Kristi Woods

Do You Ever Feel Unwanted? Hope Threaded Here

February 12, 2019 by Kristi 4 Comments

Do you ever feel unwanted?

What about that friend who always makes plans–but never includes you? Let’s talk about that spouse who walked out the door–forever. Or, maybe the child who never comes around or calls leaves us in tears or dismay.

Feeling unwanted hurts.

It sooths about as much as stepping on a sandbur (or regular, old field burs) with our bare feet. Ouch!

I’ve faced times when I’ve felt this way, especially in those formative younger and teen years. Think teenage dating scene.

And you know what?

Those situations, ones that seemed benign or deemed as a typical part of the growing up years (just “get over it”, but I didn’t) helped seed lies I believed for YEARS.

Years. Decades. Oy.

We wrestle not with flesh and blood….

…but against darkness and spiritual wickedness. (Eph. 6:12)

It’s not people we battle. Darkness wages war. We stand in the crosshairs–anything to keep focus and glory from Christ.

Isn’t it crazy how we believe or handle life and reactions to events based on a misplaced notion?

(Find more helpful posts for overcoming pesky wayward emotions here.)

But in Christ, we find hope for feeling unwanted. In Him, WE ARE WANTED.

Recently, I wrote a guest piece for Alisa at Flourishing Today. Alisa and I befriended each other in a COMPEL Training Critique Group a few years ago. Both of us harbor hearts for helping folks grow in their faith.

Come on over to Flourishing Today and grow. We’re threading the hope of Jesus Christ into your story and ours.

Click here to join us.

See you there!

How Are You Made? {New Memory Verse!}

February 5, 2019 by Kristi 6 Comments

How are you made? Who are you?

Trials may usher us straight to this question. Uncertainities and the comments of others may too. However, our 2019 memory verses are rushing to the rescue.

Gems like today’s verse are helping us proclaim our true identity. (Can I get an “Amen”?!)

Scripture–the very God-inspired words of the Almighty as penned through man–assures we are:

God’s Children (believers)
We are His
A part of
A member of the family
Included
So Loved
Even when feelings drag us toward a different assurance
In the face of failure
When others walk out or away
At our very, very, lookin’-bleak, darkest, lowest point in life

This week, in 2019’s 3rd memory verse, we receive affirmation that yes…

We are made in God’s likeness and image.

Knit together by the Creator of the universe–fashioned in His likeness and image.

Wow!

Generation after generation, the devil attempts to undermine the Rock-solid, truth-invested reality of who we are in hopes we’ll teeter and stumble or simply fall. Anything to deny the True and Living God. Whatever it takes to steal glory from Above.

But we serve the Almighty, the Creator of all. His power causes praise. He solidifies our creation in His likeness. His image. He assures we are loved immensely–enough that a man should die for us, and that, as believers, we are family.

So there you have it–an answer to “How are you made?”

Truth for your today. Tomorrow too.

A Few Memorization Helps:

Go here to find additional ideas for memorizing Bible verses.

Personally, I like to write them out ~~each~~ most days. (Just being honest!) My planner–a fancy new writer’s version and a new investment this year from My Brillant Writing Planner, affords space to write a verse each day. Also, in our Subscriber Library here on the blog, I’ve created a helpful download–a daily task list–that offers an area to write the current and a previous memory verse. This task list not only focuses on the tasks but also on spiritual health and masquerades as a tool to help build your faith as well.

Let’s meet again here next Tuesday for more to spur our faith and then again in 2 weeks for the next memory verse.

Remember

Remember, these verses come straight to your inbox most 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month if you’re a subscriber.

What’s that? Not a subscriber? No problem. Simply sign up here to receive the memory verses as well as regular email updates. Oh, and you’ll have access to all the helpful printables in the Subscriber Library as well. 😉

Why Is Being a Lukewarm Christian as Dangerous as Not Following Jesus?

January 29, 2019 by Kristi 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Why is being a lukewarm Christian as dangerous as not following Jesus? Read to see.

There’s something about a nice, hot bath. It warms chilly bones.

I confess, I love soaking in the tub. But not in lukewarm water.

Lukewarmness teases but never gets around to business.

I’ll refuse a bath in that case.

I wonder if a middle-ish faith lands us in a similar way.

God warns about being lukewarm Christians (Rev. 3:14-22), and the picture ta’aint pretty. He vomits in that place.

Give me the heat or give me nothing at all. I refuse a faith that’s lukewarm. That feeling rose when I first became a Christian, and it continues even today.

I wanted more of God.

How about you?

Do you want faith that’s fully hot or simply simmering?

I plan to dig further into scriptures this year on the blog. I will not only label myself as biblically literate but as a follower of Christ on fire for God. Not lukewarm. Here’s why:

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn’t gather with me, scatters.” Matt. 12:30 WEB

Could choosing NOT to follow Jesus be a choice to follow Satan? That’s what the notes on the Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT) mention.

And I shudder when I read it because that’s such a line. Like a fault line, it’s the edge of our God defining life and that within it.

Good and evil.

Night and day.

Male and female.

Following and not following.

Do you want this too–saying yes to good versus evil, living in light not dark, being hot for Christ–not cold or even lukewarm? Here’s why that’s a good desire:

Matt. 12:30 lands just after the verses noting the exceeding power of Jesus versus Satan.

For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. Matt. 12:29 NLT

After reading Matthew 12, my mouth hung open. The power. The God we serve…Wowzers!

In society today, we hand darkness permission. We think it strong and overcoming, growing in fear with each glance. I fall prey, that’s for certain. But after reading Matt. 12, I desire to keep focus Above, on our Strong Tower.

You too?

Our God exudes power. He ties up the evil one. The Almighty plunders his house. He brings victory to you and me. Praise God!

Why are we scared of the evil one? Why fear his power?

So we’ve no need to grow cool in this faith walk. Forget lukewarm. God vomits in that place. That’s why being a lukewarm Christian stands as dangerous as not following Jesus.

Turn on the hot. Let the Holy Spirit water pour. Hop in the tub of “on fire faith.” Warm those spiritual bones, my friend.

Be encouraged this year as you soak in the goodness of God Almighty through praise, thanks, prayer, His Word, rest, and more. He’s powerful and worthy. And a life with Him is never be the same.

Follow Jesus. And grow baby, grow. I’ll be right beside you, running the race with heat running through the bones.

Glory to God.

Action Steps

Prayer

Father,
I love You. Your power exceeds anything else I’ll face in life. I choose You and a faith with the temperature turned high. Show me how to live fully for You and Your purposes. I pray for ears that hear, eyes that see, and a heart willing to follow. All majesty and glory and honor is Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Free Printable

To help you turn the temperature to “hot”, make sure to grab your free printables in the Subscriber Library. (Password is in each monthly newsletter.) Not a subscriber? Join here. The current featured dowload is “I Am Enough: Truth and Declarations to Squelch the Voice of “Not Enough”.

Memory Verses

Join us for our memory verse program: Who AM I? Each 1st and 3rd Tuesday will showcase a new verse to memorize, complete with a printable and helpful ideas concerning how to memorize scriptures.