Shine Brightly

Exodus 34:29-30, 33-35; New Living Translation (NLT)

29 When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord. 30 So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.

33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. 34 But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the Lord had given him, 35 and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord.

Mark 4:21; New Living Translation (NLT)

21 Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.

Philippians 2:15b; New Living Translation (NLT)

15 Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Isaiah 58:10; New Living Translation (NLT)

10 Feed the hungry,
    and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
    and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

Isaiah 60:1-3, 5, 19-20; New Living Translation (NLT)

60 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
    For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
2 Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
    but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.
3 All nations will come to your light;
    mighty kings will come to see your radiance.

5 Your eyes will shine,
    and your heart will thrill with joy,
for merchants from around the world will come to you.
    They will bring you the wealth of many lands.

19 “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day,

    nor the moon to give its light by night,
for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never set;
    your moon will not go down.
For the Lord will be your everlasting light.
    Your days of mourning will come to an end.

First of all, I will not apologize for all the scripture for this post. God's Word speaks better than I ever can, so I hope that you will take the time to look these scriptures up for yourselves in your own Bibles in your own preferred translations and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through them as well.

Secondly, as I've mentioned to you before, we're studying Priscilla Shirer's Bible Study Armor of God. It was during the study of the Helmet of Salvation that the Lord showed me that we are meant to shine--just as Moses' face glowed so brightly that he had to wear a veil, so are we meant to glow so brightly that we have to wear a veil (a helmet) so that those who see us won't be afraid!!! Moses' veil helped lessen the glow from his face after spending time with God; our helmet of salvation is a way for us to help lessen our own inner glow after spending time with God!

Our walk with God is not meant to scare anyone, especially non-believers. We are meant to draw unbelievers to Christ, to show Christ--the love of Christ--to the unsaved. When we are over-bearing or do things in our zealous joy and excitement for Him, we can scare off unbelievers. I know that I have joked over the years that I do NOT need alcohol to let loose and have fun. I can and do often get very silly and foolishly full of the JOY of the Lord. I don't mean to scare people with my JOY, but I know that there are those who can find it a bit overwhelming.

When I have on my full armor, though, God can take my overwhelming JOY and use it for His glory--to dull it just enough that it doesn't scare off unbelievers, but so that it draws unbelievers to Him. I don't demonstrate the full JOY of the Lord because I want others to notice me or give me attention; I do it because my JOY truly does come from His anointing. His anointing oil of JOY is the ONLY way I am able to have full JOY in Him.

If it was up to me, if I had to function on my own without God, I can promise you that I would be curled up into a ball on my couch, comfortingly snuggled deep inside my blankets, never to come out. And that would be on a good day. But because my wonderful God anointed me with His oil of JOY and because He alone has taken the ashes of my life and made something beautiful and because He alone has turned my mourning into JOY, I am able to shine brightly for Him.

"Radiant with Joy"--isn't that an amazing phrase?! When we look to our Lord for help, we will be RADIANT with [His] JOY!!! Radiant JOY! Isn't that wonderful?! I will shine brightly with JOY for Him when I look to Him for help! Shine brightly! Radiant with JOY!!! May I ever be Radiant with [His] JOY!!!

I will never hide my light under a basket. I will always do my very best to shine brightly for Him--to bring light to those living in darkness--because He Himself has taken ME out of the darkness and brought me into the fullness of His shining Light. For that, I will forever be eternally grateful. What other option do I have than to be one whose light shines so brightly that God has to lessen it by putting a veil (or a helmet) over my face!

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH!!!

It ALL matters

When I was in the early stages of my Joy Journey, I remember very distinctly discussing with my counselor how nothing I was doing seemed to be working. I was reading my Bible on a daily basis. I was praying every day. I was worshiping at every possible opportunity--whether I felt like worshiping or not. I was going to church. I was spending time in fellowship with other believers. I was doing one Bible study after another. I was seeking God with ALL my heart, soul, mind, and strength. But in those days, I didn't feel as if anything was working, I felt as I was going backwards rather than forwards in my healing. I was lost and wondered if I was doomed to be depressed and miserable--in a constant fog--in my dark cave--forever.

Have you ever been there? 

In spite of being so deep into my dark cave, I determined to stay with it--to continue on my Joy Journey regardless of how I FELT. 

As I am coming out on the other side of my journey into the light and out of the darkness, I want to tell you that every little thing you are doing to hang on to your faith is working--is meaningful--is making a difference--whether you FEEL as if it is or not. 

We all know that it's the little things that matter in our relationships, especially with our spouses. I don't need for my husband to go out and reserve a fancy hotel room, take me to a fancy steakhouse, or pay for a horse and buggy carriage ride through the park in order for him to be romantic. When he comes home with a Hershey's with Almonds, I want to kiss him all over! When he does the dishes or cooks supper because I've just been too busy to get to them, he makes me feel special. 

I am here to encourage you, my friends. Don't give up. Don't let the enemy take your joy or convince you that God isn't hearing your prayers. My Bible says that THE MOMENT we begin praying, God begins answering our prayers. Sometimes He answers and restores us immediately. Praise the Lord for those of you who experience that immediate restoration. Appreciate it and tell God how much you appreciate it. Show Him.

But sometimes God takes some of us on a journey to get to our

healing and restoration--to a place of Joy. Don't be discouraged in the journey. Keep trusting Him. Keep giving whatever you are able to give Him regardless of whether you FEEL like it or not.

He is faithful and He WILL restore you! He will bring you through so that you can come out of the darkness and into the light. Don't give up. One step at a time....one foot in front of the other....one Bible verse....one prayer....one worship song....one hour in fellowship with other believers....stay the course....fight the good fight of faith...run.

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Darkness....again?!

As someone who has suffered severe depression, I can tell you that when the day came when I woke up and felt as if I had finally stepped out of darkness and into light, I felt a joy unspeakable and full of glory! Hallelujah! I was no longer depressed! I could quit taking my depression medicine and actually LIVE! Yippee!!!

Yeah. No.

In her book, LAUGHING IN THE DARK, Chonda Pierce talks about the time she felt healed--as if she was walking in the light rather than in the dark. Like me, she chose to quit her depression medication and even to lessen her trips to her counselor (yeah, me too). Also like me, though, out of nowhere, the day came when "there [was] a heavy gnawing inside me--a sad, aching feeling that something wasn't right inside my head. The darkness was back" (196).

What?! Seriously?! 

Wasn't I HEALED? Didn't God Himself take me out of the darkness and bring me into the light? Didn't I see Him roll the stone over the entrance to my cave and seal it shut, never to be opened again? Didn't I?!

Yes, I did!

But the truth is that in spite of healing, depression is not simply a matter of feeling or my emotions that I can simply pack into a box and put away to be pulled out when I so choose. Depression is a chemical state of the brain that the depressed individual has NO control over. 

With every fiber of my being, I wish I could just "get over it" and move on with life and quit living in depression. I hate being depressed. As a general rule, I'm a very happy--no, JOYFUL--woman. I love the Lord. I love reading my Bible and worship. I love being a pastor's wife. I love my church. I love my family and friends. I love my job. I love the beauty of God's amazing creation. I love LIFE. But the truth is that when the darkness comes, all I want to do is curl up in my comfortable blanket and hide from the world.

This is a poem I wrote a few years ago that still holds true:

I hate the sadness
  but I am powerless against it.
It settles on me like a warm, cozy blanket.
Even though I hate myself for it,
  I welcome it.
  I snuggle deeper into it.
I allow it to wrap around me--
  Into me.  I feel it deep-down to my toes.
I am cocooned in it.
Worst of all--I like the way it makes me feel.
I want to be able to:  laugh
                               sing
                                run
                                jump
                                play
                                praise
                                 --Pray.
But I am trapped deep inside my Sadness.
The Joy--pure, true Joy--of only
  moments ago is a distant memory already.
Is there anyone to help?
  Is there someone who will pull the blanket off for me?
Yet, worst of all, I REALLY like the way it makes me feel.

Polly Anna Watson

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

 In many ways, yes, depression is "comfortable" for someone like me, but not for the reason you might think. It's because it's my "normal." I wish it wasn't, but because it is, I do tend to feel "safer" when I am depressed than when I am walking in the Light and the Joy of the Lord. I do much prefer living in Joy--honest. If I had my choice, I would walk in God's amazing Joy all the time.

So please be patient with me--and with others who suffer from depression. Don't expect us to "JUST get over it." We're trying. We really are. Just love us.....that truly is the best thing you can do to help us through the darkness.

The old saying is so true that in order to know TRUE Joy, we must know TRUE sadness. 

Works Cited

Pierce, Chonda. Laughing in the Dark: A Comedian's Journey through Depression. New York: Howard, 2007. Print.

Shen, Jean. "Series 1: Healing of Wounds of the Bride and Growing Intimacy with the Lord." Invitation to His Garden. Prophetic Art. Web. 6 Sept. 2014. <http://www.jbrushwork.com/html/paintings.html>.

Word from the Holy Spirit

We had a really great Sunday School class today.  We were doing the Bible Study to Ann Voskamp's ONE THOUSAND GIFTS.  We're still on the first lesson; it's just taking us a while to get through everything.  

The question reads:  "Read:  John 11:38-44.  Ann talks about thanksgiving raising the dead.  What are some connections between thanksgiving and new life being unleashed in the dark and dead places of life?"

I've shared with my ladies this before, but I was telling them, again, about the deep, dark, scary, lonely cave I've been in over the past several years--a tomb-like cave (just as the tomb Lazarus was in).  Over the years, as I have studied JOY and begun to express gratitude and thankfulness for the things that bring me JOY and for the things I see around me that God has done and is doing for me, I have begun to move out of the darkest recesses of my cave towards the light.  Recently, I have felt as if I have been in the opening of my cave, but--as I told my counselor once, I expect that I will always have to be in or near my cave--either at the entrance or at least close enough to see it simply because of how deep my pain, hurt, and rage go.

Today, as I was sharing this, my beloved friend put down her pen and turned to me.  I saw it all as if it was happening in slow motion.  It wasn't until afterwards that we both realized it was a word from the Holy Spirit.  With tears streaming down her cheeks, she told me that God was going to take me COMPLETELY out of my cave and He was going to roll the stone over it so that I never have to enter it again.  God is going to change me such as I never expected.  He is going to fill me with His Holy Spirit as He completely heals me and brings me out of my cave--forever.  God is going to use me as an encourager.  I will be in the Light--in His light.  God has plans for me--to use what I have been through for His glory.  

Just as Christ raised Lazarus from the dead and brought him out of that dark, scary tomb, God is raising ME from the dead and bringing ME out of the tomb of death I've been in for several years--for far too long.

This wasn't part of the prophecy/Word from the Holy Spirt at the time, but as I have continued to study, read, and pray over this Word throughout the day, I also feel the Holy Spirit telling me that just as Christ wept over the death of Lazarus because He loved Lazarus, Christ has wept (weeps) over my spiritual death.  He loves me THAT MUCH.  And just as He raised Lazarus from the dead, He is raising ME from my [spiritual] death.

Wow.  

I still can't get over the power of that word.  The more I think about it, the more I write about it, the more I find myself in complete awe that He used my sweet friend to give this word to ME.  He loves me so much that He used His loved one to tell me exactly what I needed, desperately, to hear.  

I will never again look at the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead in the same way I have in the past!!!!

Thank You, Lord, for Your Word for me today.  I receive it.  I accept it.  I claim it.  I will not fight You as You lead me out of my cave--my tomb--into Your Light and close the door of my cave--my tomb--behind me.  

Remind me.  Bring this Word to my remembrance often.  Thank You, Lord!

John 11:35-36 & 38-44New Living Translation (NLT)

35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them.

But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible."

40 Jesus responded, “Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?" 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me." 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!" 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!"

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.