Piggybacking on yesterday's blog, the opening scene of The Incredibles starts with Mr. Incredible being interviewed and asked the question "Do you have a secret identity?" Mr. Incredible proceeds to answer "Every super hero has a secret identity. I don't know a single one who doesn't. Who wants the pressure of being super all the time?"
I would ask you the same question this morning. Do YOU have a secret identity?
I had one and it served me fairly well for awhile. But the pressure of maintaining that identity was way too hard. We may not call ourselves superhero's but we often think we are. We think we are invincible and that we have to save the world by any means necessary but thankfully that is not reality. Let me tell you a little about my secret identity. I walked around like everything was great all of the time. I always had a smile on my face. I was most always upbeat and laughing. Now, if you know me now, you may be thinking, "Natalie, that IS you!". Well, you are correct. It IS me...NOW.
Before I dealt with the pain of my past, it was all just a secret identity, a mask I would put on in the morning before I left the house just as surely as most women put on makeup. I would only take the mask off at night, in the dark, in my bed as I would cry myself to sleep at night. It was very hard to keep up the charade and the facade of who I was pretending to be. The pressure became too great and I wanted to live in the truth of who I was but also who I could become.
I was a very depressed individual but in the church world, "The joy of the Lord is your strength"(Nehemiah 8:10) and you can't be sad or have a down day...which isn't truth but it was what I was told in my church and was led to believe. While "the joy of the Lord IS your strength" (Neh 8:10), depression is a real thing and needs to be dealt with, not just skimmed over. Your issue may not be depression, it may be something else but the reality is that scripture says "The truth shall set you free" (John 8:32). Now, I am not a Bible scholar and I don't claim to be but what I have come to understand this scripture to mean is that just a knowledge of the truth won't set you free but rather what you do with that truth. Let me give you an example. I know that eating healthy and working out is good for me which is a great piece of knowledge. However, if I don't do anything with that knowledge, that doesn't mean that eating healthy and working out are not truth. It means I haven't done anything with the knowledge that I received that can help set me free. Make sense?
Freedom came for me when I acknowledged that I had a secret identity and that the pressure of having it was far too great. As I accepted this fact, I was able to deal with the true Natalie, the depressed and wounded Natalie, and to get help and healing for my soul. In doing so, the true Natalie has been healed and made whole and the joy that I pretended to have is now real and deep and true. I no longer have a secret identity. I am free to be me! I am as authentic and transparent as I can be. Yes, I have joy but I still have pain from time to time. Yes, I strive to be like Jesus every day but I still screw up. But no matter what, in the words of Popeye, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam!" My prayer is that you too will be able to say this soon!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Incredible Incredibles
Last night I was itching to watch the animated movie The Incredibles. Now, I have seen this movie repeatedly but last night was different as God spoke to me through 3 quotes from the movie.
Quote #1:
"What are you waiting for?"
"I dunno. Something amazing I guess!"
Let me set the quote up for you in case you have not seen this movie. Mr. Incredible is a super hero that has had to assume his secret identity as his only identity (hmm, that's good too!) and is working as an insurance salesman. He comes home from work after a crappy day and trips on a skateboard, messes up the door frame to the car and then breaks the glass on the window of the car. Frustrated and super strong, he picks up the car above his head and appears as if he is going to toss it down the street. With the car held midway in the air, Mr. Incredible sees a little boy on his tricycle is watching in such amazement that his bubble from his bubble gum pops all over his face. End scene. A few scenes later Mr. Incredible comes home and as he is getting out of his car there is the same little boy on his tricycle just staring and watching. Cue quote. Mr. Incredible, "What are you waiting for?" Little boy, "I dunno. Something amazing I guess!"
Immediately when I heard this again, I wrote it down as it spoke volumes to my soul. Our Mr. Incredible, God Almighty asks me and you this very same question. What are we waiting for?! I see this question being two fold.
One thing I can hear is the questioning of our laziness or our indifference where we respond, in a manner of speaking. that we are waiting for some awesome thing to come and inspire us or the amazing sermon to be preached to us to get us going. What ARE you waiting for? I can tell those things I WAS waiting for...a spouse, money, security, acceptance.
The other thing that I hear God asking in this question is more along the lines of our expectancy levels. What are we expecting or what are we waiting for? The little boy's response was also one of anticipation and expectancy. He was waiting for Mr. Incredible to show up! He was waiting for Mr. Incredible to do amazing things! Do we have the same expectancy of God Almighty? Do we expect him to show up on the scene of our life and do great things, amazing things? I want to have this daily attitude with the Father. I want to expect Him to show up and rock my socks off!
Quote #2:
"Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it!"
This quote comes when Elastigirl aka mom is talking to her kids who also have super powers. She is trying to get them to understand the power of their identity and the importance of it. Oh, how I believe God is trying to get us to grasp the same! Our identity is in Christ! When God looks at us, He sees us through the blood of Jesus and He accepts us because of that!
I once heard this concept illustrated in regards to the game Outburst. The rules of the game aren't really relevant right now but the tools used to play the game are. There are cards that have the words that are to be guessed on them but in order to see the words that are on those cards, the card has to be placed in this red holder that makes the words legible. Once the card is inserted into the holder, you can read the words perfectly but the second you take the card out, illegible again. This is just like our identity in Christ. At salvation, we are the card that is placed into the "holder" if you will which represents the blood of Jesus. The blood of Christ makes us legible or acceptable in the eyes of God and we are able to be read and understood. The world tries to give us our identity but we are in Christ. We have to protect our identity! Lord, help us to recognize our identity in You and help us to protect it!
Quote #3
"You have more power than you realize!"
To me, quote #2 and #3 go hand in hand. When we grasp our identity in Christ, we know that we are nothing without Him. And when we understand just how powerful He is, we realize that the same power that is working in Him, is working in us and we really do have more power than we realize! Lord, help us to recognize just how powerful You are as well as how powerful we are in You!
Wait expectantly for the Lord. Watch for Him to do amazing things. Don't be lazy or make excuses. Protect who you are in Him. Recognize the power that you have with Him in you.
Quote #1:
"What are you waiting for?"
"I dunno. Something amazing I guess!"
Let me set the quote up for you in case you have not seen this movie. Mr. Incredible is a super hero that has had to assume his secret identity as his only identity (hmm, that's good too!) and is working as an insurance salesman. He comes home from work after a crappy day and trips on a skateboard, messes up the door frame to the car and then breaks the glass on the window of the car. Frustrated and super strong, he picks up the car above his head and appears as if he is going to toss it down the street. With the car held midway in the air, Mr. Incredible sees a little boy on his tricycle is watching in such amazement that his bubble from his bubble gum pops all over his face. End scene. A few scenes later Mr. Incredible comes home and as he is getting out of his car there is the same little boy on his tricycle just staring and watching. Cue quote. Mr. Incredible, "What are you waiting for?" Little boy, "I dunno. Something amazing I guess!"
Immediately when I heard this again, I wrote it down as it spoke volumes to my soul. Our Mr. Incredible, God Almighty asks me and you this very same question. What are we waiting for?! I see this question being two fold.
One thing I can hear is the questioning of our laziness or our indifference where we respond, in a manner of speaking. that we are waiting for some awesome thing to come and inspire us or the amazing sermon to be preached to us to get us going. What ARE you waiting for? I can tell those things I WAS waiting for...a spouse, money, security, acceptance.
The other thing that I hear God asking in this question is more along the lines of our expectancy levels. What are we expecting or what are we waiting for? The little boy's response was also one of anticipation and expectancy. He was waiting for Mr. Incredible to show up! He was waiting for Mr. Incredible to do amazing things! Do we have the same expectancy of God Almighty? Do we expect him to show up on the scene of our life and do great things, amazing things? I want to have this daily attitude with the Father. I want to expect Him to show up and rock my socks off!
Quote #2:
"Your identity is your most valuable possession. Protect it!"
This quote comes when Elastigirl aka mom is talking to her kids who also have super powers. She is trying to get them to understand the power of their identity and the importance of it. Oh, how I believe God is trying to get us to grasp the same! Our identity is in Christ! When God looks at us, He sees us through the blood of Jesus and He accepts us because of that!
I once heard this concept illustrated in regards to the game Outburst. The rules of the game aren't really relevant right now but the tools used to play the game are. There are cards that have the words that are to be guessed on them but in order to see the words that are on those cards, the card has to be placed in this red holder that makes the words legible. Once the card is inserted into the holder, you can read the words perfectly but the second you take the card out, illegible again. This is just like our identity in Christ. At salvation, we are the card that is placed into the "holder" if you will which represents the blood of Jesus. The blood of Christ makes us legible or acceptable in the eyes of God and we are able to be read and understood. The world tries to give us our identity but we are in Christ. We have to protect our identity! Lord, help us to recognize our identity in You and help us to protect it!
Quote #3
"You have more power than you realize!"
To me, quote #2 and #3 go hand in hand. When we grasp our identity in Christ, we know that we are nothing without Him. And when we understand just how powerful He is, we realize that the same power that is working in Him, is working in us and we really do have more power than we realize! Lord, help us to recognize just how powerful You are as well as how powerful we are in You!
Wait expectantly for the Lord. Watch for Him to do amazing things. Don't be lazy or make excuses. Protect who you are in Him. Recognize the power that you have with Him in you.
Monday, January 10, 2011
You're Not Alone
Music speaks to me, especially when it's a God ordained song for an appointed season in my life, so you may see song lyrics on here often but I promise they will always have meaning! The song that has been ministering to my heart over the last few months and was on my lips this morning is the song You're Not Alone by Meredith Andrews. Here are the lyrics:
I search for love, when the night came,
And it closed in, I was alone,
But you found me, where I was hiding,
And now I'll never ever be the same,
It was the sweetest voice,
That called my name saying
You're not alone, For I am here,
Let me wipe away your every fear,
My love I've never left your side,
I have seen you through the darkest night,
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life,
All of your life
You cry your self to sleep, cause the hurt is real,
And the pain cuts deep, all hope seems lost,
With heartache your closest friend,
And everyone else long gone,
You've had to face the music on your own,
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
But there is a sweeter song that calls you home saying
Faithful and true, Forever,
Oh my love will carry you
We aren't alone in this walk called life, friends! Hebrews 13:5 says that God will "never leave you nor forsake you"! To forsake means to abandon; withdraw companionship, protection or support from; to give up:to give up, renounce, or sacrifice something that gives pleasure. God has promised us that He will NEVER do any of these things! He is with us always-"and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Why would the God who created us and formed us in our mother's womb want to abandon us or give up on us? He is Faithful and True and full of love towards us! He knows every tear we have cried and every fear that we have. Proverbs 14:10 says "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy". No one that is, besides Jesus! That brings me such great joy and hope and confidence!
I have been re-reading a book called Abba's Child by Brennan Manning and there is a chapter called Present Risenness. The chapter opens with a story about G.K. Chesterton who was approached by a newspaper reporter who says " Sir, I understand that you recently became a Christian. May I ask you one question?" "Certainly," replied Chesterton. "If the risen Christ suddenly appeared at this very moment and stood behind you, what would you do?" Chesterton looked the reporter squarely in the eye and said. "He is." The chapter goes on to describe how we often forget that Jesus is not only alive and well but that He is walking with us every day of our lives. Imagine if we fully grasped this concept!! We don't just go to church to meet up with Jesus. We don't just have him close when we are reading our Bible or singing a worship song. HE IS WITH US ALWAYS!!! In the shower in the morning and in my bed at night. When I am at the grocery store and when I am on campus. At a restaurant or at the doctor. HE IS WITH US ALWAYS! WE ARE NOT ALONE! Be encouraged in this fact friend!
Lord, help us to recognize your present risenness, that you are with us always and that you see all that is happening in us, around us, to us! I thank you God that you are faithful and that you can not deny your character! I thank you Lord, that I am not alone and that just like G. K. Chesterton, you are standing right behind me!
I search for love, when the night came,
And it closed in, I was alone,
But you found me, where I was hiding,
And now I'll never ever be the same,
It was the sweetest voice,
That called my name saying
You're not alone, For I am here,
Let me wipe away your every fear,
My love I've never left your side,
I have seen you through the darkest night,
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life,
All of your life
You cry your self to sleep, cause the hurt is real,
And the pain cuts deep, all hope seems lost,
With heartache your closest friend,
And everyone else long gone,
You've had to face the music on your own,
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
But there is a sweeter song that calls you home saying
Faithful and true, Forever,
Oh my love will carry you
We aren't alone in this walk called life, friends! Hebrews 13:5 says that God will "never leave you nor forsake you"! To forsake means to abandon; withdraw companionship, protection or support from; to give up:to give up, renounce, or sacrifice something that gives pleasure. God has promised us that He will NEVER do any of these things! He is with us always-"and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Why would the God who created us and formed us in our mother's womb want to abandon us or give up on us? He is Faithful and True and full of love towards us! He knows every tear we have cried and every fear that we have. Proverbs 14:10 says "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy". No one that is, besides Jesus! That brings me such great joy and hope and confidence!
I have been re-reading a book called Abba's Child by Brennan Manning and there is a chapter called Present Risenness. The chapter opens with a story about G.K. Chesterton who was approached by a newspaper reporter who says " Sir, I understand that you recently became a Christian. May I ask you one question?" "Certainly," replied Chesterton. "If the risen Christ suddenly appeared at this very moment and stood behind you, what would you do?" Chesterton looked the reporter squarely in the eye and said. "He is." The chapter goes on to describe how we often forget that Jesus is not only alive and well but that He is walking with us every day of our lives. Imagine if we fully grasped this concept!! We don't just go to church to meet up with Jesus. We don't just have him close when we are reading our Bible or singing a worship song. HE IS WITH US ALWAYS!!! In the shower in the morning and in my bed at night. When I am at the grocery store and when I am on campus. At a restaurant or at the doctor. HE IS WITH US ALWAYS! WE ARE NOT ALONE! Be encouraged in this fact friend!
Lord, help us to recognize your present risenness, that you are with us always and that you see all that is happening in us, around us, to us! I thank you God that you are faithful and that you can not deny your character! I thank you Lord, that I am not alone and that just like G. K. Chesterton, you are standing right behind me!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Just a Matter of Time
This morning at church our worship leader sang these prophetic lyrics and they immediately captured my heart!
Just a Matter of Time
He's gonna turn it all around
Just wait and see
He's gonna make everything beautiful
Just in time
It's just a matter of time
Don't give up
Don't give in
If you don't quit
You'll win, You'll win
Everything is in My hands
It's gonna be alright
You're gonna be ok
Interestingly enough, I just received news about a family situation that not only breaks my heart but pushes me and challenges me to pray hard, harder than I have in awhile. And while I could easily be discouraged about the seemingly impossible situation, God brought me to Luke 1:37 which says "For nothing is impossible with God." With man, all things are impossible but with God NOTHING or NO THING is impossible! He has the ability to turn our situations around in the blink of an eye. He has the ability to make the ugliest things beautiful, IN HIS TIME! Ultimately, it's all just a matter of His timing. He just begs with us, pleads with us, challenges us to not give up or give in or quit because He knows if we don't and we trust Him it's all gonna be alright and we are gonna be ok. So, when my heart attempted to be downcast and discouraged just now, God reminded me of this prophetic song to sing over this situation to remind those involved that nothing is too hard for God and that He's got everything in His hands! I pray that you too would recognize that it's just a matter of time until He turns things around!
Grace and peace and hope friends!
Just a Matter of Time
He's gonna turn it all around
Just wait and see
He's gonna make everything beautiful
Just in time
It's just a matter of time
Don't give up
Don't give in
If you don't quit
You'll win, You'll win
Everything is in My hands
It's gonna be alright
You're gonna be ok
Interestingly enough, I just received news about a family situation that not only breaks my heart but pushes me and challenges me to pray hard, harder than I have in awhile. And while I could easily be discouraged about the seemingly impossible situation, God brought me to Luke 1:37 which says "For nothing is impossible with God." With man, all things are impossible but with God NOTHING or NO THING is impossible! He has the ability to turn our situations around in the blink of an eye. He has the ability to make the ugliest things beautiful, IN HIS TIME! Ultimately, it's all just a matter of His timing. He just begs with us, pleads with us, challenges us to not give up or give in or quit because He knows if we don't and we trust Him it's all gonna be alright and we are gonna be ok. So, when my heart attempted to be downcast and discouraged just now, God reminded me of this prophetic song to sing over this situation to remind those involved that nothing is too hard for God and that He's got everything in His hands! I pray that you too would recognize that it's just a matter of time until He turns things around!
Grace and peace and hope friends!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Converted by Cookies, Healed by Grace
Converted by Cookies, Healed by Grace: Another Story of God’s Redeeming Love by Natalie Landry
Who would have thought cookies have life saving powers? Well, honestly, cookies were just the snack that God used to transform my life. God knew my love for cookies and that he would have a way into my heart. You will see through these pages how God not only saved my life but how He brought healing to my sexually abused past.
Baton Rouge, LA – September 1, 2010-Natalie Landry, nationally appointed Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God, shares in her new book released today her life story; how she came into a relationship with God and how God healed her sexually abused past. The book, targeting victims of sexual abuse, shows how God can change a life that seems shattered and broken with his abounding grace and redeeming love. The book was released by Outskirts Press, Inc and is available for purchase through http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?ISBN=9781432762131.
The book was written as a testimony of God’s love and grace but is designed to reach victims of sexual abuse and provide hope for those individuals that are hopeless and broken. This book is written with the utmost transparency and realness specifically for the purpose of helping other victims seek help and healing. The intensity of the book varies and is intermingled with both humorous and deep topics. While, it is the autobiography of Natalie Landry, it is relevant and fresh. Her story is told in a conversationalist manner and is sure to be a “can’t put down” read.
The book was written as a testimony of God’s love and grace but is designed to reach victims of sexual abuse and provide hope for those individuals that are hopeless and broken. This book is written with the utmost transparency and realness specifically for the purpose of helping other victims seek help and healing. The intensity of the book varies and is intermingled with both humorous and deep topics. While, it is the autobiography of Natalie Landry, it is relevant and fresh. Her story is told in a conversationalist manner and is sure to be a “can’t put down” read.
Converted by Cookies, Healed by Grace: Another Story of God’s Redeeming Love is available online at www.barnesandnobles.com, www amazon.com, http://www.booksamillion.com/ and in certain bookstores.
For more information about Converted by Cookies, Healed by Grace: Another Story of God’s Redeeming Love by Natalie Landry, please contact Outskirts Press at 1-888-OP-BOOKS.
Natalie Landry is a nationally appointed Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God. She will be serving the Louisiana State University campus for the 2010-2011 school year. She is a Louisiana native, born and raised in South Louisiana. Natalie earned her Bachelor's degree in Child, Family and Social Service from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA. She also took Master's degree classes in Children and Family Ministries at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. This is her first novel and she hopes to write more as God allows in the future.
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