Kendalalley's Blog

Confession: I want everyone to love me. And not only that, but I have a REAL problem when someone doesn’t love me.

Perhaps this roots from my people-pleasing nature. Perhaps I just like to feel popular and get to know lots and lots of people. Perhaps its part of my “entertaining personality”. Whatever the case it may be, I have known I’ve been like this forever. And if you know me well at all, you’ve probably already noticed this in me as well.

I don’t think its necessarily a BAD quality to have. Everyone wants to be liked. To have friends. But as I learn and grow, I have certainly hit brick walls where I realize that its just not possible for everyone to like me. You just can’t win them all. And I HATE that!

After moving to this wonderful new church I am working at now, I have been thrown into a new world where I feel the pressure to have everyone to like me. It’s like when I moved to a different school in third grade… that horrible gnawing feeling when I walked into my new classroom that first day…

Being so close to my Crest View family and particularly my Crest View youth… I already had feelings of heartbreak… then to add on top of it… these new feelings of being inadequate and vulnerable and most of all: alone. You all know me, I am a confident girl. But more than ever before I felt that longing to be liked.

Over the next month or so, I kept my biggest smile on, used my best sense of humor, planned the most fun things, brought food and presents every time I turned around, and did everything I could possibly think of to help get people to like me. Let me stop here and reassure you that ALL of these things were out of the most genuine spirit… I was never trying to be some faker…I really do all of those things naturally in every case. Just, now, there was this nagging issue of being paranoid and deeply worried that I just wouldn’t be enough in the eyes of this new church that I was at. That maybe this girl they hired was not all they hoped for and needed. And I saw the needs. I quickly felt the needs of the people. And then I realized what the real issue was. I couldn’t do it.

I can’t make people like me.
I can’t fix everyone’s problems.
I can’t help a church, a youth group, and some children grow.
I can’t.

But God can.

So- Instead of getting people to fall in love with me.
I need to do my part in getting people to fall in love with the Savior.

It’s not about me- It’s all about Him.

It seems obvious. Like, whoa Kendal… don’t you think you should have realized this a LONG time ago. Of course. And I’m sure I did. But its a constant struggle, isn’t it? A constant pull to having God as our focus at one point and almost in the same breath we put ourselves back as number one. As if WE are the ones that are fixing things and in control. It’s much deeper than realizing who I should want people to be in love with when they meet me.

May my heart not be broken simply because people don’t like ME… but rather would my heart be broken for those who reject our LORD. And may that broken heart be the driving force in my ministry to bring people to the saving knowledge of God.

And as sweet and innocent as it is that I want people to like me- all I can do is reflect the love of God to others and let the power of God’s love and the message of His Word do the work.  It’s as simple and as complicated as that.

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: God's love, insecurities, love, reflection of Christ

I felt “the call” to be a leader in the church at a very early age. Actually- it happened at the point of my salvation experience. It was a Sunday night and I volunteered to play the piano. (I’m a musician… but the piano is not my instrument of choice, to say the least.) I played one of the few pieces I knew, “The Rose” (yes, the Bette Midler song) and I completely bombed. After I played I slumped into my pew, so disapointed in my performance. The pastor got up and before his sermon he opened up the floor for anyone to share anything God had put on their heart. A member of our church must have snuck in and sat on the back pew while I was playing. She had not been to church in a while. She shared that the reason why she had not been coming was because she was having a hard time dealing with the death of her grandmother. She had found herself struggling with why God would have taken her grandmother away. She finally mustered up the strength to come to church that night despite not really wanting to. She began to cry as she said that she now knew why God had brought her to church that night. She turned and looked to me sitting on the other side of the church. “My Grandmother’s name was Rose”, she said. She described how she felt God’s love and her grandmother’s love surrounding her as I played on the piano. I couldn’t tell you a word our pastor said that night. I just sat there… amazed… that God used me. Everything I had learned about God became real in that moment. And I was never the same.

Since then I have gone on to be “a leader” in any sense of the word. I was the girl who helped my teachers pass things out in my classes, I was the girl who loved being the lead of a show, I was the girl who sat first chair in more ensembles than I can recall, I was the girl that directed musicals, choirs, marching bands, plays, weddings. I’m starting to laugh as I write this because I sound like a pompous jerk! ha! But I like to think that I did all of these things out of God-Driven passion and God-Given gifts. All of which have lead me to my role of leadership that I experience (and struggle with) today.

I had a conversation the other week where I mentioned, “The more leaders I meet… the more I notice their universal problem with delegation.”

Sometimes it is easier for us to just do things ourselves. We know how we want it done, we know we can get it done efficiently, and we may recognize the fact that there are people ready & willing to help but- really, wouldn’t it take too long to stop and show them how to do it? So… why not just do it ourselves. Its really for the best.

Or is it?

I’ve really felt convicted of this… I would justify my lack of delegating in my mind and I had myself pretty convinced that I was in the right… but I know its not the way the church should be. Perhaps it was the crunch I felt in my schedule getting fuller when I began doing the music ministry at our church that pushed me to surrender to the conviction- but man, oh man… I feel even more busy now that I do delegate! I litterally have to stop and evaluate what I am planning and think… is there someone who could take this on? Is there a part of this event that someone else might want to help with? What are the spiritual gifts of the people around me? and How can I change my plans to include ways for them to experience using those gifts?

What I have found is that the ministries I am involved in are now multiplying. Which is what its all about. It’s not about how perfect our events are. Its not about the events being executed exactly how I may have envisioned it It’s about people coming to know Christ and getting to experience the power of Christ working through them.

A pastor’s role is to guide, shepherd, and equip. Sure, a pastor may be able to fold the bulletins for each Sunday- but why not invite a retired woman to come do it so that she knows she has helped. Sure, a pastor may be able to change the words on the church sign occasionally- but why not find a crew of guys to do it so that they take pride in what their church is saying to those that drive past the church. Sure, a pastor could teach a Sunday School class- but why not come along-side a person who has been spiritually gifted in teaching and equip them to lead a small group bible study. A pastor’s role is not to do everything in the church, even though they may have all the gifts to do so. It’s not all about job descriptions and personal qualifications.  A pastor’s role is to guide, shepherd, and equip.

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: church leadership, delegation, leadership, pastor, rose, salvation, shepherd

Well, I know I have not used my blog in months- but in my mind I have written a lot of great stuff for kendalalley.com… ha!

I suppose the classic answer, “I’m too busy”, is the main reason why I have not been on here in awhile. But even more than that I’ve just been preoccupied on embarking a new chapter in my life to get on here– plus a lot of what I was thinking and wanting to share could definitely not be shared via the world wide web! ha!

I have a new job! I am working at a great church as a Youth & Children’s Pastor. I still have to pinch myself when I say that… I feel like I’m living in a dream world with my dream job. I am so thankful for this new journey. The word I keep using is, “excited”.

Of course with all the excitement and complete joy I have for being where I am and doing what I’m doing comes feelings of anxiety and heart ache. I miss my youth and family and friends from Crest View… more than words on a blog could ever say. But, glory to God, I am slowly with each day realizing that nothing could ever replace those experiences– and I’m beginning to truly appreciate everything that has shaped me into who I am today and using it to bring Glory to God instead of embracing the depression I could easily be feeling.

That being said- to my new church- I could not possibly be more excited and thrilled to be a part of the ministries here & to Crest View- I could not possibly miss or love you all anymore than I do right now. It’s amazing how you can feel two extreme things like that. The only answer I can have for the oxymoron that my life appears to be is that God has granted me His sweet and perfect peace.

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Really.

Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who sees and is effected by this crazy planning though. There are times where I feel like a theme just didn’t work… and the people didn’t get it. That can be frustrating. Especially to the one who prayed and worked so hard on it. (Side Note: That’s when I remember Colossians 3:23!) But I remember that in that long planning process I am also preparing for a world of things to happen as well. For one- I think people may perceive me (occasionally) as some Schedule-Nazi that will refuse to shift plans. I hope that most people have experienced the contrary, though. You see, in my planning and focusing I feel I am more in-tune to how the Holy Spirit leads for each service. Because I have taken so much time to read, study, and seek out God’s will for each individual service- I am already hanging out with the Holy Spirit- so I am actually QUICK to change as I listen more closely. In a sense- all this planning leads to freedom in the Holy Spirit. It very easily could also lead to quenching the Holy Spirit, though.

In life, we plan based off of desires, fantasies, and ideals. We can plan a certain thing and then throw ourselves completely into it and nothing else at all. We can even plan good things- and they could still “cross the line” to become our will and not God’s. Don’t  get me wrong, it’s good to have goals & dreams. I’m a planner and I’m a dreamer. But more than anything… I want to be a God Follower. My prayer has changed to asking God to make my dreams and plans into the things HE wants for my life. I am finally to a point in my life where I am content in where God has me… but also open to a change. Its a funny place to be, I must say. I am happy and loving everything about the ministry God has given me now… but not so much so that I would be disobedient if He were to say: GO. I was recently asked about my 5-year plan. I started to laugh and explained that I, the planner, has NO CLUE what the next 5 years will hold for me. Before you know it I could be across seas serving my Lord and not have a husband or little family like I used to plan on. And not only have I learned to be content and at peace with that… I’ve become CRAZY EXCITED about that. There are desires in my heart that certainly remain as dreams for my future…. but they have been pushed down the To-Do List and first and foremost is to Honor, Obey, and Serve my LORD! And I ask you, what better plan could there be?

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: Dreams, God's Will, Obedience, Planning

This is the mantra of my life right now…. mmmm… good stuff! PTL

“I Will Follow”

Chris Tomlin

Where you go, I’ll go
Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move
I will follow…

All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my side
High above my life
I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I’ll go
Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I’ll love
How you serve I’ll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you
I will follow you

Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You’re the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there’s life everlasting
In you there’s freedom for my soul
In you there joy, unending joy
and I will follow

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Tags: Chris Tomlin, Christian Music, I Will Follow

Sanctus Real – “Lead Me”

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying…

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They’re just children from the outside
I’m working hard, I tell myself they’ll be fine
They’re  independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying…

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can’t
Don’t leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you’re willing to fight
That I’m still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I’m called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won’t You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can’t
Don’t want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I’ll show them I’m willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone

Father, lead me, ’cause I can’t do this alone

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: Alone, Favorite Song, Lead Me, Sanctus Real

I recently was strongly convicted to fast. I’ve always been a bit of a negative nancy when it came to the concept of fasting- having never experienced it myself, I assumed that not eating food would ultimately lead to hallucinations rather than divine encounters. I wouldn’t say that I didn’t think God could show up in a fast- but rather that people might perceive a hallucination to be the voice of God simply because of the lack of nutrients. In my studies in college I have done a lot of reading on this subject, so I had a lot of head-knowledge when it comes to fasting- but never had the actual personal experience. A slew of events lead me to the realization that God needed me to sacrifice in order to hear Him as I longed to. I have been on a wonderful journey the last several years of learning how to listen for the voice of God. I have learned to look for consistency and for affirmations and now I feel like I can recognize more clearly when God is speaking (and He always is, by the way… the issue really is: are we listening?)

When I decided to fast- I didn’t tell anyone for a couple of days. Don’t mistake this for a humble act, however- ha! I probably did this more because I wasn’t sure if I could make it. By the end of the second day and the third day I was forced to tell some people because it was so hard- and it consumed my thoughts. I wanted so badly to follow through on this conviction to fast- because I had a new outlook and believed that God had something to express to me that, otherwise, I could not get the joy of knowing had I not been obedient to fast. Most of the people in my life would initially think it was great- but the more we talked- the more they expressed their concern. Honestly, I can’t help but think that people thought this was probably more of a crash diet kind of thing and they were concerned about my physical health. I think this is a common misconception of fasting… but as soon as fasting becomes about the food… the point of fasting is missed. Food is not the enemy. Food is a gift from God (Amen, fellow Baptists?! ha!). However, by not eating- one can spend much time with God, one can focus on God’s word and God’s love as the only sustainer of life, and it is a literal act of obedience and an act of worship.

My fasting experience was nothing short of amazing. I count that week one of the hardest and one of the best weeks of my life. I joke that I lost a lot of my common sense thinking skills— but… the voice of God was so clear. I had spent much time praying in preparation for the fast. This is key. You can’t prepare yourself physically for a fast but spiritually there is a lot of work to be done. I spent a long time searching my heart for what things I needed to specifically hear God speak on. I spent a lot of time just asking God to meet me during the fast… and just confessing my love for Him and how I longed to spend that time with Him. By the time I started the fast- I had a strange mix of feelings: nervousness & peace. Being nervous isn’t so bad I’ve learned though. Encountering God and expecting Him to move is something to get nervous about.

The struggle of fasting is not really something I want to talk about. I don’t want to make it about the struggle not to eat – but I also don’t want to portray that it was a piece of cake. (PUN INTENDED! ha) For now, let me just say that the first day is exciting, the second day you feel really weak, the third day is the mental and physical breaking point, and if you can make it through the third day- the rest of the journey is much easier. A couple of tips I can give is to drink a lot of water… even more than the suggested daily requirement. Also, make sure to get much more rest than usual- your body needs to sleep a lot. Lastly, if all you find yourself thinking about is not eating food- then I suggest doing a different type of fast where you just eat organically and still spend most of your time in God’s word and in prayer.

Now, the spiritual aspects of fasting— the good stuff! Like I mentioned before, I had several questions and points of interest that I wanted to specifically listen to hear from God. He was faithful to reveal much of what I needed to hear… but also… much of what I don’t think I could have ever prepared myself for! ha! The whole experience was incredibly overwhelming. God didn’t just want to reveal things of importance in my life now- but things of importance as in— years from now. Life changing things. Career, Marriage, Family, Friends, Church, Ministry, and Worship. I received answers to questions I could never know would pertain to my life! haha! There were times where I could literally feel like God was holding me and talking to me. There was a special time where I could practically see God right in front of me and it was as if He was telling me the good news of a certain aspect of my life— and I won’t say that He was giddy…. but.. well.. yeah… He was giddy- He was excited to reveal to me that He is a God who wants to bless the desires of our hearts! He gave affirmation of certain relationships that I have… which I desperately needed to hear and He gave the promise that relationship would be restored in my life. I received great insight into the future of the ministry that God has placed on my life- and I now have the joy of knowing that God is working and moving in lives around me to add to this ministry and that God wants me to work and encourage people around me to find their own ministry calling– because– we are all called into the ministry. Most importantly, I found the strength I needed in my LORD and in my LORD alone. I was able to surrender all my control and all my strength and rely only on God’s… and once I found my rest in the hand’s of God I realized that only then can I tower above the world of sorrow and struggles. In the hands of God we stand tall!

I wish with my whole being that I could end this post here, but I cannot. The day I was going to quit my fast I found myself in mourning. I no longer had any desire to eat just because the experience of God was sweet enough. That sounds mushy-gushy-romantic almost, but it is true. I didn’t want to have to eat again because food can never satisfy like our LORD, Jesus. Unfortunately, since the ending of my fast I have been battling a rough road of depression and dealing with significant feelings of loneliness. Most would look at my life and wonder how on earth I could feel lonely because I have some amazing people in my life… but… I can’t help the way I have been feeling. I am incredibly sensitive to all things going on around me, I am easily thrown into guilt for things I may not even need to waste time and energy feeling guilty about, I have felt very trivial and unnecessary to people and things in my life. There isn’t just jealousy in my heart- but extreme jealousy, and I have anxiety about not only my long time future but about what could happen even in the next hour. I have no peace. No rest. My world is chaos to say the least. I have pushed some great things out of my life this past month. I have pushed away one of the best people that God, no doubt, brought into my life. My world is spinning out of control and I fear that it is not only effecting me but the people I am to be ministering to.

There is no real happy ending to this post. It is what it is… and sometimes we go through these “dark nights of the soul”. However, I do know that God is perfect and always faithful. And I am trusting that God has to have Mountain Peaks and Valleys in order to teach us and move us. The plan now is to ask for forgiveness, to ask for strength, and to ask for restoration and redemption – Not only from God but from the people that I love.

God is good… all the time… This, too, shall pass.

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: Fasting, Food, God, God's voice, Prayer, Spiritual

Sometimes God speaks… and then Sometimes… He screams. Let me share:

__________________________________

You ever feel lead to share something with someone that actually ends up being something you needed to hear? Today I experiences just that–This is part of a message I sent to my sweet friend Beth after she had a long & strenuous week that left her not feeling well.

“I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that I am praying for you. And to share a verse from the Invitation song we sang this past Sunday. I just cannot get it out of my head ((for the life of me! lol!!)) and I hope it will bless you!! May you be reminded of His full love and the perfect rest we have in the hands of God as I have been reminded! One day we will have a spirit clothed immortal- all to sing praise to our Lord who was faithful to lead us… shew… get’s me crying every time I think about it!!! Bless you, sweet sister!

All the way my Savior leads me,
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way. “

But… I, too, needed to be reminded that God wants to grant us perfect rest- and that the strength of our fleshy bodies here are nothing compared to what God has in store for us in Glory! The *REST* is what I cannot seem to escape from… Ask Pastor Mike, when he asked in his sermon Sunday if anyone needed to find rest in Christ- I couldn’t keep my hand down! ha! And I shared with him even in the parking lot that morning how the theme of *REST* has beenpopping up all around me…

__________________________________

Things haven’t been particularly hard or anything– I am blessed beyond all measure– but I just have a terrible, nagging, un-easiness in my Spirit. It has left me questioning a lot. This morning, my tired body became vulnerable enough to share with a dear friend of mine that,
“I just worry that maybe I don’t have what it takes to be in the ministry after all”.
Clearly- it was a moment of pity and self woe, haha, but there was truth to it, though a bit extreme. Her response was nothing short of God breathed,
“You don’t – and that’s the point.”…..
How amazing is that? Read it again if you didn’t catch what she was trying to teach me… because it is pure gold. *WE* don’t have what it takes to do ministry… and that’s the point… ministry has to be from God. And God alone.

_________________________________________

Later today, my momma came home and we were in the Kitchen just talking- and she got serious and looked at me and said, “Kendal… what is this song…” and she began humming a tune I instantly recognized. I mean, I AM the world’s biggest Steven Curtis Chapman fan, right?! Apparently mom had the tune of this song stuck in her head all day long but couldn’t seem to place any words to it- so I began singing:

“I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength,
But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me;
No great success to show, No glory on my own,
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know . . .

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

We can only know
The power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes;
His strength in us begins
Where ours comes to an end.
He hears our humble cry and proves again . . .

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.”

I pretty much sang the whole song, much to mom’s dismay because I kind of let loose on some of it and went crazy!!! ha! but… look at those lyrics! This song was just *coincidentally* laid on my mom’s mind – and now causes me to reflect upon the lyrics.
“…sometimes I wonder what He can do through me…”
this is the cry of my heart
“…Raised in His power, the weak become strong”
and this is His response.

Thank you Lord for Steven Curtis Chapman- who creates beautiful lyrics that are so scripture based.

__________________________________________

And, just in case God’s scream to me wasn’t clear enough… He prompted Jeremy (who had just gotten off the phone with me) to call me back and say that he read a scripture, that may have been for him too, but he thought of me when he read it. Hold on to your seats for this one:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When he called and told me this- I was in shock- I couldn’t even begin to express to him how God had just used him to put a big exclamation point on all that He was teaching me today. God’s lessons can be so overwhelming- so scary- so intense- so wonderful.

_________________________________________

Disclaimer: This is where I just type- there may be spelling & grammatical errors & the like but- I just want to type and see where God takes my thoughts for a minute.

We serve a limitless God- his strength knows no limits. But boy- mine does. Maybe.. when we start to feel tired and drained from our ministry- it is the sure sign that we are doing things in our own power and strength. Maybe when we start to think we have all the answers – it is the very time that we have lost the meaning of what it’s all about. I don’t have the strength and I don’t have the answers- but my LORD does. May I decrease and He increase- so that in my weakness I would be made strong through His strength in me. It is only when my strength becomes less that I think can be stronger than ever- IN HIM.

Clearly God is here- talking to me- saying, “Why are you feeling so weak, so tired, so restless?”

— then maybe I point to my weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, difficulties- and say, “God look at all that’s around us- it is so awful- I can’t do this anymore”

— and He says, “Great… Let me.”

It seems like a “DUH” kind of thing- of course we should “Let go & Let God”… but what if we really did.

What if we let go of being bound by depression and let God handle it.

What if we took the sick and dying and lay them at the foot of the cross.

What if we let our broken hearts be mended by the perfect and full power of our LORD.
What if we took our sins and guilt and released them in the name of Jesus.

What strength would we then know?

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: God screaming, rest, Strength

Well, I’m just going to jump back into the swing of “blogging”. No cutesie little blog about how I’m REALLY going to do this again (you can see how great that worked back in January???) but I’m just going to get right to the grind.

I’m Just a Girl… It’s a song I listened to thanks to my totally awesome and cool big sister. If you don’t know it, well, one- shame on you. And two- it’s “old-school” No Doubt from their CD Tragic Kingdom. Here are some lyrics that speak loudly and profoundly to me tonight

I’m just a girl in the world…
That’s all that you’ll let me be!
I’m just a girl, living in captivity.

Granted, I doubt Gwen Stefani was dealing with persecution about leading as a woman in the church when she sang this song… but those lyrics scream the words I long to just stand up one day and say. I realized this when I was talking to Jeremy tonight, bless his sweet heart, as I vented to him about this and that- things got heated as I became numb to this situation and was saying how none of it is a big deal. I mentioned that I was so excited because I got to talk with a new youth girl who wants to join our church. And after Jeremy’s response (which… I will keep to myself… hehee!) I broke down into tears knowing that girls need to know that they are not just girls trapped in captivity.

Do you realize that we serve a limitless God? I think we are taught that… but this is a truth that I recently have found inescapable. God has no boundaries… yet we are constantly trying to fit Him into a box. The thing about the box we (consciously or not) try to stuff him in is that it is based off of what WE are comfortable with. Not comfortable with the idea of speaking in tongues??…. great- put a limit on God and say that it shouldn’t happen. Not comfortable with the power of healing by God working through the touch of a hand??…. great- put a boundary up on God’s almighty power and say its a fake. For these people, I have some good news for you though… the God we serve has no limits and has no boundaries. I have some bad news, too though… He is working outside your box and therefore you are missing out on a blessing and word from the LORD.

Where does all of this stem from with me personally? I’m just a girl… a girl who has had supernatural encounters of affirmation after affirmation of being called into full time ministry. The problem? Some people want put God in a box and say that He can’t use women to teach certain people. I could get into my own thoughts (and probably will eventually on this blog) about the scriptures regarding this view point… but for now- let me offer up some insights from other scriptures that encourage girls to know that they are not to be held down in captivity- just like we should not hold our LORD down in the things He can do ((Like His ability to call a woman into the ministry, just saying! ha!))

Galatians 3
26) You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
27) for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

…. Slave nor Free… Male nor Female… for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.
THIS is a picture of what the Church is to be. ONE in Christ. This is an interesting part of God’s word not only because Males and Females are one through Christ Jesus- but also because the slaves and the free are one in Christ. I refuse to be enslaved to the idea that because I am a woman I therefore cannot serve my LORD as He calls. I am free- thanks be to the blood of Christ. And by the blood and the word of my testimony- I overcome all things this world may throw at me. Please don’t get me wrong- I am (believe it or not) NOT a feminist- I see the BEAUTIFUL picture that God’s holy and breathed word presents of the head of the church being a man and the head of the family being a man— and thanks to positive examples of this- I see how God created us to work in this way- But I still cannot escape the fact that- WE SERVE A LIMITLESS GOD. And most importantly, we serve a God who longs for us to find freedom.

He longs for us to freely worship Him.
He longs for us to freely serve Him.
He longs for us to freely submit to Him.
He longs for us to freely love Him.

And I don’t know about you, but I need freedom. I want to feel freedom in Christ like never before. And my guess is that you have something that you are enslaved to in your walk with Christ- yet, our limitless God is there waiting to give you that freedom He wants us to fully experience.

Galatians 5
1) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Stand Firm.
DO. NOT. LET. YOURSELVES. BE. BURDENED. AGAIN. BY. A. YOKE. OF. SLAVERY.

There is your freedom. Do not let yourselves be burdened again. As I say to my momma, “Release yourself of the burden”! God gives us the chance to experience life freely here on earth. Why would we burden ourselves with captivities, limits, and boundaries?

Oh- I guess I should share one more scripture- especially if there happens to be others who are feeling the burden of being persecuted like myself… This is a scripture I am now choosing to live by… I may be just a girl… but…

Galatians 6
17) Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Thank you Jesus for bearing the cross… for us all.

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Tags: Freedom, Ministry, Women