Janet Thompson — Woman to Woman Mentoring

Saving Women’s Rights and Sports!

I’m reading Charlie Kirk’s last book published posthumously, Stop in the Name of God. The first chapter is titled Genesis 1:1 with the opening Scripture, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” You might think that’s elementary since most Christians know this verse, or should, but Charlie devoted the opening of his book to reaffirming this fact. Sometimes, even Christians need to go back to the basics of the creation story, including how God in Genesis chapter 2 created a man and a woman as unique and separate individuals.
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Gen. 2:7

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. ²¹So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[^b^] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²²Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[^c^] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Gen. 2:20-22

Since the beginning of time, the physical distinctiveness of male and female has been an established biological, scientific, and biblical fact established at conception and revealed at birth until science invented ultrasound to determine sex in the womb during pregnancy and gender reveals became the rage.

When I was pregnant, the ultimate surprise was in the delivery room when the doctor announced to a panting exhausted new mother that she had just given birth to a boy or girl. That might seem archaic to some now, but other moms will remember with me how we waited with great anticipation to learn the sex of our new baby. While anticipating the birth of our baby, we decorated with neutral colors and enjoyed the birth gifts when friends and family learned whether we needed pink or blue baby clothes.

I’ll admit though that ultrasounds have been used to save many babies lives as the expectant mother sees her baby is a real little person developing in her tummy with fingers, toes, arms, legs, eyes, ears, a nose, and mouth. So even though God’s sex reveal at birth is outdated now, the redeeming value is more babies born. Praise God!

However, sci-fi wasn’t satisfied with knowing pre-birth sex, they started trying to play God by altering the foundations of humanity. First psychologically. Then ideologically. Ultimately physiologically. The medical community who take the Hippocratic Oath to preserve life decided they could dabble in genetics and try to distort and transform men into women and women into men, while originating a new term “trans.”

But no amount of chemicals, drugs, hormones, surgeries, or brainwashing will ever alter or transform a person’s DNA, chromosomes, muscle, body and bone structure that God created for every individual within their mother’s womb. The heretical, immoral, unethical, evil people in the scientific, psychological, and medical field making trillions of dollars with patients for life will never replace God, but God will judge them.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Ps. 139:13-14

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matt. 18:6

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. Pr. 14:22

The vocal rainbow coalition activists combined with the abuse of modern medicine to create, deceive, and foster genetic confusion and bodily castration and mutilation with the fallacy that just wanting to identify as a different sex is achievable. It’s not! Unethical psychologists and physicians saw this as the cash cow that it is and political lobbyists for the homosexual community created a cult where schoolteachers were forced to use the language of a world gone mad.

The downfall into denouncing God and the Bible started with the legalization of same-sex marriage under the Obama Administration. It’s become diabolically degenerating since then with rampant pedophilia, child sex trafficking, men in women’s bathrooms, spas, dressing rooms, locker rooms, private areas, and sports. Even conjuring up terms like “furries” “trans” and “cis-woman.” The confirmation of Supreme Court justices like Ketanji Brown Jackson who can’t define a woman, even though she is a woman herself is insanity! [The Bizarre World of Ketanji Brown Jackson by Everett Piper]

Or recently, when Senator Josh Hawley asked OB-GYN Dr. Nisha Verma, a woman, for a simple yes or no if men could get pregnant, she wouldn’t answer! More insanity!

Coming off Obama’s disastrous years, coaches and school administrators fearing cancel-culture refused to protect girls and keep men out of women’s sports. Parents were often rebuffed if they complained, even when their daughters were forced to room with men on travels. The girls who were brave enough to protest were shamed, silenced, and told they had to acquiesce to men playing on women’s teams if they wanted to play sports. But one by one, especially after swimmer Riley Gaines lost her trophy to a man who she tied because the political optics were better for him to be in first place, girls started speaking out.

The liberal left and Democrats have made this a political issue and tried to cancel or fire anyone who wouldn’t go along with trying to eliminate God from His creation by allowing men to be publically recognized and treated as women. There’s no such thing as a “transgender woman or man.” God only creates men and women!

Currently a Democrat man is masquerading as a woman in Congress and in Idaho one is running for governor! Sadly, even some churches decided to become more culturally and “socially” correct than biblically correct, which would require eliminating most of the Bible starting with Genesis 1:1.

Saving Women’s Rights and Sports

Title IX was passed in 1972 to insure equal opportunities for women in sports. But over the last decade, men have invaded women’s sports as fake gender ideology has seared consciences and culture. Title IX was passed because men and women are different. The Biden Administration tried to alter Title IX’s definition of sex to include gender identity but it didn’t pass. Still most blue states deny women their Title IX rights.

Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 1 Tim. 4:2

Idaho and West Virginia established laws protecting women in sports in their states. The Supreme Court heard two cases last week involving men suing to play in women’s sports in these two states. Girls had their day in court!

I’m proud to say that Idaho, where we’ve lived for almost fifteen years, was the first state to take legal action to protect our girls in sports in March 2020 by passing House Bill 500 “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” implementing the nation’s first transgender policy barring trans female athletes from playing on women’s sports teams. West Virginia then passed a similar law. Alliance Defending Freedom’s (ADF) helped draft those bills, as did the Idaho Family Policy Center in Idaho.

Male students “identifying as women” challenged the state’s laws and the ACLU represented them. Idaho and West Virginia appealed to the Supreme Court, which accepted both cases. SCOTUS usually doesn’t take on two similar cases, but because they each bring up different issues, one against the Constitution and one against Title IX, SCOTUS heard both in the same day.

Since President Trump signed an executive order specifically restricting federal funds to schools that allow males to compete on women’s teams under Title IX, 32 states have passed laws to protect women in sports. Despite the majority of states now banning men from women’s athletics, 18 states still allow males who claim transgender status to compete on women’s sports teams, posing a risk to the safety and fairness of female athletes.

I encourage you to listen to this short interview Defending Biblical Truth in Women’s Sports, with ADF’s Kate Anderson and Fearless’ Cissie Graham Lynch, Franklin Graham’s daughter.

SCOTUS Showdown: ACLU lawyer stumped by basic biology

During the Supreme Court hearing arguments on the Idaho and West VA cases, Justice Alito asked ACLU a simple question: “What is a man? What is a woman?”

Their answer? “We don’t have a definition.”

Yes, you read that correctly. This was the definition debate heard around the world.

If the so-called guardians of “civil rights” can’t even define sex, how can they claim to defend it? This is the collapse of common sense, live in the highest court of the land.

It was hard to hear some of the judges like Amy Coney Barrett using non-terms like “trans women” and “cis women” instead of men and women. I’m sure she would call herself a woman, not a cis woman! Men pretending to be women are not “trans” or “women.” They’re mentally disturbed men, have a fetish, or can’t excel in men’s sports so they want to eviscerate women. Whatever their reasons, it’s wrong and not normal, legal, moral, or biblical!

Testosterone levels do NOT determine, define, or erase biological sex, bone and muscle structure, strength, or DNA, which is what the opposing side was trying to argue to SCOTUS. Listening to the side who can’t define a man or a woman was pathetic. Women are more than hormone levels!

It was also disappointing to have so much time given to the “feelings” and “fairness” of men being excluded from women’s sports. Identifying as a woman does NOT make a man a woman. There should’ve been more discussion given to the feelings and fairness to women who lose scholarships, scholastic and career opportunities, trophies, medals, not to mention being exposed to lewd voyeur men who still have all their male parts in locker rooms, showers, and private areas. In what world is that fair or safe for women?!

Let me mention also that even though Governor of California Newsom has admitted in interviews with both Charlie Kirk and Ben Schapiro that men in women’s sports isn’t fair and he can see the other side, I’ve read his excuse for allowing men in women’s sports in his state is because he has a “trans godson.” Just because our child, grandchild, or godchild chooses an alternate lifestyle doesn’t make it okay to inflict it on others. Enabling a confused child instead of engaging mental help for them does more harm than good.

In last week’s blog, Respect and Appreciate the Men and Women Who Keep Us Safe by Enforcing the Law, I introduced you to Janet Elaine Parks. I hope some of you started following her on social media. Here are some of her remarks last week about SCOTUS hearing the women’s rights cases.

Protecting Women’s Rights (Because Women’s Spaces Should Stay Female)

This is one that the left loves to weaponize… But conservatives are not “anti-anyone” for saying a basic truth:

Men are men. Women are women.

And women deserve:

private spaces
fair competition
basic safety protections

This administration supports keeping biological men out of women’s sports, bathrooms, locker rooms, and private spaces.

That isn’t hateful.
That’s reality.
And pretending biology doesn’t exist doesn’t make society “inclusive”…
It makes women pay the price.

Women fought for decades to earn:

fair sports opportunities

safe boundaries

sex-based protections

And now the left is trying to erase those protections by calling women “bigots” for wanting what we already had: A protected category called WOMEN.

Bodies Play Sports, Not Identities

In the opening picture of this blog, former champion gymnast Jennifer Sey, a seven-time member of the United States women’s national artistic gymnastics team and the 1986 U.S. All-Around National Champion founder of the XX-XY Athletics brand, is sounding the alarm arguing women’s sports are for women and warning that “identity affirmation” is replacing fairness and safety. I encourage you to read more of her comments here. http://dlvr.it/TQP5Py

I want to thank Idaho for defending women not just in our state, but going all the way to the Supreme Court to protect women in every state for our daughters and granddaughters in the future.

Pray SCOTUS stands by biological women’s rights, protection, dignity, and recognition that mentally challenged men cannot challenge women in sports or erase womanhood. Pray for wisdom and discernment as the justices deliberate. The cases before SCOTUS last week are not just about isolated incidents in two states. The justices’ decision will shape how our girls are able to do what they love—and feel safe doing so—for generations to come.

This is not a political issue. It’s a Genesis issue and comes down to the biblical definition of God creating us male and female. Together let’s stand fearlessly for what’s right. Let’s pray the Supreme Court determines that girls are girls and boys can’t become girls in Idaho, West Virginia, or any state in America!!!

An article to read. We Were College Athletes Supreme Court Must Listen to Our Case and Save Women’s Sports written by two female college athletes from Idaho, Madison Kenyon and Marky Kate Marshall, defendants in the Idaho case heard by SCOTUS last week. Here’s their opening and I encourage you to read the rest of the article from girls who have experienced the heartbreak of having men in women’s sports and taking over 890 medals from female athletes.
“Imagine if the U.S. Supreme Court was asked to rule on whether the law of gravity still applies, even in these early years of the 21st century. After all, some people are uncomfortable with their size. They feel sluggish and weighed down by that pull from the Earth. Why shouldn’t they just be able to ignore gravity and float along as easily as they please? Why should any law of nature be allowed to constrain how light and thin someone feels inside? If that sounds ridiculous to you, imagine how female athletes have felt in recent years, having to compete against males just because they’ve been told that feeling like a woman can make them so.”

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January 19, 2026

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Respect and Appreciate the Men and Women Who Keep Us Safe by Enforcing the Law

There’s so much on my heart and mind to write about that it’s been difficult to focus on one topic as I prayed about this week’s Monday Morning Blog. As my daughter Kim said, “Mom, it seems like every day there’s something new they’re protesting about.” She’s right. Events are coming at us so quickly that we can barely process before another one happens.

The federal government’s actions focused on making America safer and greater, instantly result in antagonistic anti-American protests by groups of people brainwashed, trained, and paid to not just protest but to interfere with and impede anything President Donald Trump sanctions, even when it will make their own lives better and safer. TDS is a mental and spiritual illness that is literally getting people killed!

First amendment civil protesters allow themselves to be arrested in order to emphasize just how important their cause is to them. Generally, with minimal or no harm to police and bystanders. Today’s protests, particularly in so-called sanctuary states where local government and law enforcement won’t work with federal ICE agents, aren’t rational, logical, peaceful, or civil! They’re often violent and dangerous. That’s how you know they’re fueled by Satan the father of chaos, lies, and confusion. Yes, hypocritical insane dangerous protests like the following are criminal and satanic:

Burning Tesla dealerships and keying Tesla cars that the Biden Administration and blue states like California were trying to force everyone to own. But when Tesla founder Elon Musk started finding graft and fraud in the swamp with DOGE, Democrats did an about-face and protested the very cars they had been promoting.

Protests on college campuses against Israel and Jews while endorsing sadistic Hamas terrorists.

Protesting the prevention of fentanyl coming into America that’s killing children and adults.

Protesting the capture of a brutal dictator like Maduro who the Biden administration had put a bounty on for his arrest.

Protesting making neighborhoods safer for themselves, their families, and neighbors. Impeding ICE from capturing criminals, monsters, violent gang members, terrorists, murderers, illegals, and child molesters who invaded our borders un-vetted under the Biden Administration and endanger every American.

The burning question: who is Satan using to finance these violent criminal protests with terrorist-like training and pay?

National Law Enforcement Appreciation

Did you know that Friday, January 9^th was National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day? With all the news in Minnesota, tragically this day was severely neglected, and I didn’t see much appreciation. I barely saw anything about it on social media and heard nothing on the news. And yet, these men and women devote their very lives to saving and protecting our lives. National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day was established in 2015 by multiple organizations to publicly express gratitude for officers across the United States. One of the leading organizations behind the initiative is C.O.P.S – Concerns of Police Survivors. According to the group, it’s essential that officers know their demanding career path is recognized and valued by the people they serve.

Many of you know that my father, Officer Robert E. Reed, was a California Highway Patrolman killed with his own gun in the line of duty by someone he had pulled over for going the wrong way on the freeway. My father gave his life to save others, which is a possibility all law enforcement officers encounter every time they put on the uniform and go out the door to protect their fellow citizens.

In the case of ICE and Border Patrol Officers, they’re protecting you, me, our loved ones, and even the protesters and their families from people the Biden Administration indiscriminately let into our country knowing that many countries like Venezuela were opening their jails and prisons and letting out the worst of the worst to freely cross into our country. How does anyone think Tren de Aragua and MS13 gang members and other criminals with rap sheets in their own country got into our country? Most of them didn’t hop on a plane and pay their way to get here, they illegally were let into our country to terrorize and even kill our citizens.

The last administration refused to follow the border laws because they wanted to unjustly infiltrate in a voting base since they couldn’t get patriotic American citizens to vote for them and their ungodly policies. That’s why the Democrats and mainstream media are fighting so hard against the commonsense justice of deporting and/or arresting illegals many of whom have continued their crime and fraud sprees against innocent American families.

Well, we’re about to find out who is funding this domestic terrorism as Vice President JD Vance announced in a Press Conference last week, a new position in the Justice Department, an assistant attorney general. Hopefully, in addition to investigating fraud across the nation, they’ll also unveil bad actors training and paying American citizens in anti-ICE training centers to harass law enforcement officers by throwing rocks, bricks and ice, even Subway sandwiches at them. Using personal cars to block or ram into ICE vehicles and even ICE agents. Yell, spit, and hit officers, blow whistles, make noise when their trying to rest, dox and threaten their families.

Anti-ICE training centers remind me of Hamas and Islamists suicide bomb trainings. The indoctrination of Americans participating in this domestic terrorism brainwashing can be lethal, like the woman in Minnesota who instead of following law enforcement orders to get out of her car, was told by her lesbian partner to “drive baby drive” to get away aiming straight for the ICE agent in front of her. The partner was filming it all like she was making a documentary maybe to post on social media or send to the training center to prove they’d earned their pay! That’s my speculation, but even the partner was crying that it was her fault because she made Renee Good come to harass the ICE agents all morning, along with their dog in the car.

If you had asked them why they were protesting to protect criminals, while they were becoming criminals themselves, what would’ve been their answer? Maybe something like “This was what we were trained to do.” “I don’t know.” “I hate Trump!” Or as one protester told Laura Ingraham who asked why she wasn’t at work, “I’m getting paid here.”

What’s God’s Opinion About Lawlessness?

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but too bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” (Romans 13:1-4)

Traci Coston wrote on her Facebook page that lawlessness is the spirit of the antichrist and I agree. “Rules are not a terror to good conduct. When a government is acting in righteousness, and the people respect their authority, all will be well. I don’t panic when I pass a cop car if I’m going the speed limit. But we are seeing a generation of people whose hearts are far from God (the Minnesota woman was living a homosexual lifestyle), who are unable to tell right from wrong, rebel against authority because of their inability to perceive wickedness from righteousness. And this is just one, horribly sad, example of someone paying the price for that rebellion.” Traci Coston

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. Pr. 10:28

TRUTH CHECK: ICE Is Not “Attacking Communities.” They Are Enforcing the Law.

Janet Elaine Parks, who I encourage you to follow on Facebook because she presents factual researched commentary on current events that are good for us to know and share when hearing lies, propaganda, gaslighting, or misinformation. The following is from Parks’ Facebook post:

The media narrative around ICE has become emotionally charged and deliberately misleading…

You’ve heard the claims:

• “ICE is terrorizing communities”

• “ICE is targeting families”

• “ICE is acting like a rogue force”

“This administration is anti-immigration!”

You have even seen the most dramatic scenes of ICE attempting to do their job taking down individuals and of course, these scenes are shown and often published without the full context. But when you strip away the rhetoric and look at what ICE actually does, the picture is very different…

Let’s deal with facts…

WHAT ICE ACTUALLY IS …

ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a federal law-enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security…

Its mission includes:

• enforcing immigration law

• targeting criminal networks

• removing individuals who violate federal immigration statutes

• combating human trafficking, drug trafficking, and transnational crime

ICE does not write immigration law.

ICE does not decide immigration policy.

ICE enforces laws passed by Congress.

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security – ICE Mission Statement (Established 2003; current mission reaffirmed in DHS public guidance, 2024–2026)

WHO ICE TARGETS (THIS MATTERS)

Contrary to media framing, ICE enforcement priorities historically focus on:

• individuals with final orders of removal

• repeat immigration violators

• individuals with criminal convictions

• gang members and transnational criminal affiliates

• those who ignore court hearings or violate release conditions

Even under administrations with broader enforcement, the majority of ICE removals involve people already flagged in the system.

Source: Congressional Research Service (CRS) – Immigration Enforcement: ICE Removal Statistics Publications: 2019–2025

“ICE IS TERRORIZING COMMUNITIES”: WHAT THE DATA SHOWS

ICE arrests occur through:

• targeted operations

• warrants or administrative removal orders

• known addresses tied to individuals already in violation of law

ICE does not conduct random street sweeps.

ICE does not arrest people based on race.

ICE does not enforce state or local laws.

Claims of “indiscriminate raids” are not supported by arrest data.

Source: ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) annual reports Publications: FY 2020–FY 2025

WHY COMMUNITIES FEEL “IMPACTED”

Here’s the uncomfortable truth the media avoids:

When immigration law is not enforced for years, enforcement later feels sudden …even when it’s lawful. The disruption isn’t caused by ICE. It’s caused by:

• years of non-enforcement

• mixed messaging from politicians

• false promises that laws wouldn’t be applied

• delayed court backlogs

Enforcing the law after ignoring it doesn’t create cruelty …it reveals policy failure.

Source: Department of Justice – Immigration Court Backlog Reports EOIR Statistics, 2022–2025

MEDIA FRAMING VS LEGAL REALITY

The media often uses emotional language like:

• “ICE stormed neighborhoods”

• “ICE ripped families apart”

• “ICE targeted communities”

But enforcement of federal law is not an “attack.”

It is the function of a sovereign nation.

Every country enforces borders.

Every country enforces residency laws.

Every country removes people who violate entry conditions.

The United States is not unique in this it is normal.

Source: OECD Migration Policy Reviews; DHS comparative border enforcement briefings. Publications: 2021–2024

COMPASSION AND LAW ARE NOT OPPOSITES

You can believe:

people deserve dignity

due process matters

families should be treated humanely

AND still believe:

laws must be enforced

court orders matter

borders are real

enforcement isn’t optional

Those positions are not contradictory …they are foundational to any lawful society.

FINAL TRUTH

ICE didn’t create the immigration crisis.

ICE didn’t write the law.

ICE didn’t make political promises it couldn’t keep.

ICE is enforcing statutes passed by Congress statutes that still exist whether the media likes them or not.

Calling law enforcement “evil” for doing its job isn’t justice. It’s deflection.

Faith. Family. Freedom.

I, Janet Thompson, would add that calling law enforcement “evil” for doing their job is deception and demonic! As Christians, we need to pray for all law enforcement officers and their families and praise God that there are men and women who are willing to sacrifice their comfort and even their life to uphold the laws of the land.

__________________

A Word from Pastor Jack Hibbs

For Christmas, I asked for Jack Hibbs new devotional “Watching Waiting: A 40-Day End Times Devotional” because I do feel we’re in the end times. Here’s a quote from Day 8:

“In these days of deception, the need for discernment and steadfastness in the faith cannot be overstated. Believers must be vigilant against the subtle deceptions that permeate society guarding their hearts and minds with the truth of Scripture. By immersing themselves in the Word of God and deepening their relationship with Him, they can withstand the onslaught of falsehood and remain rooted in the unchanging truth of the Bible.

Know this: in these Last Days, you will see increased attacks on your thinking coming from deceiving spirits, invisible entities that will lie to you. Your only defense against spiritual deception is having Scripture embedded in your spirit. If you don’t know the Bible, you’re susceptible to deception. Remember, everything we read in Scripture has already been tested, tried, and attacked. Yet here we are reading statements made 2,000 years ago that fit perfectly with tomorrow’s news. This shows the timeless relevance of God’s Word.”

If you haven’t read last week’s Monday Morning Blog, now would be a good time. Here’s the link, Can I Have a Word with You in 2026!

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ²People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Tim. 3:1-5

I highly recommend reading this opinion article by David Marcus: Impeding Federal Law Enforcement is not protest, it’s just crime.

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January 12, 2026

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‘Maybe’ Is Not In God’s Vocabulary!

I was praying last week with the Jack Hibbs LIFT daily morning prayer, which I’ve mentioned in blogs before, when he said something that caught my attention. He said you won’t find “maybe” used in the Bible. Actually, it’s in there but only three times, and never used by God or Jesus. Twice ‘maybe’ is used as a taunt to deny that God exists in 1 Kings 18:27 and Jonah 1:6, and another time in 1 Kings 18:5 by Ahab saying maybe they can find grass for the horses and mules. That’s it!

So think about that. God is never indecisive, wondering if maybe we should do one thing or another. His Word, the Bible, is always specific, confident, instructive, definitive, and direct. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:15-17

We’re the ones that interject maybes into the Scriptures and question the intent of what God is actually saying. Sometimes we want to give the benefit of the doubt or question His intent, but God says I tell you the Truth and you should absolutely follow it in your life. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

You might question that many people interpret the Bible differently. That’s true. The Bible might speak to each of us differently in our individual situation. But if we rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in exegesis of Scripture in context, and not on what we want the Bible to mean, Christians will usually agree on the interpretation.

A good example of misinterpreting Scripture is people saying that God is the God of love, so you need to love everything everyone does because God loves them. That’s what someone wants the Bible to mean, not what God actually says.

If you counter and ask, “Where does God say, ‘maybe’ it’s okay to sin in this area because I love you?” Of course, they can’t find anywhere it says this because God hates sin. Sin destroys the ones He loves. What God does say is that He loves us all so much, He sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross for those of us who ask for forgiveness for our sins, repent, and become followers of Jesus for eternity. (John 3:16)

When you look at all the red-letter words of Jesus in the Gospels, you won’t find Jesus ever using “maybe.” His words when he preached and taught are full of unqualified, unambiguous, unquestionable, and unwavering wisdom, lessons, and truth to live by.

Jesus didn’t say ‘maybe’ He was the only way to heaven and there could be other beliefs or ways. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 No maybes.

Jesus didn’t say ‘maybe’ if you follow me, you might be saved. He said you will be saved. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John. 10:9)

Jesus didn’t say you should ‘maybe’ repent and turn from your wicked ways. He said you must repent to be His follower. “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Luke 5:32

Jesus didn’t say ‘maybe’ that one sin will be okay because overall you’re a good person. He said go and sin no more. Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11

We’re the ones that try to soften the Gospel and Jesus’ own words by interjecting doubt or suggesting that ‘maybe’ Jesus didn’t really mean what He said.

Sadly, many pastors today want to make their congregations feel good about their sinful lives, insinuating that maybe it’s not all that bad if it makes you happy or it’s not hurting anyone. That’s a false gospel by a false teacher.

God is much more concerned with our holiness than our happiness.

Maybe In Our Vocabulary!

‘Maybe’ is noncommittal, non-decisive, and reluctant. Maybe we’ll come to your party. Maybe I’ll read the Bible. Maybe I’ll follow most of what the Bible says. Maybe we’ll go to church this weekend. Maybe we’ll come visit.

The Christian life is committed, decisive, and never reluctant. The antithesis of ‘maybe.’

God is looking for bold Christians who are fully committed and fully decisive in their spiritual and personal life. No maybes about it!

Our family rule at the Thompsons is let your yes be yes, and your no be no. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37

‘Maybe’ and ‘try’ are ways to keep all your options open without making a full commitment. Maybe you will, maybe you won’t. Or other times you don’t want to tell the person no, so you use ‘try’ or ‘maybe’. When I hear those two words, it means the person isn’t reliable. They’re not being forthright. I can’t count on them.

When you ask someone about anything that has a yes or no answer and they answer with “Maybe,” or “I’ll try,” they most likely mean no. They’re just afraid to give the honest answer, “No.”

If someone says for example, “I’ll try to be on time.” I’ll counter with “That doesn’t sound very committed. Are you going to be on time or should I not expect you?” I want an answer I can depend on, knowing that circumstances can change but they’re going to make an effort. Just tell me yes or tell me no, but don’t say try or maybe.

A favorite stall of some is I need to check my calendar, but since most people today have a calendar on their phone, that’s pretty easy to check. I would prefer to hear, “We won’t be able to make it, but thanks for thinking of us.” Then they can always call later if their plans change and that’s always pleasant news.

There are certain situations where we want to pray before committing. That’s often advisable. In fact, many of us can think of a time we wish we had taken time to pray before saying yes. If that’s the case, then give a timeframe where the other person can expect you to respond. Stick to that time commitment.

Do you think that’s too strict or not flexible enough? Well, God is strict in His commands to us knowing that if we follow them with commitment, perseverance, and diligence, we’re going to be a better witness to others and live a fuller life in Christ.

How many of us who are married would’ve answered, “I’ll try” or “Maybe” when the pastor asked if we would love, honor, and cherish our spouse? If we want the ceremony to continue and the marriage to last, we say, “Yes” loudly, boldly, and committed.

Sometimes we say “maybe” because we’re really not sure what we want. It can mean numerous things, from “I’m not sure I want to do this,” to “I want to do that, but I’m not sure if I can” to “this doesn’t sound like how I want to spend my time” to any number of combinations that make us unsure.

Many times, kids that have lived with divorce and are trying to please both parents find themselves saying maybe or I’ll try because they don’t want to hurt either parent by saying no. Or even worse say “I’ll try” or “maybe” to both parents knowing they can’t be at both places. They live with that worry and angst hanging over them because eventually one of the parents is going to be disappointed when they don’t show up. It would’ve been better to tell one parent no but let’s make other plans to get together. That’s a hard lesson to learn.

If we can learn to say no when it’s not a sure yes, there’s clarity for everyone and actually much less stressful.

Like me, most people are looking for truth they can depend on. If we want to be good witnesses for Christ, we need to be the kind of people others can depend on to live by our words. Sometimes, we’re so uncomfortable saying no, we think we need to give long explanations to justify our reasons. That can lead to lying or making up a story. Not necessary. Not godly. Leviticus 19:11 commands “Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”

When you know your maybe really means no, you’re essentially lying to the other person. That’s why “maybe” and “try” are not in God’s vocabulary, but “yes” and “no” are. God never vacillates in the way He wants us to live. He sets boundaries and guidelines for us. We need to go and do likewise.

Freedom isn’t the ability to say maybe. It’s the ability to say no or yes and own it.

Please leave a comment here.

March 24, 2025

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America Has Forgotten Its First Love!

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan. Pr. 29:2 NLT

The word wicked means those who are morally wrong, hostile to God, anti-God and that describes many who are in authority today in our country.

A country that denies God as its Creator and moral Compass is headed for doom and disaster.

Our founding fathers knew that and so they based the Constitution and Bill of Rights on biblical godly principles. They were men who went before the Lord seeking His guidance. Our country was established on Judeo/Christian values that recognize God created the earth, He created each of us, and people who honor their Creator will succeed. Those who try to deny God and go against the laws of God will fail miserably.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. 1:1 NLT

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Gen. 1:27 NLT

I always laugh at the term “climate control.” Man doesn’t control the climate, God does. Man can barely attempt to predict the weather. But man has no say over when it rains or when there’s a drought or hurricane or the sun comes up in the morning and the moon at night.

Only God knows when He will say it’s time to end the world as we know it. Only God!

³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. ³⁶“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son^,,but only the Father. Matt. 24:35-36

Many have foolishly tried to play God or give the impression that they had godly powers, always for personal gain, but eventually they’re unveiled as the charlatans they are.

America Has Forgotten Its Identity is in Christ Alone!

Last week Jason Whitlock, a black Christian sports journalist, podcaster, and host for Blaze Media for the show Fearless with Jason Whitlock, appeared on the Tucker Carlson show and clearly put into perspective what’s happening in our country today. Here’s what he said:

“We should be taking our identity in Christ not in skin color. Not in these superficial things your sexual preference or your gender identification. All of these identities have taken precedent over what used to be our primary identity: Are you a believer? Are you a Christian? Once you identify as that, now I can see the commonality between Tucker Carlson and Jason Whitlock.” [Tucker nods his head in agreement and says “Right”]

Jason continues, “We’re both believers. We’re both Christians. We both love our country. Those things that unite us they’re telling us to disavow and embrace things like skin color and sexual orientation, gender identity, those things that separate us they want us to lean into and lean away from God. That’s the mistake we’re making here in this country.”

Jason gave a sermon right there! And who is the “they” he’s referring to trying to divide us? I wrote about them last week in my blog: We’re No Longer One Nation United Under God. It’s those on the left, including Biden and his administration, who want to turn America into a Marxist/Communist country. The only way they can succeed is to create division among the population and denounce and marginalize Christian Conservatives and our beliefs. They want to deny God!

Jesus wrote about what happens when a church forgets its first love. Imagine what’s going to happen to a country that forgets its first love!

⁴“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! ⁵Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.” Rev. 2:4-5

Removing the lampstand from a church meant that they would fail as a church. That’s exactly what’s going to happen to our country if we forget our first love, Jesus Christ. America will fail.

We’re Watching Authoritarianism Replace Democracy in America

The latest attempt is to silence parents protesting in School Board meetings about the racist, sexual deviant content of what their children are being taught and the fascist attempt to mask all children and even force them to be vaccinated, which has already started in California.

Biden has made it clear the government is coming for our children by characterizing parents who want to have a voice in what their children are being taught as potential domestic terrorists, when it’s the government using a fascist game plan to suppress opposition and take over our country.

I hope that parents aren’t intimidated and continue to take a stand for protecting their children from indoctrination and harm. Don’t let the government have your children. Be respectful and passionate but let your voices be heard. God’s word, not the government, is the final authority and benchmark on how parents are to raise their children.

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Pr. 22:6 NKJV

Next, the Biden administration wants the IRS to monitor every person’s bank account over $600! Oh, and that will require 80,000 new IRS employees, but of course only those who’ve been vaccinated. They want to know if you buy a new couch or computer or sell something on EBay! They’re not going after tax fraud in big business and the wealthy; they’re scrutinizing the middle class struggling to survive or spying on where you give donations.

The left think they’re clever the way they hijack the conversation and come up with their own definition of terms. Justice is really revenge. Equity disguises discrimination. Public safety justifies mandates. Women’s health legalizes murder. Their main goal is to control words and repeat them enough until we start using their words and thoughts too. We must not let that happen.

³Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 2 Peter 3:3 NLT

So What Do We Do?

We keep close to God by reading His Word DAILY and praying asking what He wants us to do. He has a plan for each of us. We were all born for such a time as this.

I’ve said many times that God has a purpose for you and me. You’ll not experience fear or frustration when you feel like you’re doing something to make a difference.

“When people quit talking to God, they quit talking to one another. And people who quit talking to God soon get very lonely and depressed. They are actually lonely for God, hungering for communion with Him, yearning for His close love and nearness; but instead of recognizing these needs as spiritual, they blame their lack of fulfillment on their husbands or wives.” ― David Wilkerson

While it’s terribly infuriating and makes us even angry to watch the damage our current administration is doing to our country and our world relations, they are showing their hand clearly and God told us this would happen.

In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 we read, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God–having a form of godliness but denying its power. “

Gather together with those who love the Lord like you do for encouragement and support, but also use whatever platform the Lord gives you to share Jesus with those who don’t know Him. Like Jason Whitlock, look for open doors to explain why you can still smile and be hopeful in the midst of the turmoil and chaos we see all around us.

I end conversations and encounters with everyone and anyone cheerfully saying, “Have a blessed rest of your day.” It’s amazing the responses I receive, all positive. Some seem a little surprised but say thank you. Others reply, “You have a blessed day too!”

Remember we don’t belong to some secret society! Just the opposite! Jesus came to earth that all might be saved and He told us not to hide our light but to let it shine brightly for all to see.

¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matt. 5:14-16

That’s exactly what Jason Whitlock did on public TV and it’s what we can do in our private life.

Interesting that the prophet Isaiah could’ve been talking about America when he wrote,

I, yes I, am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. You are witnesses that I am the only God,” says the Lord. Isaiah 43:11-12 NLT

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October 11, 2021

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HOPE FOR ALL SEASONS

Today’s guest post is from Renee Fisher. Renee and I met when she submitted a story for Mentoring for All Seasons, which you’ll find on page 265. You’ll enjoy Renee’s reflection on . . .

Hope for All Seasons

By Renee Fisher

Seasons change. I never realized the spiritual significance of the changing of seasons until I learned how to cultivate a life of my dreams.

Jesus is quoted twice in the Gospels talking about spiritual seasons in Matthew 16:2-3 (NIV) and Luke 12:54-56 (NIV):

He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times”

He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?”

It doesn’t take much effort to walk outside and determine if it’s going to rain that day. It does, however, take time to learn how to pray and read the Word to determine which spiritual season you are in.

[Tweet ” It takes time to learn how to pray and read the Word to determine which spiritual season you’re in”]

[Tweet “Your ability to praise the Lord despite your circumstances has the power to awaken your dreams, including the dreams of future generations.”]

Your ability to praise the Lord despite your circumstances has the power to awaken your dreams, including the dreams of future generations.

Dreams, like seasons, change often.

If you are unsure how to cultivate a life of your dreams, ask yourself these four questions to determine how to move forward.

Summer: My dreams are ripe. Even in the heat of summer, we can relax and take a much-needed vacation. We can taste and see that the Lord is good (see: Psalm 34:8).
Fall: My dreams are harvested. We can mature and save up for the winter season knowing that we are rooted and grounded in love (see: Ephesians 3:17). We can choose not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel (see: Colossians 1:23).
Winter: My dreams are not dead. Winter brings a much-needed break, although it might feel like coming to a screeching halt. We may feel uncomfortable with the process of solitude and silence, but it will help us uncover what’s in our hearts. To admit, like Elijah, the answer to the question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (see: 1 Kings 19:9, 13).
Spring: My dreams are newly planted. We may not understand, at first, that the storms and rain are actually a blessing to drive that tiny seed deeper and further under the soil to die so that it can come back to life. We can plant in tears knowing we will harvest with shouts of joy in a future season (see: Psalm 126:5).

Spiritual seasons can be tricky. It took me almost an entire year to realize I was in a winter season last year, and to acknowledge that my dreams were not dead—just waiting for spring.

This spring, I thought that my dreams were coming back to life, only to have a mound of dirt piled on top of me so these baby dreams can grow for a later harvest in a future season. It’s so complicated that I sometimes feel like giving up. Will my desires ever be met? But, if I’m honestly asking myself that question—I already know the answer. Of course they will! God has been faithful before and He will again.

[Tweet “Whatever season you’re in, don’t quit! Don’t run away! Bloom where you’re planted. “]

I don’t know what season you are in, but don’t quit! Don’t run away! You can bloom where you’re planted.

“There will always be flowers for those who want to see them.

There will always be dreams for those who want to live them!

QUESTION: How do you mentor a woman who’s in a different season than you?

^*1 Quote from Henry Matisse

Renee Fisher is a spirited speaker, coach, consultant and author, who published her first nine books in under eight years. A self-proclaimed “Dream Defender,” Renee is passionate about calling dreams to life in others. A graduate of Biola University, she lives in Austin, Texas with her handsome husband and their fur child named “Star.” Connect with Renee Fisher on Facebook, Instagram, and her Website.

*Excerpt from Unloved: Finding Freedom by Embracing Your Inner Critic, a short but powerful eBook that empowers women to find freedom by embracing their inner critic. You can purchase on Amazon for $2.99 here: http://bit.ly/UnlovedBook

October 30, 2017

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Love Your Body–Try Something New

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

All my life I haven’t liked Brussels Sprouts! They’re one of the few foods I’ve never acquired a taste for….until a few years ago!

When we were receiving organic fruits and vegetables from Bountiful Baskets, it was always a surprise what I’d find inside the box, and was I surprised to see a bag of Brussels Sprouts! Ugh, I thought. Who can I give these away to? But instead of giving them away, I asked my Facebook friends if they had any great recipes, mentioning that I don’t care for cooked cabbage, but I’ll eat it raw in fish tacos or coleslaw.

One of my FB friends posted a recipe for Chopped Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad. What? You could eat Brussels Sprouts raw? That thought had never entered my mind, but I try to eat as much raw as possible since that’s the best way to get all the nutrients.

[Tweet “You can eat Brussels Sprouts raw? “]

This recipe had cranberries, blue cheese, and toasted pecans. How could I go wrong? And it was Super Bowl Sunday, so why not make it and try it out at the party we were attending. So I put those cute little round cabbage balls in the food processor and walla, it looked just like shredded cabbage. I tasted it…and oh my! What a different taste than cooked. I knew right then I was going to LOVE this salad–as did everyone at the party!

For those of you who shop at COSTCO, they’ve got a delicious fresh salad with cabbage, kale, Brussel Sprouts, and other goodies you mix together with a delicious salad dressing. I have some in the refrigerator right now!

So what’s the moral of my raw Brussels Sprouts salad story? As I was enjoying the delicious salad, the Lord reminded me that there were probably many other things…not just food…that I thought I didn’t like because I had only looked at them from one perspective.

How about you? Is there a person you don’t get along with? A food you’re sure will never touch your lips? A place you think you could never live? (As a native Californian, I would have never in a million years expected I would be living in the rural mountains of Idaho).

[Tweet “What’s on your “never-ever” list that you’d be open to looking at from another angle? “]

A color you would never wear? What’s on your “never-ever” list that you’d be open to looking at from another angle? What might you be missing if you didn’t?

[Tweet “Many people avoid God and Christianity because they’ve had a bad experience”]

Many people avoid God and Christianity because they’ve had a bad experience, and like me with Brussels Sprouts, they’re positively, absolutely convinced it’s not for them. Could you help someone in your life see God from a different perspective?

[Tweet “Could you help someone in your life see God from a different perspective?”]

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!–Psalm 34:8 NLT

May 30, 2016

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Love Your Body—Maintain Weight Loss

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

It’s Love Your Body Monday, and as promised, today I’m going to talk about how to maintain weight loss once you’ve achieved your desired weight. I’ve pointed out in past posts that weight loss isn’t the goal, maintaining a healthy weight for life is the goal.

[Tweet “Weight loss isn’t the goal, maintaining a healthy weight for life is the goal”]

In August, I wrote Love Your Body, Weight Loss Is Not the Goal. If you haven’t read that post yet, I would highly encourage you to go there now and read it. Thanksgiving week, I received an email from Cathy McIntosh who read that blog post and sent me the following email of how it changed her life. She also wrote a post you might want to read:

Hi, Janet. Your post “It’s Not About Weight Loss” really touched my life and I wanted to let you know I wrote about it on my own blog. Thanks so much for your post. I have new freedom. The Lord certainly used your words!

Blessings, Cathy McIntosh

Several other Love Your Body blog posts set the stage for a talk about maintenance: Love Your–Body Break the Food Strongholds and Love Your Body—Use Technology to Lose Weight.

[Tweet “If you haven’t learned how to change your eating habits, any weight loss is likely to be temporary”]

In previous blogs, I’ve pointed out the reason weight loss is not the goal: if you haven’t learned how to change your eating habits, any weight loss is likely to be temporary. That’s why as a former Registered Dietitian, I don’t advocate shakes, shots, starvation diets, eliminating major food groups, packaged meals, quick gimmicks, or anything that deviates from simply eating a well-balanced, portion-controlled diet. Why? Because any of the other ways are temporary: you aren’t going to drink shakes, get shots, stay on drastically reduced calorie diets, go without a food group, afford packaged foods, or stay on any of the quick-fix “regimes” for life.

[Tweet “you aren’t going to drink shakes, get shots, go without a food group, afford packaged foods, or stay on any of the quick-fix “regimes” for life.”]

So you might reach a desired weight loss, but then what? If you haven’t learned how to replace destructive eating habits/patterns with constructive long-term eating habits, you’ll revert to the way you ate before. And with that, the weight quickly returns, often with extra pounds. Sound familiar?

Here is a fact you can count on: Once you achieve your desired weight, the minute you start eating more calories then you’re currently taking in … you’re going to start gaining weight back. Maybe you eliminated bread and now you’re so excited to have a sandwich … extra pound on the scales. You didn’t have sugar, but now you’re going to reward yourself with the ice cream you’ve been craving. Another pound. And so it goes. At first, it’s just a pound or two and you’re sure you can handle it. Well then, it’s only five pounds. Uh oh…it’s only been a few weeks and you’re watching the scales creep back up. You panic and try to go back on the shakes, shots, gimmick diets, or maybe just give up and bring out the next size up of clothes.

Achieving and Maintaining Long-term Weight Loss Means Making Wise Choices Daily.

I heard a commercial on TV for a hypnosis weight loss program and one of the things they said which is true, maintained weight loss requires a mind change. But you don’t need to be hypnotized to change your attitude and mind about eating. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13). And He wants to renew your mind.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Ways to Maintain Weight Loss

Pray. The first thing in maintaining weight loss is to seek God’s help. He has a greater purpose for you, but you can’t achieve all that He has planned if your focus is on food or your eating is contributing to bad health. One of the things I love about First Place 4 Health, the ministry for which I wrote God’s Best for Your Life, is that they look at all aspects of maintaining a healthy eating lifestyle that includes the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of our life.
Don’t Eliminate Food Groups. God made your body to function best by eating all the basic food groups. Eliminating any of them means you deprive your body of necessary minerals and vitamins. For example, your body needs some carbohydrates for energy. If it doesn’t receive what it needs, it starts storing other foods as fat. God designed your body to prevent you from starving to death, and it has no idea when you plan to feed it again. So just in case, it keeps a reserve in the form of fat.

[Tweet “Don’t Eliminate Food Groups.”]

Maybe you were eating more carbs than you needed, or eating the wrong kind, but eventually you’re going to want some carbs. If you’ve been denying yourself, there’s a good chance you’re going to eat the wrong kind when you add them back into your diet. You need grains. I’ve recommended before Choose My Plate to help you understand the foods your body needs every day. BTW sugar and alcohol are not food groups; they’re wasted calories.

Portion Control. Again, Choose My Plate can help you determine appropriate portion size. Eat on a small plate and only eat what fits on that plate . . . one time. Don’t put food on the table to make it too easy to take second helpings or nibble. Weigh out 3 ounces of meat to see what that looks like. Measure out a ½ cup of rice or oatmeal or a teaspoon of butter. Remember what you eat while cooking or cleaning up after meals…or off your kids’ plates… are all calories. If possible, have someone else put away leftovers.
Eat Out Wisely. In another blog post, Love Your Body–On Vacation, I talk about how to eat out. You can still enjoy eating out, but choose wisely off the menu. Only read descriptions of foods you know are healthy. Don’t let yourself be tempted by fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy, “Just this once because you’re celebrating.” Portions are always too large in restaurants. Ask for a to-go box when your food arrives and put half of it in the box. You won’t feel like you’re wasting money if you can enjoy it at another meal.
Celebrate But Don’t Deviate. We just finished Thanksgiving and now we’re headed into one of the most challenging times of the year to eat wisely, but you can do it. I talk about how to do that in Love Your Body–During the Holidays.
Weigh Daily. Purchase a good set of scales that also measures body fat. Weigh at the same time every morning without clothes, before you eat or drink anything. Then you can’t blame any gain on your slippers or the glass of water you just drank. If the scale goes up a pound, don’t panic, but don’t ignore it. You either ate too much the day before or didn’t exercise enough. We all vacillate a pound or two naturally, but you’ll learn what that range is for you, and let it be a red flag the minute you go over it. Don’t wait until it’s five pounds; cut back on calories right away and add to your exercise regime. You’ll soon learn the caloric intake and exercise output that keeps you at your ideal weight.
Keep a Food Journal. In Love Your Body—Use Technology to Lose Weight, my daughter Kim talked about how she lost weight by keeping track of her calories on her phone. You can do the same to maintain your weight. It’s easy to fool yourself that you haven’t been eating much, or “I never eat _____.” But if you’re gaining weight, there’s no fooling your body. Yes, you are eating more and recording every bite will show you where you’ve added extra food intake.

[Tweet “The key that everyone needs to learn, understand, and accept is that this is for a lifetime!”]

Love Your Body Series

As you read this blog, you should be noticing that if you’ve been following the Love Your Body series the past couple of years, I’ve been giving you tools all along to maintain your weight loss and stay at a healthy weight for your individual body. The key that everyone needs to learn, understand, and accept is that healthy eating is for a lifetime! Your body is always going to operate on a balance of calories in, calories out. That’s never going to change no matter how you try to circumvent it. But what can change is your mindset toward food and your body.

[Tweet “The key that everyone needs to learn, understand, and accept is that healthy eating is for a lifetime!”]

When you became a Christian, you put away the sinful way of thinking and the old self to become a new creation in Christ, so you can do this with food too.

When you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24

Don’t let Satan fool you that it’s impossible for you. You can put on the new way of thinking about food and a healthy lifestyle and put off all the chains that have bound you over the years and have stopped you from enjoying the body that God created you to take care of and cherish—His temple.

I would love to hear what’s helped you to maintain your weight loss.

If you receive this by email, please leave a comment here.

November 30, 2015

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When Is Being “Responsible” Not Righteous?

Recently, as I’ve been taking a vocal stand against immorality and championing morality, I’ve experienced some pushback and been called names like “legalistic,” “righteous,” and “self-righteous.” I’ve also read many arguments justifying unrighteous behavior as being “responsible.”

So the Holy Spirit started stirring thoughts in my heart about why being righteous is a good thing, actually a gift from God, but responsibly doing an unrighteous act is a wrong thing. There’s no right way to “responsibly” do the wrong thing…I’m just sayin’ it doesn’t compute.

Let’s Look at Righteous Versus Self-Righteous

⁷But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. ⁸And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. ⁹The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. ¹⁰Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. ¹¹Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged. John 16:7 NLT

[Tweet “No one is able to earn a righteous standing in God’s sight, so in His grace and mercy God gave us righteousness as a gift through Jesus Christ.”]

No one is able to earn a righteous standing in God’s sight, so in His grace and mercy God gave us righteousness as a gift through Jesus Christ. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin (Romans 3:20).

For if, by the trespass of the one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17

So when someone calls me “righteous” when I’m speaking against sin or unrighteous behavior, I say, “Thank you! As a Christian, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I strive to follow in the righteous footsteps of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. So you’ve just confirmed I’m making progress. And BTW isn’t it interesting that the root word of righteous is right.”

If they call me self-righteous or legalistic, I correct them: “No, because I’m speaking from God’s Word and not my words or feelings, I’m God-righteous. Do you have a problem with God’s righteousness? No one can be righteous on his or her own, we’re all unrighteous sinners, but we’re made righteous through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Would you like to know more about how to live in righteous peace? The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever (Isaiah 32:17).” And

¹⁰For,

“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 1 Peter 3:10-12

What’s Wrong with Being Responsible?

[Tweet “Responsible is usually a good thing, but it can also justify bad or sinful behavior”]

Responsible is usually a good thing, but it can also justify bad or sinful behavior. Let me give you examples:

Scenario One

A young girl goes to Planned Parenthood to get birth control pills because she wants to have “responsible” sex with her boyfriend. An oxymoron: Having sex with her boyfriend is irresponsible, but she’s justifying her immoral behavior by “responsibly” getting birth control pills! Naught. The responsible and righteous thing to do would be to tell her irresponsible boyfriend that she’s not having sex until she’s married, and if he’s not OK with that, she’ll find a boyfriend who responsibly respects her. That would be responsible. Instead of teaching young people to be righteous and moral, our culture is teaching them how to be “responsible” sinners!

Scenario Two

In my book, Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, I tell the story of how my daughter left for college to live with her boyfriend. But while she was still in high school, she told me she wanted to go live with him at his parent’s house because that would be the “responsible thing to do to determine if they were compatible.” I was able to talk her out of doing such an irresponsible thing, but I couldn’t talk her out of living with her boyfriend in college … but I did pray her out of that relationship … and eventually prayed her into wanting to live a responsible righteous life as a follower of Jesus. Praise God!

Scenario Three

A pregnant woman goes to Planned Parenthood to get an abortion as the “responsible thing to do considering her circumstances.” Our culture tells her that instead of doing the righteous thing and giving her child life and then perhaps finding a good home for the baby, she should “responsibly” kill it.

Then there’s the ensuing aborted baby “tissue” and baby parts, so our culture says the responsible thing to do is to sell them for research. So abortionists have become “responsible” barbarians.

Scenario Four

The topic of drinking always brings up the word responsible. And you know what? Everyone has a different definition of what “responsible drinking” looks like. Some will say only wine, others only beer. Some will say one drink … maybe two. Others say it’s OK to drive after one or two drinks, while others say it’s only responsible to drink at home, even though it’s in front of your kids. So really everyone makes up their own definition of “responsible drinking” to justify the way they want to drink.

There’s always the argument that you can reach the world better if you fit in more with them. Jesus definitely went to Zacchaeus’ and Matthew’s house, but His sole purpose was to help them and their friends change their ways and become His followers … not to responsibly join in their sinful behavior.

Scenario Five

There’s the argument that letting gays get married will make them more responsible about not transmitting AIDS and other diseases characteristic of homosexuality. Really? Legalizing a practice that goes against everything God created man and woman to be and defiling His design for marriage, is simply, “responsible” sinning.

Holy and Set Apart

In God’s Best for Your Life, a Bible study I wrote for First Place 4 Health, I discuss that as Christians, the Bible clearly instructs us to live holy, righteous, and set apart lives: in the world but not of the world. The world today isn’t going to like us because our Christian lives convict them and make us look “holier than them.” Hmmm … maybe that’s because through Christ we are sanctified. What’s wrong with living holy lives as God calls us to live? Why would we be offended or try to fit in more with culture than with God’s kingdom here on earth?

¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. ¹⁷For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

We’re responsible as Christians to live righteous, holy lives as best we can, and not try to find loopholes in the Bible to “responsibly” justify our unrighteousness. So sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, abortion, abusing our bodies with drugs and alcohol, and any immoral behavior isn’t responsible or righteous.

[Tweet “If we prayerfully make righteous choices, they’ll be responsible choices!”]

If we prayerfully make righteous choices, they’ll be responsible choices!

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; ¹⁷for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Romans 14:16-18 NKJ

If you received this post by email, please leave a comment here. I would love to hear your thoughts.

August 10, 2015

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The “Call” That Changed My Life

Site of Peter’s Primacy Church at Tabgha, near Capernum – the area of Seven Springs

When you saw the title of this blog, you probably thought I received a life-changing phone call, but I’m not talking about that kind of a call. I’m talking about “The Call” from the Lord. Yes, that “Call.”

[Tweet “” I had told God I would work anywhere except in women’s ministry.”]

Twenty years ago, April 25, 1995, I was at a Women in Ministry Conference in Portland, OR trying to figure out how God was going to use me when I finished seminary. I had told Him I would work anywhere except in women’s ministry. Why? Because when I was a divorced, single, working mom, I felt unwelcome in women’s church activities. There were definite clicks and I wasn’t part of the “in group.” As the manager of an insurance team, I had watched some women’s ruthless ways in business, cattiness, nonprofessional, and whining and I didn’t want any part of it. Surely, the Lord knew that and would use me in the business world.

The second night of the conference, I was sitting at a round table, sipping coffee and listening to piano music while awaiting the evening’s speaker, Jill Briscoe. Suddenly, without warning, I heard the words “Feed my sheep.” I looked around the table to see who was talking about sheep, but everyone was engaged in their own conversations. So I said, “What sheep? Where? And what would I feed them if I found them?” Again, I heard, “Feed my sheep.”

[Tweet “Suddenly, without warning, I heard the words “Feed my sheep.””]

I Agreed to Feed His Sheep! Now What?

As I realized it was the Lord talking, I said, “Ok.”

That night, I called my husband and excitedly told him about my encounter with the Lord. Dave calmly said, “Well honey, let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what this means.” So we prayed.

God answered the next morning when the speaker told us she was going to teach from John 21:15-17 where Jesus is telling Peter if you love me, “Feed my sheep.” I looked at the handout to see what her topic was and she was going to talk on “Shepherding Women in Your Church.” I let out an audible, “Oh, no!” This can’t be possible; surely God has the wrong woman.

[Tweet “God began to reveal that the sheep were women and the feeding was mentoring“]

When I arrived home, God began to reveal that the sheep were women and the feeding was mentoring, and I’ve been feeding His sheep now for twenty years. First, I started the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry at Saddleback Church, which continues blessing women in churches around the world. Then God asked me, a non-writer at the time, to write a resource to help churches start their own mentoring ministries. Next, He sent me on the road to share the Titus 2:3-5 message and glued me to my computer writing books about “Sharing Life’s Experiences and God’s Faithfulness.”

Celebrating 20 Years in Ministry

Circle Drive Baptist Church, Colorado Springs, CO April 25, 2015

On April 25, 2015, in commemoration of my 20-year anniversary of feeding His sheep, God had me speak at Circle Drive Baptist Church in Colorado Springs on the topic they chose, “Reigniting the Titus 2 Woman.” The next day, I trained in Parachute, CO at Grace Bible Churches Woman to Woman Mentoring ministry first Kickoff Night. I hadn’t taught at a Kickoff Night training in many years, but it was such a sweet way to reminisce and be back in the heart of where it all began—watching women walk side-by-side with Christ at the center of their relationship.

Kickoff Night @ Grace Baptist Church, Parachute, CO

Do I think God planned for me to have those mentoring speaking engagements on the exact 20-year anniversary of hearing “Feed my sheep”? Absolutely! That was all God. No coincidence, no serendipity—100% God celebrating with me the amazing ministry that can take place when we simply say “Ok” to His call.

[Tweet “God celebrating with me the amazing ministry that can take place when we simply say “Ok” to His call.”]

How is God Calling You?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.—Romans 8:28

God calls all of us. Every Christian has a purpose and a call. But the key to knowing your call is to listen…have ears that hear God when He speaks whether it’s through reading your Bible, hearing a sermon, listening to worship music…. He’s talking all the time, but we have to listen.

[Tweet “God calls all of us. Every Christian has a purpose and a call.”]

When we hear His Call, we have a choice, “Yes Lord I hear ou and I will do what ou ask, and go where ou lead.” Or “Not now Lord, I’m too busy … too tired … too unsure of myself … just not ready to make such a commitment.”

[Tweet “We’re living in times where every committed Christian needs to know God’s purpose for our life and follow the “Call””]

Where has God been calling you? What has He asked you to do? We’re living in times where every committed Christian needs to know God’s purpose for our life and follow the “Call” that will not only change our life, but the lives of others, the culture, the world.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.—Proverbs 19:21

If you receive this blog by email leave a comment here.

I would love to hear your mentoring story to share in my next book. If you’ve been a mentor or mentee, please contact me.

May 4, 2015

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Lower Expectations for the Holidays and Enjoy Them More

Kathy Carlton Willis Enjoying a Stress-Free Christmas

When Dave and I became a blended family six days before Christmas 1992, I quickly learned that the best gift we could all give each other was grace and flexibility–especially during the holidays. Then when our four children married and started having their own children–grace and flexibility took on a whole new meaning! Our guest blogger today, Kathy Carlton Willis gives some excellent pointers on how to lower our expectations and enjoy the stress-free holidays like she did as a child in the picture above. Isn’t that how Jesus tells us to come unto Him–as little children.

How to Grin with Grace through the Holidays
by Kathy Carlton Willis –

What causes you to grit your teeth during the holidays? Perhaps it’s a certain expectation you have in yourself or unreasonable expectations others have in you. Or maybe you’re stressed by unmet expectations you have in others. If there’s one thing you could take a pass on this year to alleviate tension, what would it be? Perhaps your irritant made the list:

I’m stressed because someone else expects me to:

Give more money toward a gift than I have budgeted, or to give a gift to someone not on my list.
Go to a function that conflicts with another event I really want to attend.
Enjoy a family gathering with drunk Uncle Troy there.
Stop what I’m doing to help bail them out of an emergency caused by their poor planning, which will put me behind on my own schedule.

I’m stressed because I expect myself to:

Decorate my house as festive as Martha’s.
Plan and cook a meal that will rival Julia’s.
Be as creative during the holidays as all those amazing women on Pinterest.
Look as svelte as Heidi in my special outfit at the big Christmas shindig.

What if you could learn to grin with grace rather than grit your teeth through the holidays?

[Tweet “What if you could learn to grin with grace rather than grit your teeth through the holidays?”]

Expectations. Don’t worry. We all have them—especially this time of year. Unmet expectations, unrealistic expectations, unhealthy expectations. These lead to disappointment—in others, in ourselves, even in God.

Sometimes expectations are based on what we want to see happen—no matter how unrealistic. Other times our expectations are based on what another person has promised. But not everyone carries out his or her promises.

What to Do:

Pre-plan a healthy way to handle your expectations. It’s impossible to have a godly response in the heat of the moment without having a predetermined course of action.
Focus on the difference between reactions and responses. Reactions are based on emotional reflexes and are governed by the heart.Responses are based on disciplined actions and are led by the Spirit.
Disengage your feelings from the response so you’re not allowing others to push your buttons. (And we all have buttons—usually a mix-matched set!) Take it out of the realm of feelings and put it in the realm of godly thoughts and actions.
Pray for God’s wisdom and discernment.
When a situation arises, be intentional rather than irrational. Remove yourself for a timeout if you need to disconnect from your feelings. Refocus on what Christ’s response would be. Being intentional means you have a strategy in place ahead of time, and you act on that strategy. This is called reframing your thoughts.

[Tweet “Being intentional means you have a strategy in place ahead of time, and you act on that strategy—reframe your thoughts.”]

Bible Remedies for Expectations:

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)

How can your expectations be a cause of anxiety?
What is to accompany your prayers and supplications?
What do you need to let God know about?
What does God promise that His peace will do for you?

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

What can you expect God to give you when you truly trust in Him?
When you focus on the unmet expectations, you overlook all the amazing stuff that God is doing in your life and in the world

[Tweet “When you focus on the unmet expectations, you overlook all the amazing stuff that God is doing in your life and in the world.”]

Prayer Points:

When you have unmet expectations, take them to Jesus.
Allow your unmet expectations to draw you closer to the One who can do “abundantly more than all you can ask or imagine.”
Focus on the ways Jesus exceeds our expectations. He has eternity in mind, not just today.

[Tweet “Focus on the ways Jesus exceeds our expectations. He has eternity in mind, not just today.”]

What’s Grace Got to do With It?

God is teaching me to give grace through the benefit of the doubt. I’m also praying a little differently. I’m learning to reframe my expectations by infusing these prayers with God’s grace.

What I’m learning from expectations:

Everyone has unplanned “stuff” that keeps them from fulfilling their commitments, and I need to be as flexible with others as I hope they will be with me.
When others respond in ways that rub me the wrong way, it’s because I had in my mind a more acceptable response and they missed the mark. I expected them to respond in a situation like I would. They are not me (obviously).
My timetable is not the same as others. My priorities aren’t the same as others. I need to extend grace regarding timing and priorities, and be okay with the differences, even thanking God that we are all different.

Finally

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, focus on the relationships of the season rather than the expectations. When you let love motivate your prayers, you will discover a new grace-infused way to interact with others—even when they make you want to grit your teeth. And there will be enough grace to go around. Use some of it on yourself.

[Tweet “When you let love motivate your prayers, you will discover a new grace-infused way to interact with others”]

Kathy Carlton Willis writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. She shines the light on issues that hold women back and inspires their own lightbulb moments. Almost a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published and she has several books releasing over the next three years, including Grin with Grace with AMG Publishers. She and her husband/pastor, Russ, live in Texas. Learn more at: www.kathycarltonwillis.com/

November 17, 2014

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Holy and Set Apart

[Tweet “Suddenly, without warning, I heard the words “Feed my sheep.””]

I Agreed to Feed His Sheep! Now What?

Celebrating 20 Years in Ministry

How is God Calling You?

How to Grin with Grace through the Holidays by Kathy Carlton Willis –

I’m stressed because someone else expects me to:

I’m stressed because I expect myself to:

What to Do:

Bible Remedies for Expectations:

Prayer Points:

What’s Grace Got to do With It?

What I’m learning from expectations:

Finally

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How to Grin with Grace through the Holidays
by Kathy Carlton Willis –