Resemblance

So. I've had absorption on the brain. Absorbing Truth into our DNA instead of consuming it. Allowing it to totally change who we are and how we operate, what we look like instead of just momentarily relishing its sweetness on our palates. I guess that was the most salient point for me from our first Tell the Truth session on Monday night. And here's the thing I keep coming back to - practically, how do we absorb Truth? How do we do that? The idea of it is of no use to us if we don't know how to act on it. In my own personal study time I just began Beth Moore's To Live is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul. And the first few days of homework explore what life would have been like for a Hebrew boy. Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21 would have been posted on the doorframe of his home:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deut 6:4-9

By the age of thirteen, he would have memorized vast amounts of Scripture and would wear certain passages in a leather cube strapped to the middle of his forehead and on his left arm. God's Word ever on his mind and close to his heart. Without a doubt, the Hebrews had Truth coursing through their veins.

So here's question numero uno for you: What does that look like for us? Please share very specific ideas that you have tried or plan to try to allow Truth to soak bone deep in you.

Secondly, I would love to hear what God is doing in you this week. How is He making himself known to you? What are you hearing from Him? What is He repeating to you? Margaret Feinberg calls that the Sacred Echo...

If you are participating in Tell the Truth, please read back over Monday night's lesson in your workbook - giving God the chance to drive home any points that I may have bungled in the delivery.

I, for real, cannot wait to hear from you, so jump on in and do your thing! Rock on, sweet friends...

Connect the Dots

I have written and will be teaching a women’s study entitled, Tell the Truth: Getting Real about Being the Real Deal (get the scoop here). As a teacher, all I know to teach is what Jesus has taught me:

For fifteen years after my real deal salvation experience, my relationship with Jesus had very little effect on how I lived my life. During some seasons I attended church regularly. Even read my Bible. But my heart wasn’t different. My thoughts and attitudes weren’t different. My choices weren’t different. How is it that there could be such a disconnect between my beliefs and my reality?

Ten years ago, I began to cooperate with Him and discovered that He wanted far more for me than I ever wanted for myself (John 10:10). You see, I think you and I can so easily allow the trappings of this world to distract us from God’s best. Just like in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-23) where the thorns (“the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth”) choke the life out of God’s Word in our lives, rendering it unfruitful. Unproductive. Ineffective.

That has been my story.

And sometimes it still is.

So now I am highly flammable about sharing the truth about how stinkin’ excellent life is with Him! The world would have us believe that life as a follower of Christ is less, diminished, boring, and restrictive. I beg to differ. I beg to tell the Truth.

And my approach isn’t fluffy and pink. It’s probably more like a good strong cup of coffee. My aim is to be real and present Truth that connects the dots between what we believe and how we live.

Life is gritty.

The Bible is true.

Jesus is real.

Women are strong.

Let’s do this thing! I would love for you to join me!

*If you are planning to register for the study (you can do that here), please do so by March 20 to ensure that you have a workbook on the first night. We will be printing a few extras for those who register after the 20th...