My Phrase

This Sunday I was blessed to be part of the worship meeting at Heartland Church.  This is our home church but it is sometimes difficult for me to get there on weeks that Randy works.  This week we had a guest speaking with us, Chip Judd is his name.  Chip is a pastor and a professional counselor.  We always love to hear God's word as it comes from Chip!

This week he shared about "The Keys to Happy Living".  Chip talked about the fact that everyone is living out a story.  It is the story that they have written for their own lives.  He challenged us by reminding us that we have the power to change our personal story.  Through a testimony of his own, Chip helped us to hear that God has something more for us than we have written for ourselves and in order to change our stories into the story that God has for us, we need to look to Him for help.  In the end of his message, Chip encouraged the church by telling us that there are 1-3 phrases that haunt us, that make our story less than what it could be.  We need to consult with God about the truth in these phrases and see God's phrases spoken into our lives.  God's phrase for my life has to be bigger than the other phrases that I hold on to.

I quickly was able to identify one phrase that has "haunted" my story.  See, from the time I was in early elementary school (I'm talking first grade), I have heard the phrase "Gifted Under Achiever" spoken into my life.  Ouch.  I have lived up to that.  Even in graduate school I did not achieve to my fullest, because I was gifted enough to get by. 

I prayed about this and saw how it has effected my life even as a wife and mother.  I am working on embracing God's phrase for my life.  God says I am a "devoted daughter".  Wow!  What a name to live up to.  It sure does take a lot more work than the old phrase.  I am so glad that I have a new platform to grow toward!

Another blessing this Sunday: one of the ladies in the church prayed for Crackers and I, in her prayer she referred to us as a "Madonna and child"... I love that image, it touched me.  Even though I don't know your name, thank you for praying for us and for blessing us.