosis because he has come so very far.

So why exactly did his Homecoming nomination matter so much to me? Mostly words fail me, I feel my chest is going to burst at the seems with a joy I can not contain. There is no way to describe how amazing it is when something you thought could never be becomes a reality. But in the simplest way I can express it, I guess it is because it is the evidence that he is well liked and sociable, that he fits in and does make a difference and an impact in the lives of his peers. It is the fulfillment of so much more than I hoped for and it is the soft whisper of God to my heart that says "See, I am not done with him yet."  

I think I will continue to believe great and mighty things for his life.

Cherry Fargo

Being ReMade

Prove It!

Prove It!

I love it when The Lord reminds me of a lesson He has been teaching me.  I don't think I will ever master some of them this side of heaven and that's why I need reminders.  Today's reminder came from listening to my favorite morning show on the radio, KCBI with Jeff & Rebecca.  I only get to listen for about 20 minutes in the car as I am taking kiddos to school and I always enjoy every minute of it. It is often a source of inspiration as it was today.  I had been wondering what I was going to blog about and on this morning's program was one of those reminders.

As a child, I had an abusive step-father for many years.  He often said these words to me: "You are so stupid! You are never going to amount to anything when you grow up."  When he said this to me I would think "You just wait until I grow up and we will see who the stupid one is!" For a long time after, it seemed to me that I had been so strong in those moments, that I hadn't allowed his hateful words to crush me.  

Over the years I have come to realize that, although I wasn't crushed by his statements, I was indeed broken because I felt compelled that I needed to prove him wrong.  What he said about me couldn't be right and I would not allow it to be.  That's a lot of pressure to put on one's self. It may look like confidence but it becomes bondage because when you are always striving to prove someone wrong, you are never free to just be who God created you to be. 

That bondage also carried over into other relationships for me.  I ended up in conflict with someone at a church I attended over something I was sure God had called me to do. This wasn't something I had taken lightly, I had sought counsel and prayed over it. Since I was already carrying this big chip on my shoulders, I was deeply wounded and offended when my motives were misjudged and I wanted to rise up and prove them wrong.  God calls us chosen, blessed, redeemed.  He wants us to step out in faith to minister to others.  He gives us gifts and talents to do that so  I also wanted to prove what God says about me was right.  That there was a calling on my life. Because if I could prove God right, then that would definitely prove my ex-step-father wrong. 

As I struggled with this "I'll show you mentality", God began to reveal to me that He already knows my heart. He knows all of my thoughts. He is my perfect judge and advocate. He is my redeemer, creator, loving father.  And then He impressed upon me that I do not have to prove anyone else wrong, because God knows the truth anyways and what do man's opinions really matter? We are not to seek our affirmations from the people around us, we are to look to Christ for our identity, (Galatians 1:10). I also do not have to prove God right either. He is sovereign, almighty, all powerful.  What can I possibly do to defend His honor that He can't do a million times better. What can I possibly do to force His purpose to be fulfilled in my life in my timing? Nothing at all. He is the author and perfecter of my faith, my calling, the purpose He has for my life.  He simply calls me to submit to being remade in His image and to follow His lead.  He is calling you to the same.

God loves you! It doesn't matter what the world thinks or what you are unfairly criticized for as long as you are chasing after Christ. There is nothing any amount of striving can accomplish so believe what God says about you and REST in it. You don't have to prove anything, you don't have to prove anyone wrong and you don't have to prove God right either.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession..."

1 Peter 2:9a NASB

Cherry Fargo

Being ReMade

Where Grace & Responsibility Overlap

My life tends to be messy.  It has almost always been that way. I have been told by a few that it is messier than what many people’s lives are and yet I know that is not as messy as others. Some of it is my own doing, consequences of my sin and bad choices.  More of it is the fall out of the sin of other people in my life and a portion of it is just plain old circumstantial, a part of the journey.

For a very long time I have had this perception that life just isn’t suppose to look like this.  I have thought that if I work hard enough to reach my goals and dreams, if I love God enough and am faithful to chase after Him, if I serve Him well then life will be far less messy, I would have everything I think I need and this journey would become easier.  Because of things I experienced as a child, I have had it stuck in my head that it is all, always, my responsibility, if I don’t do this and that and all of the other things, life will always be this way with the next mess happening before the last one is ever cleaned up and it will be my fault when it does.

I never had the opportunity to learn how to just “be” as a child.  An enormous amount of responsibility was thrust on me at an early age and as a result I have spent the majority of my life thinking that who I am is based on what I do instead of just being a child of God.  Redeemed, rescued, saved by grace have never seemed like enough.  Oh, I believe that my salvation is secure but I have struggled with the fear that all this mess is meaningless unless I turn it into something bright and shiny and magnificent to bring God glory.  I strive to clean up all the messes and attempt to get it all together so that I will feel worthy enough to be who He created me to be. Responsibility has become a stronghold and an idol, one that I am in the process of tearing down by admitting my limitations, by recognizing that I am very hard on myself, by acknowledging it’s not even within my power to make something out of it all.  “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts.”  Zechariah 4:6

I am also learning to accept that this IS life, it is challenging, it is messy and that is okay.  It’s okay for me to acknowledge my hurts and disappointments, then carry them to my Father in Heaven and exchange them for His truth and promises, His strength and His grace. God does want me to do my part but my responsibility is not the planning, doing and trying to control that I have made it. Rather it’s the sitting, waiting and trusting that God really means for it to be.

God doesn’t intend for me, or for any of us, to do by works what He wants to accomplish by grace.  He wants us to bring all of the pieces of our life to him, to surrender them and allow Him to do as He will with them.  Maybe He will make something magnificent and breathtaking out of it for all to see.  But maybe, sometimes the really magnificent thing is the healing that He brings to our own hearts when we learn to live where grace and responsibility overlap, when we learn how to just be His child who daily brings to Him the messes of our lives, not out of any agenda of our own, but out of trust and faith that whatever He does with it, His plan is perfect.

Cherry Fargo

Being ReMade

Living The Fruitful Life Wrap Up

Good Morning,

From love to self-control, the last two weeks have been amazing walking through The Fruit of The Spirit with you guys.  Some of them were easier to grasp and put into practice for me but I am so grateful for a God who empowers us to do what He calls to do. This devotional was intended to challenge you to get into the word of God consistently as well as really think about how you could apply it to your life daily.  I was surprised at how many days God put opportunities directly in my path that related to the mornings topic and gave me a chance to practice what God was speaking to me.  I would love to hear from you if you had similar experiences.

I want to thank each and every one of you who have taken this journey with me and encouraged me along the way.  This was a challenge I set for myself to be able to write consistently for the 10 days/two weeks and I have learned so much from it.  My goal is to do more or these types of devotionals in the future.  I may start another one in the fall.  I have a heart to encourage those who God puts in my path whether it is a virtual path or a physical one, I want to honor God in that.  

I do need your help though!  Feedback is so valuable.  I would love to hear your thoughts about what you liked best about this devotional study and how it impacted you.  Were the devotionals a pretty quick read?  Did the challenge/action steps make an impact on you? Is this the type of devotional you might refer a friend to? What did you like best?  And if you have any other suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comment section or email me at beingremadeshop@gmail.com 

Appreciate you!

Cherry

Day Ten: SELF-CONTROL

   Day Ten ~ SELF-CONTROL

Key Bible Verse- 

Titus 2:111-12

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

Thoughts to ponder- 

Self-control is the last of the fruit of the Spirit, possibly the most challenging for many of us. This is the power switch for harvesting all the others.  But let’s face it, we want what we want when we want it and exactly how we want it. That is the mindset of our society.  In stark contrast is the definition of self-control: the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult circumstances.

I think the greatest example of self-control by far was Jesus’ commitment to die on the cross.  He had the ability to make His pain stop, to make those who persecuted and tortured Him cease, to call ten thousand angels to His rescue. He didn’t do any of those things though because He knew that the pay off of His restraint was well worth it. There was a plan and a goal to be achieved, the reconciliation of mankind into relationship with God, and there was no other way to bring it to pass.

And so should it be with us, we should dig deep to find the fortitude to remain committed to growing in Christ, to become conformed to His likeness. It is not always going to be pretty or easy. We will certainly face challenges in cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Trust that He has a plan and purpose and that the practice of godly restraint in our lives will develop character in our lives. We must choose to look beyond our immediate circumstances and endure whatever God allows us to go through. It is our choice to make but God himself empowers us to do so.

Challenge/Action Step- 

Name one area of your life that self-discipline comes easy and one area of your life that self-control is a struggle. What are the differences between the two?  What is one thing you can do today to have greater discipline in your life?

Prayer for today-

Lord, thank you that you see us, and our struggles to be self-controlled and disciplined.  Thank you for your forgiveness as we lay our failures at Your feet in repentance and begin again.  I pray that you would help us to drawn near to you so that we can truly live a Spirit led life.  ~ AMEN

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.