Facets of Faith

Conversations about life, faith, and friendship.

January 2021: The Blessing

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Hello, friend. We’re glad you stopped by. We have something special planned for January 2021, and we want everyone to be part of it. We’re calling it The Blessing. We’re counting blessings and extending blessings to our readers and writers. Enjoy!

The Blessing—January 2021 (Team)

Friend, the FACETS love you! And we always have, whether you are the quiet, anonymous reader, a gracious reader who comments on words that struck you, or the vulnerable guest writer. You are part of what makes FACETS sweet. You’re kinda the reason this whole thing happened, you know. You are a blessing—you’re kind of a big deal. Did you know that? Over the years, hundreds of you peeked at this corner of cyberspace. Thank you!

Story Time!

Do you know the story of FACETS of Faith? If you’re a long-time reader and pieced together the stories in our posts, maybe you do. It’s a good time to share what we could never have known in 2015—our story. We hope you enjoy it because, to us, it’s full of blessings!

Once Upon a Time…

In 2015, three friends from a local writing circle met at a Panera for the first time and dreamed up a safe, online space for women to have conversations about life, faith, and friendship. There were three of us, then four, then three again. The founding team was set: Tracy, Kim, and Jen.

Two team members had a clearer vision of the project, but one had no idea this was actually going to be a thing for a few weeks. “Oh. Wait! You mean, we’re actually going to do this thing?”

A Vision Became Real

Those were sweet days in the life of this collaborative site. The three of us learned so much about creating a website, and all the details. We picked a name, drafted a mission statement, identified our reader, and talked about invitations to guest writers. We chose a site design and logo. We picked colors to distinguish writers’ posts at a glance. We met for months to plan at our favorite hidey hole. We divvied up the work. Eventually we found our stride.

Tracy is a fountain of amazing ideas and connections! She and her husband, Sam, have been plain sacrificial in supporting the site. It could never have happened without their choice to back the site in every way. And Sam graciously and tenaciously fought the tech battle for us time and time again—from the set up to the time FACETS was hacked. (Thanks for serving this site so well, Sam. You were the invisible team member, until we begged you to write for us!)

Kim always shares her best words infused with her beautiful heart, and her readers love her for it. Her heart has always been for her readers, and it was for our team. If you only knew how precious she was when our team struggled to take things a little slower, a little gentler, and be more loving and relational. If you could see how we came together at such tender moments and tried to be present and listen well, you’d be blessed, too.

Jen is always learning more about who she is as a writer and as a woman. Writing a short bio was a hurdle. Can a few words define a person, a writing journey, and a hope to share powerful thoughts? What do you do if you’re a writer who has more words than allowed and prefers to write herself out of content more than writing herself in? Sometimes that’s Jen. She found a happy place behind the scenes and working on the graphics.

Becoming a Team

Our friendships grew. My goodness! We laughed. We cried. We worked through the challenges of our individual ideas, preferences, and emotions. You know, that’s where friendships are forged or forgotten. We hit bumps in the road, and it was a decision every time. Would we choose to honestly see each other and listen? Would any one of us choose “my way or the highway”…or would it be the high way? These friendships were forged early, and we made the choice to stay in relationship over and over.

Rolling With Change

Things happened, beautiful things! Tracy stepped into a ministry role and became the kind of advocate for women that, honestly, is tenacious and amazing! Many posts reflected her lioness heart on behalf of the weak. Kim’s life blossomed, too: hosting an event for women, a new man in her life, the wedding, a honeymoon, and eventually a blended family dynamic—all while she was working in ministry and trying to get words on the page. Jen was working through old relational trauma, finishing the homeschooling race, and trying to define her “grown-up self” while trying to get words on the page. We were doing life together, though.

And then it happened. We knew it could. A FACET moved to—Bean Town. We were thrilled for Kim. We could leverage technology for our meetings. No big deal.

In 2019 Kim needed to formally step away from FACETS of Faith. It was a hard decision. The whole thing was hard. We love her, and we know readers do, too.

Nature (and a Team) Abhors a Vacuum

There was an empty spot, and Tracy and I worked through it in many conversations over months. We knew something just wasn’t right. A site focused on life, faith, and friendship perspectives cried out for more perspectives.

In December of 2019 we invited Megan to the team. She wrote as a guest in October 2017, and we thought she would be a perfect fit. Her words and perspective are a blessing to us for lots of reasons! She brings fresh, gentle hope to every topic. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading her words.

The 2020 Challenge

That brings us to 2020, the year no one saw coming, and there are no words for it. Our meetings went virtual when we couldn’t meet. We did get a few sweet moments in around the shutdowns. It was complicated. Then, at the end of the summer, Tracy made the hard decision to step away from FACETS.

The Fork in the Road

I (Jen) have stood at a fork in the road lots of times. A creative, strategic internal processor likes to look at all the steps that can be taken and know where the road might go. Maybe it was time to run hard and fast with the site…

Nope, it was time to be still. I needed to hear what God wanted, especially when I can be temped to do what I want.

The Final Chapter

FACETS—the team and this site—it’s been a journey…a privilege…and an honor. Fifty-eight topics. Forty-two guest posts. A post each month from the FACETS since the beginning of 2016. We wrote a lot of words (a super-lot if you count the ones over the laughable 600-to-800-word limit!). Wow! So many powerful, heart-felt words in one space by so many amazing people!

Thank you, writers! And thank YOU, readers! It’s been a blessing.

Standing at the Door

January 2021 is bittersweet. This month we’ll share posts from writers who want to share words related to blessing…

YOU are invited to share thoughts about a memorable post here, of your own reading-writing journey here, of a guest writing opportunity at FACETS, or a prayerful blessing to the readers!

We’re throwing the door wide open before we close it. You’ll see things you haven’t. It might be a post, a graphic with Scripture, or a prayer of blessing. The timing will be rather…random. *Grin*

Dear friend, you are loved! We hope you take the opportunity to make January 2021 at FACETS of Faith something special! Consider sharing with all of us.

Let’s get the word out so no one misses this month. Share on your social. Share in the comments. Share, share, share.

In case you were wondering, the powerful words here are still available for a time. Read, read, read while you can.

~ The FACETS

Do You Believe God’s Promises – Really?

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Happy New Year! Welcome to Facets of Faith and our first series of 2018, Do You Believe God’s Promises─Really? As we talked about how we wanted to kick this year off, we felt digging into how well rooted we are in the belief of God’s promises was a great place to start. The greater our belief in God’s promises, the greater each of us will walk out 2018 to all its fullest potential. That is our prayer for every reader of our series, that she would know fully who she is and how much God has planned for her… this year and beyond!

My (Tracy’s) guess is we can all recall instances where someone made us a promise, but didn’t keep it. A broken promise is like ceramic pottery dropped to the floor, pieces scattered in need of clean up.

Betrayal is messy.

Not always is there ill intent when a person’s word is broken. Perhaps they had good intentions, but something got in the way of fulfilling their commitment.

Sometimes, it really is that a person’s word may not mean much. More than the words they utter, behaviors tell us better what to believe. As the old saying goes, sometimes “proof is in the pudding”.

Even minor infractions if left unattended layer and diminish the sparkling potential of two people coming together in friendship, matrimony, or some other special connection.

Keeping our promises really matters. But we humans aren’t always the greatest at doing what matters most.

According to the American Psychological Association, the U.S. divorce rate is between 40 – 50%.(1)  That’s a high rate of broken promises!  The statistic is merely one body of evidence that makes it easier for us to understand why we may find it difficult to believe in promises.

But it is imperative we do.

God gives promises to us that aren’t like the ones we humans give one another. God’s promises to us are unbreakable. Unshakable.

Christ is the Cornerstone that holds up strong evidence God loves us and keeps His promises. Prophecy pointed to Jesus long before His birth. Prophecy the ultimate Promise brought to life when Mary, a virgin, birthed our long-promised Messiah. God the Father spoke through the prophets of a Savior.  He kept His word and sent His Son! Nail-scarred hands strong evidence God isn’t like us. At all! God gives us proof He keeps His promises.

“God is not a man, that He should lie,

Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

Has He said, and will not do?

Or has He spoken, and will not make it good?”

─Numbers 23:19 NKJV

We are made in God’s image, not the other way around. God is not a man, that He should lie.

God is faithful. He keeps His word. Has He spoken, and will not make it good?

The HCSB version says it this way, Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?

How would you answer that question?

Do I always believe God’s promises – really?

My response? Not really. Not 100% of the time.

With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

All things?

All?

Really?

But what if I don’t see a way how? Guess that puts me between a rock and a hard place.

But what if I’ve been believing that for a long, long, long time? Guess I’m pressed up against the wall there too.

Sometimes, if I am looking at my circumstances rather than keeping my eyes fixed on the Lord, I can waiver in my belief. I can worry, wonder, and let fear inhibit my actions, because I temporarily “forgot” God’s faithfulness.

It’s like I’ve acquired spiritual amnesia and misplaced every good promise God has already brought to fruition – not to mention all the amazing promises still on the horizon.

But in His faithfulness, He brings me back to His promises and reminds me afresh.

A really great place to start is in the beginning where He and I (and you too if you’ve been saved) first met.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.─Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV

If I agree with the idea of faith (and I do), it’s crucial I believe in God’s promises. Belief is all that is required for entry into God’s kingdom. Belief is where we all begin as Children of God. It makes sense that the very idea of belief would be warred against by the enemy. It’s foundational to our faith.

If we can believe in a virgin birth (Luke 2), if we can believe in talking donkeys used to accomplish God’s plan (Numbers 22), if we can believe Daniel didn’t get eaten by a lion (Daniel 6), we can believe God’s promises for us.

As an aside, can I say I love that God leaves these far-fetched examples in Scripture which make it all the more believable in my opinion. Because we know if you or I were writing it, we’d probably edit out all the elements that seemed a little unusual. That furnace thing (Daniel 3)? No one will believe it. Better remove it. Nope. God left all that great stuff in for us to see─really, ALL things are possible with God.

Let’s talk about three reasons it’s imperative we believe God’s promises, really.

1. Power

As believers, we access God’s power through His promises. When we pray and say God’s words, we have a powerful weapon to disarm the enemy. Even Jesus Himself used the Word to defeat Satan (Luke 4). That should definitely lead us to believe in the power of speaking promises to silence the enemy.  And of course the enemy wouldn’t want us to believe we have any power. He’d love nothing more than for us to doubt God keeps His promises. That’s why it’s crucial we believe by faith.

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.─Luke 10:19 NKJV

 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.─Romans 15:13 NKJV

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.─2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

 2. Position

 In addition to power, God’s promises remind us who we are in relation to Him. We are part of God’s kingdom once we state by faith our belief in Christ. Our position cannot be taken away. We are sealed as an heir.

One of the most common areas of attack is against our identity. If we doubt who we are and the position we hold in Christ, we are less likely to walk in the power and authority God gave us.

His promises remind us whose we are. When we have assurance of our position as heirs and children of God (to name just a few), we walk a little taller. And when we do, the world takes a bit more notice that something is different about us. We know who we are and are able to walk through life with confidence.

Our identity is key to achieving anything great – including walking in peace, love, and joy. God left us His promises to remind us we are His. And that changes everything.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13 NKJV

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.─Romans 8:38-39 NKJV

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:─John 1:12 NKJV

 3. Potential

When we believe God’s promises─really, we start to believe we can do something great because of them.  The hardest, most frightening things God has ever asked me to participate in would never have happened if I hadn’t believed His promises. I am pretty well aware of my personal limitations, but I’m not in this world by myself and in my own power. Neither are you.

The more we access God’s power and the more we know our position as a child of God, the more we are able to access our God-given potential. He wants us to do great things with Him. He’s prepared them ahead of time for us.

There’s a lot this world needs, not the least of which is love.

God has given us all gifts. Depending on your current level of self-esteem, you may or may not believe you have gifts or that yours are as valuable as someone else’s.

Everyone’s gifts have merit!

God made you as His masterpiece. He has something very special planned just for you. No one else can do it. I don’t know what that is, but my prayer is that God shows you. Your contribution is far too important!

No matter what your age, it’s never too late as long as you are still alive. Age doesn’t disqualify anyone. You’re not too young, nor are you too old to be used by God. Scripture leaves us with all kinds of examples of people being used for God’s purposes from young to old—Timothy to Abraham, Mary to Elizabeth. The heart matters. Not the hours you’ve been alive on earth.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ─Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”─Matthew 19:26 NKJV

Do you believe God’s promises─really?

Our answer to that question greatly impacts how much power, position and potential we walk in. How much power, position, and potential do you desire for your life and the lives of those you love?

You are blessed because you believed what the Lord said to you would really happen.─ Luke 1:45 ICB

I pray you receive all of God’s blessings as you believe Him and His promises, just the way He said they’d happen. In Jesus’ name, amen!

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

 

1 Marriage & divorce. (n.d.). Retrieved January 02, 2018, from http://www.apa.org/topics/divorce/

Do You See What I See?

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Welcome to FACETS of Faith. Merry Christmas! I (Tracy) pray you see Christ in meaningful fashion as you read each of our perspectives this month. It’s a sweet season. Slow down. Savor Him. Look for Him with intention. Lord, help Your precious children see You for all You are to them and others. Reveal Yourself in this season where hearts are open in a special, tender way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When you consider Christ, what do you see?

I see what I need depending upon what season I am in. I’m not talking about Christmas, Easter, winter or spring. I’m referring to my state of mind. Where am I at in life? How am I feeling about that? What are my present needs? Hopes? Hurts? Aspirations?

Do you see what I see?

What I see is who I need Jesus to be in that very moment.

I’m a woman. My needs fluctuate. You too? I can be on top of a mountain and want to twirl with Jesus like Julie Andrews singing, The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music. The hills alive, because I feel alive. Fresh, green, vibrant as the landscape echoing songs of jubilation back to me. You’re alive! Doesn’t if feel fabulous to breathe deep and take it all in? The score dramatic as my life and music create a crescendo, a beautiful chorus where people want to join in. In these moments, I see my need for a Dance Partner to twirl with me.

Not every day is a Julie Andrews kind of day. Sometimes it’s more like Alanas Morissette. I hate the world today. Angsty. Angry. Grrr. You wake up scrubbing sleep from your eyes, realize you are out of coffee, stub your toe on the sharp edges of your coffee table, creating the need to hop out your pain. All the while you think, Maybe I should go back to bed and toss the covers over my head, darkness beneath the blankets matching bleakness of this day. In these moments, I see my need for an Encourager to move me from sulking to singing.

Perhaps the darkness is more serious than a minor toe-stubbing nuisance. A diagnosis that feels gloomy. A marriage in disrepair. A dream dead. Loved ones lost, not knowing a Savior. In times of lament, I see Him as my greatest Comfort, the One I cannot do without.

That’s life, right? Ups AND downs. How do we deal with all that? We don’t get to pluck the good out and leave behind the things we’d rather not have. That’s not how life works, unfortunately. God said, in this life we would have trouble (John 16:33). Sometimes, that’s what we have.

But we also have hope. And we have a Savior. We have salvation for our souls when we say “yes” to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him. We have salvation for each and every day. The hard days when we want to sit in a puddle and fling mud all over ourselves to match our mood. The good days when our hearts are bursting full of joy, and we get to celebrate with the Only One who really knows what it took to get to the top of life’s mountains.

Do you see what I see?

 I see a God who sees me and you.

We could try to explain to others every step that stretched us out of our comfort zone as we climbed that mountain. But we don’t need to explain to God. He gets it. Because He gets us. It is glorious that He gets us.

The fact that He gets me, gets me through.

He’s also the first One I want to run to when I’ve got good news. He is my Confidant. I can confide in Him about ANYTHING. He is trustworthy. If you don’t know that, I pray you come to know it. If you do, I pray He gives you fresh revelation of that truth today.

Do you see what I see?

I see a trustworthy God.

Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”  Luke 1:42 NKJV

Above are the words Elizabeth spoke to her pregnant cousin Mary─Mary, the one who needed to trust God with her reputation and her future.

I love that Elizabeth didn’t use her inside voice. She proclaimed in a loud voice words to the effect of, Mary, do you realize how blessed you are? You carry the Christ! Who get’s to do that? You are carrying THE Blessing! Can you believe how blessed you are?

Elizabeth saw the blessing before Christ was born. Her attentive eyes of faith saw the beauty Mary carried in her. She saw Christ, our blessing.

Do you see what I see?

I see Christ our blessing. Do you see it too? Do you see Him as a blessing? Do you see that sweet precious baby born to a virgin as a blessing? He is you know. Even if you know Him and you love Him, do you really understand the depth of His blessing as He came through the womb of an innocent, pure, normal-until-that-day young woman?

It makes me wonder what Jesus saw in Mary that He would give her that kind of trust.

Mary faced hard circumstances. Judgement, I’m sure, from people who didn’t understand her situation. It was rather unbelievable, like many things of faith. God isn’t logical, practical, or fully comprehensible. It’s what makes Him God and requires our faith.

Do you see what I see?

I see a God who sees beyond who we are to whom we will become.

God saw a young woman whom He knew with His help would be strong enough to carry Him and care for Him in spite of what others might think. He gave her a close confidant in Joseph. God knew she’d need him to help her fulfill her calling. Angels were sent to Joseph too. He knew what God asked of him as well. Sacrifice. They both sacrificed much so that one day their precious baby boy could become our Sacrifice, the Sacrifice that saved the world —including you and me.

Do you see what I see?

Baby born to save the world through every day people.

Without the courage, trust, and belief of Mary and Joseph, we wouldn’t have our Christ. (Admittedly, God would have used someone else to deliver us. But because they were courageous, He didn’t have to.) What courage, trust, and belief is God calling you to? What won’t the world have if you don’t step into it?

“But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”  Luke 1:43 NKJV

Do you see what I see?

I see our Lord.

Like Elizabeth, we were given a Lord. He’s ahead of us in this matter. Waiting in the wings for each of us to say yes to Him as Leader of our lives. He wants to be, if we’ll let Him. We get choice. We get to choose Him as Lord (or not).

He’ll meet us on our most difficult days, like He ended up doing for his precious mama the day she looked on and saw her son, the Son, hanging on a cross willing to die for you and me. Before He did so, Jesus made sure His mama would be well-cared for by His closest companion, John, the disciple whom He loved. My friend, John, the one I love. I need you to love my mama. I know you will. I trust you to care for her. You’ve learned from me. Now take care of her. She’s going to need you. And I know you won’t let me down. That is a dark, desperate mama day. Literally, at Jesus’ death the skies turned dark (Mark 15:33).  Mary’s Lord made sure she wasn’t left alone.

When Mary sat in Elizabeth’s kitchen (where I visualize her because that’s where good conversation often takes place) and heard these words, I don’t think she could have imagined that dark day.

“For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for these will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”  Luke 1:44-45 NKJV

Do you see what I see?

I see blessing born from belief.

Mary was told she would have a child, and He would save the world. He did. And He does.  Jesus saves.

John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb for joy at the encounter with Christ. The stirring inside Elizabeth revealed to her Mary carried the Savior of the world.

Mary was given the immense privilege to care for the long-awaited Promise. Scripture fulfilled because she said “yes”.

Do you see what I see?

I see Jesus, our source of joy.

When we recognize Jesus, we see our source of all joy. Even a babe in a womb recognized it and leaped. Nothing else can bring joy like Jesus. The world will present all sorts of false narratives about what brings joy: buy me, try me, play me, let me play with you, idolatry.

Make no mistake. Joy to the world comes only through Christ.

When I look at Christ, I see joy. I see Him look upon us, me, with adoration in spite of my messy, muddled up attempts at living life for Him. I imagine His eyes twinkling as He looks upon me. She’s mine.  That one with the freckles. She makes me smile. Knowing He delights in me in spite of my sin (not because of it, in spite of it) brings me joy. He loves you in spite of your sin too; I hope you bask in great joy over that truth.

What struck me today as I wondered about what I see when I look at Christ is how He chose to introduce Himself to you and me. A baby. A baby born to a previously unknown, unpretentious, betrothed woman who the town probably thought of as tainted trash, because they couldn’t see the truth. A baby born to a virgin.

Jesus could have chosen any way to come. He chose this one. I believe He really wants us to notice how He came.

Do you see what I see?

I see a Savior who made Himself vulnerable and humble. That’s how He came.

Not a warrior. Not a knight. Not a king the way we’d expect THE King. When I look at Christ as a baby born to brave, young Mary I see Him as vulnerable and humble.

I don’t want to move on from that. I think that’s His main point to this piece.

He came in vulnerability and humility.

He is our model. He is our ultimate Mentor. He wants me and you to live vulnerable and humble too. It’s how people will see Him.

Vulnerability and humility are not in vogue. That’s okay. The things of Christ aren’t necessarily in vogue with society. The Pharisees couldn’t see Christ because He came in such a vulnerable, humble way. They expected some grand entrance, or at least a grand gesture. Can we have a little fan-fare please?

That wasn’t the way of Christ.

He chose a different fashion to reveal Himself to us. He expects us to do life different too.

When I look at Christ today, I see vulnerability and humility and the blueprint on how to live my life for Him. Christmas, Easter, and every seeming insignificant day. Maybe it’s in the seeming insignificant days we reflect Him most.

This Christmas, I pray we respond like Mary when He calls us to Him and His purposes. I pray we see Him and we help others see Him too.

And Mary said,

I’m bursting with God-news;

            I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.

God took one good look at me, and look what happened─

            I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!

What God has done for me will never be forgotten,

            the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.

His mercy flows in wave after wave

            on those who are in awe before him.

He bared his arm and showed his strength,

            scattered the bluffing braggarts.

He knocked tyrants off their high horses,

            pulled victims out of the mud.

The starving poor sat down to a banquet;

            the callous rich were left out in the cold.

He embraced his chosen child, Israel;

            he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.

It’s exactly what he promised,

            beginning with Abraham and right up to now.

─Luke 1:46-55 The Message

What do you see this Christmas as you look toward Christ?

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.