#254 - REJUVENATE! Take a BREAK! :)

Proverbs 31:17 - She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm.

Ok ladies... let's get down to it. Today, let's talk about your strength level. Have you felt run down? Tired? Frustrated? Follow me on this... we're going to jump through a few word studies to really dig in and get a deeper understanding... and by the end, I really feel like the Word is going to help you. In the least, I feel like It will give you a place to start, where you can begin to come out of some of the exhaustion you may be feeling right now.

We don't typically use the word "gird" on a regular basis, so I decided to look it up to get some other definitions.... one of the 2 definitions was strengthens. To get a more firm, overall description, I checked out the synonyms as well. Here were a few of my favorites:

• secures, supports, reinforces, encompass, fortify, ready, prepares. 

Some of my favorite synonyms for strengthen included:

• bolster, empower, enhance, increase, intensify, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, support, sustain, add fuel to the fire, built up

As a mom, working woman, business owner, wife, or a woman seeking to pursue and chase God, I know you most likely have days where you feel run down, exhausted, worn out. Maybe you have those days where you'd just like to rewind time and go back to when it was simple. Maybe a day before kids? Not that you'd trade them in or anything, you obviously love them... but the days before you felt like all you were doing was wiping noses, fixing food, doing dishes, picking up spilled food from under the table, cleaning up toys, changing someones clothes again, and then fixing the next meal! Some days it seems like a never ending cycle?! Or maybe you are in the corporate world, and you are fixing their problems... maybe different than a 3 year olds, but the same thing just different. Returning email, answering questions, answering the phone, fixing problems, changing pricing, refunding money, working late, checking voicemail, talking to your boss, analyzing your numbers, and the list goes on. 

All the more reason this is for you!!!

Let's check out our verse again, you are going to LIKE the outcome!!! A break is in store for you!!! Get excited!!

As we look at the life of the Proverbs 31 woman, I don't know about you, but for me if I just read about who she is & what she does, it could DEFINITELY be overwhelming! Here she is this perfect person, doing everything, making money, traveling afar to get food for her house, waking up early, staying up late.... I mean really, when does this perfect woman sleep?!? And GOD, I'm suppose to be like her?!? I'm exhausted already, how can I do more?? --- Does that sound like the conversation you have with God when you consider this Proverbs 31 woman? Well, lets dive into some good news!! :) 

In the past, I viewed Proverbs 31:17 from a fitness perspective. I always focused on the later part of the verse, "girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong and firm." So, "Great," some of you may be thinking, "Not only am I suppose to do all this other stuff, but I'm ALSO suppose to work out and attempt to get buff arms?! Who has time for that? I'm already not sleeping if I'm attaining to be this woman!" 

Let's plug in a few of the synonyms that we looked up... 

• Proverbs 31:17 - She girds herself in strength...
• She rejuvenates herself in strength... 
• She prepares herself renewed...
• She fortifies herself being built up...
• She adds fuel to the fire for herself being rejuvenated ...

Take a snapshot. Run down. Tired. Worn out. Going every day. There is never a break for mom. Always more to do. Things to be done. Laundry. Food. Dishes. 

How can you add fuel to the fire and be rejuvenated? What are some things that rejuvenate you??? I can think of a list of things for me. Let's start out... you list out yours... but here are a few things that rejuvenate me:

• Going to see a movie by myself (without kids) .... or with my husband.
• Watching a good chick flick on netflix. Maybe in sweats and a sweatshirt, on my laptop, in my bed, eating popcorn. Hummmm..... a few favorites.... The Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia, Letters to Juliet
• Taking a bubble bath. 
• Doing a CRAFT project. Maybe something I saw on Pinterest (things that I typically wouldn't do because I would consider them unproductive, frivolous, extras)
• Writing.
• Working on a scrapbook. 
• Sitting in a coffee shop by myself. :) 

Those are just a few for me. Well, our PROVERBS 31 WOMAN, this Perfect picture of a woman, She actually TOOK TIME FOR HERSELF!!!

Those of you who know me, know that Tyler and I both take ONE day a week where it is our Day of Rest. On that day, we rejuvenate! For Tyler, his "rejuvenating" looks like a documentary.... (arghhhh, just the word documentary practically puts me to sleep!). To me, rejuvenating, means unwinding my brain and sewing something for Trinity or making a headband for me, doing a craft project for my home, watching a movie, getting out by myself! 

We also know that God Himself, worked 6 days and rested ONE! Tyler and I have worked it into our schedule that we work 6 days and rest 1. We REJUVENATE 1 day out of the week! Now... some weeks it isn't perfect, it may be a 1/2 day. Or maybe it doesn't work out for Tyler to have the kids, so I still have to be "mom" and feed people. But even on those "unperfect" Day of Rests (DOR's), I still do fun, restful thing. Maybe I veg-out and watch a movie while the kids nap. Maybe they play outside while I read on a blanket. Even on the "unperfect" DOR's.... we still make it work. Instead of fixing dinner (aka: mom working), we may go to Cici's where kids eat free! I don't have to cook, so I get a break... and it's a break of the normal routine! 

MOM's - YOU being rejuvenated is IMPORTANT for YOU! Your health! Your husband! Your kids! Your spiritual walk! Your dreams being accomplished! I've tried it both ways! I've tried it working 7 days a week, never taking a break or breather, 365! And I've tried it rested. Getting 1 day/week where I mentally take off, and 6 days of working. I can tell you, from experience, when I am rested from that 1 day, I accomplish MOUNDS more on the other 6 days! On my DOR, I can plan, evaluate my goals, talk to God, dream about where I'm going. 

So.... 

PERMISSION GRANTED... obviously check for yourself .... but, mom's (and dad's...and non-parents)... take a DAY OFF! :) Biblical, from what I read, I say YES, ABSOLUTELY. If you're spouse can't give you a complete day off... that's ok, take it anyways. If they are not going to participate, let them know YOUR plan. "Honey, today, I'm taking a DOR. Pizza for dinner tonight. I'm not cleaning, cooking, or doing anything that looks like work. I'm going to REST. And tomorrow, I'll hit the ground RUNNING! Being rejuvenated and ready to TACKLE our dreams and goals (and laundry!)!" 

Rejuvenate. 

xoxo!

(OK.... kids are awake now! My apologies for not going through to spell-check! Thanks for your grace if there are grammatical errors!)

 

 

An excerpt from, "Fairytales Do Come True"...

Good morning friends! :) As many of you know, I have written a book entitled, "Fairytales Do Come True." After writing this fiction book, for a year or more I put it down. I was not ready to begin to dig back through it in order to get it editor and publisher ready. I needed a break. I needed to step away. 

Well, over the last few months, I have picked it back up to get it editor ready. I am currently on page 81 of editing this 191 page book..... around 80,000 words. Before sharing this excerpt, here is a quick description of the book. 

Newly saved, college sophomore enters into a relationship that can only be described as missionary dating. In her attempts to see Rick saved, she is ultimately drug down into a pit of decision. At an all-time low in her new Christian walk, does she choose to give up all of her newfound, passionate beliefs for Rick? Or does she choose the path of God, and go on her scheduled mission trip to England? Could God really redeem her from messing up? From her mistakes, even more, the mistakes she has made as a new Christian? Would she ever be worthy of a real man after God's own heart? Or will her past of guilt & condemnation keep her from experiencing God's very best for her life?

I'm in the process of changing the main characters name... wanna help?? Needs to be able to end with a "y" or "i"..... My top picks I'm considering are: Gaby/Gabi, Abby/Abbi, Kelly/Kelli .... feel free to tell me what you think! :) 

Anyways... here's the excerpt from part of what I edited today.... 
__________________

The last notes played and great applause filled the arena. The drama team waited just a moment before exiting the platform. Laura’s pastor came to the microphone and thanked COI for such an amazing drama performance. He offered another round of applause for the Americans and Canadians who had come over with COI in order to minister to their town. A great applause went up through the arena and he invited up David as the next speaker. 

I was surprised to see him walking up onto the stage. Whoa. David had a lot of surprises I didn’t know about. I just found out he was amazing at acting, and now he was going to speak?! My interest was now even more sparked. David began to talk. I sat in the stands in a bit of shock. “Wow, this guy is quite talented.” I thought. ‘Mr Congeniality’ sure did have his way of surprising me, I was noticing. He took me off guard. Upon meeting him, I had no intentions of liking him. Where I referred to him in my mind as Mr. Congeniality, he was now becoming David, and a very appealing David at that.

I was amazed at his ability to communicate with the audience. He had us all hanging on every word. Hanging on the very next word that was going to come from his mouth. It was breathtaking. He began to share about his relationship with a Savior, a Savior who had went and suffered, and died so that he could have life. A Savior who had given up everything for him, for us. He told us of a Savior, a Savior full of love who had a desire to have a relationship with each of us. He accounted out the details of what Jesus went through on His journey to the cross. The torture, & betrayal. Beating Him with the cat of nine tails, not just a common whip, but these tails had charred glass woven into their leather-like braids. Jesus received each of the 39 lashes across his back, while the tails  were tearing the very flesh from parts of His body. 

To hear about what Jesus went through made me cringe. I could hardly believe it myself, that Jesus did this for me, He endured it for me. I wasn’t sure that I could handle even one lash from such a horrific object. I felt almost queasy. 

He continued sharing that Jesus was an innocent man. A crown of thorns had been beaten onto his head, blood rolling down his cheeks from the sharp thorns piercing his scalp. As David described what Jesus went through, he explained that it was for US. Jesus went through all this pain as an innocent man, so that we could be saved and forgiven of our sins. Through our confession and belief in what Jesus did for us, we could be saved. His sacrifice would give us the opportunity to enter into heaven when we died. All we had to do was make the decision. All we had to do was choose Him. Choose to believe. Choose to follow. Choose to trust. Choose to put our hope in Jesus. 

Passion filled David’s face. A yearning encompassed his expression. His face was enveloped with an agony of desire as his words grabbed us like a hook. His words tugged at the hearts of everyone who was in listening distance. The gymnasium was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. The air was thick and heavy. You could feel it. You could feel it’s thickness. You could feel the hearts that were heavy and you knew that today would be the day of salvation for many. 

The band began to softly play worship music in the background, and the mood was one that pulled you in. Pulled you into Jesus. A longing to come was there before there was even an invitation. There was a feeling in the air that people were ready to do whatever they needed in order to meet this Jesus. 

David closed, “Today is the day for you to receive Jesus. Today is the day for you to meet Him, to receive Him as your Lord and Savior. If today you are saying, ‘I want to meet Jesus. I want to have Him in my life’ then I’m going to invite you to come down here now. I’m going to invite you to get up out of your seat and come down front. We are going to pray together. I’m going to lead a prayer to allow you to invite Jesus to come into your life. If that is you, if I have been talking to you, I’m inviting you to come. Come down now. Come down and meet Jesus. Get up out of your seats and come.”

I noticed the first person who stood up, it was a thin young man. He was in the bleachers and began running down to the stage. The sound of other feet on the metal bleachers filled the air. David stood on the stage, his eyes closed and his hands reaching towards the heaven, praising God. I looked around in tears. Tears and tears flooded my cheeks. People all over were coming down to meet Jesus. People were hungry. Some were running down. Some couldn’t get there fast enough. Children, young people, adults. People flooded towards the stage. 

“Continue to come. If that is you, if you want to meet Jesus tonight, continue to come. For those of you still in your seats, I want to ask you this question. Are you 99% sure that you are going to heaven? You feel pretty confident? Well friend, if you are 99% sure, you are 100% unsure. I invite you to come, make 100% sure that on the day that you are taken up from earth, you will spend it in eternity with Jesus! I invite you to come. I invite you to be 100% sure that YOU are going to heaven. I invite YOU to come.” 

More people got up out of their seats and began to come. Older people, distinguished people. More people began to come. Some immediately, some slowly, but they got up out of their seats and made their way down front.....