Wednesday SHINE......
Today's Reading: Hebrews 12:18-29
Happy Worship Wednesday, sweet SHINE girls!
Today, it is my absolute pleasure to have Sarah Frachiseur share something on her heart.
Sarah is one of our {incredibly awesome} SHINE prayer girls. This girl is a praying machine. Truly, she is.
She's recently had a minor surgery, and during this time, has been listening to the Lord as He speaks. Aren't we always more inclined to hear Him when we are still? ;)
Be blessed, friends. I needed to hear this. Maybe you need it too.
Trusting Him
by: Sarah Frachiseur
Hey girls! I am recovering from a hysterectomy, so I am having plenty of "couch time" with my little man Jake. I have read ahead with the reading, and I absolutely love Hebrews!
When I was reading today in Hebrews 12, the Lord was gently reminding me of my struggle with forgiving and not living in the past. I felt led to encourage you today concerning this matter.
I forgive, but then I tend to allow what happened or what "they" did to me control my present and future. I'm learning that I'm not really "forgiving" until I am moving forward and shaking off that feeling of keeping my guard up, or trying to "control" the situation so it doesn't happen again.
If I truly forgive them and hand it over to Him, I'm not saying it's okay that they treated me that way. And I'm not saying that I give them permission to do it again. I'm saying that I forgive as He forgives me. And I'm saying that I'm not in control, but He is. When I forgive, He takes care of the rest.
He wants the best for us, just like we want the best for our children. He loves us enough to discipline us, and He loves us enough to set us free! When we obey Him and His Word, it will never come back void. Ever.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalms 32:8
I truly believe we (speaking to myself here!) hold ourselves in bondage when we say we forgive, but don't really give it ALL to Him, and let Him do His thing. I know what those chains feel like. They are heavy and they prevent us from moving forward.
Imagine cleaning your closet out and taking all the things you don't need and can't be passed on to someone else, and then sitting it all in your living room. You look at it day after day, and you pass by it day after day. It's cluttering your living space. Your living room is the space you like to use to spend time with your family, or just relax.
Cleaning out the closet is the first step. Getting rid of the baggage is the second step!
Please do something for me (mainly for yourself). Take it to the dump! Get rid of it! :) Think how wonderful you would feel if you were free from the extra baggage taking up space in your world, your mind, and your heart.
And when you leave the dump, leave it there! Don't think about going back to get it. It has no value for you, you don't need it! Looking in your rear view mirror as you leave will only create doubt, fear, and worry about the future.
Instead, burn for the future! Your front windshield is much bigger than your rear view mirror, because there is so much more to see, look forward to, and enjoy. (I saw that on a Facebook post, haha!)
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
If we hang onto the past and let it take control us, we can't live to our full potential in Him. He designed and created you for a purpose. If He had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it! He places GREAT value on you. And He has great plans for you!
"See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Hebrews 12:15
That bitter root will do nothing but take your joy, steal your happiness, and drain the life right out of you.
My son and I take walks around The Square in Covington while my daughter takes ballet. On our walk a few weeks ago I saw something that caught my eye. I knew it was God showing me something, because I couldn't stop studying what I was seeing. I even took pictures.
Located in the back yard of one of our favorite old houses is a very large tree. The tree has thick vines that run all the way up the trunk, out on the branches, and weigh the tree down with a nasty tangled mess. Girls, that vine had to take root somewhere. It was allowed to take over this poor tree. :(
It broke my heart. I knew how beautiful it could be, and how much history it had and the stories it could tell! I wanted so badly to see those thick, twisted, and suffocating vines torn off so it could breathe!
On the other side of the street there was another tree. It was the same size, and it looked just as old. But this tree had no vines growing on it, and no torment preventing it from living up to its full potential. It was full, robust, and beaming with life. Even in the winter with no leaves. It stood straighter, taller, and the branches stood out instead of drooping down. Hands held to the sky! :)
God told me that I was like that poor tree on the other side. Bummer. :( It had the life, joy, and strength choked right out of it. He said that is what happens when I try to handle it myself, and get weighed down with living in the past, and letting it control and dictate my present and future. I can't change others or circumstances, but I can change myself. I want to be that confident tree!
You may be wonderful in this area and be light years ahead of me. That's awesome! Or you may be in the same boat as me. As hard as it may be to let go and climb out of that boat, just know He will be there every step of the way.
"Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." Psalm 32:10
As I type this, I can't imagine the hurt some of you may be facing or have faced. I have tears in my eyes thinking of the suffering some of you have had to endure. The abuse you were the victim of, the harsh words that cut you, the mean looks, the rejection you faced, those you love that turned on you, or the pain that is so hard to shake.
His hands are big enough. Walk forward with your head up knowing He will take care of the rest. I am so preaching to myself here! My husband has been encouraging me for a long time to take this leap. To let my guard down, and know that He will take care of everything after I forgive and surrender all into His hands. I'm not responsible for them, I'm responsible for me.
I may be the only one dealing with this. But if not, please know that I am praying and believing for each one of you that read this and want to take this leap of faith with me! If God is for us, then who can be against us?
With much love,
Sarah Frachiseur
Happy Worship Wednesday, sweet SHINE girls!
Today, it is my absolute pleasure to have Sarah Frachiseur share something on her heart.
Sarah is one of our {incredibly awesome} SHINE prayer girls. This girl is a praying machine. Truly, she is.
She's recently had a minor surgery, and during this time, has been listening to the Lord as He speaks. Aren't we always more inclined to hear Him when we are still? ;)
Be blessed, friends. I needed to hear this. Maybe you need it too.
Trusting Him
by: Sarah Frachiseur
Hey girls! I am recovering from a hysterectomy, so I am having plenty of "couch time" with my little man Jake. I have read ahead with the reading, and I absolutely love Hebrews!
When I was reading today in Hebrews 12, the Lord was gently reminding me of my struggle with forgiving and not living in the past. I felt led to encourage you today concerning this matter.
I forgive, but then I tend to allow what happened or what "they" did to me control my present and future. I'm learning that I'm not really "forgiving" until I am moving forward and shaking off that feeling of keeping my guard up, or trying to "control" the situation so it doesn't happen again.
If I truly forgive them and hand it over to Him, I'm not saying it's okay that they treated me that way. And I'm not saying that I give them permission to do it again. I'm saying that I forgive as He forgives me. And I'm saying that I'm not in control, but He is. When I forgive, He takes care of the rest.
He wants the best for us, just like we want the best for our children. He loves us enough to discipline us, and He loves us enough to set us free! When we obey Him and His Word, it will never come back void. Ever.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalms 32:8
I truly believe we (speaking to myself here!) hold ourselves in bondage when we say we forgive, but don't really give it ALL to Him, and let Him do His thing. I know what those chains feel like. They are heavy and they prevent us from moving forward.
Imagine cleaning your closet out and taking all the things you don't need and can't be passed on to someone else, and then sitting it all in your living room. You look at it day after day, and you pass by it day after day. It's cluttering your living space. Your living room is the space you like to use to spend time with your family, or just relax.
Cleaning out the closet is the first step. Getting rid of the baggage is the second step!
Please do something for me (mainly for yourself). Take it to the dump! Get rid of it! :) Think how wonderful you would feel if you were free from the extra baggage taking up space in your world, your mind, and your heart.
And when you leave the dump, leave it there! Don't think about going back to get it. It has no value for you, you don't need it! Looking in your rear view mirror as you leave will only create doubt, fear, and worry about the future.
Instead, burn for the future! Your front windshield is much bigger than your rear view mirror, because there is so much more to see, look forward to, and enjoy. (I saw that on a Facebook post, haha!)
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
If we hang onto the past and let it take control us, we can't live to our full potential in Him. He designed and created you for a purpose. If He had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it! He places GREAT value on you. And He has great plans for you!
"See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Hebrews 12:15
That bitter root will do nothing but take your joy, steal your happiness, and drain the life right out of you.
My son and I take walks around The Square in Covington while my daughter takes ballet. On our walk a few weeks ago I saw something that caught my eye. I knew it was God showing me something, because I couldn't stop studying what I was seeing. I even took pictures.
Located in the back yard of one of our favorite old houses is a very large tree. The tree has thick vines that run all the way up the trunk, out on the branches, and weigh the tree down with a nasty tangled mess. Girls, that vine had to take root somewhere. It was allowed to take over this poor tree. :(
It broke my heart. I knew how beautiful it could be, and how much history it had and the stories it could tell! I wanted so badly to see those thick, twisted, and suffocating vines torn off so it could breathe!
On the other side of the street there was another tree. It was the same size, and it looked just as old. But this tree had no vines growing on it, and no torment preventing it from living up to its full potential. It was full, robust, and beaming with life. Even in the winter with no leaves. It stood straighter, taller, and the branches stood out instead of drooping down. Hands held to the sky! :)
God told me that I was like that poor tree on the other side. Bummer. :( It had the life, joy, and strength choked right out of it. He said that is what happens when I try to handle it myself, and get weighed down with living in the past, and letting it control and dictate my present and future. I can't change others or circumstances, but I can change myself. I want to be that confident tree!
You may be wonderful in this area and be light years ahead of me. That's awesome! Or you may be in the same boat as me. As hard as it may be to let go and climb out of that boat, just know He will be there every step of the way.
"Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." Psalm 32:10
As I type this, I can't imagine the hurt some of you may be facing or have faced. I have tears in my eyes thinking of the suffering some of you have had to endure. The abuse you were the victim of, the harsh words that cut you, the mean looks, the rejection you faced, those you love that turned on you, or the pain that is so hard to shake.
His hands are big enough. Walk forward with your head up knowing He will take care of the rest. I am so preaching to myself here! My husband has been encouraging me for a long time to take this leap. To let my guard down, and know that He will take care of everything after I forgive and surrender all into His hands. I'm not responsible for them, I'm responsible for me.
I may be the only one dealing with this. But if not, please know that I am praying and believing for each one of you that read this and want to take this leap of faith with me! If God is for us, then who can be against us?
With much love,
Sarah Frachiseur
