Why I Wear a Head-Covering

I have been wearing a head covering to "public worship" for about 2 years now. I have been a Christian for 13 years. I was not raised Christian and I definitely wasn't raised around women who wore head coverings.

When I became a Christian I remember reading 1 Cor. 11 and wondering: "Why don't women still wear head coverings? If God says it's a shame for women to have their head uncovered then shouldn't what He considers a shame be important to us?" The fact that it was in the new testament carried a lot of weight with me too in that it wasn't under the old covenant, this was a new covenant guideline.

The argument I often/almost always heard was: "it's a cultural thing." hmmmm, how do we get to decide what is cultural? Shouldn't God decide that? If He says a woman should have her head covered shouldn't we do that regardless of what the culture is doing? Since when is a Christian called to do what culture dictates? Don't we allow the Word of God to direct our lives/decisions?

I moved to WA about 3.5 years ago. When we came there was one family here that had a couple of the ladies wearing one. It intrigued me. So I asked them about it and how they came to that conviction. Fast forward a few months and I am on the phone with a friend that went to a church where there was a woman teaching pastor. I asked her: "How can you choose to go to a church where a woman is teaching men when the bible clearly teaches that shouldn't happen?" (1 tim. 2:12) Her response: "I'll give you the same reason that you aren't wearing a head covering, it's cultural." Oops. Can't argue with that. She was letting the current culture which says women should be able to teach man dictate that it was okay for women to teach men just as I was letting the current culture decide whether or not I needed to wear a head covering. I was convicted and on a mission to figure out once for all if God wanted women to wear head coverings and if He did, I would.

Let's look through 1 Cor. 11 together. Some of the information here was taken from a helpful website you can see by clicking here.

Paul starts out with saying in verse 2: "Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you." Interesting. Maintain traditions? Isn't our current culture all about doing away with traditions? Well, I guess that isn't just the current culture, looks like it's always been the case for people to stray from traditions and let the world determine what they will or won't do. Traditions aren't always popular but they often serve a purpose, especially if they are biblical (like head coverings). Paul commends the Corinthians for maintaining traditions.

Verse 3:  "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." This is the beginning of explaining the symbolism of a head covering. We are to wear one as women as a symbol that man is the head of his wife. When I put my head covering on it reminds me of this. I remember that Scott is the head of me and our home, not me. This is also why I believe headcoverings are for married women.

Verses 4 & 5: " Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, ⁵ but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven." This verse particularly intrigued me. MEN STILL PRACTICE THIS TODAY. They recognize it isn't talking about long hair but as an actual covering.  They have decided to not go with the culture, but to maintain this tradition, why haven't ladies made the same decision? In fact, it is seen as disrespectful and shameful to keep a hat on when we pray, just as God said it was a shame for a woman to pray with her head uncovered. 

Verses 6-9: "For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. ⁷ For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man." These verses again demonstrate the symbolism of head coverings, men are the head. The end of verse 6 confirms again that it is a literal covering and not long hair because it says: "let her cover her head."

Verse 10:  ^"That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels." This was one of the "clinchers" for me. This verse helped me in great ways to confirm that head coverings were not cultural. Angels do not change with the culture. Angels do not let the world determine what is right, they go by the Word of God and if they are involved with head coverings then I have all the more reason to wear one.


Verses 11-15 "Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; ¹² for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. ¹³ Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. " Verse 15 tripped me up for years and gave me "permission" to not wear a head covering because I decided my hair was my covering. But, as I clarified earlier there were a couple verses prior to this that confirmed it was an actual covering. (When I went to a young lady who wears one and asked her about this verse she said: "Oh yes, people who don't want to wear a head covering love that verse." :)

There are also several passages indicating headcovering was a common practice among married/betrothed women. "And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself." Genesis 24:64,65
Another verse showing the practice of wifely headcovering was an established practice is in the case of a woman before the priest when her husband suspects infidelity. And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering...." Numbers 5:18 In order for her head to be uncovered it must have first been covered.

When I studied the greek I found further confirmation that our hair is described as a different type of covering.


Paul said that men should not cover/katakalupto (Strong's 2619) their heads. And in verse 11 Paul contrasts that with: "Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered/akatakaluptos?" (Strong's 177) Note that 'uncovered'/akatakaluptos is the opposite of 'to cover'/katakalupto. Katakaluptos basically means to UNcover or UNveil. So far, we have a 'men uncover, women cover' command. Now for where the confusion comes in: When Paul refers to a woman's natural hair covering, he uses an altogether different word: "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering/peribolaion." (Strong's 4018). Peribolaion means something thrown around (loose items like a veil, a mantle, a vesture). Hair is more like a glorious decoration given to woman. Now if Paul had meant the naturally occuring hair covering and the headship-type covering to be one and the same, he would have used the same word for each. Instead, a woman's natural hair covering (peribolaion) is being contrasted to this other covering (katakalupto) that women wear. In fact, the katakalupto actually *covers* the peribolaion.
 
Paul has begun this passage showing the contrasts between men and women in this passage: men are uncovered, women are covered. Then Paul supports his case for headcovering by pointing out that even in nature a women is given a covering -- by her long hair. But Paul never makes the leap that hair itself *is* a suitable headcover alone. If such a natural covering sufficed, then Paul is wasting his time teaching this since the women already had a natural hair covering. Paul deliberately used different words for the two coverings so we would understand they were complementary to each other but not identical. So there is no choice offered in this passage that one may choose to either shave one's head and cover it, or to leave one's hair long and remain uncovered. The natural order is to either wear a covering over the hair or to fully exploit the shame of being uncovered by also shaving off one's hair too. Better: if you resist submitting to the customary female headcovering, you may as well reject your natural hair as well. 

These are all the reasons I wear a head covering. I should also mention I only wear it to "public worship" since the chapter seems to be addressing "public worship" (which some of your bibles may state). It would also make sense that if it is a shame for a woman to have her head uncovered publicly than it would also be a sin for a man to wear a hat/be covered publicly. I believe the context is for public worship.


For further reading I highly recommend: www.headcoveringmovement.com This site is very helpful and encouraging and seems to prove that God is stirring women's hearts everywhere to cover their heads.
 
Lastly, the pretty girl pictured in this post wearing the headcoverings is not me :) She sells a plethora of beautiful headcoverings that can be found at: http://garlandsofgrace.com/


Be sure to check out a second post here that has some more links!
http://mrsscottlapierre.blogspot.com/2015/08/headcovering-movement.html

Where is your identity?

I love this definition of identity according to dictionary.com: "the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions." 

Let's look at how the Lord describes our identity if we are genuine, born again believers in Christ: 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Cor. 5:17)

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3)

So let's see here. If you are a believer then you are:
 

Chosen.

For His own possession, 

Crucified with Christ 

Hidden with Christ in God.

That is your identity. You no longer are your own. You no longer are identified with your past, with the world, with your flesh... You are officially HIS.

How should this affect our day to day life? How does this influence us hour by hour? 

Let's look back at our definition of identity: "the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions." Hmmm, in other words, our state... or our identity in Christ remains the same regardless of the varying aspects or conditions of our lives. That's powerful! That's life changing!

Your identity should be "wrapped up" in Christ. Not in motherhood. Not in your marriage. Not in your occupation. Not in your home. Not in what others say or don't say about you. Your identity is in Christ ALONE.  Now marriage, motherhood, work, your home and people are important and gifts from God but they do not constitute who we are in Christ. If all those things fade or change or waver your identity in Christ doesn't fade, change or waver.

When your identity is wrapped up in who you are in Christ then the way you respond to the various aspects, conditions and circumstances in your life will be vastly different than the way those in the world respond to those same things. When your identity however is wrapped up in the passing things of this world then you will reap the consequences of that.

Fighting with your husband? Having a rough day with the kids? Find out that someone is talking trash about you? Get some bad news? Well, none of that changes the state of your identity. You are still His. You are still hidden in Christ. You are still crucified with Christ. You are still His possession.

Your life will continue to have MANY ups and downs. Don't let your identity be shaped by the ups and downs, let it be continuously shaped by who you are in Him. 

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Silly Stuff We Say And Think About Satan

"The devil made me do it." "Man, the devil is really after me this week."

We have all heard these at one time or another... and it's silly. The devil most likely did not make you do anything. Most likely, it was you. "each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death." James 1:14-15 A lot of the time, we are the problem. We are capable of greater evil then we give ourselves credit for. We are drawn away time and time again by the lusts of our flesh and just like Eve did in the garden, we are tempted to blame the devil (although, let's face it, she has a better case than we do in blaming the devil).

There seem to be many misconceptions of the devil not only in the world but in the church itself. Many think it is their personal goal in life to go around rebuking him. Satan is not omnipresent. He can only be one place at a time. The likelihood that he is bugging you is VERY slim. Yes, He has his demons. But the bible says that He who is in you is greater than he who is against you (1 John. 4:4) and since the devil is the king of the demons and He who is in you is greater than him then we must conclude that He who is in you is greater than his little worker bees too.

I think Satan loves the fear Christians have of him. It's all unnecessary though. God has given us everything we need in His Word and through His divine power to stand against the devil, the evil forces, the world and our flesh (2 Peter 1:3).  Many just don't want to take the time to read what the bible actually says about the devil.

Even if the devil is pursuing you, you don't have to have some fancy-smancy-hocus-pocus-silliness to get him to leave. The bible says to simply RESIST him (James 4:7). Resist him. That's it. Not only does he leave, the bible says he FLEES. That's crazy. He flees from you, doesn't sound too scary to me.

The bible also tells us that the devil has schemes. But have no fear, the Word gives us what we need to combat his schemes too!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to STAND FIRM against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:10-17

Again, no "get out there and rebuke the devil and all his nasty schemes". Instead, we are told to put on truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation and the word of God! 

Don't get caught up in what the world or even well meaning Christians are teaching about the devil. Simply look to the Words of God and be comforted and never forget, greater is He who is in you than he who is against you. 

My life story... so far

I was born on Oct. 28th 1981. I am the oldest of three kids. My parents had been married five years before deciding to have children. My dad was 30 and my mom 25. Neither of them were Christians at the time. They had bought a farm straight out of college. 200 acres of wild rice. There was a little one bedroom home on that farm, and to this day, that is where my dad still lives! The house now has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. My dad has done a lovely job making it a wonderful place to go home to.

My little sister came almost exactly 2 years after me. Molly Nell. The Lord has done such great things in our relationship! We used to fight like cats and dogs. We both got saved around the same time...I'm getting ahead of myself here...I also have a sweet younger brother who has been a great "Uncle Boo" to my kids. Boyd overcame great odds at age 2 as he battled a whelms tumor (cancer of the kidney). He went through chemo and lots of radiation and is now 26 years old!
 

 My dear brother Boyd.

My sister Molly and I.

My mother was an alcoholic. It was a very rare evening that she wasn't plastered. I remember at times going to bed so angry at her... even embarrassed for her... and wanting to be angry at her in the morning to punish her some how for what I felt she was "doing" to our family... but when I woke up and found her sober it was like I just couldn't be mad... I really liked my mom sober and I remember always wanting to enjoy that short time I had with my sober mom in the morning before going to school... and so the cycle continued... sober in the morning, goes to work (she worked my whole life), she started drinking on the way home from work (and I found out later, at work), gets home, drank more, makes an elaborate and wonderful dinner, we all sit down to her hard work and can't be thankful because we are all too mad that we are forced to spend another night with a drunk. I remember being terribly embarrassed numerous times by my mother at school events, at our home when we I had sleepovers... I was humiliated by her childish behavior. I remember fearing for my friends' lives as we drove with my drunk mother through a twisty canyon... My mom loved us through food. It was her "love language" you could say. I remember choosing not to eat one time and it visibly upsetting her. I began "feasting" on her being upset and developed an eating disorder. In a weird way I was using my eating disorder to punish her but in the end it only messed me up.

My poor mom. One of the loneliest people I have ever met. I don't think even her very closest friends knew her that well... At some point I transitioned from seeing her as my mom, to a lost soul in desperate need of Jesus... that is when everything changed... that is when forgiveness flooded my heart and enabled me to see my mom as the Lord saw her. My anger suddenly turned to pity. My poor mom.... Isn't that sometimes how forgiveness comes? Through pity? Through sadness for someone else's life... their poor decisions...Pity can lead to compassion and we could all use more compassion. My mother needed to be right with her Creator. My mom died the day before she was supposed to come and stay with me to help me with my new baby. It was sudden. She had destroyed her heart and it gave out on her. I remember just feeling so sad for her. Feeling torn up inside that she never got to know God and allow Him to work in her life.... 

My mom and sister at my sister's wedding.

I have always been close to my sweet dad who became a born again believer my freshman year in high school. My dear dad was persecuted by his own family, his own children, for his faith and convictions. I remember mocking my dad on numerous occasions when he asked us to turn certain tv shows off because he thought they were an offense to the Lord. He did the very best he could raising us children to be in a home with love despite the woman he married. He is now married to a woman who loves the Lord with all her heart and she has been such a wonderful "Mimi" to my children.

Pictured on top: Mimi with Rhea, Molly and her youngest-Piper Jean and Me with my youngest, Charis. Pictured below that: My dad (aka: Poppop) with four of his grand-kids in the wheel barrel on the farm I grew up on.

When I went off to college at age 17 I couldn't shake my dad's faith from my mind. I tried to through drugs and a boyfriend but I couldn't forget what the Lord had done in my dad's life! While in college and living in rebellion toward the Lord I encountered different people He put in my path to remind me of Him and His best for my life. The Holy Spirit was working even though to the outside world it looked like I could care less about Christianity/God.

When I was 20 years old I felt like I was finally ready to surrender to God. All this initially began through a cult called: International Church of Christ which teaches you must be baptized in their church to be saved. A dear friend was driving with me to my baptism and she said: "Look, you don't have to do this. I just don't think this is right. Let's start over with the Lord together." I didn't get baptized that day and the Lord used her mightily to direct me to a bible teaching church: Calvary Chapel in Santa Barbara California. A year later I was baptized in the ocean by my pastor, Britt Merrick. I had left all that worldly lifestyle behind and had decided to follow Christ! Around the same time, like I was saying earlier, God was working in my younger sister's life and she too got saved! Because of Christ my sister and I are best friends. And now she is moving across the country to be in the same town as me with her husband and three precious children! God changes things. He renews relationships. He brings hope where there is none. He restores.

I spent the first five years of my Christian life wondering if I would ever get married... it seemed everyone around me was getting married left and right! I got impatient and settled, and started dating a non-believer.... it was the longest month of my life! I was in constant turmoil. I listened to ONE sermon that whole time on 1 Peter 2:11 which says: " I beg you brethren to not give into the lusts of your flesh that wage war on your soul." That was me. I was giving into the lusts of my flesh and there was a definite war on my soul. I broke up with that guy and told the Lord: "never again!" 3 weeks later Scott LaPierre and I reconnected after not seeing each other for 9 years! Scott and I grew up together in the same small town. Neither of us were Christians during school but the Lord had done a great work in our lives since and we were excited to meet again :) My whole family remembered him and they (except my mom) were thrilled to hear he had become a born again believer!

Scott and I talked for hours and hours on the phone and decided to see each other again. After only a month or so of dating we were engaged and then 7 months later we were married and 11 months later we had our first child, Rhea Grace :) Now he is a senior pastor of a church in south western Washington and we have three more kiddos with another on the way. Scott's parents also became born again believers about a year into our marriage and Scott got to baptize them both! How awesome is that?! Now they have moved to be with us here in Wa. We are blessed and thankful!

My wonderful in-laws at an anniversary party we threw for them a few years ago.

Our most recent family photo at home on the farm.

Everybody has a story. This is a condensed version of mine. I am so grateful to know God! So grateful for how He has worked and is working! So grateful that by simply trusting in His Son that He then came and worked and is working in my heart to change me into being more like Christ. I get to be with Him for eternity because of what Christ did on the cross. He is a good, good God!

Top 4 Ways I Save Time

Saving time. Kind of a weird thought. How does one "save" time... We all get the same amount. 24 hours in one day. Some of us are professional time wasters though.

Tick, tock, tick, tock... that sound makes me... nervous! I hate wasting time... I like the idea of saving time... or redeeming time... Ephesians 5:16 sums up the best way to save time: "Make the most of every opportunity..." Sounds simple doesn't it when it is put that way? Here are some ways I make the "most of every opportunity".

1. Shop online. What is one of the many things us moms HAVE TO do? Shop. Our family needs food... well, we do too. And laundry detergent. And vitamins. And... and... you get the idea. We need stuff. Lots of stuff. Every time you GO to the store you have to count the time it takes to get ready, get everyone in the car, drive to the store, shop in the store, pack everything and everyone back into the car, unload the car and put everything away... phew, makes me tired just typing it all out. I like to buy stuff online. Think of all the steps I just listed that get cut out when you do this! My favorite is to buy through amazon.com and walmart.com. A lot of walmart's prices are hard to beat. If you spend over $50 online (easy to do) then you get free shipping. With amazon I love to use their "subscribe and save" program. Not only do you get free shipping but you also get an additional 15% off! I love to use this for items I use often (paper plates, diapers, dish detergent, emergen-c etc.). We are also prime members on amazon which gives us free two day shipping on almost everything. Totally worth the small fee.

2. Multitask. As. Much. As. Possible. So many of our modern day conviences enable us to multitask non-stop. You can dry a load of laundry while you sleep! Our ancestors would laugh to hear us say: "I just don't have time to do everything." Today I was vacuumming, while the popcorn was popping for the high school outreach, while the clothes were washing in the washer machine, while Ricky and Rhea were working on school work. Always be looking for ways to get more than one thing done at once. 

3. Stay home. A lot of us feeling like we don't have time is because we aren't at home enough. The more time you spend at home the more you get done at home which is our God ordained dominion. Titus 2:5 instructs women to "be busy at home." Again, I love the simplicity of the bible! That is where we are to be the busiest ladies! At home. This is hard because we have cars that can take us lots of places and then we are at all these places neglecting our homes and then we feel like we "just don't have enough time." Pray and ask the Lord to give you direction on if and when He would have you leave the home. My husband is a big help for me in this area, helping me decipher whether or not I should leave the house to do something else. Ask your man and see what he says.

4. Prioritize. How often do you find yourself on facebook before reading your bible? Are you calling a friend just to chat when your sink is full of dishes? Do you find yourself watching "just one more episode" when your kids have been asking you for weeks to play some board game with them? Remember, if you are married and a mother, your highest calling is to minister to your husband and children. Be in His Word first. Serve your family first. Do your "have tos" before your "want tos". Maybe you don't have time to do the important things because the less important things are sucking up all your time. 

God told me.....

I have been having a great discussion with ladies on a group page called "Sister to Sister" on facebook. I initially posted this article: http://www.donotbesurprised.com/2014/03/beth-moore-prophesies-coming-outpouring.html warning my sisters in Christ about the direction Beth Moore seems to be going and received quite a bit of feedback on whether or not God speaks to us outside of His Word.

I have been having so many thoughts whirling around in my head because of this post and I knew I couldn't do a facebook post with a million words long so I decided to do a blog post as a response instead.
 
First, let me say why I think this topic is so important: God doesn't like people speaking for Him when He didn't speak. Not only does He not like it, it makes Him angry.

"A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape." Proverbs 19:5

"I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. 'They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.'"-Jeremiah 27:15

People prophesying lies in God's name is nothing new. When someone says: "God said...." when He did not say, they are prophesying lies in His name just like people did in Jeremiah's day. Look at God's response again: "Therefore I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you." Yikes. No thanks. God takes speaking for Him pretty seriously and so should we.

Many times I wonder if people are really just speaking the delusions of their own minds.
"Then the LORD said to me, 'The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and THE DELUSIONS OF THEIR OWN MINDS." Jeremiah 14:14

Whenever I hear a Christian say: "God said to me...." I shudder a bit... I wonder: "Do they know what they are really saying? Do they understand that they are speaking for God?"

I think the words: "God said.." are becoming too commonplace. People say it like they are speaking for their buddy or their neighbor, not the Creator of the universe.
Some things I do believe in: I believe God works through His Holy Spirit and His Word (the bible) to guide us, teach us and convict us. I also believe that God does not work the same as He did in the Old Testament and I believe Hebrews 1:1-2 explains this perfectly:


"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the Heir of all things, through whom also He created the world."

That seems pretty clear to me: God spoke in past times through His true prophets who could honestly say: "God said to me..." but in these days, we know, He spoke through His Son and the Word of God which John 1 describes as being one in the same.

Does this mean God CANNOT speak to us? Audibly even? NO. He can do WHATEVER He wants. Do I think it is as common as many make it out to be? Absolutely not. In fact, some of the things people claim that God is telling them is often just flat out silly. When God spoke in the Old Testament through His prophets it was with great purpose, it was clear and it was obviously from God.

God would have the same advice for us today that He did for those in Jeremiah's day:

"Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have." Jeremiah 29:8

Secondly, I think this is so important because of how it often shakes young believers and sometimes "older" believers' faith. "Why doesn't God talk to me like He does to 'so and so'?... Maybe I'm not saved... Maybe I don't really have a relationship with God since I never hear from Him."
 
Thirdly, how do you decipher from "God speaking" and your own mind or deceitful heart? Some of my most charismatic friends have quoted God saying many things that never came to pass or were just flat out lies. One friend told me: "God told me 'this is the man you are going to marry'" Well... that guy ended up marrying someone else. She also said: "God told me that I am going to die very soon." That was 12 years ago. Speaking falsely for the Lord can also be just flat out embarrassing when it is proven to be a lie!

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9.

Wouldn't you rather err on the side of caution/godly fear and not say "God told me"? Wouldn't you rather say I feel like this or that? Quoting God is a way bigger deal than quoting your friend or even someone like the president. Unless you are sure, beyond the shadow of ANY doubt like Paul on the way to Damascus, I would never say: "God said..."

Lastly, people often talk about God speaking to people in the bible as if it was happening ALL the time. Not so. With the times in the Bible that record God speaking, we have to remember that they occur over the course of 4,000 years of human history. God speaking audibly is the exception, not the rule.

I appreciate gotquestions.org's thoughts on God speaking today: "God does speak to people today. First, God speaks to us through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Isaiah 55:11 tells us, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” The Bible is God’s Word, everything we need to know in order to be saved and live the Christian life. Second Peter 1:3 declares, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness." God can also “speak” to us through events—i.e., He can guide us through arranging our circumstances. And God helps us to discern right from wrong through our consciences (1 Timothy 1:5;1 Peter 3:16). God is in the process of conforming our minds to think His thoughts (Romans 12:2). God allows events to occur in our lives to direct us, change us, and help us to grow spiritually (James 1:2–5;Hebrews 12:5–11). First Peter 1:6–7 reminds us, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." God may sometimes speak audibly to people. It is highly doubtful, though, that this occurs as often as some people claim it does."

My husband did two messages on this very thing a couple years ago! Please feel free to listen here and here.

I would like to conclude with these two loving warnings from the New Testament:

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." 2 Peter 2:1

One less thing....

I am sure you have heard of Elisabeth Elliot's phrase: "Do the next thing." Well, my new phrase is: "One less thing."

I recently stopped dying my hair. Seems like a simple, non-impressive thing to stop doing but it's one less thing to think about now. It's one less thing to buy. It's one less thing to take up space in my house. It's one less thing to think about. When we have "one less thing" to do we make room for one more beneficial thing to do. When we compile a list of "one less things" we suddenly find we have much more time for the greater things.

In my life right now I am all about: one less thing. Having four children six and under, homeschooling them, and being a pastor's wife (which involves many different things/events) means being pulled in many directions.

All of us probably feel like we are pulled in many directions. Remember, every time you say yes to something you are saying no to something else. I suppose the reverse could be true too. Every time you say no to something you are saying yes to something else.

By me saying "yes" to doing a blog post right now I am saying "no" to my kids. I cannot give them my full attention. That is why it is also good to evaluate what you choose to say yes to and WHEN you say yes to it. By choosing to blog when my kids are sleeping I am saying yes to blogging without saying no to my kids. Makes sense right?

What "one less thing" do you need in your life right now? What thing can you cut out from your life to say yes to something else? 

We have way too many things in our lives and when we are doing many things we are rarely doing a few things well. It is better to do a few things well than many things poorly.

One less thing will add more to your life. Before purchasing one more thing or before doing one more thing ask these questions: will this thing take more of my time? will I need to find some place to put it? will it require cleaning and upkeep? Does it cost money? If so, is it worth the cost? Is it something my husband would like me to do or to buy? Will this event make me a more godly wife, a better mother or a better homemaker?

By seriously considering what we say yes to we are seriously considering the Lord's will for our lives and how He would have us spend our time. After-all, even our time does not belong to us.  

"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God." (1 Cor. 6:20)

Make a list right now of the "one less things" you can implement in your life and experience the freedom found in having and doing less!