I Want THAT!

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.

Lysa has discovered that everything (including her awesome career with Proverbs 31 Ministries) all pales in comparison to the relationship with God she's gained along the way. As long as she daily makes the choice to be guided by His truth, He replaces her hollowness with a wholeness of love that has no gaps. And with that fullness from God, she can put away that heart-shaped cup she used during all those needy years. Instead of always looking to get fulfillment from her loved ones & the other blessings in her life, she can simply enjoy them for what they are.

Oh WOW, that is exactly what I am seeking!!!! I want my fulfillment from God & God alone! I want to truly enjoy each & every moment that I have in life no matter who is there or what the circumstances around me are. I want to soak in every moment. I want to fill more & more full.....to be fulfilled & content. Living in the moment with God, defined by His truth, & with no unrealistic expectations for others or things to fill me up. Not reaching back for what was lost in my yesterdays. And not reaching for what I hope will be in my tomorrow. But living fully with what is right in front of me. And truly seeing the gift of this moment.

I still need to have goals & hopes for my future, but need to no longer let them send me into a frenzy. I must continue to pursue truth that keeps me grounded & God's love that keeps me filled. Then my desperate hollowness is replaced by a desire for holiness.

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

Battling the "If Only I Had" Temptation

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.

Lysa does an excellent job pointing out that even if we don't fall into the idolatry of relying solely on other people or things to fill us, we can still be tempted by the lie that the things of this world bring fulfillment. It's a lie that typically goes something like this: I could be really happy & fulfilled if only I had...
...a skinnier body.
...a husband who was more tender & romantic.
...more money.
...a more successful career.
...a better personality.
...smarter kids.

None of these or any other "if only I had" statements will bring fulfillment. Becoming more than a good Bible study girl means realizing that, apart from a thriving relationship with God, even if I get everything on my list, there would still be a hallow gap in my soul {believe me, I've gone after them & they've not brought me that fulfillment I was searching for}.

Instead of saying, "If only I had..." & filling in the blank with some person, possession, profession, or position, I need to make a choice to replace that statement with something that draws my heart into God's truth. Since I cannot be pulled away from God & draw near to Him at the same time, speaking truth will right my perspective & put my focus where it should be.

Here are some examples that have helped Lysa battle the temptation to let people, possessions, or position take God's place in her life. And I'm thankful to see these as to hear/read her say it is one thing, but to have an example makes it even better for me to understand.

PEOPLE
Lysa no longer says, "If only I would have had a daddy who loved me..." Instead, she says, "Psalm 68:5 promises God will be a father to the fatherless. I don't have to be the child of a broken family my whole life. I can be a child of God. God can fill in every gap left by my father & use what I learned through that experience for good."

Lysa suggests that if the gap wasn't left by an absent father but a friend who hurt you, or a husband who has left you, or the children you've longed to have but still don't; whatever that gap is, God is the perfect fit for the emptiness. Pray this paraphrase of Luke 1:78-79: "Because of the tender mercy of my God by which the rising sun will come to me from heaven --to shine on my darkness & in what feels like the shadow of death to me-- I will find peace."

POSSESSIONS
Lysa no longer says, "If only I had more possessions..." Instead, she recites Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy, & where thieves break in & steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth & rust do not destroy, & where thieves do not break in & steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Any possession I ever long for, no matter how good it may seem, will only be good for a limited time. In light of eternity, every possession is in the process of breaking down, becoming devalued, & will eventually be taken from me. If I set my heart solely on acquiring more & more things, I'll feel more & more vulnerable with the possibility of loss.

Possessions are meant to be appreciated & used to bless others; they were never meant to be identity markers. It's not wrong to enjoy the possessions I have as long as I don't depend on them for my heart's security.

POSITION
Lysa no longer says, "If only I had a better position..." Instead, she recites the words of Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet & a light for my path." Lysa points out that I don't need a better position to get where I should go. I don't have to figure out my path & jockey to get ahead. I need God's Word to guide me there. Only as I follow Him & honor Him step by step can I be assured that I'm right where He wants me to be doing what He wants me to do.


Whatever "if only I had" statement I have can be replaced with solid truths from Scriptures that will never leave me empty. It's a bold statement to make & might even sound a bit trite, but it's true. When God's Word gets inside of us, it becomes the new way we process life. It rearranges our thoughts, our motives, our needs, & our desires. Our soul was tailor-made to be filled with God & His truth; therefore, it seeps into every part of us & fills us completely. It is the only perfect fit. And according to Psalm 119:30-32, being filled with God's Word sets our hearts free! "I have chosen the way of the truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

Failed Remedies & False Gods

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.

 

A feeling of emptiness & brokenness will drive a person to seek out all kinds of misguided remedies. The primary remedy can be to look for someone or something that will make you feel loved & significant. It's as if you carry around a little heart-shaped cup & extend it to whatever or whomever you perceive might fill it (ex., education, husband, children, material possessions, job). You ask these things:

Will you fill me up?

Will you right all my wrongs?

Will you fill up my insecurities?

Will you make me feel significant?

 

The more you offer your emptiness hoping something could fill it up, the more frustrated you feel. I know....just like Lysa, I've been there, done that, & got the t-shirt. And when you are trying to get something anything else to fill your cup & you've said yes to Go, it can make you feel perplexed. Isn't this Christian thing supposed to fix these kinds of issues in my heart? What was I missing?

 

The reality is no person, possession, profession, or position ever fills the cup of a wounded, empty heart --not Lysa's heart, not my heart, not your heart. It's an emptiness only God can fill. Anything we use as a substitute for God is an idol, a false god. This truth is splashed in vivid color throughout the pages of Scripture. Perhaps the most dramatic story takes place in 1 Kings 18 --the showdown between the prophet Elijah & the 450 of Baal.

 

Elijah has challenged the people of Israel to choose whom they will serve --the true God or the idol Baal. When they say nothing in response, he throws down the gauntlet to King Ahab & the prophets of Baal. Each side will build an alter, sacrifice a bull, & call on their deity to rain down fire & consume the sacrifice. The deity who responds with fire is the one the people will accept as God. The prophets of Baal go first:

So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered And they danced around the alter they had made.
At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. (1 Kings 18:26-29)

I'm going to reread type that last sentence again: "But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention." It's a vivid picture & a strong warning, & the same response we'll get whenever we try to get our fulfillment from a false god --from anyone or anything apart from the one true God.

The triumphant conclusion to the story is that God sends a consuming bolt of fire that devours Elijah's alter. The people of Israel repent & the prophets of Baal are slaughtered. The one true God --our God-- was made known that day. Our God responded. Our God answered. Our God paid attention. He always does.

It is so tempting to look to things of this world for fulfillment. This notion that worldly things can fulfill is all around us. It's on TV & the focus of countless songs. We can't even go to the grocery store checkout lane without being bombarded with suggestions for a more fulfilling life. A better sex life. A better career. A more beautifully decorated house. The magazines seem so slick, their promises so enticing. And they do bring temporary excitement. But every single thing the world offers is temporary. These fixes can never fill our void long-term.

 

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

Flitting To & Fro

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts. And y'all, today it's like what she said are the thoughts I've had in my head!

As I read what Lysa wrote, I agree with her & think: So now what? I've said yes to fully committing my life to God, but as I tried to figure out what I was supposed to do with my life....what do I do?

 I wanted to make a difference for Him, but couldn't figure out what I had to offer. It's like the unwilling feather--

 --weightless, exhausted from all the flitting to & fro, but completely unable to resist the winds that carried me away.

When I thought about all that filled my life, everything I ever thought would make me feel happy stared back at me. A diploma, a husband, children, dependable vehicle, & a nice house were all there. That's what made the hollow feeling in my chest especially troublesome.

The emptiness made me feel desperate, needy, complicated, full of unrealistic expectations.....which lead to feelings of disillusion. Weren't Christians supposed to automatically have it all together after saying yes to God? My relationships with my husband & family were strained & quickly went from blessings to burdens. Even though I knew in my head that God could fill my soul, I still found myself wanting my husband & kids to do the job. It just seemed easier trying to get these things from those I could see & touch. But no matter how wonderful they are, they make very poor gods. They couldn't possibly do what I was asking of them.

Wanting inner peace so badly, I have searched for things to do that might make me feel significant. I started my own home-based business, not only once, but THREE times (one company twice). These businesses & companies are both AWESOME! I thought: "Hey, I can meet with people, show them some great products, & make more friends. Everyone needs more friends, maybe more friends will fill this emptiness." One was kitchen based gadgets & the other was makeup. But I'm not great at cooking & have a minimal approach to makeup application. I am also not pushy & would tell my friends they could really just enjoy their time & not feel obligated to buy a thing.

So neither of these businesses lasted long for me. I do still use these products (use them daily at home) and will enthusiastically attend any home-based party...cause I heart parties!

I had said yes to fully surrendering my life to Jesus being my Savior, but didn't have a clue how He could be the answer to my emptiness.

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

Beyond the Christian Checklist

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.

 

 

 

Learning to seek God with all of my heart is what I inspire to do as I move forward. Seeking with all of my heart requires more than just the routine Christian good girl checklist:

Pray

Read the Bible

Do a Bible study

Go to Church

Be nice

 

I want my life with Jesus to be fulfilling. I want my beliefs to work no matter what life throws at me. I want to be so certain of God's presence that I never feel like I have to face anything in my own strength or rely on my own perspectives. My strength will weaken during hard times. My perspectives get skewed by my emotions.

 

I want total security no matter what happens. In other words, I want my relationship with Jesus to be enough to keep me sane & together & still fully devoted. Is true fulfillment no matter what possible?

 

Fulfillment means to be completely satisfied. How might my life look if I were so filled with God's truth I could let go of the pain of my past, not get tripped up by the troubles of today, or be consumed by worries of tomorrow? It is impossible when I try to make it happen on my own by doing more good Bible study girl things. Praying, reading the Bible, doing another Bible study, going to church, & being nice are wonderful & necessary. But just going through the motions of these activities will not fill my soul. They must be done with the great expectation & heart cry for God to lead me into a deeper & more life-changing connection with Him.

 

True fulfillment is never found in seeking to do enough, be enough, have enough, know enough, or accomplish enough. "Enough" is elusive, always just slightly out of reach. I know this (as many others do), but I still continue the same patterns of trying to be a good Bible study girl --hoping that if I do it long enough, fulfillment will somehow fall within my grasp.

 

Lysa's prayer: reading this book will help me to discover 2 things: (1) a more meaningful connection with God, (2) a truer fulfillment from letting my relationship with Him transform every area of my life. Though it may seem a pretty lofty goal, I am praying them with her: "God, will You help me to have a deeper connection with You and find truer fulfillment as You transform every area of my life. That is the cry and desire of my heart." Lysa suggests I add these 4 simple requests that go right alongside having a deeper connection with God:

God, I want to see You.

God, I want to hear You.

God, I want to know You.

So that I can follow hard after You every day.

 

This will help me daily set my heart & mind in the right place as I not only read this book but start to live its truths. Colossians 3:1-2 encourages me, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things." Setting my heart & my mind on God & letting His truths change me, rearrange me, & redirect me will help me not just to know the message of Christ --but to live it out!

 

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update... 

No True Relationship

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all way more than usual today) of my own insight/thoughts.

As I'm reading through what Lysa has to say, I notice that during my college years, when something goes "wrong" in my life or something bad happens, I would kick it into high gear with God. In other words, I wouldn't try to spend time with Him daily, only go to Him when I needed/wanted something. I'll be better. I'll follow the rules more closely. I'll be kinder. I'll give more to the church. I'll attend more regularly. I'll sacrifice whatever you require, God....just do this for me. My relationship with God was conditional upon what immediate "miracle" or "crisis" I could see Him solve at the time (ex. help me pass this test, help me get this friend, help me get this boy to like me, if you'll just take this hurt away, help me not fail out of this school).

I would pray deals with God. It would seem that as long as I kept up my end of the bargain with God, He would keep His. Religion was indeed a fine addition to my life. Until something wouldn't go my way (nothing in particular, just different things I had asked God for....& my events weren't nearly as heart breaking as Lysa experiencing the death of her baby sister). Then I would get angry with God. Life's unfairness would strain against my religious perceptions & the dam of my soul would burst open. I tried to do good enough to earn His love, but felt as though my heavenly Father had turn away.

My flawed ideas of God would only let me love Him when He did good things. And when I couldn't see the good He was doing, I would close my heart & my life off to God, letting my hurt & disillusionment take over. The thought that I wasn't good enough was more than just a feeling. It had become the filter through which I processed life.

I am beyond thankful that my parents, especially my Mom, were always there to help me through the messes I made when I lived my life as far as I thought I could from God.

I did not have a true relationship with God.

Lysa had a friend, she calls her "Bible friend" share a verse with her. This verse has really helped me in growing my relationship with God. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plants to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " But I want to take that a step farther, as if my name had been inserted there "Tasha, for I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, Tasha. Plans to give you, Tasha, a hope and a future."

This statement stood in such stark contrast to my flawed perception of being identified by my circumstances. This verse painted a possibility that the God of the universe loved me not for what I did right but simply because I was His. A child for whom He had great things planned. I could be a child of God.

Oh how wonderful it has been to truly understand this verse & let it sink in. I had asked Jesus into my heart at the age of 13. But had never built a relationship with Him. I have never had all the answers, & I thought I had not been "good enough." Until about 2 years ago, I never really understood that verse. But when I did, it stirred something deep in my soul with assurance that the messages of the Bible are from God Himself & His words in this verse were true.

Just like Lysa, I have realized that when God made me, He left His mark deep inside. His fingerprints covered my soul, no wonder His truth resonated within me. I simply couldn't deny it. All I had to do was truly acknowledge that God exist, that He loved me, & that I wanted Him --not a religion-- in my life. I wanted so much more with God.....
....a step out of the darkness that blinded me.
....a step toward the light of truth.
...a step toward my true identity that wouldn't shift of fall apart under life's strains.
...a step toward becoming "Tasha, a fulfilled child of the one true God."

But there is more to this, the Bible & building my relationship don't stop there: "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13). The words "I will listen to you" & "you will find me" make God seem more personal, touchable, interested in a relationship with me.

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

Lost in Labels

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all way more than usual today) of my own insight/thoughts.

I'm not sure when I first felt I wasn't good enough, but my earliest memory of it happened {remember my memory can sometimes be the pits} when I tried out for the High School Dance Squad for my sophomore year & didn't make it. You see, I wasn't the prettiest of girls, as hormones decided to come early in my life & the wonderful acne reared it's ugly head on my face around third grade. My teeth also decided they really didn't like touching each other (you know, like siblings who fight saying "He's touching me. Would you stop touching me"), so they were all jacked up & spaced out. This coupled with the awkward years of preteen & adolescences did not always do well for my self-esteem (boys don't really like girls who have acne all over their face).

But I could make some awesome facial expressions & over exaggerate my dance moves when needed. For those of you who aren't familiar with dance, this is important when you are just a tiny little speck on a football field or basketball court during a halftime performance. I was on the dance squad all through junior high & everyone had told me "If anyone is going to make it on the High School Squad, Tasha, it will be you!"

But as the names were called out, it felt that my life was over as I had not made the squad as everyone had predicted. It was just not meant to be. I was crushed. The false perception was rooted in this one flawed thought: You, Tasha, are not acceptable the way you are. And this sent me into an identity crisis as my mind swirled with possible solutions: Since you aren't acceptable, you must find some things upon which to hitch your identity. Since it is not possible for you to be "Tasha, the dancer," you must be something else. "Tasha, the smart girl." Or maybe "Tasha, the responsible girl." "Tasha, the rebel." "Tasha, the good friend." "Tasha, the dork." "Tasha, the class secretary." "Tasha, the volunteer." "Tasha, the loser."

Lost in this type of flood of thoughts, one would see these labels less & less like opportunities & more & more & more like prison cells. People label & categorize so they can define who fits where & with whom, but I had neither the spiritual depth nor the mental maturity to break free. So, trying to become more acceptable, more worthy, more lovable became my pattern, & worrying about what others thought of  me a consuming, often condemning way of doing life. Their opinions were my measuring stick by which to answer the question, "Who am I?"

Eventually the pizza face, jacked up toothed girl grew into a young woman. The acne calmed down. An oral surgery & braces fixed my teeth. I saw an Arkansas Razorback football game & spent more time watching the mascot than the game as I was fascinated. I tried out for High School Mascot for my junior year, and got it! Not only was I the mascot for my high school, but at cheer camp during the summer I got selected All-American Mascot & got to go perform during halftime of the Hula Bowl in Maui. Turns out over exaggerated dance moves & a little natural cumbsiness are awesome qualities for a mascot. Life was lining up as I dreamed it would.

Only I still didn't feel secure in who I was. The things I tried to do define my identity kept shifting. I was someone's girlfriend, but then we would break up. I was a good student, but then I'd make a bad grade. I was responsible, but then I would pull a stupid stunt & not be. Who I thought I was one day fell apart the next.

I was very fortunate to have an extremely supportive set of parents who offered wonderful words of encouragement & lifted me up when I would fall. [They are still awesome at this to this day.] I was also involved in my youth group at church (I had joined the church when I was in 7th grade the Sunday after a Fifth Quarter post-football game event). My youth director, his family, & my fellow youth group members also provided me with some great support. I started volunteering at the hospital 4 hours a week & held-down a part-time job that I loved. I also babysat for a hand full of families when they would go out & during the summers when the kids were out of school. Life was settling a bit.

Soon it was time to pack up & head for college. I said my good-byes to my friends & my parents & I loaded up & moved me to my new home away from home. I saw college as the chance to completely reinvent who I was. No one there would know of my acne, jacked up teeth, or that I wasn't good enough for dance. I would have beauty, popularity, success, freedom, & a plan for my future (to be a Pediatrician). Oh yes, & I had my religion.

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

In My Heart

Today's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update

As usual...I'm just mainly putting what Lysa has said in her book with some (very little--actually maybe not at all today) of my own insight/thoughts.

I want to truly understand how to pursue God with all my heart. My deepest desire is to love God & let His love work through me to positively impact those around me. I want to really see the people around me. Not just look at them --but pause to see them.

The heart of a woman is not only deep & wondrous but tender & vulnerable. Life can be rough on a woman when her heart gets snagged, entangled, broken, & sometimes shattered in ways beyond repair.

Lysa takes the 1st section of this book to address those things that pull our hearts away from the intimacy God desires with us. I'll journey through the feelings that I'm not good enough & discover what a lie that is. Then I'll uncover the myths that the things of this world can fill the gaps in my soul. And finally, I'll peek behind the haunting question that holds many hostage, "Do I really measure up?"

Lysa warns: It's about to get messy here because that's the way honesty can be. I'm not after plastic Christian answers. I'm seeking more than that. So much more. So, for the sake of my heart, let's go. Let's dare to ask what might happen if I were to become more than just a good Bible study girl in my heart.

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Book Blog Update...

Let the New Journey Begin

Wow....so I've blogged my way through a book. I am not very good at it as all I really do is tell you what the author said, but instead of saying "you" & "we", I usually just say "me". I leave out most of the author's personal stories & add in mine where they seem appropriate. But like I've said, I use the blog as my way of taking notes. Even if you look back at my books & notes from my high school & college days, I highlight & write pretty much everything that's said. I don't want to forget anything. So I blog more for myself. I thought about not doing this again, but then I remembered that. And it's a bonus if someone else reads my blog & gets something out of it that they would not have gotten if they had not read it.

 

I heard about Unglued when it first came out & was promoted on K-Love Radio. I had heard the author (Lysa TerKeurst) do little radio snippets, read her stuff from the Proverbs 31 daily emails, & had even signed up for her personal blog cause I liked her stuff so much. So when I heard about Unglued, I thought: hey, why not read it? You already read daily stuff she puts out & LOVE it! Plus, she's a working Mom I can relate to! So off to Lifeway I went. When I was there, another one of her book titles caught my attention: Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl.

 

I thought it looked interesting. I mean, I had just actually finished my 1st or 2nd group Bible study. And I'm excited to say that my Moms Bible Study Play Date has started a new study! In cause you are wondering & can't figure it out from the name, this is a group of my Mommy friends & I who get together weekly to eat --um, I LOVE food-- & let the kids play while we have a Bible study & talk about our Heartwork for the week. I like what the author of our studies calls it better than homework since we are working on our hearts to become more like God.

 

Oh, I have attempted to participate in several Bible studies, but for whatever reason, I had not made it through them. So when I saw the title of Becoming More, I thought: that will be my next book to read/blog about. And until this morning, I haven't even read a word on it or in it cause I wanted to make sure I stuck with finishing Unglued.

 

Back Cover Summary [with a little input from me]

 

Is something missing from your life? [Um, yes]

 

Lysa TerKeurst knows what it's like to consider God just another thing on her to-do list [I did too, until about a year ago]. For years she went through the motions of a Christian life: Go to church. Pray. Be nice. Longing for a deeper connection between what she knew in her head & her everyday reality, she wanted to personally experience God's presence [oh WOW, this sounds familiar! Is Lysa in my head?].

 

Drawing from her own remarkable story of step-by-step faith, Lysa invites you to uncover the spiritually exciting life we all year for. With her trademark wit & spiritual wisdom [sorry you miss out on this if you only read my blog...you'll have to read the book to enjoy this], Lysa will help you:

* Learn how to make a Bible passage come alive in your devotion time.

* Replace doubt, regret, & envy with truth, confidence, & praise.

*Stop the unhealthy cycles of striving & truly learn to love who you are & what you've been given.

* Discover how to have inner peace & security in any situation.

* Sense God responding to your prayers.

 

[Oh WOW!!!!! I want all of THAT!!!!]

 

The adventure God has in store for your life just might blow you away.

 

Introduction

 

Lysa indicated that she's a picky book reader cause her time is a hot commodity. The reality is she's got dishes to wash, loads of laundry to fold, kids to raise, a ministry to run, & cellulite to deal with. If she's going to give a book her time, she wants to know that she'll be able to relate to the author as a trusted friend & that it contains a message that will challenge & impact her [yes, please! Me too!]. If that's what she wants as a reader, you better believe she wants to deliver that as a writer.

 

The message she's delivering in this book: She wants to help women not only know God's truth but also feel equipped to live it out in their everyday lives. For too many years she was full of Bible knowledge with no idea how to let the truths she knew impact her daily life. She would go to Bible study, leave all inspired, & then go home & have a complete meltdown over spilling bleach on her favorite shirt. Or a kid's bad attitude. Or finding a friend betrayed her. Or gaining back the 5 pounds over a weekend that took her 2 months to lose.

 

How do we apply truth to this kind of everyday stuff? We are quick to say all the right Jesus answers in church, around our Christian friends, & in our Bible study. But when the strains of life press against us, do we live as if Jesus really works?

 

Lysa admitted that she is challenged by this. So she is not writing as an expert who has achieved a life that authentically reflects Jesus at all times, but as a friend who dares to try to become more than just a good Bible study girl.

 

Inviting me to accept this challenge is the whole point of this book. She started with a question that many people seem to be asking today: "Does Jesus work?" It's great that He's true, but what kind of difference can He make in my life? At first, this question seems bold & self-centered, not even worth answering. She would never want to reduce Jesus to the same qualifications by which she judges a car! But still, "Does Jesus work?" is an honest question deserving an honest answer.

 

That's why she decided to tackle 6 issues that each play a vital role in determining whether or not Jesus works:

* Will Jesus make a difference in my heart?

* Will He help my connection with God be more real?

* What kind of difference could He make in my relationships?

* How do I process my struggles with Jesus?

* What do I do when my thoughts pull me away from Jesus?

* Does Jesus really have a calling for my life?

 

If I can truthfully answer these questions as Lysa addresses them one by one in this book, I believe we'll truthfully answer the bigger question "Does Jesus work?" question as well. Lysa says if you want to break free from the confines of our Christian arenas & replace the world's emptiness with true fulfillment, read on.

 

So, let the journey begin. From now on, I will blog this book just as I did Unglued & as I mentioned at the beginning of this.

 

Stay tuned for the next Becoming More Book Blog Update....