Two Minute Tuesday

Posted by Nicki on Jun 18, 2013 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

When Truth Hurts

Posted by Nicki on Jun 12, 2013 in Uncategorized | 11 comments

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” -Luke 6:46

There’s a sting in my heart today. The past few months have been so chaotic, confusing and full… Truth has often felt far from my thoughts.

I keep telling myself once this is over or that is over, life will find its beautiful rhythm again. But it never happens. And today, I find myself in a pool of disobedience with the things God has called me to do, the places He has asked me to sit and the person He has gently shown me I can be {with Him}.

Why do I call Him Lord, Lord yet…I don’t push through the difficult days well?

Why do I call Him Lord, Lord yet…I find myself circling the same cycles of defeat day after day?

Why do I call Him Lord, Lord yet…I don’t want to dream for Him, believe great things or trust Him like I never have?

Why do I call Him Lord, Lord yet…[this list goes on and on...]

These moments, when Truth hurts, they are good but painful. I find myself often rejecting them because its easier to camp out with the Jesus who is about joy, hope and freedom.

He is very much these things {and so much more} but I today I need to linger a bit more on the Truth that Jesus is the man who changes everything for us when we seek of life of obedience to Him.

Obedience to God allows us to look back on tomorrow and think, “I’m so glad I did [blank].”

I want more days like that. 

Yes, sometimes Truth hurts. But I want to remember that the refining moments Truth offers are the most valuable because…

What about you? I’d love for you to leave a comment today and share something hard God is asking you to do right now.

The Un-Threatened Woman

Posted by Nicki on May 15, 2013 in Uncategorized | 8 comments

Deep within all of our hearts is a longing to be valued at what we do. So it’s easy to understand why we frequently enter into the game of comparison in our minds.

And we all know comparison isn’t something we should do. But let’s face it; we are going to compare. And maybe a little comparison isn’t so bad.

When comparison starts to ruin us though is when we begin feeling like other’s gifts, talents and abilities somehow threaten us.
I saw this the other day in one of my daughter’s…

She was working super hard on a project but there seemed to be another girl who always did everything better than her. And my daughter found herself in a pool of tears of frustration feeling like she’d never measure up to this girl.
Several valuable moments of her day were wasted while she compared her abilities to this girl.

But this isn’t something just young girls wrestle through.

And if we don’t recognize the feeling of being threatened while comparing, the wasted moments can turn into days, then weeks, then months and years.

Yes, there’s a longing to be the best at the things we work hard for.

However, we must somehow accept that in the process of developing our gifts, talents and abilities there is always going to be someone who can do what we do better.

And I believe for every woman who struggles with comparison, there’s a woman deeper within us:

The Un-Threatened Woman

She is the woman who allows the gifts, talents and abilities of others to inspire her; not conspire against her.

She is the woman who stays in a posture of learning.

She is the woman who consistently cheers others on.

She is the woman who works hard at whatever she does.

And then one day,

She is the woman who has found her beautiful, unique and powerful rhythm. Her gifts, talents and abilities are able to fully develop because her time has been well spent.

Friend, I want to be this woman. And while I will continue to struggle through comparison, today I won’t let feelings of being threatened waste my time. I’m finding such power in this:

“Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.” -Hebrews 10:35

What about you?

Do you struggle with not letting comparison threaten you? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments today…

Two Minute Tuesday

Posted by Nicki on May 7, 2013 in Uncategorized | 9 comments

Would love to hear your thoughts on this today in the comment section… Is it hard to step out of your normal social circles?

Two Minute Tuesday…it’s back!

Posted by Nicki on Apr 16, 2013 in Uncategorized | 5 comments

Here’s the link to buy tickets for this weekend:http://fulltimemom.org

The Right Light

Posted by Nicki on Apr 11, 2013 in Uncategorized | 5 comments

Not long ago I received an email from a long lost friend. I had missed our friendship terribly, thought of her frequently and hoped that one day our paths would cross again.

So, you can imagine how excited I was to hear from her.

We exchanged several emails back and forth catching up on each-other’s lives and reminiscing about days gone by.

She asked me what I “did” for a job. And I began to tell her a little bit about what I do with speaking and writing. My old friend isn’t a follower of Christ and so she was understandably a bit confused when I said, “I work for Jesus.”

And after I shared how God was using some of the broken places in my life to walk along side other broken people, she wrote back saying she had a hard time seeing me doing something like this.

I understood what she was saying but…it was hard to read those words.

Exchanging emails brought back all kinds of memories of the person I “used” to be. And the reality of where I am now and where I was when we were good friends is different.

I realized that most likely we wouldn’t be reconnecting on a regular basis and it made something inside me ache.

Sometimes people  can trigger a raw reminder of the person we were before God changed our lives. And its hard to know whether to move forward with a reconnection with someone.

I believe an important question we should ask ourselves about reconnecting with someone from our past is, “Can they see me in the right light now?”

Sometimes people may play a big part of our history but maybe not our destiny. 

The Stressed-Less Living Winner!

Posted by Nicki on Apr 8, 2013 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

Sorry I didn’t post this on Friday!

The winner is…..

Lisa Jamerson!