Priscilla Shirer's Blog, page 69

Perplexed

Perplexed.  . . but not despairing
(2 Cor. 4:8)

This Sunday, I learned that being perplexed is not only normal but to be expected in the life of a believer. I was so grateful to hear that since much of my life seems to be a mystery right now.
There are several issues that I really do wish God would give me directions about. AND I'd like them to be clear and specific - given on a heavenly bull horn that resonates in a divine tone that is unmistakable. But this isn't happening right now and according to the Apostle Paul, it's alright. Apparently, being perplexed is normal, even natural sometimes.
Despite our persistent desire to know every detail as to why God is doing something and intricate information about how He is doing it, He often chooses only to give us little bits of insight at a time. We have to choose whether to appreciate what we've been given and walk obediently and confidently in it or languish in despair over that which is still not clear and become paralyzed by worry and concern.

What if God has chosen to give you and I a certain measure of obscurity in our circumstances because it is the best gymansium in which our faith can be strengthened. According to Paul, knowing it all is not always best for you. . .or for me. So, God often chooses to allow us to look at life with a raised eyebrow that furrows our brow and say, "What in the World?".
Then, instead of answering, He just keeps controlling the world and our lives in it.

That's why Paul says we can be perplexed without falling into despair. Because a godly perplexity is cushioned by a secure hope in the sovereignty and safety of God.

Perplexed about something today? Don't despair my friend. 
You might not be sure about much but can be confident in Him.

Priscilla

My Girls

Last night my 3 best friends in Dallas and I met at one of our favorite Greek restaurants. These were the girls that I lived with this past year up until a month ago. Dara got married on July 7 and moved in with her hubby down the street, Jenny has moved to Waco to start a discipleship training school with our church and Kristin and I are still in the same spot on Berwyn Ln. 

Jenny has had to come to Dallas every Tuesday of this month for work, so we've made Tuesdays our official "Berwyn Dinner Dates". I think those sitting around us must have thought we were crazy because we were talking one million miles per hour in between bites of hummus, greek salad and lamb kabobs, getting caught up on all the recent happenings in each of our lives. Dara was telling us about what marriage has looked like in a months time... Jenny filled us in on her new home, transitioning to a new smaller city and her hopes about investing in this discipleship school, we asked Kristin a ton of questions about a guy she has been hanging out with (that's what friends do, right? =) ) and me.... well, there's so much change happening in my life that at this point we are just praying for God's vision and direction to be clear. 

I love these 3 friends with my whole heart. I grew more living with them in 10 months than I have in 3 years. It was actually quite messy at times - a TON of fun - but not always easy. This past year will go down in the books as one of my least favorite years of my life. Not because of them or because of our living situation, but because it was the most refining thing I've been through so far - and life through a ton of curve balls at me.

When you live with 3 best friends, and such quality of people like these girls, there's an invitation to learn to love like you never have before AND to deal with all of your junk. And that is exactly what happened for me. Linnae was on display for them to see and it wasn't pretty =)

Last night, though - was a celebration. A celebration of how God has so beautifully brought Dara, Jenny, Kristin and I to a perfect spot where God is going to use this past year of our lives to bring about His Kingdom and His glory. They stuck with me, hopefully I loved them well, had crazy amounts of fun, learned a ton . . . and now there is this invitation for us to join God for the next adventure. We are hopefully more equipped to go into the world even more confident of who we are created to be and how God wants to co-labor with us in letting others see how much He loves them. 

All because of community - loving those in closest proximities to us. It's important - How you love those that are with you the most.

I wonder if you have friends like this in your lives? People that you let in all the way so that you don't have to live this life on your own. And people who you love without condition. If you do, I'd love to hear about them today! If not, get excited because you can begin to ask God for community and I just bet you that He will surprise you way more than you can imagine. 

Thankful for community today! Can't wait to hear about yours!

Linnae

Ham Eggs Cups

For the past few weeks I have challenged myself in a few areas of my life that needed my immediate attention. One area in particular was so massive that it overflowed into other areas of my life and began to negatively affect my total  being. The area is.....

My. Diet. 

My lovely friend Annetta just posted an awesome and extremely convicting blog post about this very topic, so if you haven’t checked it out, hop on over there and dive in!

My diet was horrible y’all and I have a very small confession to make, but before I do, I am going to walk on over to the “no judgement zone”.........for the past two years that I have been in seminary, I have used my oven/stove ONCE and it was to cook eggs. The fact of the matter is, I was eating out every single day. Can you imagine? I sure hope somebody can and that I’m not all by myself on this one. 

But, as my clothes grew tighter, my energy level dropped to an all time low, along with my bank account, I decided to make some drastic changes and guess what y’all???

I HAVE STARTED COOKING!!!

Those are words that I never thought I would say with so much enthusiasm. I mean really, these past few days have been so amazing! I have been looking up recipes and trying new things and taking pictures of my lovely meals and it has been so much fun! 

There is one recipe that I must share with you!!! It is so easy to make and I promise that you, your kids and your family will love it! 

Ham Egg Cups

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Using a muffin pan, place one slice of ham or turkey inside of the muffin cup. Sprinkle a little seasoning on the ham. Crack one egg inside of the cup and season to your liking. You can also place any other ingredients on the egg, such as red, green bell peppers, ect. Place in oven for 10 to 15 minutes and this is what you will find waiting for you......

 

 

 

Are there any healthy recipes that you love and would like to share? Please do because I need some motivation to keep this cooking thing going! 

I hope you’re having a great day!

Antrenette

P.S I am so proud of one meal in particular that I cooked this week and I must share the pictures with you:)

 

Unconventional Quiet Time

You may already know that I'm a bit of a runner. Not a serious runner - you know those kinds - they have perfect form, never stop to walk uphill and appear to be light and effortless in their pace. Nope, my running is heavy-footed and painstaking. I stop to walk as soon as I sense the slightest incline in the road and I pant heavily the entire time.

Maybe one day I'll be a "real" runner.

Until then, I guess I'll keep doing the best I can. . . and the best I can do right now is walk. 
You heard me. I'm a walker now instead of a jogger. A knee injury has kept me from putting the kind of pressure on my joints that jogging demands so I've turned to walking at a fast pace. I'll admit that I felt a bit dejected when I realized that running would have to take a back seat in my regimen. It's been my go-to exercise for the past 9 years.

But now I walk.

I've gotta tell you, I'm starting to get addicted to my new favorite exercise. It's still a great workout without all of the "I-can't-wait-until-this-is-over" feeling that I have sometimes when I run. When I walk I can actually enjoy the scenery around me, take in the fresh scent of the morning and. . .for the first time in my exercising life. . .listen to a great podcast or worship to uplifting music.

Only serious runners can run and worship at the same time. I've had a few stints when I've been able to pull it off, but most of the time I'm too focused on frantically trying to catch my breath to talk to Jesus  - about anything other than helping me not to die . . . from lack of oxygen. . . .out here on this road. . . while running up this steep, never ending incline.

So, this walking time has become a sweet time for me - a time to really reflect and listen. It has been a cleansing time that I've been enjoying. 
I know it's an unconventional way to have a quiet time but it's working for me right now.

How have you been spending time with God lately?
Priscilla

Cupcake Control

Ug.  I.  Hate.  Diets.  

I'm not abnormal in this, am I?  I just have this desire to eat as much sugar as I want and be lazy all at the same time.  Lazyness + Gluttony = abnormally large Annetta.  And if I'm honest with myself, it also "='s" sin.  Ouch.  That hurts.  Sin.  My unwillingness to be a good steward of the body He's given me is....sin?  

At the root of it all is this desire to do what I want to do.  I think I should be able to eat homemade red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and still look like Lolo Jones (I was SO gutted for her when she didn't medal...#TEAMLOLO).  I also think, as I am a woman and need more iron, that I should be able to down a double-cheeseburger and feel legit about the "healthy" caloric intake.  Meanwhile, if I get home and feel tired, I just wanna lie down and watch my favorite program or chat with the roomies over an all-evening feast of leftovers that we so generously share.  Right? 

So...a double cheeseburger isn't wrong.  A cupcake isn't sin.  And for those screaming "MODERATION ANNETTA!!" know that I hear you..and my passionate "all-in" personality attests, I'm working on the "moderation" bit.  But until I've got that bit down...let's start with what this is really about: Control.  In my life, there are so few things that I really, truly, clean-cut, get to call the shots on.  Most questions of job, friends, church, ministry, etc., are determined by wisdom, opportunity and God appointments.  But food?  It's an easy issue to control.  I get to decide if I'm gonna eat that 3 layer chocolate cake, when and where.  And you better believe that I'm not listening when the angel perched on my shoulder whispers "probably not best for your waistline Annetta!"  But when The Holy Spirit recently pointed out what was going on, I stopped dead in my tracks.  This was just one more way for me to honor and listen to The Lord in my life.  This was one more area that I had not relinquished control to Him in.  Just one more place that I still had to "give up" so He could make that area shine like Him...

Maybe it's weird to you that I'm aligning food with His will.  Maybe your control issue is time...you want to do what you want to do when you want to do it and you will NOT give up...etc., et al."  Maybe your control issue is what your down-time looks like...you feel convicted about a program you're watching or a book you're reading, but you don't wanna turn it off or put it away.  You murmer "this is how I RELAX and He wants me to have peace and rest!" as an excuse.  Or maybe your control issue is a little better hidden...maybe it's something that you hide from your friends or your husband.  Whatever your "control" button is today...I'm praying He helps you release it to Him today.  It's only when we allow Him to dictate how we live that we truly live a life worth living.

Now.  I'm gonna' go chomp on some celery and ask Him when I've waited long enough to have that cupcake leftover from lunch.  :)

You are loved!

annetta 

It's All About Your Perception

Hey There!

Glad to talk to you "in person" today.

Click play and let's chat!

I look forward to hearing from you today!

 

(Video Link)

So, how has your ELEVATION changed your PERCEPTION?

Priscilla

Feasting on the Word

The church that I attend here in Dallas has decided to make August a month of specifically "feasting on the Word". Our Pastor, Jordan Ogden, rolled out the idea to us right at the end of July and encouraged us to join him. He suggested we might remove some things in our lives for the month that take up a lot of time, and instead dedicate however long that may be to reading the Bible - no specific book or passages - just whatever we wanted to read. 

I was completely excited about the idea myself and have jumped in as much as I can. I can honestly say that I feel more connected with God throughout the day because of it and am more aware of what He is doing around me. It's amazing to me how God's Word really does give us LIFE! 

Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 

As we are approaching the start of another school year and summer is coming to an end, I invite you to join me these last 18 days to specifically feast on the Word of God. A little extra time has certainly gone a long way for me and I'm confident it will be the same for you as well! 

Let me know if you're with me! Happy Monday!

The Other Side

Last night one of my friends invited a group of people over to our pastor's house for a very important "meeting" that she wanted to have.

This friend has been through a lot of hard things in her life. One in particular began happening to her at a very young age and lasted for years. It was something that couldn't be talked about, couldn't be dealt with, and she was left to stuff it inside for years and years. It was the path her life had taken, unchosen and unwanted, with no one to share in the pain.

Self hatred, shame, confusion about love and unrest were just some of the few miseries that plagued my friend until just recently. After a long battle, everything came to the surface and justice was paid. It was no longer a secret and the culprit who caused so much pain for so many years finally received their punishment. 

As we gathered last night in the living room, my friend read to us her story that she had put to paper... the journey through her pain to freedom. The details were at some points hard to hear and there was not a dry eye by the end of it all. But it was something that she needed to do: to share it, remember it, and then leave it behind as she begins this new chapter in life. 

I can't get out of my head the last words she shared with us. After hearing about the years of hardship she endured, her closing sentiments were something like as follows:

"I would not change one thing about what I have been through. You see, I have come to know the love of my Father like I never would have known before. He has taken my tears, wiped them away, and replaced them with a joy unexpressable. I can't quite explain it, but He has healed me and I never would have thought I'd be able to say it . . . but I'm finally on the other side." 

Goodness! Do you know today that there is another side? Have hope today, my friends. It will not be like this forever! You, too, will walk on The Other Side.

Linnae

A Disco Ball... A Night Club... And A Church

"Mom, is that a disco ball!”
 
I looked up at the shimmering sphere hanging over our heads as we walk towards the front of the room and smiled. Yes, it was a disco ball and it was hanging right in the center of a room where I’d be speaking in just a few minutes.
My family and I had been intrigued when we’d pulled up to a New York City night club and walked in to find all the things you might expect inside the darkened auditorium – raised bar counters, light fixtures illuminated by dim red light bulbs, high stools, a couple massive chandeliers and, yes, a disco ball. This building, shifty and sinister on most nights of the week, housed the church that met here every single weekend.
 
For each of the 7 Sunday services and the 2 back-to-back women’s events on Tuesday evening, it was completely filled. Folks waited outside for a couple hours to get in and then filed onto the dance floor-turned sanctuary on the bottom floor. They sat in every folding chair that had been set out while the remaining hundreds – undeterred by unavailable seats - stood behind them on the back half of the floor for the entire service. Others climbed the stairs to the top floor and sat at the counter that lined the upstairs banister. More stood behind them; shoulder to shoulder with each other.
 
When the building was filled to capacity and beyond, anyone who hadn’t gotten in was given a ticket for first entry into the next service. Not one of those tickets was unused. Everyone who got a ticket waited patiently for the next service to begin. Nearly 5000 people in all went in and out of those nightclub doors before the weekend was over.
 
No space under the disco ball was untouched. People were everywhere – against walls, in corners, on the floor, even in the lobby of the club where they were unable to see the actual stage or anyone who would be on it that night. Men, women, boys and girls came in their skinny jeans and tank tops, flip-flops and sundresses and leggings with trendy blousy tops. Some had skin that was pierced or tattoed and some had hair cut and dyed in the most daring of ways.
 
The deep bass of eclectic music punctuated with lyrics celebrating God boomed loudly through the air and strobe lights blasted out from the sides of the platform. It looked and sounded like a club. . . .except it wasn’t.
Not tonight.
Not with this crowd and their intentions.
 
Folks squeezed in next to each other, smiled and then made more room even when there wasn’t any. They grabbed whatever stray papers they could find and turned them into fans to cool their faces.
It was hot.
But, no one left. The lack of comfort didn’t dissuade any of these persistent souls from leaning in with eager expectation. The atmosphere was charged with an all-too-rare excitement and raw spiritual passion that was palatable. It was clear that these people hadn’t come to see each other or just to hear a speaker. They had come to hear and see God and fellowship with His body – the Church – even if the only place they could find to meet, in the high-priced real estate island of Manhattan, was a nightspot.
But this nightspot was now a holy spot where they could come as they were, be accepted and loved and meet the One who had changed them from the inside out.
 
Many of them, you see, have only just met Him. Over 1200 each week have come to know Christ as Lord in this night-club-church. Rescued from addictions and lifestyle choices that could have ruined their lives (or may have already), they are now in a passionate love affair with the Savior of their souls. They don’t have time to play church or have patience for those who do. They aren’t as interested in the aesthetics of the building as they are the state of their souls. They don’t need pews or carpet, crucifixes or hymnals, pipe organs or stain glass windows. In fact, those very traditional things might just be the undoing of a place like this.
Somehow, the dark corners, strobe lights and dance floors make people – including me – feel welcome.
And free.
So, we all came just the way we were without prejudice or pretense to meet Him underneath that silver, glistening disco ball.
 
My family and I were stunned and delighted by everything – the unique setting and the unique unspoiled enthusiasm by those gathered.
Somehow, despite the sweat rolling down my brow, I was refreshed.
Refreshed by the worship reverberating off the walls.
Refreshed by the sight of tattoed arms raised in radical praise to God.
Refreshed by a satiating hunger that made standing and fanning only a minor inconvenience to deal with.
Refreshed by the sense of anticipation that filled the room when the Word was opened.
 
This was passion – a passion this church girl from the buckle of the Bible belt needed to see and feel and experience.
Thank you Lord for showing it to me . . . .at church, under a disco-ball, in a night club.
Priscilla

The 3 Types of Relationships

These last few weeks I have been in decision mode. I had a few open doors that presented themselves around the same time and honestly, they all were appealing, so I literally found myself at a true crossroad. 

Not wanting to make the wrong decision, I prayed and asked the Lord to show me His ways, lead me in His path and teach me His truth (Psalm 25:4) and boy did He do just that! One way that He chose to speak to me was through a few wise women that He has placed in my life. I was leaving church one Sunday and I was overwhelmed with emotions and so confused as to what direction to take and the Lord placed one woman in particular that I call, “Auntie”, on my heart. So I called her on a moments notice and without hesitation she said, “Come on over”!  I raced over to her house and was excited to hear and receive whatever the Lord placed on her heart to share with me. 

We sat and talked for hours and the entire time I was on the edge of my seat....listening....leaning in and grabbing hold to every word that came out of her mouth. At the end of our conversation she prayed for me and I left feeling relieved, at peace and comforted in such a genuine way. 

As I was driving home I began thanking the Lord for her and the other women that He has placed in my life that pour into me and He immediately placed a question on my heart that kind of threw me for a loop.....

“Are you currently being that “woman” to someone else?” 

I was quickly reminded of something that our fabulous boss, Mr. Jerry Shirer, shared with us GB girls during one of our staff meetings. He said that there are 3 types of relationships that we should all have in our lives: people that we feed, people that feed us and people that we eat with. 

People that we feed: These are the people that the Lord has placed in our lives that we are responsible for feeding. This means pouring into them on a consistent basis, listening to them, being available for them, interceding on their behalf, and cheering them on as they seek to be fully as God created them. 
People that feed us: These are the people in our lives that we can go to at any given time to seek Godly wisdom. People that you know won’t lead you astray and that have your best interest at heart. People that you can trust. People that have, “been there”. 
People that we eat with: These are the people that you feed and they also feed you. They are on the same page as you, so to speak; you are doing life and living in community with them. They are most likely the people you see the most.

So, in doing a quick assessment of all of the relationships in your life.....Do you currently possess these 3 types, and if not, which one are you missing? Which type of relationship do you primarily occupy? Do you think that having all 3 is important? Why or why not?

Antrenette