Treasure Silence

**The picture above doesn't relate to my dogwood tree story, however, it presents a powerful visual of silence.  No matter what that "place" is for you, it is important to include silence in your journey.  

Growing up was rough for me.  I came from a very dysfunctional upbringing.  There was always chaos and noise going on.  Many times, I relished the thoughts of getting away...establishing a place of solitude in the midst of the hurricane of a life I lived. 

 Next to my house was a tree...a dogwood tree. Every year, it yielded some of the most beautiful dewy, white flowers.  The scent was attractive, lingering in the air.  Most dogwood trees don't grow very big unless they are older.  This one stood beside my house since the day it was built in the mid 1950's, so it was pretty sturdy and large.  Because I was a tomboy, I climbed anything...from fences to the rooftop of my house.  This tree I had learned to climb when I was about 7 years old.  And boy was it fun! Climbing and jumping off...it was my makeshift jungle gym.  Well this time, it served a different purpose...it was the place where I had come to treasure silence.

As I mentioned earlier, my life was full of hurtful chaos.  To attempt to get away from it all, almost everyday after completing my homework, I'd run out and climb this tree and sit for hours.  I'd go almost to the very top.  My favorite branch had become smooth from my multiple visits.  From the bottom it was hard to see up, either from the leaves or the flowers, so my spot was secure.  Luckily enough, the bees never bothered me.  I guess after a while, they saw me as one of them =)

From my place of peace and quiet, I'd let my imagination run wild and free...daydreaming of my new life.  How I'd live.  What would I be like.  Where I would live.  And most importantly how happy and at peace I'd be.  Well, all of that took time...and a lot of hurtful experiences.  I look back on that little girl in the tree and I'm amazed at her determination to live...at her determination to find and treasure silence in the midst of her storm.

Many times as adults, we fill our cups to the brim, sometimes overflowing, with things.  We lose track of ourselves, our sanity, and our peace.  Then when we've run out of gas, we don't have anything reserved to continue on.  We desperately try to find the source of origination of where we went wrong...but all to no avail.  In the book of Job, when his life had been hit with detrimental blows, Job posed a statement to God, saying, "Teach me and I will keep quiet.  Show me what I have done wrong." (Job 6:26, NLT).  You see in times when we've lost our peace and can't search for that silence anymore, we need to get before God and pose the same statement to Him as Job did.  Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) says "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you."  Even in the most horrible of storms, chaos, and situations, we can remain in peace and attain that beautiful silence if we learn to cling to God's promises.  In Matthew 11:28, Jesus makes an invitation for all who are weary and burdened to come to Him and He will give us rest.  You see, (and maybe this is just for me) but when things start getting out of hand, and we become distressed, stressed, frustrated and worried...it's usually a sign that we've gotten out of God's will and stepped into our own.  We've gotten off of the path of peace and onto the path of noise and confusion.  

God wants so much for us to trust in Him wholly.  He wants to be included in everything about our lives.  And sometimes, well many times, it's absolutely necessary to step away from the noise of life and find that place of solitude and seek the Lord while He may be found and call on Him while He's near (Isaiah 55:6, NIV).  

We can have the life God wants us to have.  We just have to take the necessary steps to ensure He's included in every move we make...and sometimes seeking silence is where we'll find Him.  My prayer is for you to be blessed even as your souls are blessed.  I pray that you will take the initiative and find that silent place and treasure it.  In that place, call on our Father and allow His peace to saturate your hearts.  I am moved to tears at this very moment as I write...I pray this blog is as much of a blessing to you as it is to me.  God bless you!

What Does Your Authenticity Look Like?

When the name of my blog came about, I knew hands down that it was God-inspired.  For one, I was far from thinking about starting another blog.  The first one was a mess and I didn't have the energy nor time to put into another one.  Second, I was deeply engaged in one of my favorite pastimes, Pinterest...just effortlessly pinning away and creating new boards (ahh how I love Pinterest).  The name "Authentically Spoken" came as a whisper.  But this whisper was one I immediately recognized as not being my own voice or thoughts.  Before the thoughts swirl in your head about this, please trust the journey; I'm actually going somewhere with this =)

You see, when God gave me that title for my blog, though I instantly reacted and jumped on the computer, my inner conversation began (you know, the one that usually causes us to stop in our tracks and eventually retreat)  "How can I measure up to this name? I am FAR from authentic!"  Sure, I've used the phrases "I'm just keeping it real" or "I'm keeping it 100" or "I'm a realist!" many, many times before. I shake my head now, because I couldn't have been SO FAR from the truth.  As a matter of fact, I fooled myself for many years with those phrases.  In those phrases, I was able to portray that I was 100% authentic...that what people saw is what they were going to get.  I spoke what was on my mind, acted out how I felt, all in the name of being real.

But here was and is the reality of my authenticity.  I have come to recognize and acknowledge that I'm broken.  I hid behind opaque walls for so long, eventually forgetting my own image. I carry many scars of self inflicted abuse, abuse by others, neglect, resentment, bitterness, and many other things.  I didn't like who I was so I put on the clothing of a persona that was more of a "comfortable fit" for me.  And that's what so many of us do.  We toss around words and phrases, hide behind fortresses, live pretentiously, but yet fail to really understand the true meaning behind anything.

One of the most powerful people in the bible in view of authenticity was King David.  Many know the story and struggles of David.  What's so beautiful is the fact that God allowed David's transparency to be conveyed through scripture.  Psalm 51 is one such display.  In Psalm 51:3-5, he says, "I admit that I am rebellious.  My sin is always in front of me. I have sinned against you, especially you.  I have done what you consider evil.  So you hand down justice when you speak, and you are blameless when you judge.  Indeed, I was born guilty.  I was a sinner when my mother conceived me."  

So for me, authenticity is no longer about me "keeping real, being real, being 100!" Rather, it's me acknowledging that I'm a sinner who has been delivered by the saving grace and unyielding love of God.  Authenticity is me measuring myself against the word of God and what He says about my life and who I am in Him.

I still have my struggles as we all do.  But my hope is that for you and I to discover that our real selves lie in the knowledge and power of Christ.  Who we are is no longer who we used to be (2 Corinthians 5:17).  So start today and make the choice to stand up and stand out of the crowd of so called realists, and be the authentic beautiful person GOD intended for you to be.

Be blessed!

Pursue, Overtake & Recover All!

Back in 2002 while stationed in Germany, I attended a women's conference.  The theme was "Pursue, Overtake & Recover All."  At that time, I was fairly new in my relationship with Christ, but was very excited to attend something like this.  

I was truly blessed by the overall experience of the conference.  I saw women of all races and backgrounds come together under one roof and lift up God.  Healing, deliverance, and miracles took place.  I was truly blessed.  However, the one thing that I took out of that entire experience and remains with me today is the scripture from which the conference title came from, 1 Samuel 30:8 (NKJV) "So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”  

To give a bit of back story...David and his army were heading into battle against the Amalekites.  But when they arrived at their destination, they saw the place ransacked and everyone gone.  All the families had been captured and taken by the Amalekites.  Of course the men were greatly distressed because their families had been taken captive.  So the next best thing was to come up against the one who orchestrated the whole thing, David.  In seeing this, he became greatly distressed.

Now I won't give the entire story...I encourage you to read it for yourselves, it's beautiful and speak volumes.  But two things stood out to me.  Though threatened on every level, David encouraged himself in the Lord (1Samuel 30:6).  He recognized the power and ability in God to not only save him, but to get back what the enemy had taken away.  After David sought God, God's response was David was to pursue, overtake, and without fail recover all.

You see, I don't by far to profess to be a bible scholar, preacher, or teacher of the bible.  However, I do know what God has done for me...and my testimony stands strong in the midst of the scriptures I share with you.  Many times, Satan has tried to destroy me.  And it was in those despairing times that I had a choice.  To fall victim to his plight or to muster up enough strength from somewhere and seek God.  See, God doesn't expect us to have it all together. He knows we're going to stumble in life...but where He receives the glory and steps in is when He sees our fight to stay afloat.  God said in Hebrews 13:5 that He would never leave us nor forsake us.  God's word is bond.  It does not and cannot return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

So in times of distress and despair, don't allow those elements to cave in on you.  Find the strength from somewhere to seek God.  Learn to encourage yourself in the Lord.  Yes, it sounds easier said than done...but I am here as a living witness that even up to this very day (4 September 2014) I CONSTANTLY encourage myself in God and seek Him for my needs.  Life will keep happening.  Satan will keep pushing...and the flesh will always remain weak.  It is in the hidden places of God that we receive renewed strength, encouragement, boldness and courage to continue forward.

I pray that God will bless you all richly today.  I pray that you will always hold on to the words of God and allow them to saturate your whole-being, giving you the fuel to the vehicle to live out loud for Christ.

Be blessed :)  

Don't Quit! Don't Let it be in You!

It's no secret that life is tough.  Sometimes so tough we just want to throw in the towel.  In those times of despair, we really don't want to hear an "encouraging word."  We just want a solution to get us out of whatever it is.  But I'm here to tell you...in all truth and transparency...quitting should NOT be an option!  Don't let it be!  I truly know what it feels like to be in the pits.  To try everything you know to do and still nothing moves or changes for you.  I know that feeling of quitting that creeps up and all of a sudden becomes overwhelmingly powerful.  Just today was one of my "not so good days" and I watched a T.D. Jakes sermon titled "Defying the Urge to Quit."  In it, he repeated over and over the words, "I DON'T QUIT."  The more I heard those words and began repeating them, the more the I felt empowered by God to believe those words.  

We're going to have our ups and downs.  Good and bad, but please don't allow quitting to be in that equation.  If you have to write it down so you can see it (Habbakuk 2:3) or say it over and over until it becomes a part of your character...do it!  Do whatever it takes to rid that spirit of quitting...God didn't give us a spirit of fear 2 Timothy 1:7 (quitting is a part of that fear spirit).  

Sometimes we have to encourage ourselves as David did in 1 Samuel 30:6.  

My words of encouragement to you are this...I don't know where you are in life, but never (and yes I'm saying never) allow quitting to be an option.  Take the feelings of hurt, disappointment, discouragement or whatever negative feelings you have and use them to fuel your drive.  Continue on like the video displays and what you're not able to do, God will do the rest! It's not fluff, it's the truth! Be blessed!

**I posted the sermons from T.D. Jakes on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/authenticallyspoken.  Please check them out!

The Power of Silence

Proverbs 17:28 (NLT) Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

The phrase in the picture can seem very cliche'.  However, it speaks volumes of truth.  I will be the first to admit that sometimes I would rather speak than listen, especially if I feel like I'm right.  Pride and justification seems to give us the reason to act out in the ways we do.  

In a conversation I recently had with someone, I had an epiphany. Not one that I never knew, but one that sometimes has to package itself differently in order for us to "get it!" Now I knew this person was ready to argue when the call first took place.  And to some degree I was ready too.  However (and I admit), at the urging of my husband, I silenced myself (oh the struggle!).  The person on the line proceeded to state their side and do so in a heated manner.  Their argument was met with silence and calm "okays" here and there.  Unexpectedly to me, the conversation ended quickly with what I felt to be great disappointment on the other party's end.  But it was at that moment that the light went off...the "aha" moment had presented itself.  

Sometimes when we think or feel we are so right in our actions to speak rather than listen, we place ourselves on the same level as what the bible calls "fools."  There's a host of wisdom and volumes of lessons that's learned when we intentionally silence ourselves.  Placing ourselves in the position to be humble allows our stance to carry the conversation.  Though to some it is, I'm learning that it's truly not that serious to engage in unnecessary talk, especially if it does no edification anywhere.  

The bible speaks greatly on the importance of bridling our tongues, watching what we say, and being slow to speak (James 1:19).  Our glory doesn't come from attempting to make a point or even making others look bad, but rather knowing when to stand up and when to stand down.  Sure there will be times when we have to speak up.  But the beautiful thing about all of this, is when we ask God to guide and carry our conversations, He will do just that!  

A scripture we recite in church and one I regularly say to myself is Psalm 19:14 says "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight...oh Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer."  

Sparing our character is far more important than getting a few seconds of glory from vain conversation.