That Proverbs 31 Woman. Sigh.....
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
Proverbs 31:25
"Lord, I know that's what You say about me. So, why don't I FEEL that way?"
Anyone ever had THAT thought? Anyone ever get a little tired of that Proverbs 31 woman?
Come on, girls. Let's get real. If you've ever read that passage and been having a rough day,
I'm 99.9% confident your mind may have gone there.
Or maybe it's just me?
Well, just in case... I'll give you an Exhibit A. Here's my Monday....
The school bus is late. 8 minutes late.
8 minutes can do super fun things to the morning of a single parent.
8 minutes means somebody's going to be late....
and it's probably going to be me.
So, I drop them off and am driving to work. Playing K-Love and chatting with a friend.
Monday might not be so cruel after all. Right?
<<Insert the "she laughswithout fear of the future" part of the verse here.>>
My crown (think teeth- not tiara) decides that today will be its last day at work, and it promptly quits without a two week notice.
Falls out. Right. In. My. Mouth.
Sister, it's guaranteed that you have 2 choices in a moment like that.... LAUGH or cry.
All I could say is, "Um, thank you, Monday... for identifying yourself earlier in the game. Now I know what I'm dealing with."
So, why do I walk you through my Monday of wackiness?
Because when I'm completely honest with myself and all insanity is breaking loose in my world, when work is a mess, the oven is busted, the kids are sick, and I haven't had the luxury of a shower in two days from taking care of those cootie-filled-angels that live with me (oh- and WHEN for the love of all things holy did a shower become a luxury?)... that's when my theology and my heart have a messy relationship.
Or maybe it's just me?
Well, just in case... I'll give you an Exhibit A. Here's my Monday....
The school bus is late. 8 minutes late.
8 minutes can do super fun things to the morning of a single parent.
8 minutes means somebody's going to be late....
and it's probably going to be me.
So, I drop them off and am driving to work. Playing K-Love and chatting with a friend.
Monday might not be so cruel after all. Right?
<<Insert the "she laughs
My crown (think teeth- not tiara) decides that today will be its last day at work, and it promptly quits without a two week notice.
Falls out. Right. In. My. Mouth.
Sister, it's guaranteed that you have 2 choices in a moment like that.... LAUGH or cry.
All I could say is, "Um, thank you, Monday... for identifying yourself earlier in the game. Now I know what I'm dealing with."
So, why do I walk you through my Monday of wackiness?
Because when I'm completely honest with myself and all insanity is breaking loose in my world, when work is a mess, the oven is busted, the kids are sick, and I haven't had the luxury of a shower in two days from taking care of those cootie-filled-angels that live with me (oh- and WHEN for the love of all things holy did a shower become a luxury?)... that's when my theology and my heart have a messy relationship.
I forget that no matter what the outside looks like, the Creator of the Universe is not wrong about who He says that I am.
My feelings and my facts collide.
Maybe some of you can relate.
As I sat down tonight for a 2 minute reprieve of checking
my emails and Facebook page,
Proverbs 31:25 was the first thing I saw.
And God was right about part of it... I laughed. Twice.
As I sat down tonight for a 2 minute reprieve of checking
my emails and Facebook page,
Proverbs 31:25 was the first thing I saw.
And God was right about part of it... I laughed. Twice.
Because God totally has my number.
Then He lovingly stretches me to a place I can't even fathom. A place where He knows I MUST have Him
to even think about walking.
Fearless? Me? Fearless?
And He says, "Yes, beautiful. YOU.
Fearless about the future. YOU."
He draws me in by saying,
"She is clothed with strength and dignity"
...
and I say, "Ooh, that sounds awesome, God.
Sign me up for THAT outfit."
....
He says, "and she laughs"
...
and I say, "Yeah, I laugh, Lord. It's laugh or cry out here."
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...
And He says, "... without fear of the future"
...
...
...and I get really quiet.
He knows to woo me in with the things I can relate to. The things I can even possibly see myself pulling off. (I mean, really, I can even fake some of that stuff on the bad days. Right?)"She is clothed with strength and dignity"
...
and I say, "Ooh, that sounds awesome, God.
Sign me up for THAT outfit."
....
He says, "and she laughs"
...
and I say, "Yeah, I laugh, Lord. It's laugh or cry out here."
...
And He says, "... without fear of the future"
...
...
...and I get really quiet.
Then He lovingly stretches me to a place I can't even fathom. A place where He knows I MUST have Him
to even think about walking.
Fearless? Me? Fearless?
And He says, "Yes, beautiful. YOU.
Fearless about the future. YOU."
He gently grasps my hand in the middle of the muck and takes me back to a choice I made long ago... a firm decision about what my truths would be. I either was going to believe what
God said about me or I was not. Black or white.
Vote it up or vote it down, sister, but there was not going to be any middle ground any more. Either God was God or I was going to continue trying to steer this ship alone, but I wasn't going to go down with that whole lukewarm business.
In the middle of the Mondays, THE DECISION STANDS.
No matter how I feel, THE DECISION STANDS.
I choose to believe, one day at a time... one moment at a time... one messy minute at a time... that when God looks at this forgiven, free, daughter of the Most High, He sees nothing but Jesus.
I choose to believe that I am "clothed with strength and dignity" (don't let the no makeup, ponytail, jeans, and old college sweatshirt fool ya, kids).
And that whole "laugh without fear of the future" deal?
Yeah. That's ALL ME because of Him.
Here's the best part....
It's YOU, too.
It's one choice. Only YOU can make it. Is God who He says He is? Because if He is, that means YOU are
who He says you are, too.
The Mondays will come. God's a promise keeper.
He even told us they would come.
But HE has the final say... and it's a good day to be the King's kid, y'all. No joke. When your Daddy owns the cattle on a thousand hills, favor is yours time and time again.
Protection surrounds you constantly.
Your bloodline is that of ROYALTY of the Most High King.
You have forever kind of promises that won't ever be broken, and love that will never leave.
Just think about it....
That woman in Proverbs 31? If you've chosen my Jesus, then she's you. Congratulations, my friend. You are EVERYTHING
that He says about you.
You make the Proverbs 31 woman look good. Walk it out.
that He says about you.
You make the Proverbs 31 woman look good. Walk it out.
She's YOU. Believe it.
Love, Christie
Love, Christie
- ChristieAitken@gmail.com, 2015
Twitter: @ChristieAitken
Google+: +Christie Aitken
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