Angela Parlin

Learning to Live in the Now

September 24, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

I stood out on the sidewalk recently, talking with a friend. She spent her days at home with a little one, not always sure what to do next, and she felt like Facebook was taking over her days.

She realized she often looked to the apps on her phone when exhausted, when she didn’t want to make another decision.

The phone is a perfect distraction when we don’t know what to do next.

But my friend didn’t like what her life was beginning to look like. The constant pull of Facebook made it impossible for her to stay present in her days. She didn’t want to miss precious moments with her daughter, but she also didn’t want to drop out of Facebook altogether. It can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family.

Still, something needed to change.

I could relate. My phone addiction problem comes and goes, often depending on the current season’s schedule as a Mom. Sometimes I’m running crazy and too busy to even notice the apps on my phone.

But other days, I can’t stop checking the phone, with all the little red flags waving notifications that someone has said something or liked something or needs my attention.

In those times, I’m looking for something. Something in my life is missing or incomplete, and I’m restless until I find it.

The problem is, I never do. I only waste time looking for more.

I seek shallow connections, rather than open my ears to the concerns of the people in my own living room or outside my front door.

I received a new inspirational magazine a few weeks ago called Simple Grace: Your Daily Dose of Hope. In it, a reader shared her story of being addicted to the distraction of carry-along technology.

Out to lunch with her daughter, she constantly checked for texts, emails, and status updates. It bothered her daughter that she chose the phone over living in the now.

The phone caused her to miss beautiful moments of her life, like this opportunity out to lunch with her teenage daughter.

“It’s so tempting to get pulled into habits that tickle our mind but leave our soul wanting. We end up feeling so unfulfilled…” ~Simple Grace, August 2015, p. 30

When we feel like we’re lacking something, our natural response is to look for what we’re missing.

These days, with technology at our fingertips, it quickly becomes habit to reach for our phones.

What if instead of chasing every flutter of our phone, we remember it will never deliver what we’re really looking for?

What if we walk away sometimes and ask the Lord to fill our hearts and minds with what we really need–His grace, His unending love, His always presence, and His power?

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. John 6:63

***I’d love to have you join me weekly at this space. Enter your email address in the box to the right, to receive updates in your inbox. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, ~Angela

When the Enemy Attacks Your Confidence

September 22, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118:8-9

I was young when the enemy started his attack on my self-confidence.

Maybe he did this to you as well. He attacks us in different areas, but for me, it was often about worth. I looked around and compared myself to other girls, and all I could see was how I fell short.

Many people kick into competition gear at that point, don’t they? But I didn’t really have that gear. It just wasn’t me. And so I didn’t try to compete.

Instead, I tried to prove myself.

I wanted to prove myself worthy somehow, to show up and become enough to earn people’s respect.

It was exhausting. I never “made it” far enough. But now I see the enemy’s work for what it was.

The enemy wanted me to spin my wheels and keep my focus on working harder to become more.

The enemy wanted me to twist God’s words and to swallow that twisted version down.

The enemy will try to keep us from fully believing God’s truth, from truly receiving God’s love.

But Jesus changes everything when His love breaks through.

As for worth, Jesus already proved my worth and yours, when He hung on the cross in order to free us and make us His people.

As for proving ourselves, there’s not a thing any one of us can do to make ourselves more valuable. We already ARE more valuable.

As for truth, let’s reject the enemy’s lies, and let’s accept real and powerful truth, who we are in Christ.

Jesus is able to transform our thoughts and demolish those lies we’ve built our lives upon.

In my last post, on the Object of Our Confidence, I wrote about hoping in the Lord and not in ourselves. About how we need deeper trust in God instead of greater confidence in ourselves.

It got me thinking about the relationship between self-confidence and confidence before God.

We have confidence before God because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. That confidence comes from Christ’s work for us–His sacrifice which covers us once and for all–and grows because of His work in us.

Through faith in Christ, we enter the Most Holy Place—the presence of God–with freedom and confidence.

It is there, in the presence of God, where He works in us. He transforms us from the inside, so that our trust in Him deepens. The result of deepened trust in God? We grow in confidence before God and man.

Confidence is this quiet assurance that God is near and He cares for us personally.

Confidence is also trust that all we are is from God, and that He made us for His glory. So we can be bold and courageous and confident as we move throughout this world.

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5

I’d love to have you join me regularly, by subscribing via email in the box to the right!

The Object of Our Confidence

September 17, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

I started this year reading through Psalms slowly. I was learning to sit alone with God to pray, making it a practice to adore God each day. I quickly understood it wasn’t coincidence at all that I had begun this reading plan along with the desire to grow in prayer.

The Psalms filled my mind with ideas and images about who God is and what He does.

God is the One enthroned in heaven, Most High, maker of all, majestic, righteous ruler & judge, our Rock, our refuge, our strength, the One who sees, and these are only the beginning.

As for His actions, in the first few chapters alone, God surrounds the righteous with His favor like a shield. He watches over them and leads them. He blesses all who take refuge in Him. He listens to their prayers and answers them. He delivers, gives relief, disciplines, and judges evil. He fills hearts with joy and peace and brings prosperity.

God is King of kings, who made the world and owns the world and rules the world and sustains it.

So then, what does all this mean about us?

God chooses to be involved in the details of our lives, we learn in Psalms. And also?

He is worthy of our confidence and trust.

David, who wrote many of the Psalms, had such deep and abiding confidence in God. I’m convicted by it, in the area of belief.

Don’t get me wrong–I don’t usually struggle with doubting God. But sometimes I struggle with doubting me. Deep down, that’s an issue of confidence in God—that He is who He says He is, that He does what He says He’ll do, and especially, that He does it for me.

I do believe; Lord, help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

I don’t think we need more confidence in ourselves. Because at some point in life, even the most self-confident among us will experience their confidence shaken. We are human, and in this state, we are dependent on God, whether we admit that or not. It doesn’t matter how much confidence you were born with or how much you developed through the circumstances of your life.

What matters is that we hope and trust in God.

At the beginning of our school day one morning, I asked my kids what they think it means to have confidence in God.

One of them said, “You just trust Him, because you know He’s God.”

Another said, “It’s like Hope. You have confidence because you hope in God.”

Doing a quick word study using confidence, I found the Greek word parresia, and the Hebrew word, mibtach.

Parresia allows us to look ahead with confidence–because we know Who is in control. With parresia, we have freedom and boldness, but only because of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Mibtach carries the idea of security, trust, hope, and certainty.

Mibtah assumes our confidence is based on the object of our confidence.

It’s the word King David used when he prayed in Psalm 71~

Lord, You have been my hope, my confidence since my youth.

That was David’s beautiful confession, and his story. Because of what Jesus has done for you and me, this can also become the story of our lives.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. Jeremiah 17:7

See this post also at PurposefulFaith.com.

I’d love to have you join me here regularly. Subscribe via email in the box to the right…look for the pink Subscribe button!

The Way of Love

September 15, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

Unforgiveness showed up at breakfast this morning, sticking out like an unwelcome guest at our table.

In a family of six, he comes often. Sometimes, he comes with me. As a Mom with ideas about how things should go in this place, with kids whose ideas often differ from mine–I’m learning to forgive, truly and fully and often. {Emphasis on learning.}

It’s not easy to forgive and let go of offenses. Especially when we know they’re going to do it again.

This morning, Unforgiveness came because it can be hard to share a bedroom with a brother. I told the kids to clean their rooms before coming to breakfast. But you can imagine how two different people move at totally different speeds before 8 AM.

One stayed up too late reading and wanted to stay in bed. The other had been awake a while and was hungry for breakfast. He took care of most of the room while begging his brother to help. But while he did more than his fair share, frustration turned to anger, and he let his brother have it.

When he finally took a breath, I said some words about forgiveness.

He assured me I didn’t understand the situation. This isn’t at all about forgiveness, Mom. It’s about what HE KEEPS ON DOING. It’s about how I’M DOING ALL THE WORK.

You want me to forgive him?

What kind of place is this?

He didn’t say that last part, but you could almost see it working its way out of him.

I know this feeling all too well. I’ve been in his shoes, so many times.

I’ve let someone have it, because I had taken just about more than I could stand and this is enough, I’ve said.

I’ve said it to him, to the kid who sat there eating his eggs and letting us know, in no uncertain terms, he’d had enough.

I’ve also been the one in need of forgiveness, for a long list of reasons.

As followers of Jesus, we’ve been forgiven, infinitely and completely.

As that truth sinks in deeper, we become more quick to forgive. We grow in forgiveness as it becomes more natural, although it’s not always easy.

Inside these walls, within our families, this is where we work it out. This is where we learn to forgive so that instead of carrying around our anger, we carry around love. Instead of irritation, we learn to let love cover over a multitude of offenses.

Opportunities abound inside these walls. Am I right Moms? And Dads and sons and daughters?

Opportunities to forgive abound, because of all of us. Also, opportunities to love abound.

May we be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave each one of us.

May we follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us…

{Taken from Ephesians 4:32-5:2}

The Answer to Fear

September 3, 2015 By: Angela Parlin

I mostly steer clear of conspiracy theories.

It’s usually easy to spot them, with their little grains of truth blown up into widespread phobia.

But once in a while, I’ll read something with just a little too much possibility in it, and there I go, down the rabbit trail of fear.

That happened last week, and I got lost in it for a little while. Some of what I read was true. Some of it could be.

But looking back, most of it did nothing but inspire me to fear. Knowing that’s not of the Lord, I stepped away from a buffet of articles, and I prayed.

Lord, what do I need to know, and what am I better off walking away from?

Because the theories will always be there. Because sometimes it feels like the world is going to blow up soon. Because sometimes the best thing we can do is shift our focus.

Because always, the best thing we can do is trust in God.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters… (Psalm 24:1-2)

This beautiful psalm looks forward to a day in the future, after Jesus returns to earth and deals with his enemies. He’s marching into Jerusalem, beginning His reign there as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The announcement begins–

Everyone and everything belong to Him. Why? He’s the One who created it all!

“He’s the One who pushed back oceans to let the dry ground appear, planting firm foundations for the earth.” ~Psalms, Poetry on Fire (Passion Translation)

Friends, there will be a day like this. Jesus will come back to claim what belongs to Him.

All will be in awe of Him. This is one thing we can count on.

The next few verses explain what kind of people have the privilege of entering the kingdom of God. They have clean hands and pure hearts.

They are people who seek God’s face, who have received God’s grace.

Now the procession arrives at the gate of the city, and one of the leaders calls out to the watchmen at the city gates.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty–he is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:9-10)

There are so many unknowns in this world, but let’s focus on what IS known. We know who is the King of glory, that He’s coming again, and that even now, He will enter the gates of our hearts.

Has the King of glory entered your heart? Have you lifted you head to see Him?

The King of glory has entered my heart, and knowing Him is my greatest pleasure. I want to seek the Lord day after day, because He’s proven Himself real to me. I know that I know that I know that I can trust Him, that He is good.

Does He reign in your heart also? One day, He will reign on the earth as King of kings. Today, let Him reign in you as Lord of lords. Let Him be your salvation, your rescue, your hope, your joy.

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. Psalm 25:1

« Previous Page

The phone is a perfect distraction when we don’t know what to do next.

But other days, I can’t stop checking the phone, with all the little red flags waving notifications that someone has said something or liked something or needs my attention.

The phone caused her to miss beautiful moments of her life, like this opportunity out to lunch with her teenage daughter.

When we feel like we’re lacking something, our natural response is to look for what we’re missing.

What if we walk away sometimes and ask the Lord to fill our hearts and minds with what we really need–His grace, His unending love, His always presence, and His power?

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. John 6:63

Share this:

Like this:

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118:8-9

I was young when the enemy started his attack on my self-confidence.

Instead, I tried to prove myself.

The enemy will try to keep us from fully believing God’s truth, from truly receiving God’s love.

But Jesus changes everything when His love breaks through.

Through faith in Christ, we enter the Most Holy Place—the presence of God–with freedom and confidence.

Confidence is also trust that all we are is from God, and that He made us for His glory. So we can be bold and courageous and confident as we move throughout this world.

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5

I’d love to have you join me regularly, by subscribing via email in the box to the right!

Share this:

Like this:

God is the One enthroned in heaven, Most High, maker of all, majestic, righteous ruler & judge, our Rock, our refuge, our strength, the One who sees, and these are only the beginning.

God is King of kings, who made the world and owns the world and rules the world and sustains it.

He is worthy of our confidence and trust.

What matters is that we hope and trust in God.

Lord, You have been my hope, my confidence since my youth.

I’d love to have you join me here regularly. Subscribe via email in the box to the right…look for the pink Subscribe button!

Share this:

Like this:

It’s not easy to forgive and let go of offenses. Especially when we know they’re going to do it again.

I know this feeling all too well. I’ve been in his shoes, so many times.

As followers of Jesus, we’ve been forgiven, infinitely and completely.

As that truth sinks in deeper, we become more quick to forgive. We grow in forgiveness as it becomes more natural, although it’s not always easy.

May we be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave each one of us.

May we follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us…

Share this:

Like this:

I mostly steer clear of conspiracy theories.

Because always, the best thing we can do is trust in God.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters… (Psalm 24:1-2)

All will be in awe of Him. This is one thing we can count on.

They are people who seek God’s face, who have received God’s grace.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty–he is the King of glory. (Psalm 24:9-10)

Has the King of glory entered your heart? Have you lifted you head to see Him?

Share this:

Like this:

Compassion International