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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Freedom reigns.

If you were to ask my husband, he would be the first to tell you that I have been a down right grouch the past few days. For no good reason, I have been tired, irritable and cranky. Not to mention that I have had a headache every single day since I gave birth to Luke. (PS...if you could pray for that, I would really appreciate it!)

However...this morning, I woke up with a new song in my heart and a new hope in my spirit.

I serve a God whose mercies are new every morning. Hallelujah!

I realized this morning that no matter what is going on or how bad I may feel...my God is greater. He is greater than my bad days at work. He is greater than my fears and insecurities. He is greater than my headaches. He is God.

So often, I wake up, go through my day and go to bed defeated. I let the world get the best of me. I complain about the little things instead of thinking about how much the Lord has done for me. I allow satan to steal my joy, to cloud my mind and to hinder my spirit.

Instead of claiming the freedom Christ has given me, I put shackles on my own feet and then complain about how I can't move.

We serve a God who gives us a key. So many of us are shacked down, carrying around burdens that we have accumulated over the years. We are tired. We are overwhelmed. We live our entire lives as though we are captive to our circumstances. Yet all the while, we have the key in our own hands. We are so distracted by the world that we forget that it's ours. All we have to do is use what God has already given us and set ourselves free from our own condemnation.

Romans 8:1 tell us that, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." When we submit ourselves to Him, He is overwhelmed with mercy. He forgives us and no longer condemns us for our sins. We are the ones who choose to continue to condemn ourselves.

I am the world's worst when it comes to believing in myself. One of my greatest struggles is dealing with my own self-worth. Unfortunately, the devil knows this. He puts negative thoughts in my mind all the time that I know are not of the Lord. In my mind, I am never good enough, smart enough, skinny enough, or talented enough. I complain a lot about superficial physical things that shouldn't matter. I beat myself up about things in my past and choices I wish I would have never made. Although I may never admit these thoughts out loud, every negative thought I allow to grow inside my mind is one more shackle that I put on myself. Before long, I am carrying around a heavy chain of guilt and worthlessness that binds me down and keeps me from being used by God to my full potential.

I love the scripture out of Galatians 5:1 that says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

The Lord has given us freedom. He has set us free. We are the ones who choose to be slaves and to set ourselves in our own bondage. We are the ones who decide that we are too unfit, too broken and too burdened to be used.

Last night, someone told me that she thought I was going to be the next Beth Moore. I laughed. Surely, to be like Beth Moore, I would have to be more educated, more anointed...I would have big time connections. I'm from a small town in the middle of nowhere for crying out loud.

Then I realized, I was shackling myself and shackling God.

Why can't God use me in a big way?

As long as I feel like I never can...I never will.
As long as I feel like God wouldn't...He won't.

You don't have to have all the answers before you begin doing something for the Lord. You don't have to have it all figured out or every bullet point in place. You just have to go for it. Quit making excuses or rescheduling -- just move. The Lord will be faithful to your faithfulness.

Last week, I finally decided to take my own advice and listen to what the Lord was calling me to do. For a long time I have been burdened for the women in my community and this burden has continued to grow after losing Luke. There are so many women who feel alone and isolated...that don't have friends or other women around them to motivate, encourage and empower them. The Lord spoke into my heart to provide an opportunity for women to get together and be part of a community...to talk, share and learn together...to go out and have fun with each other...to be a family and source of support. So with the help of some women who I love and respect more than they will ever know, we are doing it!  We will meet every Tuesday (starting next week, August 31st) at 7:00pm at Elkhorn Baptist Church in the WAC building. This is open to all women of all ages. If you want to grow in Christ and be connect with other women who want the same thing, please come. I have no idea what exactly it is going to look like.. but I know its going to be good.

I am excited about what the Lord is doing in my life but I know that I am not the only one who God desires to use. We can all be used to do big things for the kingdom of God. After all, the majority of people who God used in scripture were messed up common people like you and me. The same God that called fishermen to be disciples can call you and I to do even greater things for the Kingdom of God...if we let Him.

First, we have to choose to be free.
We have to want to be used.
We have to take the key and unlock ourselves from our own bondage.

This means believing in ourselves...believing that we are worth it....believing that no matter what we have been through, He has set us free and called us to more than ourselves. It means living in today instead of yesterdays. It means not making excuses for our actions or rescheduling our spiritual lives...it means claiming your life back and living victorious.

You CAN set yourself free of the bondage you have been carrying.
You CAN release the shackles you have placed on your own feet.
You CAN do ridiculously incredible things for the kingdom of God.
You CAN be the next Beth Moore.

Do you believe that you can?
The Lord does.

Be free today. Believe that you can. Believe that you will. Believe in yourself...Believe that He is greater.

Luke 1:37

- Kristin

Challenge: I challenge you today to read Romans chapter 8. I have read this chapter almost every day the past month. It has really helped me realize who I am in Jesus and the power that I have through His Spirit.

Feel free to leave a comment about how God is working in your life. Let's be encouraged together with the news that God is moving!

PS: To all my girls out there...PLEASE COME NEXT TUESDAY!!

15 comments:

  1. so true!

    several months ago i had to come to grips with the fact that the Lord was calling me to do something i am UTTERLY! unequipped for. i'm not some great spiritual wise woman, some super-christian, some answer source!! and yet, God has called ME to step outside myself and be obedient. in the face of many who look at me and point out my flaws (yeah, it's not just me who sees them and comments, nice huh?) and how i "can't do that until you x,y,z" good thing God doesn't look at us through man's eyes.

    we are His and we are LOVED! period. no strings attached, no clause, no exceptions.

    bookmark this post friend, so you can encourage yourself on the tough days :)

    so glad i found you. you encourage me.

    counting my blessings today.

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  2. Two things you said were spoken so clearly to me it was almost as if God was shouting them at me:
    "Instead of claiming the freedom Christ has given me, I put shackles on my own feet and then complain about how I can't move." and "As long as I feel like I never can...I never will.
    As long as I feel like God wouldn't...He won't."
    Thank for you being an instrument of His today. I too, all too often, struggle with my self-worth and self-esteem, and today is one of those days when it's tough to even get out of bed. I am going right now to read Romans 8 and listen to Casting Crowns "Set Me Free" because it began playing in my head as I read this. You are beautiful inside and out, thank you for being my own personal Beth Moore. :)

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  3. Kristin, thank you so much for this post. I am so critical of myself on a daily basis that I forget to take a step back and see what God sees. Here lately it's been worse than normal. But you have opened my eyes. Reading Romans 8 will definitely be on my to do list for tonight. You continue to inspire me, and I thank you for that.

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  4. "Why can't God use me in a big way?

    As long as I feel like I never can...I never will.
    As long as I feel like God wouldn't...He won't."

    These words leapt right off of this screen and into my heart. I have been fighting my own recent battles with self-worth, self-image, and self-efficacy, and I constantly question where these things are coming from. Now, I realize that I'm binding myself to these beliefs and that God is one of the few things that can release those chains.

    I will definitely be digging into Romans 8 this evening. And giving God the praise for breaking the shackles away.

    Thank you for who you are and for sharing your story. I have been greatly blessed and forever changed because of it.

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  5. My oh my how I wish I could be closer in distance to make Tuesday! Although I'm stuck here in BG I'll be in prayer for you all.
    I have felt recently like I never see people enough to be a witness, to share testimony, or to just speak of the Lord to a soul, be them lost or saved. I have been in constant prayer for God to use me somehow, to show me what I can do for His honor and glory. And now I'm beginning to think that the devil has me believing that I'm not "a called one" or I'm too consumed with life to hear Him speak to me. I've heard him many times before, so why not now...maybe He is just waiting on His time. Which is far greater than mine.
    So during your prayers please remember this one for me, as vein as it may sound I so badly want to glorify His kingdom but feel like I'm being defeated before I ever have the chance to attempt it. Also, I am praying for your headache, how miserable you must feel dealing with that on top of everything else.
    Love, Prayers and God Bless.

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  6. You are a true child of God, keep the faith.

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  7. I would so be there if I lived a tad bit closer! I love this post. I love all of your posts. You are honest and God has big plans with you!! xoxo

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  8. Kristin may God bless you. I wanted to meet you last weekend when you were at Great Oaks, but I guess I felt a little uncomfortable. I read your blogs faithfully and prayed for Luke, you and Benson. I cried and cried for you when he went to Heaven and you had to come home to the nursery. Your words today are speaking volumes to me and I plan on reading them to Carl, my husband, when he wakes up. (He was the one in the wheelchair that sticks out like a sore thumb in a church service) We have been through our own struggles and some of what you are sharing reminds me of me, especially your previous post. Anyway, as another sister in Christ I pray that many, many lives will be changed and set free by your willingness to be used by the Lord and share your heart and your faith in God. There are so many women who need encouragement. I hope you will continue to post things like this. You'll probably never know how many people's lives you will touch through this blog. In Christian love, Sherri Johnson

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  9. Once again you speak out to me. You are reaching out to so many people everyday, being a living testimony.

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  10. Kristin,
    Good luck with your Tuesday night group! If anyone can do it, you can! I wish I wasn't 10 hours away but, know I am there in spirit. I will be praying that the Lord does wonderful things for you women! You are doing such an amazing thing in Campbellsville and I know it will grow into something hugh in the name of the Lord!
    Cassi

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  11. I've never met you, but you don't know how much you have touched my life. I started reading your blog to pray for the two of you and your blessed baby. I keep coming back and getting filled because of your wonderful testimony to our awesome God. My words just can't tell you how much you have impacted my life. I'll pray for your headaches. And...when you're speaking on the Women of Faith tour, I'll be in the audience to hear you! :) I'm now going to read Romans 8. Thank you for sharing--you've certainly blessed my life in more ways than you know.

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  12. Kristin, I love, love, love your posts. They inspire me to become a better child in Christ, better mom, and a better wife. I can only imagine what you and your family have been thru, but I can tell you that you are truly a blessing from God! I truly believe that you could be the next Beth Moore, which I love!!!! You have such a gift for words, words that comfort others and make others want to become closer to our Mighty Saviour! Wishing you the greatest of Blessings.

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  13. Kristin, you ROCK, my sistah! You and Benson are true rock stars for Christ! Your gifts continue to inspire us all. Our God is using you in more ways than you guys realize. Quick question-Since so many of us cannot make it to the Tuesday night group, how do you feel about posting what y'all discuss so we can all grow and you learn as you go along? Thoughts?

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  14. Tracey - that is a great idea! I will definately do that.

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  15. I too have never met you, nor do I know you. But I pray for you and Benson and I prayed so hard for little Luke. I will be praying for your headaches and reading Romans 8 as well. I love reading your blogs and I check back everyday to see what else you have posted. I love when you're so honest about bad days. We should all admit our "raw material" more often because life isn't perfect. Being a preacher's wife I tend to try to put on a perfect persona in order to look strong in the Lord, but really, it's good to be knocked down to our knees. We're in the perfect position to pray! Please post what is said in your meeting! Thank you for sharing your life with us! I can totally see you on the "Women of Faith" tour!

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