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Movie Review: Chonda Pierce Unashamed

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I am a big fan of Chonda Pierce! When the opportunity came to see her new film before it comes out in theaters, I had to jump on it. My favorite thing about her is the down to earth way she looks at the world, along with her honesty about the struggles she deals with in life. If you don’t know much about Chonda Pierce, she is a Christian stand-up comedian, who has had a pretty rough life. Like many comedians, she uses the tragedies of her past as a springboard to some of her best material.

Her newest movie, Unashamed, is a great opportunity for women to unwind, laugh, cry, and think. Throughout the movie, she talks, in her own endearing and often hilarious way, about how important it is to live out our faith, regardless of the pushback from society. She interviews several prominent Christians, including the Benham Brothers, Mike Huckabee, and others about their experiences with the consequences of living out their faith.

Unashamed is going to be coming to select theatres on May 7th and 9th at 7 pm. This would be a great movie to take your mom or grandmother (or possibly both) to and celebrate Mother’s Day a few days early! While you are at it, don’t forget to enter here by May 6th to win an 8 disc Chonda Pierce Comedy collection to keep mom laughing through Mother’s Day.

The Vital Importance of the Backstory

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I teach high school Algebra and as we enter into testing season, I spend a lot of time teaching kids how to interpret graphs and dissect word problems. One of the things I repeat over and over is to pay attention to the backstory of the graph or word problem. By the time I receive them as freshmen, many have developed a very bad habit of skipping the backstory and just looking at the equation. That can be a huge issue when the wording is what really tells a story about what we are looking for. I end up having to un-train that bad habit all year long. Time and time again, we will go over a problem many students missed on a test and I will ask them, did you actually read it? Sadly, the answer is continuously a resounding “No”.

Backstories are not only important in Algebra problems, they are also vitally important in life. Each one of us has a backstory to tell. Whether it is the brokenness of the home we are raised in, the prejudices we have inherited from our families, or even something positive like being raised in a family who served others on a continuous basis, we all have a past that shapes who we are today. Some is a blessing, some tends to feel more like a curse. That backstory affects every part of our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. The backstories of those around us also play out in the way they treat us and others. Now, the things of our past should never be an excuse to mistreat others, however, if we become more aware of what those around us have experienced, we may learn to understand them better.

As a brand new teacher, I would get so frustrated at students who didn’t do their homework, showed up late to class constantly, or who maybe fell asleep in class. However, as time has gone one I have learned to find out a little more about what is causing those things. Sometimes those students have absolutely no reason to not do what is expected, sometimes they have a very good reason. Just as an example, I have found out that a student who is tardy nearly every day is running late because they (as a 15 year old girl) are responsible to not only get their 4 or 5 year old sister up and dressed, but also have to take them to school every day. I once had a Junior who would doze off during class, I found out that he worked every night until 10:30 and had a girlfriend that was going to be having a baby. Backstories are important. Now, I never let students use them as a crutch to not do work. I will, however, meet them in the middle and be more willing to work with them, if they are honest with me and put in the effort to make things right.

It needs to be the same with adults. Before we automatically judge the actions of others, we ought to find out the reasons for those actions. Whether it is our boss requiring something new of us, a coworker who didn’t get done what they said they would do, or someone coming across as rude in line at the grocery store, would it really hurt to ask the reason why something happened before making a snap judgement? One of the hardest things to do when dealing with a difficult person or situation is to continue to love them through it. This can be especially true when we don’t agree with that person even after finding out the backstory. However, we are commanded to love no matter what.

 “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:9-10 NIV

Sincere love can be incredibly difficult when the other person is not exactly lovable. My prayer is that you, and I, will learn how to love those people and show them the kind of honor that will draw them to the cross.

Life Lessons of a Farm Kid

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When you grow up around livestock, life lessons just come with the territory. Whether it’s the joy of seeing a brand new baby born or the sadness of seeing an animal die, farm kids just learn lessons at a younger age than most other kids. This is no more true for my girls than it was a couple of weeks ago.

The miracle of life will never cease to amaze me. Whether it is my own children (even if they do drive me crazy from time to time), or a newborn animal, it makes you realize how miraculous life really is.  What has been even more of a blessing than anything else is being able to see my girls experience all those things.

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I love watching my girls jump in and start to take responsibility for basic chores as they grow. My oldest daughter loves to check for eggs in the chicken coop (or in their playhouse, whichever the chickens choose to use on any given day). Her two little sisters almost always follow suit, sometimes resulting in a broken egg or two. All three love to help daddy whenever they can, right now it has been building fence. During the spring and summer, all three love to help check for vegetables in the garden, often resulting in some vegetables knocked off the vine or pulled before they are actually ripe.

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Over the last month we have had another new responsibility added, and have had to learn a hard life lesson. During an extreme cold snap last month, several of our boer goats chose to have their babies all within the span of about 36 hours. Through a series of different circumstances, 2 of those babies ended up orphaned and needing to be bottle fed. One was on the verge of dying and ended up living in our house for over a week. She, or Hope as we named her, became a part of the family and after being a house goat for as long as she was, my girls (and I) became quite attached. Once she pulled through we moved her out with the other little orphan into their own pen. She did really well, until one of those hard life lessons hit unexpectedly. Sadly, after being out and doing well for quite a while, I found Hope dead one morning. Although we don’t know for sure what happened to her, it really didn’t matter to 3 little girls (and their mom). We were all devastated at the loss. Whether it is an old dog, a kitten, or a baby goat, that conversation never gets easier. However, my girls showed some sweet resilience. Although it wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have to have, when I broke the news to my oldest we were able to talk about death and heaven. After a good, hard cry, she made a sweet card for Hope and spent some extra time with our other orphan baby, Oliver.

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As a mother, it’s so easy to want to shield our kids from hard things. But those hard things are exactly what builds resilience and can shape their character. This isn’t just the case with the the hard stuff like the death of a pet. It is also true with the daily routine of kids learning to do chores and learning the value of hard work. I am so proud of my girls when I see how they work for their dad. They love to do the little tasks that they are able to do, and my 7 year old is turning into quite the hand.

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

This verse has always served true in my life, and I know that every hard thing my girls go through will also help them to develop the perseverance they need to reach maturity. My prayer is that their father and I will help them to learn those lessons well.

Book Review: God I Know You’re There

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As a mother of 3 girls who all love books, I am always looking for books with a good, easy to understand Christian messages in them. I was excited when I saw this book and knew I had to check it out.

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I love the idea of this book. Each page takes an aspect of our world that cannot be physically held, but we know that it is there. For instance, it talks about things like the wind, the moon, and thunder just to name a few. All of these things lead us to the fact that even if we can’t see God, we can know that He is there.

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My girls loved the rhyming pages of this book and the beautiful pictures. What I loved is that it is not hard to read, my 1st grader knew most of the words and could read it to her sister.

 

 

If you would like to enter to win your own copy of God I know You’re There go here.

App Review: Love Nudge App

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I am pretty excited to introduce you to a brand new app just in time for Valentine’s day. This is definitely not my typical review blog, but when I heard about this app, I really wanted to give it a try.

If you are familiar with the Five Love Languages that were developed by Gary Chapman (or even if you aren’t), you will want to check it out. When you first download the app, you will take a very simple quiz (that turned out spot on accurate for me) that will show you the breakdown of your love language profile. What’s really neat is that you can connect with your spouse in the app and see their love language profile. There are also resources that show you more information about each love language.

There is are places within the app where you can gauge how loved you feel each day and even set goals to show love to your spouse in creative ways (they help you out with ideas). You can even communicate with your spouse in the app.

This app definitely does not replace spending time with your spouse and communicating face to face. However, it is filled with good information and can serve as a great conversation starter.

Years ago, my husband and I went through the Five Love Languages small group study, and it was so interesting to see how as we have gotten older, our love languages have evolved. I would really encourage you and your spouse to give this app a try. Oh, and if you do you can win a Love Languages Book set (see below for link).


Download the LoveNudge App and be entered to win Dr. Gary Chapman’s #1 New York Times bestseller The 5 Love Languages®, The 5 Love Languages® for Men, AND The Love Languages Devotional Bible (hardback)! Go to https://www.blessedfreebies.com/lovenudge.html to enter and for more details

Where’s our Zeal?

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I have spent a lot of time lately reading stories of the martyrs of our faith, especially those from the times when the pages of the Bible were still being written. Some of these stories come from the pages of scripture themselves. Some are fictional retellings of those stories, or ones similar. However, regardless of the source of the story, one thing rings true for all of them; the people involved had an incredible amount of zeal.

Merriam-Webster defines zeal as an eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something. Where has the zeal gone in so many Christians today? Martyrs of our faith, both then and now, give everything, including their lives, because of the faith they hold so dearly. So many of us don’t even want to give up a lazy Sunday morning for the sake of our so-called faith, let alone a week night or entire weekend for a special event. We, and I include myself in this, fill our hours with Netflix binge watching, flipping through social media, going to kids’ sporting events, and playing video games, while at the same time  our Bibles collect dust and our churches either lose membership or have to become like those forms of entertainment in order to simply keep people coming. This should not be.

In the days of the Apostle Paul, people were literally burned alive to light the streets of Rome simply for believing in Christ. Yet, they chose to believe anyway. To them, it was worth losing everything for. Their faith was so strong that even after being forced into slavery or having the prospect of being fed to lions as entertainment in an arena, they never turned back on their faith. It is absolutely incredible to me when I think about it. If I was to get honest, it convicts me tremendously. I know there have been times in my own life that I haven’t even stood up for my faith in the company of other Christians for fear of being looked at as a “Jesus Freak” or an extremist. What a shame.

I want a real revival. Not some guy with a tent that talks funny and yells a lot. No, I want my town to be revived. I want this nation to be revived. I want to read scripture the way the ancient believers read the actual letters from the Apostle Paul. I want to hang on to every word and lock them in my mind and heart like they did. I want to be more willing to let those words impact every facet of my life. Sharper than a two edged sword. I want to know that if it cost me my very life, that I would gladly give it up. I want to be zealous like the Christians of old. My prayer is for that kind of revival to visit this nation. Let’s put more value in what we ourselves get out of our time in the Bible than what we are spoon fed by a pastor on a Sunday morning. Let’s develop a faith that mirrors that of a martyr, even in the comfort of our suburban homes.

Not Exactly What I Expected

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This is my 7th year in a classroom. Had it not been for the 1 year hiatus I took a year and a half ago, it would be my 8th. Over those 7 years I have taught at least 800 students (probably more, I’ve lost track). I have taught everything from 6th grade to 12th grade and students from all walks of life and different cultures. If you know me, you know that teaching was not really in the game plan for my life at all as a high school or college student. As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember the thought come across my mind while I walked the halls of my high school of “why would anyone want to teach a bunch of high school kids”. Oh boy, life sure does have a way of taking some odd twists and turns.

Now that I have crossed the teenager/adult threshold, I often find myself having conversations with the kids I teach about their goals and dreams. On one hand I want to encourage every single dream they have and tell them to go for it with all they have. However, on the other hand, I know the harsh realities of life and how achieving those dreams typically takes longer and costs more than you ever planned. I also know that just because you think you know what you are going to do with your life as an 18 to 21 year old high school or college student, doesn’t mean that’s how it’s going to shake out. Now, are all of those ‘harsh realities’ bad? No, I actually think the harsh realities are what builds our character, although that doesn’t make them any less harsh.

As I think back to the naive girl I was when I moved to Texas, almost 13 years ago now, I can’t help but laugh a little. I was certain that life was a whole lot cheaper than it actually is. I had no idea of the realities of medical bills, property taxes, even how drastically an electric bill can vary based on the time of year it is and how hot or cold it may be outside. I was clueless to all of those things. That’s one reason I love to teach kids as much as a I can about the real world. I wish so badly that I would have been offered a basic real world finance class in high school rather than learning it in the school of hard knocks.

Let’s just get real honest though, regardless of the class I took or who told me what amazing advice, would I have listened? Probably not. Just like almost every teenager on the face of the planet, I had to experience the hard stuff for myself to really understand. That hard stuff is what humbles us. It also develops a compassion in us for what those around us are experiencing. When you experience something hard, it gives you a unique perspective that could be very useful in helping someone else. Rather than wishing for something else, maybe we should seek what we can learn in our rough spots. Easier said than done, for sure, but no less true.

So, although I sure didn’t think my life would turn out this way, I would not change the process of getting from where I was, to where I am now. Honestly, the person I was 13 years ago, is vastly different than the person I am now. I hope I will only continue to grow, learn, and change. If I was to get even more honest, I feel bad for people who have never been stretched. It’s easy to spot a person who has never been taken out of their comfort zone. Typically they are the ones who are hard to work with because they don’t have compassion for others. They are also the people who are very judgemental and have an opinion about how you are doing something, when they have never done it themselves.

I love these verses about this very topic (emphasis added): “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” Galatians 6:1-5 NLT

So, rather than wishing life had turned out differently, lets instead embrace the craziness and use it to help others. Imagine a world when we all really did share each others’ burdens and humbly helped each other. Imagine what it would feel like to truly love others with the love that Christ has for us, and to receive that kind of love from others. What an amazing world that would be!

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Book Review: Always Enough, Never Too Much

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Anyone who knows me will agree that I tend to be incredibly outspoken and not afraid to share my opinion. Sometimes my big personality can be a bit overbearing. I often jump in when no one else speaks up. Because of that part of my personality, I often feel like I am a bit too much for people.  On the flip side of that, there is also a part of me that really wants to measure up and seeks approval. I think if we all get real honest, each one of us will fall more strongly into either the category of feeling like we are too much, or that we are not enough. If you are one of those people, this devotional is for you!

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This devotional is completely different than what you are use to. It is designed as a flip book. The first half of the book is the Always Enough section. There are fifty devotionals designed specifically for those days we may be feeling like we don’t exactly measure up. Those days when we feel inadequate or when we just don’t think we are good enough. The two authors, Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan, take turns writing unique devotionals based around a different verse each day. Here is an example:

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On the flip side (literally you have to flip the book upside down), there are devotionals written for those times we feel a little overbearing. The Never Too Much section of the book has fifty devotionals centered around different verses to remind us of how even those big, sometimes loud, parts of our personalities can be used in amazing ways in the kingdom of God. Here is a Never Too Much example (I often have no filter, which is why I picked this one):

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This is definitely a devotional that I have been enjoying and will continue to enjoy! I highly recommend checking it out. If you would like to snag a copy for free go here and enter your information. There are 5 copies up for grabs!

Believing the Best

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We live in an incredibly cynical world. It doesn’t matter who you talk to or where you look, everyone seems to have an opinion about everyone else. Sadly, those opinions are often pretty negative. We, and this includes me, are so quick to speak and slow to listen. That is a travesty. That is the complete opposite of what the Bible teaches us. In James 1:19-20 (NLT )we are told this, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”

We are called to make allowances for others. “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 (NLT). That last part is what will get you. The Lord has forgiven you, no matter what your faults may be, so you must also forgive others. I believe that forgiveness also involves believing the best in others. God does not forgive us and then keep a suspicious, doubting eye on us. No, He forgives, forgets, and has nothing but good thoughts for our futures.“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'” Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT). He never holds a grudge for your past mistakes and definitely doesn’t work against you simply because he doesn’t like you. So why do we? Why is it that we struggle so much to find the good in others, appreciate our differences, and especially believe the best about each other? Of course, a big reason is because we live in a fallen world. Ever since the days of Cain and Abel, we as humans have chosen to go down the path of bitterness, jealousy, and hate rather than being genuinely happy or excited about the successes of others.

Now, it is easier said than done to change that mindset. I can easily sit behind a computer screen and say “be forgiving and make allowances for that person who hurt you”. Unfortunately, that lasts about 5 seconds before the memories of all the hurt they have caused us come flooding in. So how do we handle that? The disciples wondered the same thing. “Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!'” Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT). I wanted to know a little more, so I dug into the original Greek word used for forgive, aphiémi. One of the definitions of this word is to let go and release. We tend to struggle with the whole concept of forgiveness, I know I certainly do. However, of all the definitions I looked at, none of them said that forgiveness means what the offender did is not wrong. Really, forgiveness is more for us than them as far as I can tell. When we release someone, that means they are no longer our responsibility. It releases us from the duty of judge, jury, and executioner.

Not all of our opinions of others are formed based on unforgiveness, yet, we often still have a hard time seeing and believing the best in others. We easily jump to conclusions about the motives of others and tend to shy away from giving the “benefit of a doubt” to each other. This is especially true among women (I only say that because I am one). We fall into competition, jealousy, and down-right mean heartedness far too often. I remember a job I had at one point where I actually quit going into the break room during lunch because every time I did I heard nothing but gossip and bad talk about other workers, including our boss. It’s an easy thing to get pulled into. I know I am far from innocent, especially when I was younger and just starting out. It is particularly prevalent when we don’t have all the information. For instance, if your boss has given you a new requirement and fails to explain the reasons, it takes no effort at all to think the boss doesn’t understand your job, is micromanaging, or possibly is just a moron. What we fail to recognize in moments like that is how important it is to give the same grace to others that we expect ourselves. I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t like to be given grace from others. So, maybe it’s time to extend it ourselves.

One of the most perspective-changing prayers I have been learning to pray over the past couple of years is “Lord, give me your eyes for this person”. It’s a tough prayer to say, because it is suddenly pretty hard to hate someone you are asking to see through God’s eyes. We are all here for a purpose, let’s make a conscience effort to support each other in that purpose, rather than tear each other down.

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT).