Tag Archives: Child sexual abuse

Help Me Want-To Want You

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 “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”   Ephesians 5:13-21

My son and I were having a discussion about church which quickly turned to a verbal wrestling match with me trying to get him to want-to do something because he wanted-to, not just get him to do something because he felt he had-to or was being made-to (which I see nothing wrong with, but in this situation, I wanted more).  Motivating the unmotivated, that was my pursuit…not so easy, especially when it is oneself…

I had been thinking about this topic for a few days as it concerned me.  I kept pondering the question, How do I get from the feeling of ‘I have-to’ to ‘I want-to’? In return, the same thought kept coming back to me…”Turn your have-to, to your get-to, then your want-to will come.”

I intentionally applied this to myself and I could feel a general gratefulness come over me as my mind shifted to the right perspective.  It was kind of a spin on,”Kids all over the world are starving, so don’t take your food for granted” talk my parents had with me as a child and as I have with mine today, only with a much broader application.   In that moment, I applied it to my boy.  He didn’t want to go to church.  I wanted him to want-to go to church as I always want him to want Jesus and all things Jesus.  I didn’t want to threaten him to want Jesus, I didn’t want to convince him to want Jesus, I wanted him to want Jesus.

I read this article awhile back entitled, “7 year-old Indian boy tortured and killed for being a Christian”.  I discussed with Jackson the get-to.  This murder took place in India on November 17, 2013.  Not 10, 25, 50 nor 100 years ago.  This took place in our world 50 days ago…50.  This child and his family endured the worst known pain for being filled with the Jesus we are begging people to surrender to.  This child and his family only dreamed of getting to worship freely, yet we can and most times don’t.

As horrific as this story is and will always be, we can’t let this lesson pass us by.  This may not be affecting our families to this degree today, but it always starts somewhere…as a thought.  We don’t have-to worship Jesus, we don’t have-to read our Bibles, we don’t have-to stand against the Devil, we don’t have-to act like Jesus people, WE GET TO!!  We get-to talk about Him, we get-to praise Him, we get-to go to church and proclaim Him.  We get-to freely learn about Him and we get-to teach our children about Him!

We are new creations, not new converts!!  We have gotten into this obligatory mindset that wreaks of death and filth when we were called out into the privilege of His marvelous light and life and truth and peace!!

As I shared this with my son I saw this have-to mentality get put in check.  I saw him awestruck by the story of Anmol and he began instantly to change his mind (which by the way is to REPENT) about the things he and we all take for granted in our “Sunday School” culture.  I saw him arise, dress himself on time and I genuinely saw him want-to worship Jesus because he gets-to!!!

How about you?  Time to turn our have-to to our get-to so we will want-to.  When we want-to, we really can go and change our world!

He is the WELL my friends, let’s partake of Him together!

Love,

Mel

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/7.year.old.indian.boy.tortured.and.killed.for.being.a.christian/34848.htm

First THE Revelation, then the Resolutions

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Happy New Year my friends! I wanted you to know that I stopped making New Year’s resolutions about 10 years ago.  Partly because by late February I had achieved the failure of self-effort and partly because I was just trying to survive my life, … Continue reading →

Open your Bible and Open your Mouth!

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Bible heart

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us…” 1 John 4:4-6

Know in your heart today that you are not of the world because you are a new creation when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  The world/ everything that is not of God does not hear you…but they do hear Him! 

“…because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. 7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.”  Mark 9:6-8 

 ” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  John 1:1      

” For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12 

When we open our mouths with the Word of God the world hears, the Devil hears and our spirit responds.  We stop seeing our life as limited and useless and purposeless no matter the circumstances that haunt us.  When we let the Word of God, who is Jesus, transform our mouths with His words, He transforms our lives.   Then we become the nightmare to the Devil that he has tried to be to us!

Need a breakthrough? Stop using your words and start using His.  He gave us His Word so that we would come to His fullness.  Open your Bible and Open your Mouth!  Begin to proclaim God’s word over your life and the lives of others.  His words are healing and victory and power and peace.  Watch Him lead you through into His breakthrough!

Start by declaring the books of the Psalm out loud each morning!  No, you won’t feel like it when you start, but your spirit will respond and you will begin to feel your heart respond, then your emotions and so on.  Read the word of God out loud and you will Hear Him!  Then when you look around at your life you will see none of it anymore, but only Jesus!!  His limitless, life-giving, loving self and you will say to yourself and everyone else, with Jesus all things are possible! 

Beloved, He is the Well, let’s partake of Him together!

Mel

 

 

Alone NO More! Victims of Sexual Abuse

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(This is my first post of this kind in the section I have categorized, “Resources; Alone No More!”.  From time to time  I would like to address areas that we truly need support with on the journey.  I would love you to comment on any specifics you can lend to these areas, as I am not an all-inclusive authority, but rather a willing investor to help one on their journey towards understanding God’s love for them.)

I felt God’s leading this morning to speak to you who are victims of sexual abuse.  This is a very sensitive and delicate topic and I wanted to acknowledge you today and acknowledge your journey and the incredible courage it has taken you to make it!  The often times lonely, isolated, and painful world you live in is foreign to some, but not to all.  You are not alone.  There is hope for all things in Jesus!  If you are reading this, you have survived and I believe you can thrive because of Jesus and His love for you.  Today, you may feel as if your cries for help have landed on deaf ears, you might see yourself in a room full of people yet be the loneliest one,  you might feel unloved and even unlovable.  You might find your mind always occupied with fear for yourself, your children, your sexuality, your present and your future, or you might simply just have this unexplained desperation, depression, and heaviness that will never lift (almost like a bathtub that is ever filling but the drain is ever open).  That may be today, but there is a new hope for tomorrow.  If you find yourself saying yes to any of these items or you find yourself not relating to these, but you have your own list…..you can be confident that God has heard you and has moved Heaven and Earth just for you.  His answer for everything in this life including complete healing and freedom is in Jesus, no matter the circumstance. 

At any given point, it would be easy to abort the healing process when  you don’t know what to do next or where to turn.  I wanted to provide a list of strategies that might further you on your journey.  It would be limiting to say that God can only work in one way or He has to work in this way or that way.  The truth is, God can work in any way He chooses.  He is the leader and He customizes our specific healing journey with Him.  He can choose whatever He wishes and if He desires, He doesn’t even have to use a tool.  He knows best and He knows you best. 

  1. Journaling.  This requires no money, no resources, but allows you to start to release your feelings to God in a tangible way.  Write everything you feel, everything you fear, everything you want, everything you need.  Let this cathartic experience begin!
  2. Self Studies.  I have included some new links on my home page called Healing for Your Soul, and Healing for your Soul, too!  These are websites that may be a beginning place for you to read about and work through the pain that so surrounds you in a gradual way.  Allender’s book and work book, The Wounded Heart is an in-depth self-study and The Sanford’s have much experience, as well as a prayer and counseling ministry to deal with many deep needs.  Joyce Meyer is also a terrific resource and testimony to God’s healing.  She experienced sexual abuse and has an amazing testimony of God’s healing in her own life.
  3. Group Facilitated.  There are many churches all over the country that are facilitating a curriculum called, “Celebrate Recovery”.  This is a small group type format; I know several people who have attended who had been sexually abused and it was what God used to help them to a new place of healing and freedom.  http://www.celebraterecovery.com/
  4. One on One.  Private counseling is a great resource, as well.  There are many qualified and capable people out there who have refined their skills for many years and who are qualified to manuever the path of healing with you.  Check with your local church first for recommendations.  Please do not stop looking for someone to help you if you have had a bad experience with a practitioner.  Be sure to find someone who has experience with this type of area and someone you have met, feel safe with, and could receive from.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully you understand that you have choices, resources, and you are not alone.  You have a God who died for you and you are loved and treasured in a way that only He can reveal to you on the journey with Him.  Allow Him the opportunity to love you.  I love Joyce Meyer’s quote, “Do it afraid!”  Ask Him how He wants to speak to your heart.  Ask Him to help you desire to move forward.  Tell Him how much you hurt and how scared you are.  I believe in His power that much and I believe in you!

“Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.”  Gen. 37:24

“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him SHALL BE IN HIM a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”  John 4:14

There may be no water in the pit you are in today, but the water shall be IN YOU springing up from the WELL that never runs dry!