by Kay Simpson | Sep 4, 2019 | encouragement
How fast weeds grow! I drive in the car. A lot! Back roads. Dirt roads. Distances. Lots of time to think. Too much time to ponder.
Today I passed a beautiful fancy wrought iron gate closing the entrance to a long driveway and noticed vines had started to take over. Woven all in the fence. Fresh and green. Fairly new.
I’m sure there was so much hope and planning when that gate was first installed. Like a new start. So many plans. So full of hope.
It reminded me that we must constantly tend to the weeds in our lives. If we are distracted by the world {I call busyness distractions} and just let life happen to us, tiny unwanted seeds will take place. Unworthiness. Not enoughness. unlovedness. Selfishness. Anger. Resentment. Weeds serve no purpose and choke out the good stuff.
We must constantly stand close to the master gardener. Douse the weeds with scripture daily. Pluck those ungodly thoughts out by the roots at first sight. It’s a daily task.
Especially in a stormy season. I don’t know about where you live but out here at the lake after a good rain it’s weedmagedon. Even when we are distracted by our circumstances, we can’t let up meeting with the Lord. Never grow weary.
Take every thought captive. Be purposeful. Make a plan to meet with God every single day and show up. Stay vigilant. Bring your gardening tool, glove up, and learn from the gardener! He will show us how to plant, when and where to sew and water, and what tools are needed and how best to use them. Without His lead there is just chaos.
Snatch those weeds from your mind, your heart, your daily schedule. Stomp them if that’s all you have. Run them over with your car. Phone a friend to help if you must. Pray fervently. Be a good and faithful steward. Servant. Don’t leave your garden unattended. Lay it all as weed pile at the foot of the cross. What’s your weed killing plan today ?
Maybe a better plan would be to prepare the soil where they wouldn’t grow in the first place. Ask Him how to proceed!
by Kay Simpson | Aug 5, 2019 | Uncategorized
Back story. Who has one? One of my lessons has been to remember no one is handed a get out of jail free card here. And I think it changes my focus when I remember that the woman across from me has her own story. Perhaps they involve any or all of the following. This is not a comprehensive list but just a start:
Betrayal
Cancer
Abuse
Loneliness
Loss
Addiction
Isolation
Mental illness
Depression
Divorce
Failure
Family of origin wounds.
The loss could manifest itself in so many ways. Loss of job, spouse, dreams, and hopes.
Even if our friend appears strong, brave, and together, if unhealed emotional wounds are not tended to, any small poke can hurt. And we behave like a brat perhaps.
My friend and I giggled as we remembered Paul Harvey’s words-“ and now you know the rest of the story.”
So when the clerk, waitress, friend, or sister snaps, could we re-frame the encounter. What in her is wounded and what needs healing. Could we pray, ask, and reach out. Maybe even offer accountability. Or just plain let it go. Some encounters are short lived but most I just know are God ordained. And what in us needs work. I’m thankful for every crazy, hard lesson. I’m committed to the work. I’m committed to friends that know the counselor appointment will breath life. Eventually. So many tools out there. Heart to hearts. Scripture. Prayer. Whole foods. Exercise. Fresh Air. Healing rest. Yoga. Meditation. Experiencing God. Prophetic words. Community. CHURCH.
The Lord has clearly asked me to share my stories. It’s part of my curriculum. He recently had someone tell me not to dare censor them. If you can relate at all to what I write then He gets the victory. If it pokes you, believe me it slapped me in the face first. No one is required to read, agree, like, or comment. It’s just here to start me thinking and keep me on course.
Am I wrong? Does your back story filter your response and reaction? Do you hear the comment in someone else’s voice?
Who is responsible for our reaction? Even if others around are unaware of your gut reaction, is it their responsibility to intervene. I’m working on boundaries and any codependent behavior I may have unaware. It affects my responses I know. It’s so easy to blame anyone but ourselves. Or take on too much blame. Ugh. Hard stuff.
So when an encounter goes down, take a deep breath. I want to show up and serve. Show love. I certainly have failed. But I won’t give the enemy the satisfaction of giving up. People need our stories friends. The world would have us think that all Christians have it all perfected. And if not they have failed. I’m here to tell you this one does not. But I know where the power, healing, and freedom comes from. Let’s focus on the kingdom more instead of each other. At least as far as blame is concerned. And let’s point each other home.
Climb the mountain and shout from the top. Consider it a huge gift to share and to hear. The Bible is full of crazy stories that went down in history to save the world.
The Heart to Heart Ministry here at Cheerful Hearts is on Revamp and we are adding “telling your story” as a major improvement. The tool we will mainly be using, although we will use several, will be LISTEN TO MY LIFE: Maps for Recognizing and Responding to God in My Story by Sibyl Towner and Sharon Swing. Hilda has gotten to know Sibyl Towner through her Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership Program, and is very excited about adding this component.
by Kay Simpson | Jul 1, 2019 | blog, encouragement
Have you ever searched the scriptures for all the “but God” verses? Depending on the translation, you will find about 43 of them. You and I know when God repeats himself He is definitely speaking for a purpose and He is serious! I say that 43 repeats is worth paying attention to. I think He means business! I have themes and patterns in my life that catch my eyes and these two words kept popping up. Even today as I write this post. Now that you have read this you will also be more aware of the But Gods in your life as well. 
Do we hear ourselves approaching our days and our problems? “But this is wrong, but that is a disaster, but they never. Oh the dreaded never, it’s a tricky one, I don’t know, I don’t know how or I have never” are jewels as well. Our words, language, and mindset matter.
The world may be telling you all is lost, cancer, divorce, trauma, loss, addiction, and unforgiveness. Here is a good reminder friends, we are powerless but God has power and He gives it to us through His Holy Spirit. We are weak but He is strong (yes Jesus loves me, remember) We are human but God is not. We can stop giving Him human attributes that we are familiar with. He is mysterious and supernatural and we are not meant to know and understand it all. God is not bound by earthly knowledge and our past choices and experiences, .
The world is all about holding grudges, isolation, self focus, unmet expectations, judgement, offense, disobedience, anger, works, death, and distrust. BUT GOD…is forgiveness, healing, reconciliation, community, God focus, dropping expectations, not looking for offenses, mercy, love, grace, trust, belief, life, and joy. What would happen if we showed all our “buts” to our God? This may make you giggle and I didn’t think of this as I wrote it, but you seriously get the picture right?
Let us go read Ephesians 2:1-9 for starts. WE used to be dead in sin, But GOD, who loved us so much, gave us life in Christ and He seated us with Him. Friends, He is right there in all of our doubts and circumstances. He is real and kind and can be trusted to work something out in ways we could not even have imagined. Are you looking for Him to move? Are you waiting expectantly for the gift? He has a plan and it’s time to be about the Father’s business. Go start your own scripture search and be encouraged.
by Kay Simpson | Jun 5, 2019 | encouragement
Did you know we hold negative emotions in our body? Pain, hurt, rejection, anger, and bitterness to name a few. Most of it in our subconscious but it can still be physically felt in a clenched jaw, tight shoulders or neck. Our bodies were made by a mysterious and supernatural God, so it is no wonder that all things are intertwined. Something seen as a trauma in our life either large or small stays with us until released.
We have a choice whether to stay stuck with our hurt and live our life or to do the work through wise counsel, prayer, scripture, and any other sources we find available. God gave us a heart for relationships, community, love, and joy but if we block that our with a bitter root we will find it difficult to share His Glory.
I have been hurt, divorced, ignored, shamed, made fun of, betrayed, and been left out. I could use any choice of these feelings to validate my behavior. I finally decided that there had to be a better way to live and I wanted to show up as the best version of what God made me to be. I did the work! It still continues to this day. Traditional counseling (many), Bible studies, Scripture reading, devotions, quiet time, accountability groups, spiritual retreats, life coaching, chiropractic care, integrative massages, emotion sessions, aroma freedom and release work, raindrop massages and freedom work with oils. It has spanned many years and it has been very hard. Just showing up to the appointment when my emotions didn’t feel like it. We have a choice. He will make a way in the wilderness. This ministry of Cheerful Hearts is an anointed place to start. To raise your hand and say enough. To walk into freedom and find true joy and abundance. Don’t waste another day living half blessed.
Come to the War Room and pray. Come be prayed over. Come sit at the feet of the pastoral care staff and find freedom for your spirit, soul, and body. You will never be the same.
We walk by faith not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression. Proverbs 17:22 (TPT)
by Kay Simpson | May 2, 2019 | blog, encouragement
As I looked out from the screened porch today the ground was dry! I felt so perplexed in my soul because there had been an abundance of rain over the last year. Go build a house and see how much it actually has rained. Maybe it was just me. So I thought, how long had it been since it rained? I could not remember. It had slipped my attention. All the plants looked dry and limp and the earth was dusty. I had not been focused on this because in my mind the abundance of rain should have it covered.
.
So here is where this led. The earth needs rain on a regular basis. Most plants need watering daily. They were not made to hold all the water they would ever need from one heavy downpour. Plants, trees, and crops have a continual dependence on the sky to open up and provide the moisture they need to grow and mature and bear fruit. Same for us right?
I can’t soak up all I need to know about Jesus and work on that relationship once in my lifetime or once a year and pretend that I will be sustained on my journey with Him. What does the bible say…all who are thirsty. We have a physical thirst to quench as well as a spiritual thirst to nurture and satisfy with the living water. Our spirits forget over time and life provides so many distractions of problems and busyness. The things we thought we held dear and would never let fall away, drift further and further from our conscious thought.
Our falling in love with God takes daily, or better yet hourly and moment by moment, priority. Our body, soul, and spirit need tending and reminder of His word to prevent the dust to take over. After making this a goal in my life, I now look forward to and get excited by opening up the scriptures and listening to the rain! Some days it is just a slow, gentle trickle like our bubbling fountain, sweet and refreshing. Others its like standing under a fire hose and getting soaked in the splendor, unable to take it all in at once. Don’t miss a single drop meant for you friends. Prepare to jump in the puddles if you must. And once you have drunk your fill, go and share with others who are parched in their very own dessert!
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