part two....so long, insecurity

(you may want to read part one...the previous post first!)

last weekend, i was blessed to be able to attend a simulcast on beth's book, so long, insecurity. beth was in atlanta, while over 300,000 women were in 869 churches across north america. i was at my friend's church in arizona...with around 50o other insecure women.

phew! at least i'm not alone in my insecurity??

or maybe i should say i wasn't alone. from that day forward, we vowed to live as women who are secure in Christ Jesus.

okay, the Lord gave beth His Words last saturday. as she spoke to hundreds of thousands of women, the Lord gave us a big-time reality check.

here's the first note (of many) i took that day:

insecurity is not a weakness- it's unbelief!

(that God isn't who He says He is...and that I'm not who He says I am!)

ooh. ouch. guilty, as charged.

from that first point on, God gave beth so many truths to share with us. i took page upon page of notes, so i will try to highlight some of them...but you know how i can be....uh, wordy. and, listen....skip this whole post if you want. maybe you don't share in this struggle. if you do, though....i encourage you to read some of what God told beth to tell us. me and you. you and me....

eph. 4:22-24 says:

"you were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

*victory and defeat live in the mind.

*memorize scriptures.

a SECURE woman is:

Saved from herself

(often, my own insecurity is my biggest enemy. insecurity is idolatrous self-interest. insecurity is it's own form of pride. um...ouch, Lord.)

Entitled to truth

(when we wander, our thoughts get darker and darker. <--- leads to addiction. the enemy wants to keep us from truth and we start thinking....'if i could just have this.' 'if i could just be that.' sometimes, we "manage" instead of just being free!)

Clothed with intention

(a woman dresses with intention. we're going to dress with intention....we're going to get up every morning and say, "that was the old me...this is the new me." it will begin to make its way to the depth of my heart. Christ is my security! 2 tim. 3 says...."don't be weak-willed.")

*take the "step" with our minds and then act.

*secure people don't have to think about themselves all the time.

*you won't find a secure woman who is secure accidentally.

Upended by grace

(eph. 2:8. how much of our unforgiveness is because of insecurity? eph. 4:32 says to forgive each other. Christ forgave us. grace has been given to us and we need to grace others!)

*if we're not convinced we're forgiven, then we will withhold that grace from others.

*we give grace away in the form of forgiveness...but we can also keep it! we think we'll have "lost" if we give it (anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred, etc.) up!

*it is our freedom to forgive!

Rebounded by love

(eph. 5:1-2....we are completely and unfailingly loved....by the God of the universe!! can you go out and live like the dearly loved child that you are? be imitators of Christ.)

*if a heart does not heal, it hardens.

*to be secure, we've got to know that Someone loves us unfailingly.

*when we know we're loved, we love.

*when we know we're forgiven, we forgive.

Exceptional in life

(everyone of us has a need for significance. if we all became secure, how exceptional would we be?!)

*we've got the chance to blend in at the mercy of our culture OR we can be the exception!

*remember what we've been taught by our Lord.

*He will use things that are deep, intense, and painful.

(rom. 8:28 says that He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him.)

romans 8:18 says....

"i consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

*believe Him and move on in SECURITY.

so....last sat., i had to hold hands with a partner....look her in the eyes (a hard thing for an insecure person to do), and vow to walk in the security of Christ. one of the main things i walked away with is that it's a daily choice. i have to wake up and say: "that was the old me...this is the new me!" i have to make the daily decision to believe God. praise Him! i am so thankful that i was able to stop. look. listen. (ha!) i stopped and sat in that church, long enough to look at His Word....and listen to Him speak to me.

i am going to choose

-each day, each moment-

to be secure in who God made me to be.

so long, insecurity....you've been a bad friend to me.

you've done enough damage...

you've caused enough misery....

you've stolen too much of my life...

and i'm done. with. you!