Trust. The Webster dictionary defines it as “the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of something or someone. One in which confidence is placed.”
Lately, it doesn’t seem like there is much to put our trust in. Certainly, doctors, our government, media, just about everyone, all seem to have lost credibility. We don’t feel we can trust anyone or anything they say. We trust only ourselves and what we can see and touch. What our minds can grasp and understand. What we can plan for ourselves.
We are Lord and Master of our fate. Even as Christians we struggle in this area. When things are going well, right on our schedule, following our plan, we often see little need for God and think we’ve got it all under control. Right up until we don’t. Plans change. The diagnosis comes in. The job is gone or maybe a Pandemic comes along and changes everything.
And we forget. We forget the God we serve. The God we say we trust. The One, we believe in. We forget His power, His goodness, His faithfulness, His strength, The Truth of who He is. But we aren’t the only ones. The Old Testament is full of the stories of Israel forgetting.
Psalms 78 is a call to Israel to remember God. A call to repent of their doubt. It recounts all the ways God delivered them from Egypt. The signs and wonders He performed on their behalf. How he cared and provided for them all the years in the desert. How He brought them into the very land He had promised the ancestors. And yet, they forgot all this and continued to grumble, complain and doubt.
Verse 22 says “for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance.” Youch. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe there was a God. They believed. They just didn’t believe IN Him. They doubted His ability to provide and care for them. They doubted His goodness. His character. They doubted His strength. And many times we do the same.
This year has been one of constant change, upheaval. Things we took for granted as normal daily occurrences like work, school, shopping, or meeting friends, came to an abrupt stop. Over and over again what we thought we knew was challenged and cast aside. Many times, I’m sure we felt like all we knew was tossed out the door and we were left to pick up the pieces. Everything changed in a moment. Everything that is, except God. He stayed exactly the same. We just forgot.
I had to work through my own doubt and fear earlier in the year when the airline industry was hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Being a Flight Attendant meant that since fewer people were flying, there were fewer flights, and so, fewer of us were needed. Many of us took the unpaid leaves that were offered in hopes of keeping mass furloughs from happening down the line.
One thing this affected was when I was planning to retire. The plan my husband and I had made was to retire in 3 years, together. That would give me the time needed to keep my flight benefits. Something we’ve come to enjoy and rely on to visit family and friends scattered across the country. Now that plan was in question since being out on leave would mean I would need to work longer to make up for the time I was out. Maybe even as much as a year longer. And what about the possibility that the industry wouldn’t recover. What if I lost my job altogether? What then?
I wish I could tell you that I handled this well and I put my full trust in God immediately, but I didn’t. There were many anxious hours and sleepless nights spent with the what if’s running rampant through my mind. I had forgotten, too. Forgotten who really is in charge of my life. Who I can trust and put my full weight on.
Psalms 37:23 says that ‘The Lord directs the steps of the godly, He delights in every detail of their lives.” And Colossians 1:17 reminds us “He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together.”
Did you see that? He’s holding it all together. Not me. I don’t need to come up with a new plan, I just need to trust His plan. Because He is trustworthy. He is faithful. He is able to provide for all my needs. He’s done it every year for the 59 years of my life. Over and over again He’s shown me in countless ways I can trust Him.
And, while I can’t even begin to imagine what surprises 2020 has yet in store for all of us, I do know with all my heart that if I can trust Him with my eternity, I can certainly trust Him with this day.
I pray that same assurance for you, my friend. That you know without a shadow of a doubt that you can put your full weight on Him. He is worthy of your trust. He will never leave you. He will never let you down. You can trust His plan for you.
There are a lot of messages we receive from culture today and it seems as though most of them are extremes, with a right vs wrong mentality. Right vs Left, Legalistic vs Freedom, Black vs White, Conservative vs Liberal, Sinner vs Saint, Chosen vs Not-chosen. Think my way? Two thumbs up for you. Think differently? You’re canceled.
One of the most popular extremes I’m seeing right now is the idea of “enough”. Society is waving a banner that screams “YOU are enough! Don’t change for anyone! God loves you just as you are!” And Christians are jumping on board with both feet. On the surface, it feels like a great place to land. What could be wrong with accepting ourselves and each other without judgment and condemnation? A few things, actually.
For one thing, there is no growth in the “I am enough” attitude. If you are enough as you are, right now, there is no need or desire to do or become better as human beings for yourself or the good of society as a whole. But secondly, the truth is we aren’t enough. And we can’t be. If we were, we would be sinless and Jesus wouldn’t have had to come to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. It would be so simple for us to fix all the things wrong in the world if we were enough. But if no one needed growth or to do better would there even be things wrong in the world? The idea of a personal “enough” is a trick of Satan to keep us from facing sin head-on and growing in our faith.
And here is where the other extreme of “Enough” comes in. The pendulum swing to the opposite side. The voice that says, “You are not enough, you will never be enough, nothing you ever do will be enough, you are worthless.” This is where Satan keeps you mired down in a stagnant swamp of self-loathing and doubt, your thoughts held captive in a lie that prevents you from even trying to find hope and help because you believe you do not deserve it.
I don’t find either of these ideas in the bible without taking verses out of context. It’s been my experience that the answer to most hard questions rarely lies at one end of a pendulum. Most often, in my opinion, we find our answer, Jesus, right in the middle of all the mess.
When I bought into the idea that I was enough, it was a double-edged sword. One edge left me exhausted; cut, and bleeding in an attempt to prove I WAS, in fact, enough. Prove I didn’t need help from anyone, that I could do all the things on my own. When I couldn’t do all the things I just kept thinking I only needed a better system; surely it was a time-management thing. Or I just needed to understand my personality better. Maybe it was that I just needed a better weight loss program. I lived swirling around in the idea that if I could just change this or that, things would finally be under control. But no matter how hard I tried, no matter what things I tweaked, I just couldn’t do it.
The other edge of the “I am enough” sword was dull and it lazed about in the idea of being accepted just as I was, and if there was fault found in something I did or said it had more to do with an issue in you than with any issue with me. Excuses abounded and any change needed, in action or attitude, was all the burden of the other person. My pride was excused as a moral high-ground. My laziness was rebranded as the time-off I deserved. My selfishness was disguised as self-care. My harsh words were called “just speaking truth”. I needed no self-improvement and people could take me or leave me, it mattered little. This thinking left me spiritually out of shape and bruised by life and in this place, my faith and character saw little to no growth.
I’ve wrestled and fought with all the aspects of “enough” and no matter which lie I was stuck in I ended up ashamed and depressed, feeling like a failure in every aspect of my life. Until a friend reminded me of Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Rest is what I longed for, what my soul craved. I needed a rest from the world–all its demands, all its lies, and all its extremes. But how does one find the “sweet spot” of resting well and enough? I don’t have it mastered yet, but I’ve found the sweet spot of Godly rest lies somewhere in the middle of enough and not enough. Knowing I am not enough, bringing it to Jesus anyway, resting in Him to help me, and seeing first-hand that He IS enough.
Jesus tells us in Matthew to ”come to {Him}”. That’s where we start. Not with us. With Him. “I’m enough” is true when it’s the idea that I don’t have to “get myself together” before I can come to God. He already knows that we are weary and burdened. I don’t have to bring my best all shined up pretty for Him to love and accept me. I get to come to Him in all my weakness, all my ugly, all my sin. He asks us to bring all to Him and then He will give us the rest we so desperately desire. “I am enough” is true, but it’s also incomplete.
When we come to Him we exchange our yoke and our burden for His. A yoke rests on one’s shoulders and one takes direction from it. And a burden is still something we have to carry. This is not a work-free zone. I’m not free to let someone else carry my burden, but remember, He promises His yoke is easy and His burden light. Our rest comes because where we are weak He is strong. Where we fall short, He fills in the rest. He shines up our rusty places and presents them as perfect and new. Where “I am enough” fails, Jesus does not; He is always enough.
Resting doesn’t mean not changing, not growing though, and growth isn’t always easy or painless. In rest, there can be discomfort sometimes, but there is also healing. When I receive the gift of a massage, I am prepared to enjoy quiet and rest all the while knowing my therapist is going to find each painful knot in my back and poke and prod until they become soft and relaxed under her fingertips. The momentary discomfort gives way to increased movement and blood flow later.
When I sit in the salon chair to receive a refreshing pedicure, sometimes the nail technician has to cut out a bit of tender, ingrown nail that has made it painful to walk. I grip the armrests as they dig and cut, my toe smarting from their tools, but knowing later I will enjoy the benefit of not only lovely toes but more importantly, walking with ease.
So, where do we get our ideas about resting, enough, yokes, and burdens? We “learn from {Him}” and “{He} is humble and gentle in heart”. To learn from Him, we have to study Him, and we do that by spending time in the Bible, God’s holy Word.
When I was in high school, I had a Sunday School teacher who often talked about the theory of “garbage in, garbage out”, meaning what we consume will be what spills out of us later. We can fill up our minds and bellies with the “truth” we find on social media and the news; we can carry their burden of enough and take our directions in life from them, or we can spend time with Jesus and get our truth and direction from what He tells us in the Bible.
I was talking with my youngest daughter one day after having recently spent the weekend with my sister who lives on the other side of the states. Whatever comment I made was accompanied by a facial expression and my daughter’s eyes got wide, and she laughingly said, “That was Aunt Shannon, right there!” What a great compliment to me!
Do I act and sound like my sister because I’ve lost myself? Is it because she demands I do? Of course not. It happens naturally because I love her and whenever the opportunity arises, I spend time with her. I’ve known her for a while now, and because I’ve spent so much time with her, I have unconsciously picked up some (ok, many!) of her mannerisms–so much so it spills out even when we are apart.
The same thing happens when we spend time in God’s word. We grow to love Christ more. We want to spend more time with Him and slowly, we begin to look and act more like Him. The things that matter to Him matter to us and the things that grieve Him grieve us. We begin to see the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, grow in our lives. Not out of compulsion, because we have to, but because we just can’t help it! We have filled ourselves up with His wisdom and truth, learned His attributes, resulting in His wisdom, truth, and attributes later spilling out of us–no matter what the world bumps into us with.
Much like being with my sister brings rest to my heart, spending time with Jesus brings rest to my soul. I know my sister loves me and wants the best for me, so she gets to speak the hard truths to me. And because I know God loves me and has the best plans for me, I can trust when He begins pruning away at things that are unnecessary and not beneficial for me. I allow His word to speak hard truths into my life and know it is for my good. I can rest in His care.
We come to God and He works to TRANSFORM our lives and our desires. He does the heart-changing. Resting doesn’t mean striving in our own strength and on our own works for what only God can do. Our rest rests in His strength and what He has already accomplished through the finished work of the cross. Come to Him, learn from Him, and He will give us rest.
When we sleep at night, our body is busy repairing itself from the efforts of the day–it’s our body’s own little “sabbath” if you will. And when everything is in-tune and we have rested well, we awake alert and strong, ready to face the day.
I’m learning, when my face is turned toward God, He won’t abandon me to get fat and lazy, neither will He work me unmercifully. Little by little I’m learning to rest well, by resting only in HIM. In His word. In His truth. In His power and might. I’m hanging on while He cuts and prunes at my tender spots, knowing the resulting fruit will be sweet and plentiful. I endure the growing pains as my roots grow deeper and my footing steady and sure, even when things around me blow wildly out of control.
So, when I feel like the things I’ve picked up in my day to day life are too heavy to bear or like I can’t go a step farther, I remember that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. When I start to slip back into the patterns of “I am enough” I begin asking myself questions.
When was the last time I spent time with Jesus?
Am I carrying His burden and wearing His yoke or one I picked up elsewhere?
Have I come to Jesus for help or am I trying to bear them on my own?
Am I spilling out God’s truth or the truth I find on social media?
Am I being honest with myself?
Will the choice I’m making right now help me serve others better?
Will this help grow my faith and dependence on Jesus?
Is what I’m consuming nutrient-dense or is it an empty calorie dessert?
How is my daily diet balanced?
I don’t have any of this mastered, but If I answer these questions truthfully, I can usually figure out what burden or yoke I need to bring back to Jesus to exchange.
Friend, if you are weary and in need of rest, bring your burdens to Jesus and trust that He cares for you. You are not alone. You have a friend like no other who loves you enough to give you life-changing rest.
When is our enough, enough? When it’s found in Jesus.
Have you ever read something and just knew you had to get it into the hands of everyone you know? That is exactly how we feel about Lisa Whittle’s book “Put Your Warrior Boots On, Walking Jesus Strong Once and for All”.
Warrior Boots is the second book we’ve read by Lisa. We call her Lisa like she’s one of our BFFs because we’re pretty sure if we actually met her she would be. Here’s what we love about Lisa’s books: she is relentless about pointing out how important it is for us to study, know, and believe the Bible–for ourselves. She reminds us that when we study, know, and believe God’s Word, our lives will be changed and the way we live and interact with people every day will be impacted.
Now, here’s a little warning in case you are easily offended by straight talk. Lisa does not tip-toe around issues. Oftentimes her points are not soft words of encouragement we can curl up with by a fire to ponder. Usually, they are words of exciting conviction that spur us into action. Warrior Boots covers God-ish lives, spiritual weakness, commitment, standards, accountability, and love. That’s just in the first two chapters! We nod our heads so often as we read it’s a wonder we don’t have neck troubles. The highlights in our books are blinding. Listen, we love this book so much we are starting a Podcast just so we can discuss it more!
Warrior Boots was published in 2017 and yet its message is both timeLESS and timeLY. She notes in the introduction, “As I write this book, even now, hard things in this world keep happening, and sometimes I feel like I can’t write fast enough to help us through. But then I remember that God being God hasn’t changed. He is the Savior, for now, for then, forever. And so I write with urgency and the great understanding that God runs this thing…”
She goes on to say, “…there’s a difference with being burdened and being hysterical. This is not a book born of hysteria; it is a manual born of urgency. Those are two very different things. Hysteria says to panic. Urgency says to prepare.”
“This book offers an alternative to living insecure, panicked, and scared, rather than accepting it as the norm.
This is a book of straight talk and strategy, since we are desperate to know the how-to pieces in our everyday.
This book reminds us of our spiritual power in Christ and defines the importance of making declarations over our lives as a means of taking hold of that power promised to us.
This is a book of absolutes that lead to joy, peace, hope, and clarity to help de-complicate our lives.”
And because this book is based on her study and belief of the bible, and because this book continually points us back to the bible as our compass, it does what she says it does.
You can read Warrior Boots on your own, with a friend, or in a group. Lisa offers free 15-minute video teachings that accompany each chapter on her website and has included a study guide as well (all for the low, low price of $10.79!)
As much as we wish we knew Lisa personally, we don’t. She doesn’t know us and she certainly doesn’t owe us anything. She has no idea we are promoting her book like a black-market Rolex-salesman. So when we tell you we think this book is so great we’re going to give away 4 copies over on our Instagram page you’ll know the only thing we’re getting out of it is MORE PEOPLE TO TALK TO about the amen-truths written in this book. Be sure to head to the post today (Wednesday the 9th) and enter to win.
And we really aren’t kidding about starting a podcast. If there is something we have in abundance it’s opinions about all manner of things and we are happy to have a place to share them! We’ve begun the process, and a process it is! We will let you know on our blog and on our Instagram account when our first episode is ready to go live!
This book has motivated us to get into better shape spiritually and we think you will come away feeling energized and empowered after reading it. We hope you’ll pick up a copy and dive in. We’d love to know what you’re reading and what’s impacting you right now. Share in the comments–we’re always looking to add to our bookshelves.
Sometimes we forget that hospitality begins at home with the people closest to us. Fall is creeping up on us and while many places may not be as accessible as we are used to there are still LOTS of ways we can make this season special. We’ve made a list of 25 simple things you can do to wow your family as the weather cools off.
We’ve even put them into a cute Fall Bucket List for you to print and mark off as you go. As you check off your adventures, be sure to take some photos. You’ll want to remember this season for sure! Be sure to share your favorite photos to Instagram and tag thesweetteasisters in your post. We can’t wait to join in the fun!
Make a thankful-for list
There is always something to be grateful for no matter what the circumstances we may find ourselves in. Why not take a few moments and jot down just a couple of the things that come to mind.
Jump in a pile of leaves
Rake them up in your back yard or head to a park and pile them up there! This is a great activity to do with the kids and the perfect opportunity to take some fun fall pictures.
Make caramel apples
When was last time you sunk your teeth into a sticky, yummy, caramel apple? Make some with your kids or grandkids and be sure and let us know how they turn out!
Go for a scenic drive
Take the back roads and enjoy the beautiful fall colors in your area.
Make chili and cornbread
Whether it’s canned or from scratch, serving your favorite chili paired with some delicious hot out of the oven cornbread will make for a fun family meal.
Buy a new fall scented candle or make your own
There are so many delightful candles out these days, you’re sure to find just the right one for your home. If you’re feeling crafty you could even make your own! Bonus points if you drop one off on a friend’s doorstep to brighten their day!
Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Is there a soup kitchen in your area where you and your family can serve? If not, consider making a donation to your local food pantry.
Try a new soup recipe
Fall is the perfect time to try out a new soup, if you enjoy baking maybe try making homemade bread to go with it!
Plant bulbs for next spring
Take a few minutes to plant those bulbs now and you will be able to enjoy some lovely spring blooms later!
Roast marshmallow over a campfire
Can anyone resist roasting a marshmallow over a roaring campfire? Step things up a notch and make your favorite S’mores recipe!
Buy matching cozy socks for your whole family
A new pair of cozy socks will keep your toes toasty! Or do a sock swap with your best girlfriends as a fun way to welcome in fall!
Have a family game night
Try out a new game or maybe a family favorite like Charades, Old Maid, or Monopoly! Don’t forget some fun snacks!
Bundle up for a picnic in the park
Get your warm sweaters and boots on, grab a big blanket, pack up a lunch, and head to your favorite park! Enjoy the changing colors and brisk fall air!
Make your favorite quick bread
Have a recipe you’ve been wanting to try? Maybe Pumpkin, Zucchini, or Applesauce? This is the perfect opportunity!
Parking lot tailgate party
Grab some friends, pack up your lunch or dinner, lawn chairs, tables, and meet up in a local park or store parking lot for some tailgating. Just because we have to physically distance doesn’t mean we can’t be social!
Make apple crisp and have a movie night
Enjoy your favorite Apple Crisp recipe or search the web for a new one, settle down with a cozy blanket, and watch an old black and white movie. Charades, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Rear Window are all wonderful old movies.
Help a neighbor rake their leaves
Grab your rake or leaf blower and help your neighbor clear their yard of leaves. Blow or rake them into a pile and JUMP in!
Hang a fall wreath for your front door
Pinterest has lots of great DIY wreaths you can try, but if crafting isn’t your style check out a local hobby store. Be sure to take a picture to share on social media. Be sure to tag us so we can see!
Learn how to knit
Fall is the perfect time to learn something new and who wouldn’t love a handmade scarf just as the weather gets cooler.
Have a fall photoshoot
Go with a professional or snap some with your phone and a tripod. Check out Pinterest for some fun photo booth prop ideas!
Make a scarf out of an old sweater
Do you have some old sweaters lying around? This would be a great way to upcycle them. YouTube has some great tutorials for this!
Put together a fall puzzle
Puzzles are a fun way to get the whole family involved in an activity. Walmart and Target have a variety of puzzles for all different skill levels, or Amazon can deliver one right to your door!
Read a book by the fire
Curl up with a nice warm blanket and a book by your favorite author and enjoy some much-needed downtime. Make it a family event and do a chapter book read-aloud all month.
Go for a fall hike and collect leaves
Take to the local trails and collect some of the falling leaves for a lovely fall centerpiece.
Have an outdoor movie night
Invite a few friends over for a physically-distanced, outdoor movie night. Check out some of the ideas on Pinterest to make this happen in your backyard!
Don’t forget your FREE printable Bucket List here.
