Keep climbing. 🏔 📖: "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you" (Philippians 3:12-15). #herlifehisway
Broken. Sinful. Shameful. Worthless. These are the words I so often hear Christians describe themselves with.
But listen up - because I’m going to tell you something: in Christ, these words do not define you. You are NOT a sinner if you are in Christ. You are righteous, just as God is.
Does it feel uncomfortable to say or hear this? It shouldn't be.
We are a people who h a v e sinned and walk with Christ now, sinless. He has taken all our sin away. Now, this is not to say that we have no past sin or no longer make mistakes, but that sin no longer defines us and our past sins are no longer on our record (1 John 2:1). Unfortunately, most of us have been taught that we are broken and vile sinners, saved only by "the skin of our teeth," but God clearly tells us we are His sons and daughters, we are righteous, we are worthy, and we are no longer defined by sin or caught in it's clutches, we have a way of escape and salvation (1 John 1:7-10). He saves us to the UTTERMOST (Hebrews 7:25). Not a little bit - completely. We are no longer broken and vile but washed in the blood of the Lamb, pure and white. Brokenness is for those outside of Christ. We come to Him broken, we walk with Him complete.
In Christ you are free. This is what grace teaches us (Titus 2:11-14). Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Let's start believing we are and serve Him out of thankfulness for what this means, because it has NOTHING to do with us and EVERYTHING to do with what Christ has done for us. • "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). "Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous" (1 John 3:7). "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12)
We 👏 must 👏 change 👏 ourselves.
Too often we shape our view of God and His will to suit what WE want—but despite our wishes, God never changes. We must change ourselves and our point of view to until we are fully walking in His glorious light.
We cannot change His image to look how we wish it—it is us who must change our image to look more like His. 📖: "Be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:38). “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
#herlifehisway
What does it mean to become like Jesus? It's something that we must think more about. The fact that He showed Himself to us and calls us to be like Him is an absolute honour - so what should it change about us in light of that?
As we strive to be more like Him, we need to consider who He is. One of the things that Jesus is called by the apostle John on more than one occasion was 'the Word' (1 John 1; John 1:1). He was called this because He was and is the ultimate communication of God to man. In Him we see God's love, light, and power personified: He was God in human form. Through Him we can see what God looks like and know how He wants us to live.
And in realizing who He is and what He came for, we should realize that we, too, are called to be living communications of God's message to the world. He wants us to be like He was - reflections of God's light on this earth, beacons to the world.
What a great privilege - and what an awesome responsibility.
So, what should change about us then?
What about our lives needs to change, to become more like Jesus—living representations of God’s Word on earth?
Everything. Absolutely everything. // 1 John 1:1-4; John 1:1 \\ "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done" (John 13:15). #herlifehisway
Sometimes things don't go as planned. And that's okay.
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I'm getting married this weekend and I am So very excited! But nothing seems to be going my way. I try very hard not to be demanding or insistent on my own way, but this is My wedding, right? This is My day. As my decisions sometimes feel overrided and disregarded, as the weather is looking to be nasty during my outdoor wedding, as things aren't looking great I keep thinking, "Why are things going so poorly? This is My wedding, why aren't things going My way?"
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But then I take a step back and I remember that this isn't My wedding. This is God's wedding. As Will and I devote our marriage to Him, this becomes His union. It's not My wedding, it's God's wedding. He allowed us to get married, He allowed me to find someone who helps me to grow and flourish as a person. It doesn't matter if things go My way, as long as they're going His way.
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Whether it's your wedding, your graduation, your relationship, or even your health, our way isn't always the best way, but God's always is. And once we learn to rely on Him rather on ourselves, our faith can only grow and strengthen.
#herlifehisway
It’s so, so much easier to say, “I have struggled” than “I am struggling.” “I have struggled” tells people that I am victorious, that struggle is in the past and that it no longer has a hold of me. “I am struggling”, on the other hand, requires a whole another layer of vulnerability. It involves letting you know I feel weak and weary. It means I need to ask of you something—be it prayers, help, or support. Opening up about current struggles is hard, because it means I have to open myself up to the possibility of judgement and misunderstanding.
It is so hard to say, “I am struggling”—but there’s just as much power in it as saying, “I have struggled”. Because, if we are to bear one another’s burdens, one of us is going to have to be vulnerable. One of us is going to have to, at some point of time, swallow our pride and admit a CURRENT struggle—and allow the other to help carry it.
And here’s the thing: if we never work up the courage to say, “I am struggling”, we may never, ever be able to have the privilege of saying, “I have struggled”—we may simply carry on struggling in silence.
Be brave and courageous—surrender your pride and allow others to follow Christ’s command to bear your burdens.
Shame and sin thrive in silence—and that’s where Satan tries to get them to stay.
It’s in opening up to each other, seeking help, and letting others know they aren’t alone that we are set free. Sin and shame cannot survive where there is an active community of confession, love, and support.
Living in this broken world, we cannot be surprised when we struggle—and we can’t be surprised when those around us struggle. We have to be ready for the church to struggle with discouragement, mental illnesses, temptations, sin—and we have to be ready to both confess and support in our turn. Because if we don’t confess or bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters—we are NOT fulfilling the Law of Christ. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Now isn’t that a sobering thought?
What burdens are you helping to carry—and what burdens are you letting others help you carry—right now? —Chantelle
#herlifehisway
It doesn't matter how many times you call a girl beautiful—if she doesn't believe she is valuable and valued, she will never believe that any kind of beauty she holds will be enough. Our appearances change almost every day - and a day will come when we are no longer anyone's ideal of outer beauty. The only thing that will truly make us see and appreciate our own unique beauty as we change and age is realising our value. Not what we look like, but who we can be and what we can do. •
We need to spend less time telling girls they're beautiful and more time showing them how they can contribute to their families, to society, to the church, to the community they live in. Tell a girl she's beautiful and she may believe it for a day—show her how she fits in God’s great plan and you will teach her to create a life full of true beauty. Empower her to rise above beauty standards and onward to pursue her true value in Christ. •
Let’s change the conversation from, “You’re beautiful as you are because God made you” to “Let me show you how God can turn you into something truly beautiful and v a l u a b l e—let me show you how you can become just like Him.” Girls feel the need to obsess on their looks because they feel like the worlds standard of beauty is worth something. Don’t give the worlds message any power. In God, our beauty is not in who we are, but in Who we are striving with all our might to be. Our beauty is in our spirit. In our value to the kingdom.
And if we aren’t t realizing and pursuing our true value—if we aren’t seeking God and a life full of good works—we will never, ever feel beautiful or enough. Ever. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto g o o d w o r k s which God has before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
He made the lame walk. Does this mean anything to us? I believe it does. I believe that Jesus' miracles are more than just fun stories to tell our children - theese wereput in our Bibles to inspire us with confidence. These were put there to change our lives and place courage in our hearts. As we walk, we need to realise that we still serve this God—the God that made the lame leap. If He could do that, how much more can He do for us, as we struggle on our spiritual walk? What obstacles can stand in the way of such a God? How can anything stand in our way, if we walk with such a God?
Certainly no sin or struggle can stand in our way. We can expect to walk in victory as we walk with the Lord - because just as He made the lame to walk, He will cause us to leap forward in victory as we overcome this world. Just like He healed them completely - He will fully mend all our brokenness, so that we can walk with Him whole. Believe in His healing power - and realise that He has enough power for your every sin, every struggle, every temptation for the rest of your journey with Him.
Walk with Him in confidence. "For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home" (Matthew 9:5-7). --Chantelle
#herlifehisway
I'm in a period of transition
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We all have been there. Transitioning between highschool and college, between college and career, between moves, relationships, and everything in-between. I personally have moved 10 times, and I'm about to move an 11th. And while this is the shortest distance I will have ever moved (about 10 minutes), it is the biggest and most significant move I will ever make.
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Right now, I am about 6 weeks away from my wedding, I graduated preaching school just two and a half months ago, I've been looking for a job for a little while now with no luck, I'll be starting college in the fall, and I'm about to go from living with my parents to being a full fledged adult with a spouse, a home to care for, bills to pay, and other responsibilities that I've never had, all at once.
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The transition into marriage is exciting, but still scary! There's no one telling me what to do. The journey of finding a job that works for me, especially when I start school, is really difficult and challenging. All of these things in my life that are transitioning all at once are big and scary. But why am I not worried?
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I'm currently studying the book of Job, and I was reading chapter 38 when it struck me. God is constantly asking Job in this chapter, "Where were you when I created everything?" "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" I can't help but to imagine that I'm Job in this situation. Not that I am suffering, but because I need to hear this too. We all do! Where was I when God created all things? I didn't even exist yet, and yet God still knew me. God still created all things. He still made a wonderful creation without me. So who is in charge, then, of my world? Of my life?
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Yes. Transitions are scary and hard. But when I remember Who created the heavens and the earth, when I remember Who laid down the foundations for my life, for this world, and for salvation, why would I Not rely on Him? So yes. Transitioning is hard. But it's so much easier when I keep in mind that God is truly the one in charge of my life, and I have absolutely nothing to worry about. -JM
#herlifehisway #transition #trusthim
This week has been hard. Life as a minister’s wife has often been challenging, but this week especially so. We got called out to a suicide - and it’s honestly been just so hard to process. •
People say they don't understand why people do these things. I can understand why - I've even felt like that was the best option before, on multiple occasions. But the important thing for you to understand is that you don't need to understand why people do these things in order to be helpful - you just need to care enough to be there, no matter how uncomfortable or scared you feel. •
What you do need to remember during tragedy (and always) is that:
1) There are people in your life who are struggling in ways you don't know. That person who was cross or curt? The one who always seems to have everything going their way? That girl who doesn't seem to want to talk to you? They may just be hurting. Always be kind.
2) You don't need to know what to say. When tragedy strikes, often people are scared and shun the grieving because they don't know what to say. Honestly, people want you to say a lot less than you think they do. Just love and be there and listen.
3) There are a lot of different reasons that people feel like suicide is an option and there are so many things that can go wrong with a person's mind. It's not your job to figure out what went wrong or what the state of their soul is so you can tell those left behind - they're gone. You can't change what happened - but you can know and trust they are in the hands of a loving, gracious, and just God who is a Righteous Judge. Their soul is out of our hands - but they are in God's hands and we can be confident that He will always do what is right. •
Let God give you the strength, courage, and compassion enough to learn to weep with those who weep + bear their heavy burdens.
And the other truth you need to hold firmly in your heart is this: there is always love, support, and help to be found. Never be afraid to reach out and find it. There are people want you to stay here more than you can ever know.
#herlifehisway #justbethere
Valentine's day, 2010. I remember that day vividly - and every Valentine's day since is a reminder to check who is the love of my life.
No, not my husband - but my God.
February 14th, 8 years ago, was a Sunday like any other - when in my husband's Bible class, he remarked, "The day of your baptism should be one you remember vividly...". It wasn't meant for me, but it struck me down to my core and streams of water poured down my cheeks.
Afterwards, I ran to my husband. "I don't remember anything!" I sobbed, "I don't remember anything of what I knew or said or anything!" You see, being brought up in a Christian home, I didn't remember the day of my baptism. And I felt like I was putting it off - like something was holding me back. Pride? Fear? I wasn't sure, but it certainly wasn't love, submission, and trust.
But, as we both went down into the water and I submitted myself to immersion in the waters, relief washed over me. This was exactly what I needed to do. I knew I hadn't been dedicated before. This was my fresh start. •
It amazes me how God designed the Christian walk to start with submission. Complete submission by allowing yourself to be submerged in water. It's such a beautiful, symbolic action - we take part in His death as we die to ourselves and arise to a new life.
Whenever I restudy this, it strikes me how it's all at once so simple but yet so incredibly profound. It's the perfect picture. It's beautiful. It brings me to tears. :: May I ask you:
Have you been born again to walk anew?
If there is any doubt in your mind, please, do not hesitate.
Submit yourself to Him, fully.
All of His, Word - all of it.
Submit yourself to the waters.
God is waiting for you to return His love.
If you have questions, I'd love to talk this over with you - if you have questions, please message me. • "Don't you know, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3, 4). #herlifehisway #washedtowalkanew
Lord, our hearts ache.
Bring about change, Father - cause the rest of the nation’s hearts to learn to ache as well. Help them to feel the pain and sorrow and compassion that they have learnt not to feel. Soften our consciences - the consciences that have been seared to the point of callous. Help us feel and keep us feeling, oh Lord. Let us not turn our head and hide our eyes. It hurts to think of all the pain - all the lives that are not being respected, but cause us to remember them, nonetheless. Keep them at the forefront of our minds. Let our voices lift up with cries of sorrow and outrage.
But most of all - dear, gracious, all-merciful God - forgive us.
Forgive us for the times when we have thought of our children as burdens.
Forgive us for treating these precious souls as inconveniences, rather than reasons to praise. Do not remember all the times that we have made snide remarks, rolled our eyes at motherhood, pushed little children aside, turned a blind eye, disrespected any soul, or wished that there were no other heart beating in our bodies.
Forgive us for when we have loved and longed for our freedom more than we have cared for our children.
Forgive us for our ingratitude for our precious gifts - for every idle word we have spoken - for every time our heart was not broken when we heard of this sinful world’s ways.
We know you are gracious, oh Lord, and for that we are thankful - for too often we forget what is right. Too often our hearts are swayed by the world around us.
Lord, soften our hearts.
Let our lips sing praises to you.
Let our voices cry out for the voiceless.
Let our hearts ring with a love for all creatures.
Let our hands always lift up the weak and feeble.
And let our feet never walk in the ways of this world, in any respect.
Make our hearts, oh God, beat more to the tune of your justice, mercy, and love. Let sorrow and pain we allow ourselves to feel move us to action.
In the name of your own beloved Son - who gave up His own precious life for our lives,
Amen.
#herlifehisway #prayfortheunborn #softenourhearts #prolife
My husband is doing something incredibly thoughtful for me at the moment. For 3 months our church is conducting a special course on how to teach another person the Bible. My husband, without me knowing about this course or even asking, told me he’d take on parenting duties and I could go every Monday night for 12 weeks - because he understands the importance of me - woman, wife, and mother that I am - having a spiritual education. But this isn’t an isolated incident. My husband looks after the kids while I prepare for and conduct a home ladies’ Bible study every Monday. He bought me Bibles and study aids for Christmas. He understands that woman’s life isn’t about tip-toeing around her husband, keeping the kids out his way, and being fed the scraps of everything - she has as much worth and place as anyone and as much right to be fed with spiritual meat. My husband understands that - I wish more men did. I wish more WOMEN did. Too often we sell ourselves short.
I once heard in a ladies’ day lesson, “If you have young kids at home, it’s ok if you don’t study, because you are doing the greatest job in the world.” I couldn’t believe it, I was so irate.
The worst lie that you can tell a woman is that she is too busy or doesn’t need to study her Bible thoroughly. What we are really saying is, “Don’t worry honey, you don’t need to be worried about theology. You don’t need to become closer to God - just keep being satisfied with milk.” If we say we need Christ - it is the Word we should be craving, seeking, doing anything we can to obtain. If we say we follow Christ - we cannot give Him the scraps, we must give Him mind, body, soul, and strength. Every part.
Men and churches - make an effort to see your women taught the meat of the Word. Women - take the time and effort to know Him.
When women are in the Word, feasting on the meat of Scripture - women are closer to Christ, children are taught, husbands are supported, older women are full of wisdom to teach younger women, and younger women are better equipped for whatever life is ahead of them.
Tag someone who has encouraged you to dig deeper into His Word! 📖💙
I remember a few weeks ago I decided to bring my own cup and straw to Starbucks so I wouldn't end up with a single-use plastic cup and straw. It wasn't a big deal, just something I like to do when I can remember. I never made an announcement or said anything about it, I just brought my own cup and straw. "Oh, good thing you brought your cup and straw!
Otherwise, you would TOTALLY kill the entire planet and everything in it just because of ONE cup!" Someone piped up, in a mocking tone. "Why does this have to be such a big deal?" I thought.
Is this such a big deal? Should we care at all? 🤷♀️🌎 See what we think on this hot topic issue in this NEW post by @jayla_madison_ - link in bio @herlifehisway!
Also share what YOU think in our stories! 💙 Does this topic matter to you? Why, or why not?
#herlifehisway #plasticstraws #conservation #christoverculture #engagingculture #sustainableliving
“How hard has aging hit you?” How does your body compare to 10 years ago? Why do we do this to ourselves - and each other?
Let me tell you what I'd rather know. I’m more interested in how these years have made an impact on your soul. How you’ve gathered your scars. What you've achieved. How you’ve been victorious. What you’ve learnt along the way. What souls you’ve nourished. What lives you've enriched. What mouths you’ve fed. What struggles you’ve overcome. What burdens you’ve born. How your thinking has changed. How you share your wisdom and experiences with others. How you’ve made an impact on this world. How you’ve moved mountains and conquered things that you thought were impossible 10 years ago.
I don’t care how much you weigh now, how many wrinkles you have or haven’t gathered across your face, how your body has been stretched, or how young you look despite your years. Sooner or later this broken world will choose to etch this life onto your body in one way or another - how it does matters so. very. little.
Look, if you enjoy this thing for a bit of fun - that's OK. But just ask yourself - what is the purpose of this for you? To feel good about how well we’ve aged - or to feel guilt about how we haven’t? To have others tell us we’re beautiful (or more beautiful) either way? To inform others about why we look so good? To persuade others to our way of life (or direct sales team)? I won't judge - but you can think about it.
But, the older we get, the more we should realise how utterly worthless it is to dwell on what our bodies used to be. We aren't called to look like our 21-year-old selves forever, but to look more like Christ.
The real challenge is not found in what your face looks like now, but in how you face this life with grace and grit.
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How has 10 years made YOU stronger?
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📖 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). #herlifehisway
Just win this minute.
Thinking about the year ahead and the things we want to improve on, being more righteous should be at the forefront of our minds. But - when you’re caught in the trenches of sin, struggle, and temptation - sometimes it is too much to think about never committing a certain sin for the rest of your life, the rest of the year, or maybe even for the next month.
Instead, sometimes we have to think about not sinning this minute, this next hour, this day - and letting those days and hours and minutes turn into weeks and months and years.
We should look at our struggles as a constant battle - an exercise, a pursuit, a discipline, a fight. As long as we are in this broken world we will face struggles and temptations, but if we commit to doing right and fleeing from wrong in just THIS moment then we have a far greater chance of victory.
God has strength for THIS moment of weakness.
And the next.
And the next.
On into eternity.
So, when it feels too much to think about seizing the day - just focus on winning THIS minute. Little by little, you'll find you've won whole hours, days, weeks, months, and years.
Just focus on now.
Minute by minute.
Hour by hour.
Day by day.
This is how life is won. • "For whoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). #herlifehisway
Hey guys! I am happy to announce that I am going to be writing for Her Life His Way! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jayla Sparks, my bio is up on the blog but just a little more about me, just in case you want more than a little blurb
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My name is Jayla Madison Sparks, I'm 20 years old, I live in Fort Eorth, Texas, I graduated from the Brown Trail School of Preaching this past December, and starting in the fall I plan on starting college (I'm doing my schooling very non-traditionally, since I graduated highschool almost 2 years ago and am just starting college) to get my degree in psychiatry. I'm currently engaged and my wedding date is April 6 of this year!
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I have been writing for my own personal blog (which is no longer running) as well as some others like Come Fill Your Cup, Tomorrow's Church Today, and a few others here and there, since I was 13. My passion is, and always has been, to use my writing to bring others closer to God and to help women have a deeper knowledge of His Word.
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I enjoy playing the piano, writing (duh), sewing, reading nonfiction, drawing, yoga, and drinking coffee (but really who doesn't?).
I am SUPER excited to be a co-writer with Chantelle and for the opportunity to help women in the church grow closer to God by growing in knowledge, faith, and love for the Word. ❤️
-JM
