Be Real. Live it out.

What does that even mean - be real?
People say that all the time...

"It can't be real," or, "You're not being real," or, "Please, get real..."

What does it mean to you? I don't want a dictionary definition.
I don't think we can be real without feeling. Definitions are not a feeling - they are words on a page.
What does it feel like to be real...is it an emotion, a physical response, a conscious, mental state of mind?

Think on it - now answer this...

What does it mean to be a real Christian?


People sometimes claim that we don't live out our Christianity - but, what does that mean for us? What will it take you to get real?

It makes me think of [John 1:14]...the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

What does it look like when we are walking, talking and serving like Jesus - when His word becomes our flesh, our breath and our purpose - when we make our dwelling among the 'us' that is this world, right now?

I think it looks like grace, truth, mercy, love, forgiveness, humility, honesty, faith, trust...it looks like Jesus Christ.


What are some practical ways to "be real" with one another and with the World?
How can we show them that the "real world" we live in isn't really the "real" world worth living for?

I think being real starts with being honest with yourself.
Only when you are willing to face who you are in God's image will you understand how to be real with people, and to stay real. The kind of real that matters.

 It's not about how the world labels you.
It's how much you learn and value yourself (humbly, albeit), the way that God values you as His sons and daughters.
We were commissioned to be real. It is the great commission.
Will you be real?

Be Honest with Yourself.

I found a blog post I'd written a few months ago; on it, my last statement was "What's holding you back...?" I realized, when I write these posts, I'm writing them to you...but, it's so easy for me to ignore asking myself the very same question. 

Thankfully, someone asked for me this weekend. We had an amazing retreat in Cocoa Beach, FL. Crazy, actually. Crazy love from a crazy family, learning crazy trust through crazy faith.  We had the honor of four keynotes from Dave Skidmore, the campus minister at Park Plaza coC in Tulsa, OK. But, I have come to realize now, the keynotes were from God - and Dave was just trying to be Dave...not "the keynote speaker" or "the campus minister" although he does have those roles.

 

Well, here's the honest truth. I'm not good at being honest, well at least not with myself. Honesty, and I mean true, deep down to the heart and the soul honesty...it hurts. It is everything you don't want to heal from, deal with or change. But, we cannot change or heal what we are unwilling to acknowledge...so...that leaves me personally with denial, stagnancy & complacency. How depressing does that sound?! 

1. What's holding you back?
2. What's it costing you?

3. What are you afraid of?

Three questions. So much impact. We talk so much about counting the cost of baptism. Don't get me wrong here, I know that is something that all new Christians need to understand and accept. But, what about Christians who are walking the faith now? Aren't we to count the cost of what holds us back from being emptied before God to be filled with the good stuff? I know I haven't. Fear has paralyzed me from being able to deal with what's inside of me...but, if I don't love me - I can't give love to others. I can only give what I have, right? So, it was time for me to ante up and deal with it. 

Things change when they are verbalized. When I said out loud all of the things that I was unable to express for so long...I felt something. Something more than just human robot status...I remembered that it's okay to feel. And it's okay for that feeling to be validated and accepted by God. I know that it won't happen overnight; the process is continual - but at least I've gotten started.

So...this is my moment, and I own it. 

I'm done being "grad school Lauren" and "FB Lauren" and "Student Intern Lauren" and "Leader Lauren" and whatever hat someone has put on my head, whatever role they carved out for me. Instead, I desire restoration...to just...be me again. To be a follower of Christ. When me is enough, God is going to do amazing things in, through and around me...and it's not because I think highly of myself. It's because I think highly of my God.

How would it feel to be free of the burdens of our tasks and roles - and own who we are created to be in God's image, knit together before we even knew us, by the God who created the universe?  He creates something, and he fills it. I want to be filled with Him.

Own your life...not the life that others want for you. Own your title...we are sons and daughters of the Most High.

What could you do if you knew God would always show up for you? I know I can be a world changer.

Change yourself, and change the world. 

Busy Bees don't always make honey.

Admittedly, it's been awhile, hasn't it? About six weeks or so was the last post; wow. I guess that's a good indicator that grad school has picked up its pace, work has continually been happening and our ministry is in FULL swing now; we have an upcoming retreat in Cocoa Beach, FL this next weekend and a HUGE "funnel event" (Humans v. Zombies) to run on USF's campus; oh, hey yeah, and all the other regular events we have nearly every day of the week.

I love it. I get tired, but I feed off of this; meeting people, reaching out, building relationships, having fun, man...it's a rush, both LITERALLY and FIGURATIVELY. Sometimes, I'm surprised I can keep track of where I should be when I should be there - the inventor of the modern day planner, and the smartphone is a genius.

However, I realized tonight...we can quote Matthew 6:33 over and over and over again, but how many times do we honestly surrender to what it says?

"But, seek FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all these things will be given to you as well."

In the preceding verses, it talks about how the pagans worry about what to wear or what to eat; sure those are basic necessities, but we worry about other things, too. Can I get my homework done? Why do I feel like I'm working so many hours? Will my to-do list ever get any shorter? Why don't I just have more time, or more sleep...? I mean the questions we ask ourselves go on.

Think about some things that you worry about...we keep ourselves so busy - compartmentalizing our lives into school, work, ministry duties, friends, family, car...that we compartmentalize God! He cannot be compartmentalized - he is not just another part of our life that we stick with something else. He IS our life...he gave us the very breath we breathe. Sometimes, we are so busy being busy that we forget that verse.

There's a great study guide out called Seeking the Savior. In the table of contents, the first verse you see is Matthew 6:33...no coincidence there; even if you're a Christian now - don't you think it would be a good idea to apply that verse to life and live it out, not just simply say "oh, yeah, I know that verse." I am guilty of it, too...do not count me out of it.

God cannot be compartmentalized. He is the whole foundation...holding all those compartments together; seek Him first. It's worth it!!

Busy bees don't always make honey...let God sweeten up your life by seeking Him first. Don't be busy with the things of this life that will pass away, seek Heavenly things...

Again I say, Romans 12:1-2...be transformed by the renewing of your mind [daily!], then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and PERFECT will.

Be blessed!