Jul 16, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
Our God promises change. His entire existence is not about keeping things the same, but making things better for His Children. He will do whatever it takes to keep us safe, to bolster us, and to bring us home.
But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.”
~Isaiah 43:1 NLT
Sure, we don’t always see it. Sometimes, this fallen world attacks us left and right. Sometimes a change isn’t material or even tangible. It just is.
But our God promises change. And in the quiet crevasses of thought, in the loud chaos of the day, when we turn from the busyness of all this world calls us to do, and give just a few undiluted moments of attention to Him, we see He is indeed changing things for the better.
He will fulfill His promises and not be slow about it, for His timing is perfect. He will bring His Family together.
And He will change things.
Just you wait and see.
Frankly, On Faith: Isaiah 43
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And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 9, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
There are many Scriptures referencing fish. Portraying Christ as the Fisher of Men was an idea we still understand and relate to today.
The waters swarm with fish. Bread and fish are what fed the masses. The Kingdom of Heaven casts its net and we will be sorted into keepers or trashers. [I hope I’m a keeper.]
But there’s another fish reference. Actually, it’s bigger than a fish. It’s a great fish, and most have interpreted it to be a whale. It’s the one that swallowed Jonah.
See, God had a task for Jonah, but Jonah didn’t want anything to do with it. He waved his hand and walked away. “See ya, God.” Right. Like that’s ever worked in anyone’s life. Here’s a hint: Because you are uniquely made, when God has a task for you, ain’t no one else gonna get it done. And because God is everywhere, ain’t no use trying to escape Him.
God found Jonah on a boat and caused a great storm to arise. The others were terrified, and Jonah told them, “It’s all my fault. Toss me overboard to the sea. You will be safe.” And it worked. The boat and the fishermen were safe. But Jonah . . . Well, this is where the whale comes in. God was keeping an eye on things, and since Jonah hadn’t proven himself too trustworthy to get the job done in a timely manner, God orchestrated a little extra help in getting him to his destination.
“Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”
~Jonah 1:17 NLT
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking if *I* spent three days in the belly of a whale, I might be doing a whole lot of thinking. Like, how if I’d only listened to God in the first place, I wouldn’t be in this stinkin’ whale. [And I can only imagine how stinkin’ it must have been.] Or, how I let God down in the first place.
My point is, I’m betting there wasn’t a lot of singing and dancing and happy-place emotions going on. But there was prayer. A lot of humility and asking forgiveness. And salvation. Not the spiritual kind, because that goes without saying. But the physical kind. The while-I’m-here-on-earth kind. Because God heard Jonah, and ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. [Jonah 2:10 NLT].
And you know what happened next? Jonah did as God asked. And His testimony was more powerful than he could imagine.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, On Faith: Don’t Run From the Inevitable. @RealMojo68 #Jonah #faith #franklyonfaith
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Frankly, On Faith: Don’t Run From the Inevitable
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 2, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
This world isn’t actually “one size fits all.” Heck, it’s not even “one size fits most.” In my family alone, you’ll find a bride, a widow, a grandma, two brothers, two daughters, four felines, and all the extensions that come with them. We are tall, short, skinny, not-so-skinny, loud, quiet, extroverted and introverted.
You’ve heard it said, “When God made you, He broke the mold.” I say, there was no mold to begin with. He didn’t use some manufacturing plant or a cookie cutter to make you. He took you in His own hands and formed you with His careful touch. He applied every dimple, smoothed every hair. He gave you the desires of your heart.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
~Psalm 139:13, NLT
He not only designed you uniquely, He filled you uniquely. Your gifts, talents, reactions, emotions, thought processes . . . Everything inside you. They are all uniquely you.
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
~Romans 12:6-8, NLT
Do you hear that? He gifted you, so you can gift yourself to the world.
Believe in yourself. He already does.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: You are Unique. @RealMojo68 #faith #FranklyOnFaith
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: God gifted you so you can gift yourself to the world. @RealMojo68 #franklyonfaith #faith
Frankly, On Faith: You are unique.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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May 21, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith
Let’s face it: We’re people pleasers. We don’t like being told “no,” and we don’t always like having to say it. We let others sway us or question our determination.
How often does the following dialogue happen in your conversations:
“I can’t.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m too busy.”
“Really?”
“I just don’t want to.”
“But why not?”
“Look, I can’t, okay?”
“Oh, well. If you’re going to be that way about it.”
We end up feeling guilty for not sticking to our original plan, for letting others influence us into changing our minds. We say yes when we’re not sure, or when we know the answer is really “no.”
Matthew 5:37 and James 5:12 both caution us against making promises we can’t keep.
I’m not talking about what movie to watch or food to eat. Those are fluid choices. I mean fundamental decisions and the ones that make you misrepresent yourself. Don’t say something you can’t back up. Don’t offer help if you don’t mean it. And don’t give an explanation if it’s not the truth.
Breaking promises can break trust and relationships. Even with ourselves. We try to explain our way out, spinning the situation or twisting the truth.
Life can take us down a different path than what we planned, but that’s not the same as letting others nudge us when we shouldn’t budge, and we know it. We end up breaking trust. We allow others to undermine our foundation.
Soon it becomes easier to not believe in ourselves, to need others to tell us what to do. It’s harder to stand on our own two feet.
God says to stand firm.
“But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.”
~James 5:12, NLT
Saying “no” to someone or something may be the most positive thing you can do for the world around you. Imagine being the person He designed you to be: Full of life, vibrant, encouraging, trustworthy, dependable. Imagine being able to grasp what He has to offer you, because you said “no” to what someone else was offering.
This week, I challenge you to not embellish your conversations, but simply stick to your “no.” No excuses, no exaggerations. Just a simple “no” or “yes.” And then follow it through.
Believe in yourself as He believes in you. The others will follow.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Let Your “No” Be “No”. @realmojo68 #franklyonfaith #franklymydear
Frankly, On Faith: Sometimes, saying “no” can be the most positive thing you can do.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Apr 23, 2017 |
Frankly, On Faith: Do All Things
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
We live in an era that glorifies differences. We’re on one side of the fence or the other, but rarely are we perched atop in perfect balance.
Worse, that fence is not often wire. We can’t, or choose not to, see through to the other side. Our vision is blocked by hard wood or brick, or we’re only allowed a glimpse through holes or slats.
It’s sometimes the same with our actions. We don’t always see how what we do affects others. We don’t always care. We keep heaping our own plates higher and higher, with minimal consideration for “all things in moderation.”
We martyr ourselves in our own minds; believing we have it worse because we feel alone. Unloved. Uncared for. We separate ourselves from our community.
We can’t see the other side of the fence.
It makes it hard to see the other person’s story, to walk a mile in their shoes.
When I’m in a moment of frustration or anger toward someone else, I remember how God forgave me. How He bundled me up, healed my hurts and kissed my forehead. Then, He set me back on my feet and gave me a pat. “Go and make disciples of all the nations.” (Matt 28:19a, NLT).
He didn’t ask me to be perfect, to know everything, or to see the horizon before I took a first step. He just asked me to go. And to do so in a spirit of acceptance and forgiveness.
“They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”
~John 8:7, NLT
Instead of using stones to hurt, or to build more walls, try laying a path.
This week, I challenge to take one step closer, to stretch your hand out farther, and to smile at a stranger. Step outside your thought-box and see things from a different perspective. Give someone the grace you would like returned to yourself.
How will you begin to tear down your walls?
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, On Faith: Cast the First Stone
With stepping stones and a peaceful heart,
~Molly Jo
Frankly, On Faith: Cast the First Stone
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
