Bullies

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 1 Samuel 50

My husband Nick and I were having a conversation about some things and it basically boiled down to bullies. I have to say that I am so completely and utterly SICK of bullies that I cannot stand it! I've dealt with these people since I was just a "fat" girl who was mooed at while walking down the hall in the seventh grade all the way into my current adulthood in the workplace and such. It's really just a sad situation that someone would be so completely unhappy with themselves that they would find comfort in making others feel bad. Bad is such and understatement. Unworthy, belittled, ugly, poor, fat, too thin, self conscious, inadequate. These are better words for the ways the bullies in my life made me feel. 

It seems that bullies are at their worst when you are at your best. When you are content with your life, or even happy. When you get a promotion or recognition. That's when bullies sink their nasty teeth into you heart and mind and twist things around to make you question yourself. The bullies in my adolescence even pushed me to the point of considering not wanting to live anymore. I wish that my adult self could have been there to tell me that my mother was right, that these people were just so miserable that it gave them some kind of sick pleasure to see me so sad. Thank God that I came out of that dark place and learned how to be happy with me no matter what my critiques may say!

Let's make a alliance, all those that have been bullied or are even being bullied right now. Let's decide to stop giving our power away to these Goliaths in our lives. Those people who can't turn their attention to their glass house that is shattering behind them. Let's stop allowing them the pleasure of making us feel badly! Let's unit and let our lights shine even when they try to turn them off. David did it with Goliath, he put on his armor of faith and trust in God and killed that giant with one little stone!

For all the bullies or would be bullies out there reading this right now. Please do yourself a favor and remember that one little stone slung from the sling of a small boy with awesome faith put that giant to his knees. Someday if you don't spend some time fixing yourself and stop hiding the pain, a tiny stone will bring you to your knees as well. And those that you bullied may be the only ones who can help you, where will you be then?

Growing Weary

Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all. Galatians 6:9-10

This week I've really been struggling with all the "stuff" I have to do! It's been really weighing heavily on my shoulders. I've been getting discouraged and feeling like I just can't do it.

Then I read a post from a friend of mine talking about how the enemy tricks us into self doubt and into doubting what we know God wants for us. That post really hit home with me! It's so true, it seems like every time that I get focused on the course the Lord has set for my life, I start to doubt the path. I want to take a detour or the scenic route but that's what the enemy wants me to choose. See if I get off course then it's easier for other things in my life to turn away from God. The thing is though that life isn't really easier for me. I worry more, enjoy less, and carry the guilt of knowing deep in my soul that I'm not on the straight path.

My difficulty with the sowing of the seeds is the waiting for them to be ready to harvest! I'm great at a lot of things but waiting patiently isn't one of them! You can ask my mother, I've never been the girl who sits around waiting for things to happen to her. I'm on the front lines making things happen. That makes this "in due season" concept really hard for me! At this what I'll call "growing" season of my life, I feel confident that God is trying to teach me to be a more patient child. So far, I don't think I'm doing too well at it. It seems like there are so many things that I can see ahead that just can't happen right now. They are going to require me to sow and tend my garden diligently and I don't have a green thumb! I do much better with flowers in vases! I'm working hard though and I truly feel that at the end of this season of growing there will be a harvest. It will be the harvest that God has helped me sow and I'm anxious to see what He has in store for me.

I'm sure there are lots of you out there that can share my feelings on this verse and I hope that my perspective is helpful in someway. Thanks for reading and God Bless!

God gives us what it takes to do all that we do. 2 Corinthians 3:5

Do I have what it takes?

I guess the simple answer to that question is NO. I myself don't have what it takes to do all that I do, if I was trying to do it all alone I would certainly not succeed. God is always with me, although I'm not always fully aware of his presence I know he is always there. I am not alone, as a christian woman that is the most important thing for me to remember, I am not alone.

My name is Tessa and I go by many other names. Hunny, mommy, friend, sister, daughter, acquaintance, student, teacher, I could probably think of a few more, and some of them might not always be so flattering. I decided to start this blog as a way to get my thoughts out there, I think at times I have really good thoughts about faith, love, and life and hey lets face it there are blogs about lots of things that I don't find interesting so if you don't like it, don't read it. I plan on focusing this particular blog on those three things so that I can somehow maybe grow to be a better christian, friend, mother, and wife through putting my thoughts out into the universe for the world to read.

So back to my original question, do I have what it takes? I think that this is a question that every person struggles with at some point or another in their lifetime. If you've never had to then, kudos to you, but if you have lets explore it for a minute. Rarely to I feel like I have what it takes. We live in a world that is usually competitive and not forgiving. This makes it hard to put yourself out there and try things that scare you. The fear of failure is blinding even in the light of God's great love for us. The beautiful thing about this scripture is that it's true. If we can just step back, be still and let the support that Jesus gives us help us through those times when we feel like we just aren't enough, we can do it. We can be all those things we have to be on a daily basis for every person in our lives, even when it seems like it sucks the life out of us!

I want to close by saying that I'm a very imperfect person trying to do my best in this crazy world. I'm trying to raise children who love the Lord, trying to be the wife my husband deserves, and working to be the believer that my Lord deserves. It's not always easy, sometimes it seems nearly impossible, and sometimes I fail. But even when that happens, God is there to pick us up, knock off the mud and help us start over the next day.

I don't know what God has in store for us, but I am trying hard to remember that he will give us what it takes, always!