New book study! This month I am embarking on a verse by verse journey through Lamentations in the Old Testament.
One of the reasons I specifically wanted to slowly delve into this book is to uncover its profound insights on Biblically expressing our emotions.
I want to comfort people in a Biblical way, embracing the Bible’s holistic approach to our well-being.
Emotions can be messy and confusing. Bob Kellemen, a renowned former professor of biblical counseling at Faith Bible Seminary, sheds light on ways to express our feelings in a God-honoring manner. These same principles are beautifully woven throughout Lamentations as well.
First, there are two unbiblical ways to express emotion:
1. Out of control expression
Over controlled suppression
Out of control expression means indulging all of our feelings without any filter. It is what the Apostle Paul warned against in Ephesians 4:19 when he said people had sinfully “given themselves up to sensuality.” They did whatever they felt. Feelings became their god instead of their feelings directing them towards God.
Over controlled suppression means stuffing our feelings down or pretending they don’t exist. Paul also called this out in Ephesians when he said, “Be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). Though it is not ok to sin, it is OK to acknowledge anger. Denial or self-deception towards our feelings does not work.
Where we see this in Lamentations: Lamentations is not a rant or an unmeasured outburst of feelings. It is a carefully constructed expression directed to God (e.g., “O LORD, behold my affliction” Lamentations 1:9). Yet the poet also did not suppress the very real hurt and pain he and others felt (e.g. “For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears… “ Lamentations 1:16).
Lord, enable and teach me to measure my emotions in a Holy way today. 🙌🏻❤️🙏
Paul opens up Ephesians by clearly stating his identity:
“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:1
Then – In Ephesians 1:4-10, Paul immediately begins by reminding us of our identity. Our identity in Christ is that we are holy and dearly loved children of God. We get this identity when we receive God’s gift of salvation through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. This identity is not based on us, but rather, it is placed on us because we have been adopted into God’s family. Just like when a baby is placed into a family either through birth or adoption, they become a son or a daughter and take that family’s name as their identity. It is the same with our identity in Christ.
This isn’t because of our work, our successes or how good we try to be. We become children of God by grace through faith in Christ.
Paul wants our spiritual identity to frame our minds and thoughts. He desires to help us think rightly so that we may speak and act rightly.
An important truth is that our adoption to the Father is an action of pure love by a God who is not impersonal, but deeply connected and concerned with the objects of His love, you and I! 🥰🥰🥰
I was reminded of this powerful truth this morning – the longer I walk with the Lord sometimes I forget just how broken I was before I surrendered everything to him, and before I understood that my identity comes from him. I grew up in a deeply broken home. My father’s hands were representations of pain, hurt, abuse. My mother was so concerned with her own survival that she represented competition, coldness, self centeredness. This all led me to believe I was unworthy of love, safety, I felt as though I had no value.
Just hearing the simple gospel message had the power to begin to change me, it made me spiritually new, but it did not do the deep work inside of me to change where I found my own identity – only through diligent study of God’s word and submitting everything to him first before the world – have I been able to come to know and believe that I am my father’s daughter.
Friends, let’s not forget that our adoption as children of God comes with an expectation. When we remember and think of the great and glorious truth of being adopted by the King of heaven and earth, and that we share in the inheritance of the King, it should result in a desire to reflect and live up to the standard of the King and His Kingdom. This means instead of just going along with what the world deems acceptable in our thoughts and our words, that we set a higher standard for ourselves to “be holy and blameless before him” (Ephesians 1:4). To be holy and blameless includes allowing the truth of our adoption to lace the words that come from our mouth and inform every action of our hands and feet. It doesn’t mean we will always do this perfectly, but it does mean that we are daily checking and intentionally redirecting our thoughts and our words to stay in line with God’s instructions. It’s not because we are guilted into it but because we desire to stay free of the entrapments of the enemy that come from thoughts polluted with lies and words tainted with bitterness, slander and harshness.
Adoption means we now have God as our Father. It means that we receive the inheritance that could only legally be given to a son.
“When the tribe of Ephraim spoke, the people shook with fear, for that tribe was important in Israel. But the people of Ephraim sinned by worshiping Baal and thus sealed their destruction.
Now they continue to sin by making silver idols, images shaped skillfully with human hands. “Sacrifice to these,” they cry, “and kiss the calf idols!”
Therefore, they will disappear like the morning mist, like dew in the morning sun, like chaff blown by the wind, like smoke from a chimney. “I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior.
I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me. So now I will attack you like a lion, like a leopard that lurks along the road.
Like a bear whose cubs have been taken away, I will tear out your heart. I will devour you like a hungry lioness and mangle you like a wild animal.” Hosea 13:1-8 NLT
Maybe the idea of carved images and pagan alters built on hillsides can feel far away from the practices of our current day. Maybe we’re tempted to read the prophecy of Hosea as though from a safe distance, believing the problems of God’s people and Hosea’s time are unrelated to today- self-centeredness however, is a problem for all people, including you and me.
 In Hosea’s day the people of God became enamored with and distracted by what Jesus would call “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19). And the more they forgot God, the more irrational and immoral, their lives became. In Hosea 13:2, we even see that the people were willing to “offer human sacrifice” yet “kiss calves” made of metal- they valued false gods made by humans more than they valued humans made by God.
It would be remiss of me not to mention abortion here. Abortion is the baal worship of our current day. The self-centerdness of the “my body my choice” movement is nothing less than pride and the forgetfulness of God. Two pre-born human beings are murdered every minute of every day in the United States of America.
Just like in the times of Hosea, we too deserve God’s wrath but He remains patient.
God is showing you mercy right now, begging you to turn away from your sin and be reconciled to him. I love you and believe that the Lord is not slow about his promise but is patient toward you not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9).
I was once an enemy of God too, but it was his grace that saved me and set me free to follow him. It would be hateful to withhold this truth from you when you have the chance to be washed clean and reconciled to your Creator. Today is the day of salvation. God‘s judgment will not delay forever.
This weekend while I was away Jackson was so brave and really did his best to utilize his tools and coping skills that we have built into our home. My family also did their very best to support him and let me have a weekend away, seeking the Lord with other women.
It always takes a full day or two for me to not have half my mind at home, a quarter dealing with guilt and a spirit of fear, and a quarter actually present in where I am at. But praise the Lord that He did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:2).
Saturday night when I was really beginning to feel undivided – Zac calls me to say Jackson had locked the both of them out of his truck while it was running on some logging road, he needed my help and he was using a strangers phone. If I am being honest, it did take me a moment to pivot back to the thing I had been trying so hard to not worry about! But in that the Lord was so good to bring “stranger Steve” to my family, so they could use a phone and he gave them a ride home to get Jackson out of the woods in the dark. I got a roadside assistance driver dispatched and what should have taken him 3 hours actually only took about 40 minutes! He showed up and stranger Steve stayed at the end of the road to be sure he saw where Zac was.
I was praising the Lord and the enemy wasted no time trying to come after my family and my peace in my praising. But the enemy is weak compared to our God. 🙌🏻
I continued to praise and went back into the retreat. My family struggled in the hard in the middle of the night into the morning and day. Jackson’s meltdown came after as I am sure he was trying to process what all just happened- Zac was scheduled to teach in kids class but couldn’t do that while getting little sleep and with our son’s needs so high. A brother and sister graciously covered for him and us. ❤️🙏 It took a huge amount of humility for Zac to ask for help, this is kind of a weak spot of ours.
Meanwhile, I had no choice but to lay it all at my Savior’s feet and surrender it to Him – while I worshipped and covered my home, my husband, my son, in prayer.
God somehow strengthened ALL of our dependence on Him this weekend in a way least expected but also so true to Who He is – He is with us in all times and especially in the hards.
When the enemy whispers the lie that you are not known, seen, or understood –
Shout with praise the truth that God has an all-inclusive knowledge of us, our kids, our family members and friends. He knows us more than anyone else, even more than we know ourselves.
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” Psalms 139:1-5 NLT
Thank you Lord for placing us in circumstances and situations to remind us of your sovereignty and our need of dependence on YOU alone Lord.
Guys – the enemy is a liar. 🤥 Our God is with us and He is fighting for us. 💕⚔️⛓️💥 Cover your home and your people in prayer. 🙏
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:7-10 ESV
These verses in James gives us an action plan for turning from our sin and living out our faith in God:
First we submit to God (4:7a). This means we acknowledge God’s wisdom is wiser than the ways of the world. We also recognize His rightful authority to direct our lives according to His wisdom.
Submitting is what we do – but practically HOW do we do it? James goes on…
We resist the devil (4:7b). The implication of the Greek word translated “resist” is “to stand against” or “withstand”. This infers a promise that whatever power Satan may have, we are ABLE to overcome him by God’s GRACE.
We draw near to God (4:8a). James appears to have Hosea 12:6 in mind: “so you by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.” James commands and promises were written to believers in Jesus. But rather than love and justice, these believers had demonstrated selfish ambition and partiality. James was not necessarily talking about drawing near to God for salvation here but he was referring to what repentance from sin looks like for Christ followers.
We wash our hands and purify our hearts (4:8b). This alludes to how Israelite priests prepared to minister before the Lord in the OT, reminding us that we are called to a high standard of behavior as Christ’s people. He washes us clean through the Gospel of His sacrificial death and resurrection, which we receive through the Word and which is how we draw near to Him. (Eph. 5:25b-27).
Finally, we grieve and mourn and wail over our sin (4:9). When we draw near to God, we become saddened over our inability to fully follow the Lord’s commands … but our weeping turns to exhalation as we experience God’s forgiveness of our sins through Christ (James 4:10).
All of these intentional choices result in our recognition of our deep spiritual need for our Savior.
Thanks be to God that Jesus has rescued us and promises to present us, the Church, before God’s throne as His beautiful bride.
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,” Jude 1:24 ESV
Rather than trying to work our way into positions of power, recognition, or status, we can humbly sit in the presence of God. He positions us for purpose and purifies our hearts. As we acknowledge our desperation for His deliverance, He will forgive and exalt us.
I started a study on the book of Hebrews at the beginning of January. I am currently a few months in and rounding out the last two chapters. Hebrews is such a theologically rich book that it has caused me to overlook or under-consider (is under-consider a word?) the books presentation of:
Jesus is enough and Jesus is always the answer
The last two months I have had some things come up that have given me a fresh comfort of this truth. This book has been a major balm to my soul and has increased my ability to abide in my relationship with Christ. When condemnation has came knocking on the doors of my memories and anxiety of the unknown has tried to shake me… these truths overcome!
“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18 ESV
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 ESV
Earlier this month I had a scare with some unexpected blood loss… I go to the doctor and get a referral to surgery, which I am waiting to be scheduled currently. At that same appointment, unexpectedly, the doctor found a large lump on each of my breasts. This month made exactly one year since my last breast cancer scare in which my faithful church family anointed and prayed for me.
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” James 5:14-15 ESV
So now I wait on another mammogram and diagnostic imaging but I wait knowing God has been faithful in the past and I can trust He will be faithful again. Because I can trust Him, and know He is never changing, I can have peace in this messy place and I know if I suffer well – I will be rewarded in this trial.
Suffering for the Christian always presents the opportunity for discipline and growth.
“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”” Hebrews 12:5-6 ESV
This month I also had someone reach out to me relaying that my earthly dad would like my address so he can write to me. This is a person who I have had zero contact with for over 14 years. This person was abusive in every way possible and in the past has denied any contact with me, even contact for me to relay I had forgiven him and would always continue to pray for him. In an act of grace and mercy, I said yes and sent my address. I cannot know if this persons heart has changed or what their intention is… but I can have faith in trusting the Lord to see me through whatever may be on the other side of this.
And I can know that I continue to pray with faith that my dad would confess his sins to the Lord, be forgiven, become a changed man, and one day join the Saints in Heaven.
Jesus endured the suffering of this world because He knew the outcome was worth it. You were worth it, friend and I was worth it. Jesus willingly obeyed God by coming to this world and in turn, it resulted in the restoration and reunion of God’s children. Jesus knew there was eternal salvation waiting beyond the suffering of this life! The same is true for us.
Eternity with Jesus awaits us. So what about this suffering in the meantime? If we allow it, this too can have eternal purpose. Our suffering can become a means of God’s discipline… let’s define the word “discipline”.
Discipline here does not mean punishment. Jesus already took our punishment. (Isaiah 53:5) The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible defines discipline as “Learning that molds character and enforces correct behavior; from a Latin word meaning instruction’ or ‘training.” Suffering can be a major means for us to learn, train and be molded into someone better. Much like using weights to discipline and condition our muscles, or using alarm clocks to discipline our use of time, if we let it, suffering can discipline our hearts toward empathy, compassion, understanding and more.
If you let Him, God can turn pain into something that will transform you and yield righteousness.
Friend, being a Christian does not mean that you will have a life free of pain and suffering BUT what it does mean is that: You have Jesus!
Jesus to cover you 🙌🏻 Jesus to walk beside you 🙌🏻 Jesus in the good times and the hard times 🙏 Turns out, He is more than enough ❤️
“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 ESV
The enemy would want nothing more than for my family to stop coming to church.
If any of you have read the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis then you may be able to imagine that the enemy doesn’t need us to “hate” God in order to pull us away from God. The enemy would see to it that we would back away slowly, not completely. It would begin with missing one or two Sundays, looking to others who “watch online”, to compare the ways we are close to Jesus and to say that because of our circumstances being “different” we are excused from corporately gathering… then it would become that Jackson’s class is better off without him… that we are a burden to the church.
The Bible is so clear here though – and if you know the truth then you can discern the lie.
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Hebrews 10:25 “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
And we are all important in the body as the Lord has blessed each one differently, “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)
You may not know that 90+ percent of families with a family member experiencing autism don’t go to church. That 8/10 marriages end in divorce by the time the child is 4 years of age. Or that Suicide is the highest cause of death for young people experiencing autism with only drowning surpassing it.
These numbers tell me that we (special needs/disabilities families) need the church!!!
And that other families need to see us in the church. Pushing through the hard for the joy ahead.
This is not an immediate or tangible joy or a fit of “happiness” in the sense of what we think culturally when we use the term joy. I am talking the deep joy that comes from God alone.
The joy of knowing that in Christ is:
Healing
Forgiveness
Resurrection And Renewal
One thing I have learned is nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me yearn more for our King Jesus’s return than when I am carrying my hurting, sweet boy out of church crying out and unable to recover… hearing him begging to go back to his “big kid” class but lacking the “skills” needed for that day…
the helplessness I feel to see him hurting and longing to belong and no way for me to to fix it…
I also know humility is best learned in the “lab” not by reading others experiences and outcomes but by allowing God to configure the right parts needed to meet you and change you in the season He has you. We are taught to surrender.
And so this I cling to:
God is good
God is good to Jackson
God is good to us.
And God is good in autism.
Lord, enable me and my family not to just keep showing up but to glorify you! That we would show up with empty and outstretched hands so that we may receive the abundant life you have for us. And in that we continue to learn that in YOU and being with YOU is sufficient for all of ours and Jackson’s needs. Amen.
It’s perspective giving to me to see that I posted this two years ago… in this time so much of the day to day has remained the same. The Lord continues to use Jackson and our struggles to grow us, love us and discipline us. And, Jackson is still looking for and finding the light. Sometimes I get frustrated at my humanness and how long I can struggle to fully submit certain seasons to the Lord…
But then I am reminded that slow growth makes us strong and sturdy. I read somewhere that it can take an olive tree anywhere from 3-5 years to produce fruit, it is the trees slow growth that makes it sturdy. Similarly, we can’t fast track our spiritual growth without it being a risk to the fruit being produced.
Thank you Lord for these moments with you 🙌🥺
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Sometimes in the quiet hours of early morning the Lord blesses me in the most unexpected ways.
Every morning of late Jackson has been getting up incredibly early and I find myself grumbling from the struggles of the day before or worse even dreading the struggles of the day to come.
But not Jackson. The very FIRST thing he does each morning is find the light. Sometimes the light gets in through the expected places and sometimes it gets in through the unexpected places.
Regardless, he goes to it, he squats down and he basks in it. After he rests in this light, he then goes and get his “friends for the day” and he holds them up in the light too.
What a beautiful picture of the grace God gives us each day, that enables us to give this grace to others. A picture of how His mercies are new each morning. This morning I paused and stopped in the light with Jackson. We prayed and I paused, I grabbed my Bible and spent some time in the light.
Children are a blessing from God in so many ways. Jackson has a way reminding me of what is important when I forget. For a season I found myself sitting with him (still do) for long hours through the night – often beside the bathtub trying to soothe him. During that season the Lord impressed on my heart, “If you cannot even be still for your son, how than can you be still for me?”.
This season the Lord is using Jackson to remind me that life is found in the light of the world. In the life and grace of Jesus.
Lord forgive me, and help me to not resent these moments and days and months of intense pressure. Help me to recognize the gifts of these moments to help me to strive to enter the rest that is coming. Help me to do all things in the strength that YOU Lord provide.
“Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” Matthew 18:2-5 NLT
Quiet mornings with Jackson before work is one of my very favorite things ❤️
Jackson having a morning snack by the tree
Last week, every morning was chaos. Dogs, child, pee and poop 💩 of all kinds everywhere. Cold and flu season. All of the things. But man, God’s tender mercy got us through.
It’s hard not to be grateful when it’s Christmas time. A time filled with reminders of Promises kept.
🎄 Jesus, the Promised One, came to save and give grace. We cannot save ourselves, but Jesus died in our place so that we could be His forever and made new.
🎄 The Bible holds hundreds of Promises, and Jesus is the answer to each one. In Him, we have hope, joy, peace, and love.
🎄 Jesus came as the Promised One long ago.
👑 Someday, He is coming again to make all things right forever because God ALWAYS keeps His Promises.
🙌 God keeps every last one.
🙏 Cling to this truth today if you need it friend. The holidays can be hard. I remember for so long this time of the year had a sting. It was a reminder of all the things I did not have. I did not have a safe home, family, a warm place to snuggle or a soft place to land. And some years were just dark.
🍎 I can now look back and see that I was hearing the lies of the enemy over the trumpet of grace. I was hearing the lies of the enemy say I was not worthy instead of knowing My King 👑 calls me Worthy.
Because of Christ, I now walk in freedom from the bondage of sin that leads to death. ✝️
The greatest gift of Joy is knowing Christ. You CAN rest in His faithfulness to us now and in the future as we remind our heart’s of God’s faithfulness in the past.
Friend, I don’t know why you may be hurting today- It may be because it is cold and flu season and you have poop all over your house or maybe it’s something deeper that you may not even know how to say –
Let me encourage you with a gentle reminder: HEALING AND HOPE will only be found in Jesus. Not in the Pinterest worthy pictures or elaborate decorations this season.
In Christ alone is rest, joy, comfort. Behold Him this season.
“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
It stands to reason, then, that ungracious words can produce an adverse effect on our well-being. Allowing ourselves to express frustrations enables “feelings” to rage unchecked in our system.
But when we make certain words and tones off limits, we begin retraining the neural pachways of our brains toward gratitude and positivity – a process that Scripture calls the “renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2) and one that secular science is finding more and more support for. And this is something our Pastoral team has mentioned in several Sunday sermons as of late.
I find it fascinating how the Lord has created us as holistic beings. The physical affects the emotional, which can bolster or wreak havoc on the spiritual.
I don’t know about you all, but for myself I am really having to bring my thoughts back to Christ constantly right now. Rallying together with others and comparing or complaining about the loads we are bearing, the election season!!, and the coming holiday stresses are not good things for us to be doing Christians! Even when we do not move forward with the intention of participating, it is all around us in the world right now. Praise the Lord that for the Christian this is not our home! We are set apart for HIS kingdom and HIS glory!
The only real load we have ever bared was taken from us at the Cross when our Savior chose to drink from the cup the Father gave HIM – so that in and through HIM we could be made FREE!!! Praise the Lord! In light of this not much matters except furthering HIS kingdom.
The more you shovel your feelings in the Lord’s direction – the less important your feelings will actually feel – in the BEST possible way!
Minute by minute,
Lord, help me to be calm. Jesus, give me kind speech. Father, show me how to be gentle.
👉Colossians 3:12 says, “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” 👉Ephesians 4:2 admonishes us to “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” 👉And of course, the famous “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23 includes gentleness with love, joy, peace, self-control, and other stellar attributes.
The Bible has a lot to say on gentleness –
Don’t use grace as an excuse not to grow. In Christ, we CAN choose gentle speech. And when we get it wrong, cause we will, know that Christ’s love covers a multitude of sins.
Let’s follow the Lord’s example this season, being slow to anger and abounding in love. (Numbers 14:18).
The Meek Momma 