Fear, Dread, Despair

Which is most prevalent with you?

Fear?

Dread?

Or is it Despair?

For me, it was all three braided together and secured with a tight knot.

Fear of my future as I’m aging. Worrying about losing my husband prematurely. Fear of financial woes. Fear of harm to my grown children, grandchildren and other loved ones. Fear of failure, declining health, traveling, flying.

My fears spanned out to cover current world events, prevalent evil and our country’s blatant rejection of God and the Lord Jesus.

My fears led to dread. I dreaded everything. I became apathetic in all my involvements. Exhausted. Burned out. Weeks and months whizzing by at a rate of speed faster than I’ve ever known. 

I dreaded the Fall season because that meant Winter is coming.

Then despair set in. Despair that my life is running out of time, our country is falling apart and I’m getting older and there’s nothing I can do about any of it.

Or so I thought.

That’s what the devil wanted me to think. It’s what he wants you to think. He wants us to be consumed, distracted and powerless.

Beaten down, flat on our back with the tyranny of fear, dread and despair standing over us.

Can you relate at all?

Add to that the condemnation from the devil that comes with being a Christian while still struggling with these things. 

Focusing on and dwelling there, are all outside God’s plans and purposes; again, All, outside God’s plans and purposes.

If satan can keep us beat down and rendered ineffective as salt and light in these dark, evil days, he’s succeeded.

Do you want the enemy to succeed? I don’t!! I don’t want him to have the satisfaction. He’s wrecked enough havoc on me, my family, and all the things that are important to me.

Enough, I say!

Because here’s the truth: Our enemy is the one who is scared. He is the one with a dreaded future that WILL end in despair and defeat!

As believers in Jesus Christ, I pray that our only fear is the reverent fear and worship of Almighty God, Who has given us an endless abundance of grace and peace. AND an amazing future with Him forever!

Grace and peace to you from God our Father 

and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms that we need.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with 

every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

As believers in Jesus Christ, we stand holy and blameless in our Father’s eyes.

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the 

world to be holy and blameless in His sight. Ephesians 1:4

We are NOT seated in this world in a place of fear, dread and despair. It’s not possible because as a believer in Jesus Christ our position is this:

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him 

in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6

The braid of fear, dread and despair, spun and intertwined by the devil, is unraveling for me.

The devil shudders at the thought of Christians gaining a godly perspective. He works tirelessly to keep us blinded to the truth. 

Why?

He is afraid…he is despairing of and dreading his future.

If we, as believers in Jesus Christ, open our eyes and see the truth and reality of our position in Him, we also will receive and open all the gifts given to us from God, Who, by the way, is still in control.

We can resist and cast off the devil’s temptations to give in to these plots and schemes of his. We can stand strong and firm in His mighty power, as we put on the full armor of God, which is already ours from Him, so that we can take our stand against the devil’s attacks. You just got to PUT IT ON. 

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, 
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the 
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual 
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12

I think we can all agree that we are under attack. You. Me. Our families. The Church in America and worldwide. Our country.

If we take our positions, equipped with God’s armor, eyes open, watching and ready, praying strategically against our enemy, we will never have time for fear, dread or despair.

Will you join me today in taking our place with God, in Christ Jesus, where we’ve been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms where the real fight is?

Pray with me.

Staying the course,

Terri

Need to Detox?

I’d venture to say we’re all familiar with detox diets and cleanses that rid our bodies of toxins.

There are some who claim our bodies can eliminate toxins naturally and that they don’t build up in our organs, needing cleansing from time to time.

Then there are some who stress the importance of detoxifying and cleansing our bodies occasionally.

The market is saturated with various diets and natural solutions to assist with detoxing our bodies.

A lot of folks, me included, are so concerned about our physical health that we neglect another major component and one of our greatest needs. The core of who we are resides in the depth of our hearts where everything flows out of.  

Our physical heart pumps blood to keep us alive and we need to take care of it through diet and exercise. But the part of our heart where the life of our soul and emotions live, is also pumping out stuff. Sometimes vile stuff. Sometimes sweet. It depends on what we’re feeding it.

All our life’s decisions are an extension of what resides in our hearts. A skilled heart surgeon can’t see this part of our heart even while they explore its contents to unclog veins or do damage repair.

Isn’t it weird how our soul can’t be seen with the human eye, yet it is living proof of our existence?

What we feed our soul also has an enormous impact on our well-being. I know all too well of this fact more recently than I’d like to admit.

I began 2016 with a fresh determination to be more intentional in my relationship with Jesus, by digging deeper in His word and meeting with Him every morning. I had a plan, which I shared in a post several months ago. I follow The Planting Place Bible teaching blog at The Planting Place where we’re reading the Bible in three years with a deeper focus on who God is and responding to Him.

Things were going pretty well. I was excited to feed my hunger and thirst for growth and see some progress.

Then I hit a snag. It seemed little at first. One negative thought. I pulled at it and pulled at it, like a real snag on a shirt, and I began to unravel.

It was about something purely selfish. All about me. I stopped the unraveling before it got out of control. Because God’s word is active and alive, His gentle conviction led me to repentance over the situation.

I moved on until something interrupted my quiet time with the Lord one morning and I became highly agitated. Couldn’t they see that I was busy with the Lord, for goodness sakes!? 

I’ll spare you the embarrassing details. No one else had to know or see. But God did. He had to hear the conversations in my head and see the scum in my heart. It was not pretty.

Days and days the scum accumulated, clogging my fellowship with God because I became incredibly frustrated by others’ innocence. I fed my mind and heart full of all the reasons why I was justified to feel as I did.

The more I focused on my irritation the worse things became. Slowly, I realized my quest for spiritual growth and health was all about me. All. About. Me.

One morning I couldn’t stand myself any longer and laid open my self-righteous heart before God.

I needed a heart detox and soul cleansing!

I didn’t like it at first, but I felt incredible when it was over. 

Free and light-hearted.

A lot of gunk had accumulated in my heart over time. I’d allowed apathy and anger to set in. When I began meeting the Lord daily and reading His word (even though it was about me), He turned it around for good. It’s all good!

As an occasional physical detox can do a body good, so will regular heart detoxing cleanse the soul.

How about it? Do you need a heart (soul) detox?

Feel free to share below how God has cleansed and detoxed your heart. It might encourage another who has pulled a snag and is starting to unravel.

I’m sure I’ll be doing more detoxing in the future to cleanse my soul. After all it’s what keeps me on course.

Stay the course with me,

Terri

Dreaming of Escape: Overwhelmed

The struggle was real.

It was to the point that I was daydreaming about an escape: Liquidate my assets (I had nothing), go

somewhere far away, where no one knew me, live in a hut and work at a simple job that kept a thatched roof over my head and food on a table.

No worries. No responsibilities. No more dealing with the drama, problems, and all-consuming struggles.

I was failing anyway, so why try anymore?

I wrote the letter, explaining why I was leaving. I felt he could do a better job than me, raising our kids. It didn’t matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to climb out of the pit. A single mom, weary from trying to do everything in my own strength.

Yes, the struggle was real. But the lies that were badgering me were not. One lie, then two. They were subtle at first. They came at me on a bad day. It snowballed from there.

Isn’t that just like our enemy, the devil? That’s his strategy. You get knocked down by a life event, big or small, and he invades your territory. While you’re down, another lie and then another. Before long you’re convinced that the lies are the truth and the truth is one big lie, until you’re thinking

irrationally.

I signed my farewell letter, then read it over through blurred eyes, thinking of my escape plan.

I imagined what it would be like, thinking through my decision. If I follow through with this, could I ever come back? Would my kids let me back into their life? Would my family forgive me? What would all my church friends think? Would running away really solve anything or cause more grief?

I thought about my two precious little kids. WAIT A MINUTE!

He’s the better parent? But he left. His lifestyle is leading him down dark, scary paths.

               If I’m a failure, then God is a liar.

My thoughts shifted slightly. I had a free-will choice to make. Which direction would I choose?

The Holy Spirit has a magnificent way of revealing truth when we lean in to Him. One truth, then two. Before you know it, He shows up on the scene and dispels the lies, taking back His territory.

Truth: I still had choices but was believing I didn’t.

Still wavering, my memory flooded with the truths that God had already spoken in His word, my Bible, which I’d dated, underlined and highlighted. These truths were where I found strength in the worst times of my life, causing me to soar once before.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; 

you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. 

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; 

the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:1-2

Truth: We aren’t promised a life without trouble and sorrow. We ARE promised that Almighty God is with us in them, guiding us with His strong arm, while holding our right hand.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. 

I will strengthen you and help you; 

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand 

and says to you, do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

Truth: God will never, ever, ever leave us alone in our struggle. He will strengthen, help and uphold us with His very own strong hand. The same hand that holds your right hand.
Imagine holding hands with God!

He will strengthen you. If we lay ourselves in the palm of His hand, He’ll turn your struggles into strengths.

My problems didn’t all go away that day, but the lies did, along with my temporary insanity.

I’m still here, 20+ years later writing about my Rescuer and Prince.

That wasn’t the only time I struggled in life to the point of daydreaming about a grand escape. But I now know of the devil’s schemes and tactics. I know if I lean in to the Holy Spirit and listen, truly listen, I’ll hear the truth.

And the truth always sets me free. The truth rescues me from…myself.

Have you struggled with wanting to run away? Quit? Disappear?

Are you believing the enemy’s lies that will lead you down a destructive path?

I invite you to share in the comments below what you feel comfortable sharing and how you overcame the desire to run away.

Will you stay the course with me?

Terri

Loving Away From Perfect

Welcome everyone to today's Monday Marker! 

I'm excited to introduce to you my friend and writing

comrade, Julie Ann Dibble, MA. Julie is a Christian speaker and author currently residing in Central PA, with her husband, Jason and their sons, Braedon and Jackson.

Her walk with Jesus began in her 40's, which she is forever grateful.

Answering His call, Julie speaks and writes to the following groups: police wives, those with depression, women who are hard on themselves, and those who live without the Light of Jesus.

Julie will launch her website in 2016. You can connect with Julie in the following ways:

Email: peece4fmly@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/JulieAnnDibble
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@julie_dibble
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jayjule03

I know you're going to be blessed by what she shares with us today.

Here's Julie!
************
Have you ever been planning to meet someone for coffee, and after you decide on a date and time, the other person exclaims, “Perfect!” Or maybe you were teaching your child to tie his shoes for weeks on end, and one day he comes out with two tightly tied bows. With a huge smile and hug, you tell him you have never seen such perfectly tied shoes before.

Perfect is a fairly common word, and by itself it means having no mistakes or flaws (www.merriam-webster.com).

That little word with huge implications became toxic in my family. Crushed dreams, grave disappointments and criticism seeping in and over words, tainting feelings of safety, love, belonging…

I was determined to avoid dysfunction. My education, stubborn independence and past depression was a combustible combination. We have two boys, and when they were between the ages of two and six, they did not have much to say in how their day went.

When one is parenting within normal limits, children that age are not supposed to have full say. But the perfectionism embedded in my heart took harrowing turns away from love-centered interactions.

I was very critical of our boys, my husband and myself. I was selfish and prideful, feeling like my ideas were the best about how to use our time or how to manage the household. Inevitably, someone would challenge me. I yelled. I yelled a lot.

Perfectionism is a vicious, endless cycle because achieving unrealistic goals [like wanting toddlers to obey 100% of the time] is impossible. The cycle in my soul looked something Iike this:

• I would harshly condemn myself for yelling: Satan would reinforce my guilt and shame by telling me I should know better. 
• I would question my ability as a mother when I struggled to have energy to parent: Satan would tell me I was nothing, that I should have never brought children into this world. 
• I wanted to run and hide for not giving my family the best of me: Satan would point out how I was loving toward others but that I failed to be loving to my own family. 

I was trapped in a world of the enemy’s lies. Depression ran deep in my veins, and I could see no way out.

Brene Brown is a researcher who studies shame and vulnerability. She verifies there is a high incidence of depression associated with perfectionism. The antidote to this cycle she proposes is compassion to

self. Most of us find it easier to be kind to others than to ourselves. Why is that? Ms. Brown admits she needs to be intentional about self-compassion: it is contrary to her past perfectionist patterns. [The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown]

Thankful and bowing, I met Jesus in my 40’s. Growing up, I only had ever heard his name when my ornery grandmother would swear. I had no idea Jesus and God were one in the same until I asked our pastor one day: “Ok what’s the deal? I pray to God but everybody here is talking about Jesus”.

God has been graciously revealing my sinful nature

and His awesome power. When I learned how Jesus obediently walked to his slow death for all of us, I was overwhelmed with gratefulness. I was embarrassed that I had been complaining about my life, as it was clearly a gift from God. Most of all, though, I began to truly feel the love that God pours on each and every one of us.

I had never felt anything like that before.

It was pure acceptance.

It was the loudest love.
It was the release of burdens I had carried for countless years.

I cannot tell you my perfectionism coupled with criticism of self and others disappeared instantly.

What I can tell you is that the Light of Jesus is so powerful that it extinguished the darkness that had stolen my soul. Standing in His love and grace….. imagining it washing over me……yes! Love I had never felt before absorbing the scars and stains of Satan.

I remember telling one of my dear friends that I want to find a way to free women from guilt….that self-reproach, the self-abuse. God heard me that day.

I will continue to blog about my journey with Jesus. I will write a book about perfectionism and its death-grip on relationships. To any individual or group that wants to listen, I will speak about the most powerful love that exists on this Earth.

My prayer for you today is this:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Jesus, I pray Your tender hands will

turn these beautiful faces to You. 

Please open their hearts to receive 

all the goodness and love you have 

to lavish. Please use Your still small 

voice to tell these lovely women 

that they are amazing individuals who 

can be free from the sneaky self-trap 

of guilt. Jesus, I know if they hold 

your hand and walk with you…

the chains dissolve and lose their meaning. 

In your way and according to Your will, 

Lord, reveal yourself to each reader today. 

In His Holy name, Amen

Eight Things to Ease Mood Swings

If you’re female, you already know this uninvited, unannounced intruder all too well. It shows up without notice and can wreck any day.

The Bad Mood

On the flip side, these are welcomed with open arms and will turn a bad day into a good day.

The Good Mood.

Whichever one shows up, they no doubt will swing you high, soaring up to the sky, only to change abruptly by going in the opposite direction, swinging you backwards, where you can only see down.

Mood Swings.

Don’t you just hate them?

They force their way in on the playground of life, and are as unpredictable and apt to change as the weather.

Our poor hormones get the blame for all the bad and ugly moods.

It’s not realistic to expect to always be in a good mood or feel happy. It won’t last long before the swing shifts or circumstances, whether physical or otherwise, push the mood swing in a direction not of your choosing. 

I’m not a mood expert, but I do have a few tips and tools that help me control the wild swinging back and forth and enjoy mood stability.

• Accept your hormones. Since we know our hormones have physical and mental ramifications, being aware of your body’s cycle is key. Knowing roughly when the time is coming that you'll feel like chewing nails and spitting them out, can help offset the intensity of it. (For more severe physical and mental issues affected by shifting hormones, you should see your family physician).
• Control. Mood swings can control your life if you think you have control over others. Are your moods controlled by others’ choices and behavior? Accept that the only control you have over anything, is how you react.
• If you’re generally feeling blah and blue, what usually helps me is a slight change or interruption in my schedule. When possible I take an afternoon or morning off. O-F-F. From everything; including social media and ringing cell phones. Then I replace it with something that relaxes me. Light exercise or anything outside usually works since I’m cooped up in an office most of the time. Once I told my boss I was taking the next day off, and didn’t tell anyone else. The next morning I grabbed my Bible and journal and drove to a nearby state park and enjoyed a day alone with God.
• Daily, quiet solitude with the Lord. Read your Bible, journal, prayerfully seek Him, with one purpose in mind: to know Him. This is a non-negotiable for me because I need it that badly.
• Gratitude. I’ve always considered myself a girl who thinks
  
  of the glass being half full instead of half empty. Lately, I confess it’s been the other way around. When I think negative thoughts I feel negative, hence, bad mood. When I look around at all God has given (the simple things), I can’t help but be in a good mood. It’s okay to be thankful for material things (and I am), but focus on being thankful for the simple things we take for granted.
• Food. Junk food equals bad mood. Healthier food equals good mood. Be diligent in what you feed your body. Did you know certain foods exacerbate depression, pre-menstrual and menopausal symptoms? For your health’s sake and moodiness, get proactive.
• Sleep. This is a biggie for me since I’ve struggled with insomnia in my menopausal years. It has gotten better with the use of essential oils versus over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Research also shows that the glow from mobile devices (phones, tablets, laptops) before bedtime interrupt sleep patterns. Allow at least 6-8 hours of sleep time. 
• Friends and accountability support can NEVER be over
  
  rated. I shudder to think where I’d be without my girlfriends! Building trusted friendships can save you a fortune in counseling fees. 

As a bonus I have one more tip to share. This is very important! 

BONUS: You have gifts and talents that are meant to be tapped into and used. When you do this, you’ll find fulfillment that may be missing, and explain some of your mood swings. Mine is writing. What’s yours?

Feel free to add some tips and tools in the comment area below that help you level out your mood swings.

Until next Monday, I encourage you to stay the course,

Terri

Am I Ready for Remarriage?

When I tell someone how long I was a single mom, their expression is one of hopelessness, thinking something like,

I can't wait that long! 

Or

I’d never survive being single that long.

Or
if God makes me wait that long 
for the man of my dreams I’ll be too old.

The experts say that for every five years you were married, it takes one to heal. Example: If you were married 15 years, then you should allow at least three to heal. This also applies if your split up was amicable or you were the one who left.

God hates divorce because of the damaging ripple effects for the rest of your life and the innocent children who get caught in the aftermath. I can personally attest to that fact.

But our God is a redeeming, healing God of second chances. I can attest to that FACT too.

All through my 30’s I was sure by age 40 I’d be remarried. I had a few crushes and one serious boyfriend. He was a wonderful Christian guy and I was sure THE ONE and sure I was ready to remarry. We both had our own baggage full of issues and that bubble burst quickly and the relationship ended.

Some said I was too picky. Really? How can you be too picky about someone you’re thinking of spending the rest of your life with, then adding the complications that come with blended families? Even if the kids are grown!

Throughout my 19 years as a single mom, I went through seasons of distrusting ALL men to longing for the attention, affection and companionship of a man. I prayed. I looked. I even dabbled in the Internet dating sites when they first came on the scene.

Those years that God kept me single, were some of the hardest times of my life, but they were some of the BEST times too. The Lord Almighty became my Husband, constant companion, my peace, comforter, provider and safe refuge. 

Towards the end of my single-parenthood (before I met my current husband), God caused Proverbs 12:4 to jump off the pages of my Bible one day.

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, 

but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. (NIV)

I had observed many marriages over the years and witnessed the noble wife and the disgraceful wife. I vowed that if God brought another husband into my life, I would be his crown and strive to bring him goodness the rest of his days. A lot easier said than done.

Sixteen years after my divorce, I went through Divorce Care, a 12-week course for healing from divorce. For more info go to: http://www.divorcecare.org/. Churches worldwide host this program and you should be able to find one near you. I strongly recommend it.

I became a facilitator after completing the program and one of my classmates (a guy) assisted when needed with male participants. We both showed up in a Sunday school class and started hanging out with the same group of people.

Our eight-month friendship grew into a dating relationship. There were no pretenses with him or me trying to figure out how I should act with him; none of the macho, look-at-me, aren’t-I’m-impressive mysteries to sort through. We were in our mid 40's and didn’t have time for such foolishness. 

During the two years from our first official date to the big I DO, we had two breakups, several months of counseling, then pre-marriage counseling. We watched a video series developed by Andy Stanley, called 'i Marriage'. If you think you're ready for remarriage, please watch this series! It's available everywhere you can purchase books and media.

Our first year of marriage was full of great times, mixed with lots of issues and unmet expectations on both our parts.

Ladies, it's hard being single. And it's hard being married.

In the nearly nine years since our wedding, I've learned a lot about myself. Mostly that I can be a moody, selfish individual, easily irritated, imposing unrealistic expectations on my husband. 

Over the years Proverbs 12:4 hung out in the bottom of my heart and back of my mind. My husband had female decay residue in his bones, and it was never my intent to add to it.

I wanted to be a noble wife, but didn't have the power to carry it out. I wanted to support him, encourage him, and build him up, not tear him down.

If it were not for both our committments, first to God, then to each other, constantly working on our issues, chances are we wouldn't still be married. 

If you want to know if you're ready for remarriage, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I ready to set aside my needs and put him first above all others, including my kids? (except Jesus, of course)
• Am I prepared to let go of certain expectations and love him unconditionally?
• Have I dealt with issues and healed from my previous marriage or relationships and not just put a bandaid over it?
  
• Are we both fully committed to each other, even after the honeymoon ends and the real love work begins?
• Am I ready and prepared to be the little "i" in the iMarriage and not the I DO, thinking it's now going to be all about me and my wants, needs and desires? 

It doesn't matter how wonderful you think a man is, he can't meet all your needs, wants and desires. Only God, through a personal relationship in Jesus Christ can do that. 

But what am I supposed to do while I wait?

I'm so glad you asked.

• Take advantage of that time by sincerely working on you. Become that noble woman who exhibits the qualities you'd like to have in a mate. 
• Serve God with the gifts and talents He's given you and become His first, before belonging to any man. 
• Live now! Expel the thinking that life only begins when you "have" someone. 

Then when you least expect it, perhaps God will open that 2nd-chance door in the last place you would ever expect. 

For me...I'm a work in progress and staying the course,

Terri

What Are You Wearing Today?

What did you put on this morning when you got up?

A uniform? Business clothes? Jeans? Are you dressy, casual or still in your pajamas?

Are you wearing earrings? Necklace? Bracelets? And what kind of shoes are you wearing?

I'm sure how you're dressed is determined by where you’re going or what’s on today’s agenda.

When we get dressed, we are careful to choose clothes based on how we want to look, along with style and comfort. 

Maybe we dress to hide what's really "hidden" or underneath.

We also dress in "invisible" clothes that we're unaware of. We wear them every day. These “invisible” clothes affect everything we say and do far more than we think. Truth is, they're not so invisible.

One day, not very long ago, I asked a single mom who was homeless, this question:

How is it that, what you’ve been through and currently going through, you’re so positive, energetic and hopeful? Sitting there with her, one could not see a hint of her current circumstances.

I’ll never forget what her answer was:

               I just don’t wear it.

Her answer stunned me for a few seconds, then I got it.

I was part of a panel of interviewers, discussing her entrance into a resident ministry for single moms.

Her children were well dressed and well behaved. She didn’t let them “wear” their circumstances either.

I was convicted. Not guilt-ridden, but gently convicted by the Lord.

I thought about when I was a single mom and how I put on my struggles, hardships and disappointments every day, wearing them everywhere I went.

I dressed myself in shame, financial burdens, victimization and rejection. I walked in shoes of fear and anger, depending on what day it was.

Those years have passed for me, but those five little words made me realize I still wore a lot of the same old “clothes”.

I love wearing something new. Don’t you? How do you feel when you put on a new dress or outfit?

I wonder what would happen if we simply changed our invisible clothing, one piece at a time. How do you think it would begin to affect our outward circumstances (and appearance)?

Here's a few:

 “…and provide for those who grieve in Zion – 

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise 

instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3

LAYER ON

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. 

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation 

and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, 

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

AND

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled 

around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness 

in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness 

that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, 

take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish 

all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the 

helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, 

which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:4-17

ACCESSORIZE WITH

Your statutes, Lord, stand firm; holiness adorns 

your house for endless days. Psalm 93:5

AND

She is clothed with strength and dignity; 

she can laugh at the days to come. Proverbs 31:25

I know. You might be thinking it’s much easier said, than done. I get that.  

That’s why we must go from just saying it, to doing it. Piece by piece, day by day. Or hey, just go on an all-out spree and get a whole new wardrobe at once.

The best part is…IT’S ALL FREE!

My daughter once said, “you dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” (Unless you already have the job you want)

Maybe if we “dressed” for the circumstances we want, not the ones we’re in, what would happen?

Here’s a summary of what we could be wearing from our new wardrobe:

Crown of beauty

Oil of joy

Garments of praise and salvation

Robe of righteousness

Belt of truth

Breastplate of righteousness

Shoes from the gospel of peace

Shield of faith

Helmet of salvation

Sword of the Spirit (God's Word)

Holiness

Strength

Dignity

These are just a few. Maybe you can add some in the comments area below that I’ve left out.

I’m updating my current wardrobe. Won’t you join me? 

Staying the course,

Terri