The best lesson God taught me also turned my life around.
I confess I had trusted in by own abilities. And why not? I knew everything, right? As God rescued me from me and my pride, he taught me a lesson in three parts:
1. Believe God is who he says he is: good, in control, loving, just, merciful.
2. Believe what he says about you: valuable, significant, blessed.
3. Believe that you have an enemy who steals, kills and destroys, but God has defeated him.
This star-flinger, this day-numberer, this God drew me toward him, beginning with the lesson of who God is.
Lesson 1: God Is Who He Says He Is
Among the most beautiful bible verses is the one where God describes his character. I wrestled with whether to believe it is true or not true. Here’s the verse:
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming,’The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.’ Exodus 34:6-7
Compassionate, gracious, slow ot anger, great love and faithfulness, and forgiving–did I believe this of God? Do you?
If you’ve been hurt by someone who should have protected you, you may struggle believing these truths. You are not alone. Others struggle as you do.
In fact, the counselors listed in Heart2Heart Counselor Directory on my website biblically and lovingly counsel all of God’s healing hope to their counselees. Why not check out the directory for someone near you or who meets by Skype?
In addition to daily Bible reading, I journaled, exchanging the lies I believed for the truth. It looked a lot like this. My journaling and listening to gospel-centered music also helped got me to the place where I believe God is who he says he is. What helps you?
Lesson 2: I Am Who God Says I Am
God says all of his daughters are chosen. Before you took your first baby step, before you were conceived, before God fashioned the heavens and the earth, he chose you.
The moment you believed on Jesus as your Savior, your old self died. You became a new creation. You are in Christ and Christ is in you.
This “in” means you have a place as a member of Christ‟s body, vitally united with him. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus — yes, the heart of the gospel — made possible your true identity. God now sees you as blameless because his Son is blameless, having paid the ultimate price to conquer sin and death. Being “in Christ” is the true you.Click & Tweet!
Does knowing you are chosen change the way you think and feel about yourself? about God?
Lesson 3: God Defeated the Enemy
Can you guess the big lie Satan wants you to believe? It’s NOT that you’re not good enough, though he tempts you to believe that one too. It’s NOT you’re unsuccessful or unattractive or a total mess-up or a waste of space, though you and I have fallen for some of these lesser lies, haven’t?
Can your believe I bought the lie that I was a defect? Have you?
This isn’t the big lie either. It destroyed my peace, though. God — through life-giving Bible truths and uplifting Christian music as well as counseling — showed me the truth: that I and every believer in Christ is his precious child and God also revealed the big lie at the core of my shame lie.
So what’s the big lie?
The Big Lie Is. .
The big lie Satan tempts you to believe is the same one Adam and Eve ate up in the Garden: God is holding back, that he couldn’t care less, that he’s not. . .good.
As I embraced this three-part lesson and intentially put God first, he revealed a purpose for my life: to help Christian women know that they are valued by Jesus, who wants to heal them. Yes, to counsel hearts to hope! Still, I felt afraid and told God so.
Our conversation went like this.
“Lord, I don’t know how to begin.”
“Do not worry, Lucy. I’ll show you.”
“How will I know it’s you?”
“You will. The Holy Spirit who’s in you will confirm my words. You’ll know.”
“I don’t think I’m ready for this, Lord,” I said. “What if I mess up?”
“Trust me.”
That’s where we left things. God said trust. I sat there, speechless.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV
How about you? Where has God changed your thinking? Are you ready for deeper healing?
An Offer!
Are you tired of living a less-than life?Why not contact me
to set up a no-cost introductory phone consultation? Remember, God loves you, whoever you are, wherever you’ve been.
God made you for a purpose. He has given you a passion. Do you know yours? Find out. Make a difference beginning today.
Do you have a burden for single moms? How about troubled teens? Are you energized to open your home to others and make them feel welcome? Do you like comforting folks by bringing them meals or sending them cards?
God wired each of us for a purpose, also known as a passion. I’m wired to help hurting women find hope. Do you know how you’re wired? Do you know your heart’s passion?
In other words, what gets you out of bed? What gets you going? What keeps you going?
Often we balk at the notion God has a special purpose for us. We think we’re just moms, or just wives, or just this or just that. Rather than embracing the blessing that God lavishes us with His love, we mutter, “Yeah, right.” Do you detect the sarcasm?
When God Spoke a Purpose Over Me
Decades ago as life’s troubles strangled me and I became depressed — yes, I was a Christian at the time — I believed I had no worth. God pulled me from the pit and taught me many truths, one being “you matter.”
He gave me purpose and a purpose. In fact, every Christian does.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10, NIV).
God selected good works just for you.
You.
Knowing how God uniquely made you helps you invest your time and giftedness effectively and to avoid burnout. When to serve God and others in your ministry fit, you feel fulfilled because you are joining God in his work in the way he made you.
What’s Your Fit?
Here are snapshots of women who serve according to their heart’s passion. See if any resonate with you.
Kim teaches Sunday school to preschoolers, showing them the love of God through simple Bible stories, songs, and Jesus “tea parties.”
Deb has a decorative flair. She beautifies her church’s worship center at Christmas and Easter, making it inviting to regular attenders and visitors.
Tanya cleans the homes of elderly folks in need a helping hand and conversation. She drives them to doctors visits too.
To determine your heart’s passion, reflect on these questions: Please continue reading this post at BasicsMatter.com, where I write on Mondays.
Pain birthed my ministry to hurting Christian women and to the leaders who serve them. For you I write. I understand, I’ve been there.
My ministry to hurting Christian women and to the leaders who serve them had an unwelcome beginning.
Pain.
Who likes pain? Not me. I’m a comfort girl, big sweat shirts and blue jeans. No pain, no gain? Jane Fonda had it all wrong.
Yet God allowed it to barrel into my life. Yours too?
The blessedly wonderful and yes it is true: You can know joy. Abundant joy overflowing, sloshing over bucket rims, wetting toes, puddling.
I didn’t know the secret to abundant joy overflowing — and I still forget at times — but I know it now and I want to share it with you. You and me, together, arms linked, seeking joy, finding joy.
Abundant
joy
overflowing
Yes!
This is how pain becomes amazing. God turns it upside down.
The Flip Side
Year ago before A-J-O-Y —abundant joy overflowing yes — I experienced loneliness. Even at church. Especially at church.
I’d go to church desiring friendship with godly women, and it seemed everyone was chatting with someone else and they knew the secret handshake or the secret password or whatever
and I didn’t. I flowered the wall, another daisy lost in the lobby, dying.
Can you relate?
Know this, sweet sister: You are not alone in your emotional and spiritual struggles. You are not alone in the pain that tags along with your physical problems.
God Whispered
Then God whispered to my heart: “Lucy, comfort my sheep who are hurting with the comfort you’ve received from me.”
“Who me?” I asked
“Trust me, Lucy.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“Trust me.”
Like the fuzz of a dandelion, my arguments floated away and I said, “Okay, Lord.”
Since then I’ve ministered to hurting Christian women and to the leaders who serve them. Fearful women. Lonely women. Abused women. Women trapped in addiction: shopping, alcohol, pornography. Women who’ve committed adultery. Women with hard pasts. Women like me. Like you.
Will you journey with me to the well? At the well we discover living water. Bubbly, fresh, overflowing. Extravagant.
Special Plans
I’ll share special plans in the coming weeks to help you find hope and healing, comfort and care. I’m fixated on the “HOW” of things. Someone will tell me a great idea, a perfect inspiration, and I ask how. Beyond the how, I need steps, foot prints showing the way. A map to the treasure. And friends.
A journey begins with a single sip. Dare to join me?
God wired each of us for a unique purpose. What’s yours? Do you know?
Often we Christian women balk at the notion God has a special purpose for us. We think we’re just moms, or just wives, or just this or just that. Nonsense. You have value, for you are made in the image of God. You have purpose, too. God created specific works for you.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10, NIV).
He created you to do good works, the ones He selected just for you.
Knowing how God uniquely made you helps you invest your time and giftedness effectively and to avoid burnout. Here are snapshots of Christian women who serve according to their heart’s passion. See if any resonate with you.
Kim teaches Sunday school to preschoolers, showing them the love of God through simple Bible stories, songs, and Jesus “tea parties.”
Deb has a decorative flair. She beautifies her church’s worship center at Christmas and Easter, making it inviting to regular attenders and visitors.
Tanya cleans the homes of elderly folks in need a helping hand and conversation. She drives them to doctors visits too.
Ask God to which ministry he is calling you. If after prayer, you’re still not sure where God has called you, try a ministry that interests you and begin. As you try different things, God will give you a sense of his work for you. Often your calling comes out of your pain, as did mine.
Appearances can be deceiving. You’ve heard that statement, maybe even said it. You may live a “perfect” life like speaker and author Carol Kent. All was well. Just a few bumps in the road.
And. . .
then, her only son. . .
murdered a man and. . .
now is jailed. She is the mom of a convict.
It happened to Carol. It can happen to anyone. Watch her e-counseling video. Pause my player first. Then come back to hear of her and her husband’s awesome ministry to prisoners. Ready?
An adult son or daughter in jail. Tragic. Have you been there in one way or another? Me too. I’ve never faced jail time, but I have several friends — women in my church — who have loved ones doing time right now.
Here’s how Carol Kent and her husband turned this tragedy to blessings. Click HERE.
You are not alone, Beautiful One. It’s okay to get mad, sad, grieve. Just don’t stay there.
The best lesson God taught me also turned my life around.
Are you tired of living a less-than life? Why not contact me 
