Who Needs the Royal Treatment?

05.05.2020 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome to FACETS of Faith dear one! I pray you are well and that you are prepared to hear what God has placed on each one of our hearts as we discuss the need for the royal treatment. I’m excited to see how God uses our words to shape us into the women we are destined to become. I felt led to write about beauty treatments this month. In a time when I’m longing to see my stylist (roots anyone?), some are wishing they could have their nails done, and women want their beauty supplies, it’s kind of funny that God placed this message on my heart well in advance of needing my moisturizer but not being able to purchase any! Small problems in the big scheme of things, I know. I’m merely making an observation that will make sense as you read.

Have you ever desired the royal treatment ─ to be pampered and well taken care of? Does an afternoon at the spa sound invigorating? Perhaps a day when someone else takes care of all the household or workplace responsibilities feels in order. Who is going to take care of you (and me), after all? Have you ever wondered, “Why am I called to be the responsible one?” Have you ever felt that way? “What about me? What about me? What about me? Who is going to take care of me?”

What if there is more to the royal treatment than self-indulgence? What if there is great purpose when we appropriately use every royal treatment we are given? What if the royal treatment is about far more than how it benefits us?

Daughter of the King, how is God calling you to use the royal treatment He has given you to extend it to someone else?

One of my very favorite books in the bible is Esther. Before we get too far down the path, let’s remind ourselves Esther was a woman much like you and me. She’s not a fictional character; she was a woman with great godly character.

She wasn’t born a superhero, but she arose as one. (More about that later.)

Esther had fears and concerns much like you and me when we feel called into situations bigger than us. Daunting circumstances open doors of doubt. Stepping forward boldly in spite of fear demonstrates great courage. But how did she get there?

King Xerxes expelled his former queen. She would not honor his request to come to him and his subjects. He was drunk on wine (7 days drunk), and so were his advisors. King Xerxes’ pride and counsel from his inner circle abolished Queen Vashti from her position.

The king’s advisors were more concerned about how Queen Vashti’s perceived disrespect would impact the treatment they received from their wives. The advisors weren’t thinking of the king’s best interest. They were thinking of their own. A good side note: be careful whose counsel you listen to.

It was no secret throughout the kingdom what had happened to Queen Vashti. Unless you were living under a regal rock, you would have known she was removed from her royal position.

Think about any pop star fall from fame; that’s what we’re looking at. If People magazine were a thing back then, Queen Vashti’s face would have been plastered all over the cover. The headline may have read:

Disobedient Queen Dumped

Nothing secret about this demotion. Not. One. Thing. If you were in the kingdom, you knew about it.

Enter the young girl Esther.

The king grew lonely and his personal attendants advised him to gather all the virgins throughout all the provinces, place them under the care of the king’s eunuch Hegai, and give them royal beauty treatments.

Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. …Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.─Esther 2:3-4 NIV

Of course, it pleased the king, am I right ladies? As a woman in the modern era, this can be a bit maddening to read, especially if you are unfamiliar with the entirety of Esther’s story. But hang in there with me. It gets better. I promise!

Esther was rounded up with all the other beautiful women throughout the kingdom. She didn’t choose this fate, yet somehow, she found herself in a beauty contest to win the king’s attention. If she didn’t, she’d be a woman in a sea of the king’s harem.

I imagine Esther had dreams of her own that probably never involved the king. But if given the choice between holding a position of honor over that of just another face in the harem, wouldn’t it be better to be in a position to help shape the culture of the kingdom?

We women have great influence after all. Wasn’t that what the advisors were so concerned about with the former Queen Vashti?

When we have position in life, there is opportunity for influence. How we use it matters.

Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. ─ Esther 2:12 NIV

Esther didn’t have a choice in the matter. She had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments.

But what if those beauty treatments weren’t really about beauty treatments at all?

Think about how isolated and alone Esther must have felt over the course of those twelve months. You can be in a sea of people yet feel completely alone. She was outside of her comfortable home setting. She had lost her daily routine and her family advisors speaking into her life. She was in this dreadful competition. Imagine the jealousies and insecurities on display with the royal crown at stake. I envision some pretty bad behavior by some. Esther’s time isn’t so different than ours. Competition can create cruelty. (This is me imagining at least a little of what harem life might have been like.)

Let’s vow not to act in a spirit of competition with our sisters in Christ. It’s one way we can let our light shine brilliantly. When we are cheerleaders in the kingdom for one another, we all rise a little higher. Let’s celebrate our sisters!

But you can bet that probably wasn’t the world Esther was living in, with the crown and all that came with it up for grabs.

What if the isolation Esther faced was more about preparation?

There have been plenty of times when God has pulled me away from the hustle and bustle of life. It can feel lonely and quiet, but I have learned over time to recognize those instances as His time for divine preparation, to equip me, for what He has next.

Even now in our quarantine, I am reminded of this for myself and for you. What is God preparing you for?

In times of separation and isolation, there is preparation.

Even Jesus did this when He separated Himself from the disciples to pray and seek the Father’s will. (But I digress.)

When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem. ─ Esther 2:8-9 NIV

Yes, Esther was away from her family, but already she was walking in the favor of the Lord. She was assigned to the best place in the harem. She may not have been able to choose her fate, but she was experiencing God’s blessings in the midst of a difficult circumstance.

Again, I think of our current quarantine. It can feel hard, like a fate we’d rather not choose. None of us would have volunteered for these circumstances, yet here we find ourselves.

What has been beautiful to watch is how many have made the best of a difficult situation. You can see God’s favor in their lives, favor in the form of joy, hope, and gratitude. Personally, I have seen God’s provision and peace and He’s even brought laughter and joy. There was a moment of despair on my part, but then I heard God’s sweet, reassuring voice, and I somehow knew everything was going to be okay.

Lock down isn’t perfect, but it’s perfecting us.

I wonder what God whispered to Esther’s heart as she was quarantined for 12 months of beauty preparation.

In times of separation and isolation, there is preparation.

Sometimes these times of separation show us how we’ve ALREADY been prepared. God’s in the business of preparing us, even when we don’t think we’re being prepared. (Can I get an amen?)

Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. ─ Esther 2:7 NIV

Esther’s loss of her parents created in her someone different than she would have been had they still been alive. That kind of loss shapes someone. Yet, she had an amazing family member step into her life in a sacrificial, loving fashion. You can see that dynamic play out through the book of Esther. You realize how much Esther respects Mordecai when we see her act on his counsel (and thank goodness she did). As we see Mordecai’s actions and character play out, we understand why. (Read the book of Esther. You’ll see what I mean.)

So, while Esther’s circumstances were not ideal, the trials she faced helped her to stare down twelve months of royal beauty treatments in a contest to win the king’s choice award.

If you are anything like me, times of adversity have forged your character. Difficult times deliver us into our destiny if we allow the Lord to use them to do so.

I read something pretty amazing the other day about trauma.

We have come to recognize that our past can either define us or refine us. Those who are refined by their trauma, who truly end up being better off, are experiencing what scientific literature calls posttraumatic growth. Everyone’s heard of posttraumatic stress disorder, but posttraumatic growth is when people actually use their hardship as a springboard and a catalyst to improve their lives.1

Fascinating! Posttraumatic growth. Pause on that thought for a good, long while.

Posttraumatic growth is possible if we choose it. Do you want to know in what context the above quote came from? Assisting sex trafficking survivors! Those engaged with helping survivors with their healing have studied what most helps these women and men succeed after incredible trauma. The answer is simple and hard all at the same time.

Posttraumatic growth occurred because of each ones’ conscious choice to survive and thrive.

We can let our past define or refine us. We choose.

Esther could have played the victim. People would have understood. But that’s not what she chose to do. In grief’s separation, loneliness, and isolation, she allowed grief to prepare her for her divine purpose. She didn’t have to have awareness of that truth for it to BE true.

That’s a good word for us all!

Whatever life’s tragedies and triumphs, they are all preparation for our kingdom purpose. We don’t have to be aware of our preparation for it to do its work. Hindsight often shows us where that has taken place without us ever having a hint it was happening.

In times of separation and isolation, there is preparation.

I imagine Esther wasn’t as demanding as other women in the king’s collection. She wasn’t high maintenance, expecting everyone to cater to her. No. I think her humility won her favor with Hegai, the king’s eunuch. And because she had favor with Hegai, she ultimately gained favor with the king himself.

(Esther) pleased (Hegai) and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food…. He moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem. ─ Esther 2:9 NIV (clarification added)

Esther, just being Esther, won favor. Humility and kindness make a woman more beautiful.

I do imagine Esther being kind, not acting in any kind of entitled way. We later see that.

When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won favor of everyone who saw her. ─ Esther 2:15 NIV

Esther didn’t have to fight for what she needed. She wisely listened to Hegai for his insight into what was best. Because she did, she walked in everyone’s favor. She WON favor of everyone who saw her. Wisdom and humility open doors we cannot. Such a great lesson for us all.

Who wouldn’t want to win favor versus having to fight for it at every turn? We can learn a lot from our sister Esther!

Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her. ─ Esther 2:10-11 NIV

What’s obvious here is Mordecai’s great concern and care for his cousin Esther. While she was separated and alone, he forbid Esther to talk about her heritage. Mordecai showed great regard for Esther’s well-being. He knew her status as a Jew could cause difficulty in her circumstances.

But do you want to know what’s even more awesome about this withholding of information?

The Lord was preparing a way to safety for Esther and every Jew throughout the kingdom. They didn’t know it yet, but the Lord was well aware that during Esther’s time of separation and isolation there was preparation …. So that an entire group of people could walk free in spite of the king’s decree to kill every Jew in every citadel.

How many times has the Lord prepared you for a future season you didn’t see coming? It’s only in reflecting back that we are able to make sense of it and see God’s hand at work in our life all along. Those are faith bolstering moments!

But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. ─ Esther 2:20 NIV

Esther had been prepared her whole life for her calling. She’d been given wise instruction from Mordecai as he raised her, and he continued to have great influence. He could speak into her life in a way that made impact on her actions and for a nation.

When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ─ Esther 4:12-14 NIV

That’s speaking the truth in love right there! Being on the receiving end of both truth and love is absolutely part of our preparation.

You see, there was an edict (a law) that was issued by the king to kill and annihilate all the Jews. Esther was fearful to approach the king. Doing so without his calling her to him could have meant her death. Understandably, she was afraid. But Mordecai did not coddle her. He gave her a challenge instead.

And she accepted it.

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” ─ Esther 4:15-16 NIV

She prepared through fasting and prayer, and asked others to join her in doing so.

She put together a plan to approach the king.

She was strategic.

She was patient and deliberate.

You can see a woman using great restraint as she carried out her divine purpose.

And because she did, the Jews were saved.

On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. ─ Esther 9:1b NIV

While it had looked like defeat for the Jews was surely at hand, one woman’s courage changed many people’s fate. Esther was made for this moment! Her preparation saved a nation.

Not only that, her cousin Mordecai was promoted to a position of great influence as well.

Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful. ─ Esther 9:4 NIV

Because Esther allowed her times of separation and isolation to prepare her, it paved the way for those who’d previously helped her to receive promotion. Mordecai’s wisdom in Esther’s life was expanded to shape that of a nation.

Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke for the welfare of all the Jews. ─ Esther 10:3 NIV

Because a man like Mordecai raised Esther it paved the way for her to see him interact with others as he worked for their good. He prepared her by the way he raised her to work for the good of her people.

Leadership can sometimes feel lonely and a little separated, but Esther was prepared for it. It was her destiny.

Ultimately, she walked in FULL AUTHORITY as God’s daughter, destined to do great things. (Esther 10:29)

It’s your destiny too, friend.

What is God calling you to? Receive His “royal beauty treatments” in times of isolation and separation. It’s part of your preparation for you and all those whom you love.

It’s your destiny.

Remember, times of separation and isolation are for our preparation if we choose to let them.

Let them!

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 NIV (emphasis added)

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” ─ Esther 4:14b

…hardships are what cause us to learn what’s really in us. If we quit, we miss the chance to discover what we’re capable of.1

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

1 Cooley, Ben. Relentless Pursuit, Fuel Your Passion and Fulfill Your Mission. David C Cook, 2019.

Do They Know They Are Loved?

03.04.2020 by Tracy Stella //

I (Tracy) am looking forward to seeing how God uses each of the posts from the FACETS team to enlarge your understanding of how deeply you are loved. There is no greater truth that has the power to transform your life and the lives of others. You won’t want to miss what God puts on Jennifer’s, Megan’s, and our special guest Judy Maldonado’s hearts. We’d love to hear a report of what God does in your heart as you open His love letters to you each week this month. We invite you to let His love greet you across these pages. He pursues you.

We want to think our brothers and sisters in Christ know they are loved. We understand the world might not get the height and depth of God’s love for them. But our brothers and sisters in Christ? Surely. Surely, they know at the core of who they are that they are loved. They are forgiven. They are righteous. They are holy and redeemed. They have the deposit of the Holy Spirit ministering, filling, teaching, comforting, cleansing, purifying, sanctifying, and so much more. They know they are loved. Right?

Right?

Sometimes, we can say the words without really believing them, or believing them for ourselves. Jesus loves you. We may even say it over ourselves, but do we let it sink deep into our hearts? Do we let our Father’s hands etch it upon our minds, so we never doubt it?

Or do we only believe those things are true for the “good Christians”, the ones who seem to have all their spiritual ducks in a row?

Here’s the truth: if you accepted Christ, you are a good Christian. You are good enough to receive His love. He is not disappointed in you, precious one. He loves you. He wants nothing more than to help you, to heal you, to make you whole.

We are all being transformed into His image. None of us has arrived. That’s not what this faith walk is about.

Do we wear God’s love like armor to protect us from the enemy’s fiery darts? We need to. Love is a weapon. Jesus wants His warriors to wear His love. Perfect love casts out all fear. (See 1 John 4:18)

Afraid you are unlovable? Perfect love casts that thought over the boat and into the abyss. No one is beyond the reach of God’s love.

Maybe we didn’t do this life perfectly – even after getting saved and we think, “Well that’s it. God can’t use me now. I screwed up royally.”

Maybe we never even got to the mindset where we thought God could use us in the first place. Yes, we got saved. But maybe we think it was by the skin of our teeth, like if God really knew, if those people over there really knew me, they wouldn’t think I was worthy, worthy of God’s love, God’s grace, their fellowship, their friendship, or serving any kingdom purpose.

God knows what He’s getting in each of us. And He accepts us anyhow, whatever our condition. He’s not surprised by who we are. He’s far more interested in who we are becoming. You are not a disappointment to Him. He is your biggest Champion. He is your Companion. Let His love walk you through every season. Let His love greet you on the good days. Let His love minister to you on the dark days when you wished things looked different.

He is present in both.

And He won’t leave you, especially in your darkest hour.

It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m writing this post, pondering whether the people all around me know they are loved. It’s the day of all things red – flowers, hearts, and celebration of love. Christ’s redemptive blood─Love’s greatest sacrifice.

And yet I ponder the fact someone left this world too soon, because in his darkest moments he didn’t fully understand the depths of God’s love for him. Depression doesn’t see beyond today’s struggle. It lies to us saying, “There’s no hope for the future.”

A funeral on Valentine’s Day is hard.

That causes me to pause, a long pause to reflect. Why? How? How can this be?

How can someone who loved the Lord so deeply not know how deeply the Lord loved him? It breaks my heart for him before he breathed his very last breath. It breaks my heart for his family. It breaks my heart for what the world will now miss, because this man left the world too soon.

It’s not any less heartbreaking when someone who doesn’t know Christ leaves this world too soon. But I could at least rationalize in my head that without Jesus this world just gets too hard sometimes. Without Him to carry the weight of our burdens when they become too much, they are too much.

I know that from my own story. It’s tragedies like this that churn my memory. Before I knew Christ, I hit rock bottom, a few times. Life was hard, as it sometimes can be. And without the Lord, hard things can hit us like a ton of bricks. Like a wrecking ball, they nearly take us out.

When I was in my early 20’s I was sexually violated at a party (I can’t bring myself to type the word for what it really was, but you can fill in the word, I’m sure.) If I can’t type the word 30+ years later, you might imagine how I handled it back then. I suppressed the memory. I shoved it into a dark corner of my brain, because I couldn’t deal with it.

The only problem with that logic is that it isn’t helpful. At all. A buried wound isn’t healed. If not dealt with, it festers. And that’s what it did.

My heart and brain couldn’t deal with the pain I tried to cover up with the equivalent of an emotional band-aid. Not dealt with, the pain dealt with me.

That young woman who I have such compassion for now, at the hardness of that trespass against me, couldn’t cover over the pain with her suck it up buttercup skills. Instead, I attempted to take my own life. Depression and grief tried to overtake me.

But God!

God’s mercy sent someone to break a door down and literally saved me. God’s love sent help. I didn’t know Him, but He knew me — even back then, even in the midst of my hot mess of a life.

Fast forward to my 40’s and I found myself ready to sink from the weight of severe depression. I’d lost my marriage, my home, my career, my sense of identity in almost every way. On the very darkest day, I was ready to leave. I was just too weary. I wasn’t a wimp, but I was tired of fighting to hang on. I’d given up hope.

God’s mercy sent a woman to my front door the day I had decided I was done. God disagreed. He wanted me to believe. Believe in Him. Believe in myself. Believe there was hope beyond the darkness of that day.

And there was.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”─Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

These aren’t just any words. If they are familiar to you, don’t let their familiarity steal the powerful, transforming, hopeful truth they possess. There is a bright future ahead for you, even if you don’t see it in this exact moment.

God’s mercy reaching for us tells me how much He genuinely loves us. His mercy reaches for us all; I believe it with all my heart. Cling to Him and the hope only He can give. His love changes lives. I know that full well, and He wants that for all of us.

Do you know you are loved that much too? You are you know!

In both of those scenarios I didn’t know Christ. I didn’t know the depth of His love for me. And when the world hits hard like a tsunami, we can nearly be washed away at sea.

But here’s the thing.

Once we are saved, the same thing can happen. We aren’t invincible. We need God’s love, especially when we want to do great things for God’s kingdom — and we are.

I think of this man who left us too soon. He wasn’t perfect any more than you or I. But He did love Jesus. He was Christ’s ambassador. He was a worshipper. He was a warrior. He prayed for healing for me, and I received it. He was a vessel for God’s power and love.

How does someone who embodies God’s love to others not know it for himself?

How does someone who has passion and zeal for Christ not find the strength to hang on? It’s the very hardest of questions, and I don’t have an answer. It’s utterly heart breaking.

I think of all this world will miss out on and my eyes well with tears.

I wonder, what is the point of this?

I wonder how God can work this to good. I know His word says He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. (See Romans 8:28)

But how God?

How do you take this tragedy and make it into something good?

I don’t doubt You in that; I just can’t see it. But I do pray You reveal Your goodness. I pray You wring every ounce of good You can from this tragedy. Save lives. Open eyes. Reveal Your heart. Heal wounds. Bring revival.

I already saw evidence of God’s goodness at the funeral when this man’s son spoke. I wept at his courage, at his sharing of story, and the beautiful legacy of the love of Christ this man left in his children. I pray this son is one of God’s greatest warriors and that God use him in a mighty way, even as He already did today. I pray God continues to help him rise into the fullness of his calling and that He be a powerful and profound voice that rises up against the darkness. That God’s light would shine brilliantly through him, even as we saw today. In Jesus’ name!

To do the hard thing, I hope this son knows he lived out Scripture poignantly today. Well done good and faithful servant. Well done! You honored your father, and you blessed everyone who got to hear how he shaped your life.

I wonder why I’m writing this post and I think it’s to remind us, none of us is immune.

We all need God.

We all need each other.

Jesus said…

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”─John 13:34-35 NIV

We can’t assume because someone knows Christ that he or she is okay.

We can’t assume because someone has a smile slathered across his or her face they are free from problems and don’t need our help.

We can’t assume because someone loves the Lord and even worships Him that he or she believes they are worthy of Christ’s love. (They are. You are. I am. But we can’t assume anyone believes it.)

If God puts someone on your heart, pray for them.

If God asks you to reach out to someone, do so. You never know if that call will save someone’s life.

We are not called to be codependent, but we are co-heirs with Christ called to love one another.

If God is Immanuel, and He is, He knows. He knows every heart. He holds it tenderly in His hands. And He may call upon us to help that person keep his or her head above water.

God has given all believers the manifestation of the Holy Spirit to be used for the common good.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.─1 Corinthians 12:7 NIV

I’ve seen several tragedies in the Church recently, and I think God is saying, “Enough!”

Enough!

He wants us to see each other, really see each other. He wants us to be brave enough to sit with someone in his or her pain. He wants us to love. Sacrificially. No more doing church. He wants us to be the Church. We don’t do these things in our strength, but through the manifestation of the Spirit who deeply cares about the common good.

Mind you, I’m not blaming the Church for these things. I’m merely suggesting we remain attentive and observant to whom God places before us. There is purpose in where He has planted us. The people He has placed in our lives are there for a reason.

We never know what someone is really going through. We don’t know who among us doesn’t believe that they are loved.

What if you and I are the people God is sending to show them they are?

When I went to this man’s funeral, I felt strongly like I was supposed to collect his precious bride’s face in my hands and see her, to give her the most tender of Christ’s touch in a very fragile time. I prayed she would feel God’s love through my arms. I knew my hug wouldn’t be sufficient. I am not enough to comfort her in her grief.

But God is. His Spirit in me and you is the love His kids need.

I pray God’s Spirit manifests in each of us as we are an expression of His love.

There are days when I need it. And there are days when I can give it.

We should be very generous with each other as we give God’s love away. His love is better than any Valentine’s Day bouquet. His love won’t die in a few days. His love is never failing, never ending.

But from everlasting to everlasting

The LORD’s love is with those who fear him,

And his righteousness with their children’s children─

─Psalm 103:17 NIV

That gives me comfort. For all eternity, God will love us. And not only that, but His righteousness extends to our children’s children.

Lord, if there is someone in this moment who is full of despair and doesn’t believe he or she is worthy of Your love, of life itself, I pray You stop them in their tracks right now, that You send a missionary of mercy – even if that is me in this very moment – to say there is a brighter day than what today’s dark shadow suggests. Hang on. Let God minister to you. Let Him fill you to overflowing with His love, healing, and redemption. I pray, Lord, You help anyone struggling with depression. Guide them to professionals and friends You have set in place to serve them. Let the help be kingdom-minded and attentive to Your voice, giving wisdom and discernment to bring healing and hope. And, Lord, I do pray You would help us all to see the cries for help. I pray we don’t miss them. I pray You bring something good from this tragedy, Lord. I pray You strengthen the Church to be able to help minister to one another. We need Your guidance in every way, Lord. We can’t love well without Your leadership showing us how. So please show us. And help every eye reading this post receive Your love. Help us to receive Your love, Lord. Let us wear Your armor of love well. Let us be warriors for You, wielding love as a weapon against the fiery darts of the enemy. Let us be the belief when our brothers and sisters can’t and let them be that for us when we have weak moments ourselves. Keep us humble and submitted to You, Lord. Let none of us think just because we are Christian that we have to portray we have it all figured out, or we have it all together. Let us be receivers of your love, grace, and mercy, because we are desperate for it. In Jesus’ name, amen!

If you have thoughts of suicide, please seek help. Reach out to your pastor or a Christian counselor. If you are in northern Illinois, there are 3 counseling practices I know and trust to serve you with the love of Christ. God loves you so much! Don’t doubt it for a single moment. This is His mercy reaching for you.

YOU ARE LOVED!

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

RESOURCE LINKS to Christian counseling practices in northern Illinois.

Catherine Hunter and Associates

Cherry Hill Counseling

Ken Gates and Associates

How Does God Respond To You?

10.22.2019 by Ever Moore //

The FACETS of Faith team is excited to introduce you to Ever Moore. She is a dynamic, joyful woman with an enthusiasm for life that is contagious! We are so blessed to share her with you. Her story is a powerful one, like the tales you might read in an adventure book. You’ll see right away that she has a gift for story telling. Here’s a bit of hers.

Hi ladies! I want to start by sharing one of my favorite verses. When I consider God’s responses in my life, it feels relevant.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”─Romans 15:13

So how does God respond to me? This is a tough question but also one of my favorites. It allows me to share the goodness of God. I have seen God respond to me in so many ways. For example, I have experienced physical response through prayer where people or myself received healing on the spot.

I have also seen God respond with a big yes to my prayers and a very big no to a lot of stuff in my life. Have you ever prayed for something for awhile and God gives you the opposite of what you’re praying for? This happens to me all the time. Here is just one of the big no’s in my life that turned out to be the best no I ever received.

My mother and I are very close. I wanted to live by her for the rest of my life. My mama and I were like best friends. We enjoyed fetching water together. Even the 2-hour one-way walk to the farm, items perched on our heads and babies balanced on our backs, seemed like a short journey. Twelve years ago I remember praying for a husband who was going to take care of me and my boy Sam. Little did I know the answer to my prayer was going to be a handsome, blue-eyed, tall man all the way from Illinois who traveled to northwestern Zambia.

Without God this encounter would not have happened. With God I found my husband who came to the dusty, dry place no one wants to move to. Even the locals have this saying, “I feel like a mushroom. I was born here, grow here, and I will get rotten here.” Ha ha ha! It’s actually fun for the locals. When they say that, we usually laugh.

My husband Ryan was in the Peace Corps. He lived in my village for two years. The first time I saw him sitting on the tree stump I actually thought I saw Jesus! Ha ha ha! It was definitely love at first sight for both of us. We dated for over a year before he asked me to marry him. I actually forgot the part that he was not from my village and not really from Zambia or Africa at all. We never really talked about that, I think because I really didn’t know any other world apart from my world because it felt perfect.

The night of our wedding people celebrated with dancing and singing. When most people were celebrating, my mom cried all night long. I also grieved for the life I was leaving behind, but one thing I have always held onto through everything in life is that My God does not make mistakes. Everything He does works for good. That hope was the only thing that even made me step on those foreign moving stairs at the airport. I dropped my bags and stepped onto those crazy moving stairs until I heard, “Madam you left your bags!”

There is freedom that comes with knowing God is my pilot, and I just need to sit and enjoy the ride. There will be bumps on the flight, of course, but I have to trust my Captain. I never knew in a million years I would be raising my kids without my mother. It’s very tough some days, but my mother and I are even closer than before. We talk almost every day on the phone. I visit home nearly every year, and I am still working on her coming to visit me here. She keeps telling me she can’t, because she is so scared of flying. As much as I wanted to live by my mom, get married in Zambia, and stay where all was familiar, God had a whole different plan than the one I was praying for.

Today, my marriage to this awesome man who is the father of my 4 amazing children has blessed so many people in my village, including my first son whom I had before I met Ryan. My son had a cyst on his brain that would have killed him without medical treatment. God knew I had to marry someone from so far away so my son could get saved too, like the prayer was already answered before we even prayed it.

What I have come to realize is God will never stop fighting for what He has promised us. It started by our King dying on the cross so we can receive salvation.

So, if God was willing to die for you, what else do you think He wouldn’t do for you?

If you are waiting for God to respond to you, don’t lose hope. He is never late. He is always on time. Look back upon your life. Look at the highs and the lows, and you will see God has always been with you through it all. He will never leave nor forsake you. He is on your side.

Don’t forget what team we are playing on. We are on the offense team. You and I know we win in the end no matter what obstacles are in our way today. We have to choose joy and gratitude, because we know that the Lord our God has got us.

Now I would like you to repeat this after me, “No matter where I am, God is always with me. He will respond to my prayers according to His will not mine.”

I have so much more to share with you ladies, I hope soon. I didn’t even get to the good stuff yet.

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