The Way to Handle Life

March 24, 2016 By: Angela Parlin

It doesn’t take much for me to shed tears.

Years ago, I took one of those 20-question quizzes, which used to populate our email inboxes. Before Facebook took over, we replied to all and read our friends’ answers one by one as they replied to ours. Remember that?

This quiz included questions about your favorite fruit, your most embarrassing moment, and how many days a week you cry. Random.

Guess what I learned?

Most people don’t shed tears every day.

Or at least that group of my friends didn’t. After I sent out my answers, some of them wondered if I was depressed. But I didn’t have anything to hide—I’ve just always been an easy cry.

I’ve been studying the book of Hebrews, where we see Jesus as superior to angels and prophets and the law that came through Moses. He’s our High Priest who gives us continual access to God’s Presence.

But we also see Jesus living out of his humanity, displaying strong emotion.

We see Him crying and praying fervently about what was to come.

We see Him struggle and still obey God, even through suffering.

We see Him fully dependent on God His Father day after day.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Hebrews 5:7

It’s the emotion here that stops me—fervent cries and tears to the One who could save Him.

This points to His time in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus asked His Abba, Father to take this cup from Him. He was asking God to not let Him die in such agony–with the sins of the world heaped upon Him.

He didn’t want His Father to turn away from Him.

And He was heard because of His reverent submission. This last part of the verse is important.

Jesus asked for a different way, but He submitted to the Father’s will.

Yet not what I will, but what you will. Mark 14:36b

Is this the attitude you carry into your prayers?

It’s often not where my heart is, when I come to God with a need. I’m thinking, MY will, Lord, just say yes! I’m assuming I can see far enough ahead to know my way will work out best. I’m sure I know what I need.

But often, God shows me that what I need more than anything is to walk with Him and depend on Him.

What I need most is to lay my requests at His feet and say, Not what I will, but what you will.

Jesus endured His life on earth with regular time away from everyone else, praying to His Father–even though there were endless people to help and things to do.

Our lives, also, are meant to be handled with prayer.

May we follow Christ’s example to actively trust in God and depend on our Father through prayer. May we pray as an offering, sometimes including tears. Every day if needed.

Read this post also at PurposefulFaith.com!

Do You See the Beauty?

February 25, 2016 By: Angela Parlin

The way we view our lives changes things.

I’m beginning to believe that the way we choose to see the circumstances of our lives is the big point.

Sometimes my vision is clouded with things I don’t enjoy about my current situation. When I’m focused on the problems I face, there’s little room in my heart to see the good. Instead, I’m chronically unhappy with the way things are.

Can you relate?

Other times, my eyes are full of what I think I need to improve upon everywhere I look, and then I fall into perpetual striving. I seek to make my life something better, and I miss the beauty of what’s already in front of me.

I’m talking about contentment, a way of seeing our lives with thankful eyes.

The way we see determines how we’ll experience our days. So how is your vision today? How do you choose to see?

Years ago, I named my blog, So Much Beauty in All This Chaos. God was teaching me then that His beauty is always around me. Even in the chaos that sometimes happens at home with the kids, even in the trials, even in my disappointment, He has planted so much beauty.

My job is to choose to see the beauty. My part is to call it out and thank Him.

I’ve struggled many times to see the beauty in my life when chaos crowds it out, and so I started naming the beauty whenever I could see it. I started to look for it.

~The way God met me there in that trial, the way He comforted me.

~The beauty inside the people He placed in my life for me to love, and the ways they love me back.

~The truth He speaks straight to my heart from His Word day after day.

~The sky and the birds and the rest of His incredibly gorgeous world which surrounds me.

I’ve learned the beauty goes on and on and on.

I’ve learned there’s always more, because I find it whenever I choose to look.

But sometimes I still return to my critical eyes, to my critical heart. Sometimes the details of life overwhelm me, and I find myself right back in that ugly, bitter place, where I have a really hard time seeing the good. Sometimes I wake up and it’s cold and I’m tired of doing the same old things another day, and maybe it’s just that I woke on the wrong side of the bed, but I’m just not happy with the way things are. I’m just not satisfied.

I don’t know about you, but I desperately need God’s vision–to see great things He’s already done.

To see all the beauty He’s planted between the rows of my chaos, in the middle of every day.

Where will you choose to see the beauty God has planted in your life today?

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14

Read this post also at PurposefulFaith.com.

Who You Are In the Light

January 28, 2016 By: Angela Parlin

Do you know who you really are?

A friend told me recently that her Mom used to have her stand in front of the mirror and recite truths about who God says she is. Isn’t that great? I’ll save it in my parenting toolbox, but the truth is, I’ve needed it myself.

Not long ago, I knew certain facts regarding who God says I am—but I didn’t feel like they were true.

Have you been there?

There’s an identity crisis, within the church. It begins with our understanding of God, and our understanding of who we are in light of Him.

We can name details about God, but do we really know Him? And if we don’t KNOW the God who created us, then how do we know our own selves?

I grew up in the church, so I learned numerous truths about God and about myself through the years. I also live in a world where I heard an abundance of lies about us both. There were those labels people gave me, those labels I gave myself, and the experiences that told me things I couldn’t forget.

But more often, I was oblivious to what was going on around me. The world and the devil did their thing, and I failed to see the false and fiery arrows shot my way.

While my foundation was forming, the enemy worked to confuse my identity.

I didn’t know deep down in my heart who I really was–because of Jesus Christ. I didn’t live confidently out of the truth.

When you don’t have a firm grasp on who you are in God’s eyes (your identity in Christ)—
start with who God is.

Find Him in the quiet. Seek Him through His Word. Get to know Him more.

Meditate on who God is. Focus on who He says you are.

Look to the Word–not to the world–for daily affirmations.

Let Him change your view of Him and your view of you.

Let Him set you free from the lies that hold you down.

In time, God will transform your mind completely, giving you a whole new view.

You will understand who God is and who you are in light of Him.

May these scriptures be a starting place, pointing the way to the truth.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. Psalm 28:7

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4

Before I was born, the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb He has spoken my name. Isaiah 49:1b

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me.” Genesis 16:13a

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Read this post also at PurposefulFaith.com.

Falling In & Out of Prayer

December 31, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

It doesn’t sound super spiritual, but you guys–prayer is hard.

Stillness is hard. Hard stops in a busy life are hard.

Do you agree? Tell me it isn’t just me.

In early January, I thought I had picked a word for the year. But instead, God led me to focus on prayer, and not to only toss Him my cares and needs.

I needed to grow in prayer as worship. To take my sin seriously and regularly confess it. To sit in the silence and listen for His whispers.

So I set out to spend time away from the world each day in prayer, to learn to pray without multitasking.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. Psalm 27:8, NIV

Sometimes, my prayer life was amazing. I was learning so much about God. But the truth? It wasn’t all glitter and rainbows, and I didn’t always show up.

Sometimes I really struggled to sit still before the Lord.

When I got caught up in so much busyness, concentrated prayer was the first thing I let go of. I put it off for later, and another day went by.

At the same time, I enjoyed mountaintop views this year, and they were unbelievable. But there were also valleys.

The mountaintop often didn’t appear when I was on my best behavior. It didn’t show up when I was the most faithful, or the most consistent.

Instead, I’d come to this place with hard corners in my heart, with a terrible attitude, having been away from Him for days. Even my kids could tell the difference. I’d be having one of those weeks when I didn’t like myself very much.

Having fallen out of prayer, I’d fall on my knees again.

And just when I knew I was a mess and didn’t deserve it, I’d see that view again. He’d bring me around to the mountaintop. He’d fill me with His grace and lift me up.

Then I’d walk around the house, humming “Love Lifted Me.” Knowing Love lifts us once for eternal salvation and continues to lift us every time we fall, whether in ways that measure large or small.

Sometimes in this world, we’re sinking in sins and distractions. Love is always near to lift us, when we come back to Him.

Jesus doesn’t stand there, pointing His finger and saying, You know better. You should be more consistent. You should be more… He doesn’t call us those names that float around our heads.

Jesus stays near. His arms are open wide. Whether it’s been a week or 20 years, His desire is that we seek Him. That we come and talk with Him.

He didn’t come to rescue us because we’d be star performers or at least consistent.
He didn’t save us because we earned it.
He saved us because He is Love and He longs to lift us.

And He’s already everything we’re not.

Jesus is an unending welcome-back, a Love who lifts us up again.

May we settle in before the Lord this year. May we worship Him and know Him more and let His kindness to change the course of our days.

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8, NLT

Read this post also at PurposefulFaith.com!

Alive With Thanksgiving

November 24, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

Image By Angela Parlin

Sometimes I’ve had a not-so-fun day at home with my kids. When my husband walks in and asks about our day, I let it all roll out. And what rolls out is a list of complaints, how everything went horribly for me. “I had to deal with ____ and take care of ____ and then they ____ and so I had to ____.”

As I recount the day’s battles, I sink deeper and deeper into my desire to just call it a day and go to bed, in hopes that I’ll wake tomorrow, having forgotten it all. In hopes that tomorrow, everything will be different.

When things are hard, I’m far more aware of my hardships than my treasures.

My hard days are not the whole story of my life, but I start to feel like they are. And I sink lower, because of my awful perspective.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” ~Thornton Wilder

What I really need is to count my blessings–which is mostly a shift in perspective. More than likely, you need the same.

In the middle of any given day, we can either focus on all the treasures which surround us, or we can look long at all the things that are not as they should be. In the middle of any given day, we find both, don’t we, both treasures and difficulties?

Where will you focus?

Which will you recount?

Some believe that with our conscious thoughts, we’re choosing between being truly alive, or half dead. Do you agree, that we’re only really alive when conscious of our treasures?

The Bible commands us repeatedly, in both the Old and New Testaments, to give thanks to God for a variety of blessings. We should thank Him for everything–His mercy toward us, salvation, every spiritual blessing in Christ, the ways He provides for us daily, answered prayers, the people He places in our lives, faith, hope, material blessings–everything.

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

When you read these familiar scriptures, do you feel a little discouraged? Because when I read words like ALWAYS, for everything, in whatever you do, in every situation, I know I fall really short of them. But God’s will is not for us to feel discouraged. Instead, He wants us to bring it to Him in prayer–with thanksgiving.

Look at that, another opportunity to give thanks, this time in the middle of our shortcomings.

So maybe instead of getting tripped up on words like always, we start making a habit of giving thanks to God in this situation–and we continue until it’s a habit to give thanks in whatever we do.

Maybe it’s just that simple. Not always easy, but simple.

Today, we count our blessings and thank the Lord for every good gift He bestows.

Conscious of our treasures, may we come ALIVE with thanksgiving.

*And now, it’s LINKUP time! Welcome, #RaRaLinkup friends! I’m looking forward to reading your words this week!

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The Way to Handle Life

It doesn’t take much for me to shed tears.

But we also see Jesus living out of his humanity, displaying strong emotion.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Hebrews 5:7

Jesus asked for a different way, but He submitted to the Father’s will.

Like this:

Do You See the Beauty?

The way we view our lives changes things.

I’m talking about contentment, a way of seeing our lives with thankful eyes.

My job is to choose to see the beauty. My part is to call it out and thank Him.

I’ve learned there’s always more, because I find it whenever I choose to look.

Where will you choose to see the beauty God has planted in your life today?

Like this:

Who You Are In the Light

Do you know who you really are?

While my foundation was forming, the enemy worked to confuse my identity.

You will understand who God is and who you are in light of Him.

Like this:

Falling In & Out of Prayer

So I set out to spend time away from the world each day in prayer, to learn to pray without multitasking.

Sometimes I really struggled to sit still before the Lord.

Having fallen out of prayer, I’d fall on my knees again.

Jesus is an unending welcome-back, a Love who lifts us up again.

Like this:

Alive With Thanksgiving

When things are hard, I’m far more aware of my hardships than my treasures.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” ~Thornton Wilder

Where will you focus?

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

So maybe instead of getting tripped up on words like always, we start making a habit of giving thanks to God in this situation–and we continue until it’s a habit to give thanks in whatever we do.

*And now, it’s LINKUP time! Welcome, #RaRaLinkup friends! I’m looking forward to reading your words this week!

Like this:

Compassion International

It doesn’t take much for me to shed tears.

But we also see Jesus living out of his humanity, displaying strong emotion.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Hebrews 5:7

Jesus asked for a different way, but He submitted to the Father’s will.

Share this:

Like this:

The way we view our lives changes things.

I’m talking about contentment, a way of seeing our lives with thankful eyes.

My job is to choose to see the beauty. My part is to call it out and thank Him.

I’ve learned there’s always more, because I find it whenever I choose to look.

Where will you choose to see the beauty God has planted in your life today?

Share this:

Like this:

Do you know who you really are?

While my foundation was forming, the enemy worked to confuse my identity.

You will understand who God is and who you are in light of Him.

Share this:

Like this:

So I set out to spend time away from the world each day in prayer, to learn to pray without multitasking.

Sometimes I really struggled to sit still before the Lord.

Having fallen out of prayer, I’d fall on my knees again.

Jesus is an unending welcome-back, a Love who lifts us up again.

Share this:

Like this:

When things are hard, I’m far more aware of my hardships than my treasures.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” ~Thornton Wilder

Where will you focus?

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

So maybe instead of getting tripped up on words like always, we start making a habit of giving thanks to God in this situation–and we continue until it’s a habit to give thanks in whatever we do.

*And now, it’s LINKUP time! Welcome, #RaRaLinkup friends! I’m looking forward to reading your words this week!

Share this:

Like this:

Compassion International