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We’re Brave Women of Integrity

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We're Brave Women of Integrity

The annoying song announcing a new text was playing early in the morning. I opened the text and to my surprise, there was a message from the insurance company saying they were sending a check for the completion of our reconstruction work after our basement flooded last Thanksgiving. Yes, I said last Thanksgiving!! What a journey it’s been for nine long months but now it was finally over! Closure.

But as I looked at the amount, there was something wrong! It was twice as much as we should receive. The reconstruction had been going on for so long that different people were now overseeing the construction, and the original insurance adjuster was long gone. Our claim was handed off to at least four other people.

Unless we pointed out the error, our claim would be closed. Forever. Filed away.

But we knew the error. God knew the error. And we knew what we needed to do.

So hubby contacted the construction company’s office and told them they needed to send the insurance company the correct final amount.

I contacted the most recent insurance claims resolution specialist I’d been working with and told her the check was not the correct amount.

Then I added,

“I’m sure you don’t receive many emails saying you paid us too much!” And signed it “Appreciate your help! Have a blessed rest of the day.”

She emailed back,

“I really appreciate your honesty! Like you mentioned, we never get emails advising we have overpaid.” And she signed, “Have a blessed day as well.”

[Tweet “We never know whose life our integrity and honesty is going to touch and influence.”]

We never know whose life our integrity and honesty is going to touch and influence. I’m sure she receives many emails and phone calls from angry disgruntled clients. And who hasn’t complained about insurance companies and the cost of insurance.

But what really impressed me the most was her telling me to also have a blessed day. In today’s politically correct environment, we might think we have to avoid a “spiritual” greeting and opt for a vanilla generic “Have a nice day.” What do we really mean when we say “nice”? It’s an overused cliché definitely better than saying nothing but a missed opportunity to say something meaningful. I’ve noticed that when I offer a blessing, people stop and take notice.

[Tweet ” I’ve noticed that when I offer a blessing, people stop and take notice.“]

As women of integrity, we stay true to who we are in Christ and Christ in us, regardless of the circumstances. I’m not saying we lead out with the Gospel, but that we live out the Gospel.

For example, you’re with a group of people you’ve just met and you sense by their conversation and actions that they’re not believers. What do you do now? Try to fit in and not make too many waves, or act the same as you would if you were with a group of fellow believers? We’ve all been there sending up a silent prayer asking God, “Help!”

[Tweet “As women of integrity, we stay true to who we are in Christ and Christ in us, regardless of the circumstances.”]

In today’s culture, it takes courage to stand up for our faith and live with integrity. The world doesn’t reward or encourage moral standards. You stand out in a crowd when you do what’s right instead of compromising or taking the easy way out. This is nothing new. Paul certainly would have had an easier life if he backed down every time someone challenged him for being a believer. But the message the Apostle Paul gave to the church at Corinth is still a source of encouragement for Christians to bravely and boldly live with integrity today: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13).

I looked up the definition of integrity and here’s what I found: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness; virtue; character; incorruptibility; goodness. It saddens me to think how hard it is for Christians today to live with integrity without being confronted and bullied in schools, college campuses, sports, jobs, social media, in business, and even with some friends and family. It’s not easy, but it is courageous.

Living with integrity is not popular, but it is possible. It’s not the world’s way, but it is God’s way! And that’s all that matters to us, right!

[Tweet “[Living with integrity is not popular, but it is possible. It’s not the world’s way, but it is God’s way! And that’s all that matters to us, right!”]

As we watch civil law go counter to God’s laws and rampant tolerance for everything except Christianity, we’re under intense pressure to comply. God says, “Stand firm in the faith” and don’t crumble. Biblical courage means obeying God’s laws and not condoning or compromising on anything that Scripture opposes.

Yes, it’s uncomfortable and difficult, but as long as we stay tethered to God, biblical truths, and each other, He will provide us the strength we need to go against the worldly secular culture when it opposes our faith. Be strong. Be courageous. Be brave. Be a woman of integrity!

We're Brave Women of Integrity

You can preorder Everyday Brave and receive it as soon as it releases! I’m excited about this book, can you tell?!

Here is an interview I gave on At The Library, where I talk about what inspired me to write this book and answer a number of questions about it. If you’ve never heard my voice, it might be fun to listen so you’ll know what I sound like when you read my blogs and books!

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August 26, 2019
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Let’s Be Everyday Brave Believers!

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Let's Be Brave Believers

Every day, we wake up to a new alarming story. If I write my Monday Morning Blog about something that happened the previous week, by the Tuesday after the blog posts, it’s old news because there’s another “breaking news alert.”

It can’t help but keep us in a constant state of anxiety and unrest. Many wonder Where is God? Or Why isn’t He doing something? Every time I hear someone say that or read it in print, Matthew West’s song comes to mind, “Do Something.” The first part of this song talks about waking up every morning to a litany of troubling social issues that are all too familiar to us. He even says he shook his fist at heaven asking, “God, why don’t You do something?”

Then, he hears God’s answer: “I did, I created you.”

That’s right, God created you and me to do something. “If not us, then who, If not me and you.”

If you follow me regularly, you know God is relentless in giving me this theme to share. Sometimes, I feel like Isaiah and Jeremiah trying to warn God’s people that a major role of believers is asking God, “What do you want me to do and where do you want me to do it?”

[Tweet “Every brave Christian asks God, “What do you want me to do and where do you want me to do it?””]

Coincidently, I just finished reading the Book of Isaiah and am now in Jeremiah on my annual Daily Walk reading plan. Today, I read, a quote describing Jeremiah 26-29: “Those who truly aspire to be Christlike should not be surprised when the mob comes to crucify them.”

Ok I know that sounds a bit foreboding, but today we do see a “mob mentality,” as I wrote last week, that wants to demonize, demoralize, discourage, and dissuade believers from speaking out and stepping out against the immorality and injustice in our culture. And Satan would like nothing better than for us to be silent. But this is nothing new as we can see from the Old Testament prophets to New Testament Jesus and Paul. Look what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church . . .

Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist [David Ps. 116:10] had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”[c] 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,[d] will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Cor. 4:11-18 NLT

In my upcoming release, Everyday Brave, I quote O.S. Hawkins from his devotional The Believer’s Code, “It takes courage to stand for what is right in our world today. Be strong and have the courage not to condone nor compromise what is clearly opposed in Scripture.” We can do that, right?!

[Tweet “As Christians, if everyone agrees with what we say and do, we’re not being bold for Christ because the Bible and the Christian life is offensive to many in the world today.”]

As Christians, if everyone agrees with what we say and do, there’s a good chance we’re not being bold for Christ because the Bible and the Christian life is offensive to many in the world today.

[Tweet “We can’t please everyone, but we speak the truth in love even if it’s not popular and even when it’s not embraced.”]

We can’t please everyone, but we speak the truth in love even if it’s not popular and even when it’s not embraced. God might be using us as part of someone’s eventual spiritual journey. We can pray that happens.

In Chapter 25, “Brave Believer,” I tell the biblical stories of Phoebe, Damaris, and the prominent women who followed Paul. These women might only have their names mentioned in a verse or two in the Bible, or remain nameless, and yet we know by context that they were all brave believers and played an important role in helping Paul start the early church and share the gospel. Imagine the trials and struggles faced by these women as they watched Paul endure persecution while they served beside him in ministry amid hostility and danger. We can learn from these strong women of faith how to carry on their courageous legacy in a culture that often isn’t receptive to the gospel of Christ.

The present-day brave believer in that chapter was my good friend and author, Penelope Carlevato, who tells the story of risking her career and reputation as a RN circulator in the operating room by refusing to participate in abortions.

Here’s a sneak preview into the section You’re Braver Than You Know in Chapter 25. “In a world antagonistic toward Christians, the Bible, God, and Jesus, a world that refuses to acknowledge that sin is wrong, it takes great courage like Penelope had to stand by your moral convictions and not let today’s cultural war frighten or silence you—especially when shunned, criticized, and ridiculed as she was. It might seem easier just to go with the flow, but when we abdicate to the culture, we deny Christ, the foundation of our faith. Never do we see Jesus or the Apostle Paul shying away from sharing the truth just because someone didn’t like the message.”

[Tweet “In a world antagonistic toward Christians, the Bible, God, and Jesus, and refuses to acknowledge that sin is wrong, it takes courage to stand by your moral convictions and not let today’s cultural war frighten or silence you.”]

“Sometimes we’re tempted to compromise on our beliefs because we don’t want to make waves; we want to keep everybody happy. Impossible. Jesus made waves. We worry how we’ll look to our peers. Jesus worried about the eternal life, more than the earthly life, of both his peers and his enemies. What if they reject or snub us? They rejected Jesus. What if God doesn’t come through for us? God is always faithful; we’re the ones who often let him down.”

[Tweet “Jesus worried about the eternal life, more than the earthly life, of both his peers and his enemies.”]

So here are questions to ask ourselves as we get our brave on:

  • Am I willing for others in my circles to know I’m a believer—maybe the only one?
  • Would someone have to ask if I’m a believer?
  • And if they did ask, what would be my response?
  • Would I have the courage to stand by my convictions at the risk of losing my job or friends?

Suffering for the gospel isn’t a punishment; it’s a privilege!*

[Tweet “Suffering for the gospel isn’t a punishment; it’s a privilege!”]

How have you had to suffer for the gospel? Will you share with us?

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*Excerpts from Chapter 25, “Everyday Believer” in Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith

Let's Be Everyday Believers

August 19, 2019
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Deplorables Will Not Be Silenced

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We Will Not Be Silenced by the Left

We live in an era where liberals and progressives are intent on demoralizing, demeaning, and denouncing “deplorable” Conservatives and Christians and everything we stand for and believe. They’re trying to shame us, scare us, and silence us.

Vine’s definition of ashamed: “A strong feeling of shame preventing a person from doing something.”

Their attempts to stop us are straight from Satan’s evil and demonic playbook as is Universal Pictures movie “The Hunt,” which was scheduled for release September 27. Even though they originally “temporarily paused” the marketing campaign after the El Paso, Dayton, and Gilroy shootings, Universal remained determined to still release the movie that glorified shooting innocent people!!!

If you haven’t heard about The Hunt, a group of rich liberal elites jet to a resort to hunt down kidnapped conservative “deplorables” and kill them. Yes, you read that right, humans killing humans for sport because of their political differences.

But many of us pushed backed. We didn’t stay silent. We went to sites like the American Family Action website to sign a petition to stop this movie, and we shared the site with our friends and family on social media! And we prayed, hard!

I love the name of this group AFA because they’re not just lamenting the unfairness and evil in our world today, their very name says they’re action oriented. Doing something to protect the American family and thus our culture, and so should we.

We Will Not Let the Left Silence Us

Everyone who took action to voice an objection to The Hunt made a difference! We would not be silenced. As I’m writing this blog on Saturday 8/10/19, Universal has canceled the release of The Hunt “in the wake of significant backlash.” Ya think?!

[Tweet “Those of us who protested The Hunt made a difference! We would not be silenced.”]

Yet here is part of the statement from Universal Pictures: “We stand by our filmmakers and will continue to distribute films in partnership with bold and visionary creators, like those associated with this satirical social thriller, but we understand that now is not the right time to release this film.”

[Tweet “What kind of a twisted mind would even create such an evil movie as The Hunt in the first place, justify it as “satire,” and think there was EVER a good time to release it”]

What kind of a twisted mind would even create such an evil movie in the first place, justify it as “satire,” and think there was EVER a good time to release it?! Maybe the same kind of mind that held up a picture of the severed head of our president and called it humor.

[Tweet “As Christians, if God wants us to do something and the Holy Spirit prompts us—regardless of how “politically incorrect” or unpopular it might be, we need to stand together against the pressure of this world to shame us, intimidate us, and silence us.”]

As Christians, if God wants us to do something and the Holy Spirit prompts us—regardless of how “politically incorrect” or unpopular it might be, we need to stand together against the pressure of this world to shame us, intimidate us, and silence us. No matter how many names they call us, laws they pass to quiet us, encourage others to harass us, make movies to scare us, or how unpopular we become personally—our job is to speak out, stand up, and defend good vs evil. Moral vs immoral. Right vs wrong! And we won’t back down.

The shocking plot of this movie revealed to the world the underlying intent of Hollywood and the liberal left: eliminate the voice of “Deplorables.” 

Even if you didn’t have the opportunity to speak out against this movie, there will certainly be more opportunities in the future and there are plenty of abhorrent issues right now.

[Tweet “I didn’t hear one Democrat presidential hopeful that denounce The Hunt. Or a Democrat Congressman or Senator take a stand against it.”]

I didn’t hear of one Democrat presidential hopeful that denounced this movie. I didn’t hear a Democrat Congressman or Senator take a stand against it. Did you? If so, please let me know. While they’re stumping against gun control and violence, they’re silent on a violent movie that uses guns to kill constituents who wouldn’t vote for them.

Franklin Graham summarized it well in his Facebook and Twitter posts:
“Universal Pictures is now cancelling the release of “The Hunt,” a movie that was scheduled to come out next month which portrayed Democrats hunting down “deplorables,” referencing Hillary Clinton’s 2016 term for Donald J. Trump supporters. That’s good news. But the very development and filming of this movie shows just how sick the liberal left in Hollywood are. That they would spend money to make such a violent, politically-charged film like this, considering the state our country is in, is inconceivable. To even plant the thought in someone’s mind that it’s okay to shoot a person because they wear a MAGA hat or hold conservative viewpoints that might be different than theirs is reckless and reprehensible. That’s not satire or entertainment—that’s sowing seeds of discord & violence.”

I would add . . .

It’s not “creative.” It’s corruptive.

It’s not “satire.” It’s satanic.

We will not be silenced!

Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face. Job 23:17

I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. Psalm 40:9 NLT

Just a reminder that my new book Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith is now available for preorder. As you probably surmised, there’s a Brave Believer chapter.

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August 12, 2019
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