She has been standing all on her own for a good month or so. On July 1 she took her first single step; and last night she took six consecutive steps. But only because she was focused on the hairbow I was dangling in front of her. Today Daddy bribed her to walk by holding out a Cheetoh (really? in her new white dress? C'mon, Daddy!) and scooting backwards in his office chair so she never fully realized she was traveling any distance at all. And tonight I coaxed her to move those cute little toes by keeping the remote control just barely out of her reach. And it made me mad. Like, really really mad!
She's only a year old and the dirtbag satan is already whispering lies to her that she's not good enough! She can totally walk all on her own, but she insists on hold my hand, holding on to the couch, or just sitting on the sidelines watching her brother run faster than a hurricane. She just doesn't believe in herself! I KNOW she can do it! When I offer her my finger to hang onto, I don't offer support; my finger is as helpful as a wet noodle! But she thinks she's not good enough by herself and that she needs something to make her stronger.
Okay, I knew as a mother of a girl I'd someday have to deal with self confidence issues. But I was expecting that to be in like, I dunno, 2023?? What's up with that?!
So here's my plan. I'm going to praise the snot out of her. I'm going to tell her how God wonderfully and fearfully hand crafted her, with plans for her future, and a purpose for His glory. I'm going to tell her how I'll love her no matter what- success or failure- and that my love for her will not and cannot shrink. Even bigger than my love, God's love for her can NEVER change- He loves her more than I can even think about loving her! Shoot- I might even break out some pom-poms and busta move to build her up!
Yeah, I realize that I'm not going to do everything right. And even if I did, she will probably have bumps along the way and fall down a time or two (literally and figuratively). When she gets her first zit the day before school pictures, nothing I can say will resolve her embarassment. But I pray that never EVER will she doubt for a second that she was specially created, is deeply loved, and will forever be treasured by the King of Kings, the Great IAM, our God most high!
And friend, I want you to know the same thing! You might not think you're anything special. You've never competed in the olympics, opened for Tim McGraw, or rescued a hostage from behind enemy lines, but YOU ARE LOVED! You don't have to be someone or do anything to receive the biggest love in the world. God loves you where you are, right now! If you don't know who Jesus is, if you've never met the God I know, then go dust off your Bible and walk with me on a sweet journey.
Look up Romans 3:23. Read it outloud. Okay, again. One last time. In a nutshell, it says that everyone has sinned and that no one is good enough for God. None of us can make it into heaven (God's presence) on our own. Eek. Yikes. Ouch. **Sin is anything that misses God's mark of perfection. You can sin by doing the wrong thing (ie: lying, gossiping, lusting, etc) and you can sin by not doing the right thing (ie: not loving the hard to love/annoying people in your life, choosing to turn a blind eye to someone God wants you to help, etc)
Flip over a few pages to Romans 6:23. Read this one outloud, too. Again. And one last time. It tells us that the price tag on sin is death. Oh crud. But, thankfully, it doesn't stop there. It goes on to say that the gift of God is unending forever eternal life through Christ! Huh? Hang with me, this will make sense soon.
Lick your finger and turn a couple more pages to Romans 10:9-10. You know the drill. Read it using your best radio voice. Eh, that was weak. Try it again, but with some gusto. Better. This one tells us that to receive the gift (the one mentioned in the last verse) we have to believe in our hearts and say it with our lips that Jesus is Lord (note: not just your get-out-of-hell-free card, but your boss by choice everyday) and that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved!
Go almost to the end of your Bible. Nope, that's the index. Back up to Revelation and go to chapter 3 verse 20. One last time. Sorry, that's not true; we'll probably do this again with a few more verses. But it's worth it, I promise. It's quoting Jesus and He says that He stands at your heart's door and knocks. He wants to come into your heart to sit down and visit with you; to establish a relationship with you; to really deeply love you and be loved by you! Mmm, hmm...that's good stuff. I like it! He's not just a white bearded guy sitting on the clouds barking orders! He's a kind hearted loving Father that wants to be a part of your life and wants you to be a part of His plan!
Go back to the beginning of the New Testament to John 14:6. I won't tell anyone if you have to go to the table of contents at the beginning to find what page it's on. I still have to do that sometimes, too, and I'm been at this since I was seven! I know...I don't even have to tell you anymore to read it outloud. Oh sorry, I just did. Ever heard that saying that "All roads lead to Rome"? Well, it's simply not true. Not all religions lead to God. or heaven. or Nirvana. or a "happy place". There is only one True God, one Savior, one Holy Spirit. He is THE way to eternal life. Not "a" way, but THE way! And let me tell you, it's a great road to travel! Just like any road in life, there are bumps, potholes, and booby traps. The Bible says this road is narrow and not often traveled. But the very best thing about this road, this way of life, is that you will NEVER be alone! It will never be dark, for God promises to be a lamp for our feet and a light to our path!
If you have never chosen Christ as your Savior and you want Him to be your Lord, just take a minute. Close your eyes so that you don't get distracted by the things going on around you. Pray. Just talk to God. There is no format you have to follow or special words you have to say. Just talk. And listen. It's often said that accepting Christ is as easy as ABC. A: Admit you are a sinner. Tell God you realize you've missed His mark, and turn away from those sins! B: Believe that Jesus is God's son and that He overcame death to pay the tab on your sin-debt! C: Confess that you are choosing, right here and now, Jesus Christ as your Lord and you will here on out choose to live your life with God as your Lord!
When you open your eyes, you might not physically feel any different. You probably still have that scar on your left knee and your breath still stinks. But your heart may seem different. Like the weight of the world has been lifted from your chest. Almost like you are no longer going to be a slave! Yeah, you still gotta go to work and pay your bills every month. You might have to make some really tough decisions, but you will never be the same! You ARE good enough because Christ is enough and you are now with HIM! Like if you go to a club, you can get in because G-to-the-Zus steps out and says, "Oh, she's with me. She can come on in." Doesn't that ROCK??!
Next step: go find and tell someone. Got a Grandma that spends time with God everyday and knows about this whole God-stuff? Call her. Still have your old youth guy's number in your phone? Dial it. Don't know who to go to? Most likely if you're reading this, it's because we're friends and you're only doing it to be nice. Which also means you probably have my number. You can call me! I would love to talk to you about this huge decision you just made and pray with you! No, I won't have all the answers to your questions (the trinity just blows my mind. I'm at peace with the fact that I'll never understand it), but we can dive into God's word together and find out what He has to say!
I love you, dear friend! If you did just invite Christ into your life, I want to congratulate you on making the best decision you'll ever make! Now go and be free! And grab a doughnut while you're at it...
In Christ,
The Crazy Late Night Blogger
