faith – A Woman Standing

As A Christian, There Is No Choice

Although I have never shied away from my support for Donald Trump since he first took the debate stage in 2015, in public, I often state my reasoning for such support is due to his policies. I am a “build the wall”, help our veterans, pro-school choice, pro-fracking, and imposing tariffs on Chinese goods kind of gal, so my promotions of the man should be expected.

But, what I do not discuss as often when talking about politics to a friend or a neighbor is my support for Donald Trump due to my Christian faith. Many Christians refuse to support Trump due to their disdain for his personality. Such Christians desire someone who speaks correctly, never ruffles feathers and solely sticks to the talking points. They want someone who is presidential in character and eloquent in tongue.

That, clearly, is not Donald J. Trump.

For years, we have allowed such reasoning to go unquestioned. Christians, such as myself, have defended Trump’s policies but have listened as fellow Christians expressed their frustration towards the man due to his personality, his posts online, that rude thing he said two decades ago, or the insult he threw during a debate, resulting in their refusal to vote for him.

But, this election, such frustrations are no longer a valid excuse for Christians not to support Donald Trump for President in 2024.

Why? Because it is truly unacceptable for any God-fearing, Bible believing Chrisitan to vote for the Democrat nominee.

I can already see the eye rolling, cringing, and hear the huffs and puffs from holier-than-thou Christians at such a statement.

But, it is true, and allow me to tell you why.

Faith And Delivery

While talking with a friend this morning about faith, words came out of my mouth I had never thought before:

“Faith is like giving birth.”

Even while the words left my lips I thought, “what the heck does that even mean?” God, fortunately, gave me clarity.

Most women, including myself, get to a point in the delivery room when they think, or say out loud in my case, I just can’t do this anymore!

Love Like No Other

Six weeks ago, the greatest blessing of my life entered the world; my sweet baby girl.

Everyone tells you the love you have for a child is unlike any other, that the feeling is overwhelming and the emotions uncontrollable, but nothing can prepare you for the reality of experiencing that all-consuming love for the very first time.

In between the diaper changes, feedings, baths, spit ups, wardrobe swaps, and attempted sleep, the thought crossed my mind that I have no idea how God did it-how did He allow His Son, His lovely, perfect, beautiful, and harmless Son to sacrifice Himself for an undeserving world?

Overwhelming

This morning, I received the link to a sermon of one of my clients preaching at a church near me with a comment on how good the teaching was.

This made me start thinking about my client and all I have seen “firsthand” while working for his ministry as a communications contractor. The more I thought about all I have seen, heard, witnessed, and experienced, the more astounded I became at how much God can do with one individual when that person lets go of all limitations and allows God to truly be all He can be in our lives.

In just 20 years, God took this man from an on the road preacher, visiting small mountain towns and hardly bringing in enough money to pay the bills, to a globally known teacher who gives away millions of dollars every year.

How? The man stopped placing limitations on the Lord.

I Believe

Something that has been on my mind a lot lately is the individuality of our relationship with the Lord and how none of us can condemn someone else based off of what they do, or do not, believe when it comes to the Word.

One of my clients is a global Ministry. They believe in what many would call “extreme” Christian beliefs, such as speaking in tongues, baptism of the Holy Spirit, supernatural healing, God led prosperity, even, dare I say, raising dead back to life. Many claim them to be a cult and the media absolutely loves to diminish and demean everything about them.

I also have others in my life who don’t believe in any of these things. Who believe God is a creator, but that is the extend of His relationship with His children. They claim prayer makes us feel good, but the fulfillment of prayer is completely up to God. God may choose to listen and provide, or He may not, the decision belongs to Him alone.

The Lord Healed Me!

As I have written before, I’m currently pregnant with my first child, a healthy little girl. Although I am overwhelmingly grateful for this blessing and love this baby fully, pregnancy for me has been, for lack of a better word, a challenge.

Instead of getting into all the symptoms I’ve faced and the emotional roller coaster those symptoms have taken me on, I’ll just focus on the most recent one.

For the past four weeks I have been battling some sort of eye infection/allergic reaction/allergy that has resulted in the area around my upper and lower eyelids to be bright red, swollen, itchy and flaky. For weeks I have looked like I’ve just stepped out of a bout in the boxing ring, a bout I clearly lost.

Being a strong proponent of natural remedies, because I truly believe if the devil brought something into this world God has a natural way to heal it, I tried all the therapies I could think of – ice, heat, coconut oil, olive oil, cucumber slices, potatoe slices, honey, stopped eating gluten, stayed away from dairy, changed my makeup, got rid of my pillow, switched toothpastes and deodorant etc, but nothing was making a dent. I am not a fan of western medicine (although I must say I do have several wonderful people in my life who are doctors and nurses), but I finally set up a consultation with a doctor after talking to the nurse at my prenatal clinic.

Simple

We live in a very complex and confusing world. What was once right is now wrong and what was once truth is now purely opinion. Different perspectives and beliefs bombard us on all fronts making it difficult to know what to believe, say, think. This bombardment of false information and new “truths” has complicated things to such a degree it is truly overwhelming.

Lately, I have been faced with frustrations and disappointments, resulting in my attitude not being what it should be. I was shorter than usual and found myself getting annoyed with even the smallest things. I realized something was off but just didn’t know how to deal with it. One morning in prayer, I asked God to help me, for Him to send me to a verse that I could stand on and make my own. I opened my bible and sure enough God took me exactly where I needed to go. I began reading the verses He gave me every day and since then everything has been – simple.

My attitude is lighter, my perspective is cheerful and my overall view on life and all that is happening around me is far more optimistic.

One More Lap

I have had many conversations with different people who are all experiencing the same thing: a frustration with the waiting. Waiting for a career change, waiting for an answered prayer, waiting for their special someone, waiting for the door to open, waiting, waiting, waiting for God to move.

Yesterday, while talking to a friend about this topic, I said something that struck me so much that I have been thinking about it ever since:

Sometimes, God needs us to take another lap around the desert before we are ready to go into our promised land.

You see, God isn’t going to let us walk into a land we are not ready for, even though we may feel like we’ve been ready for a long time. The Israelites had a year long journey from Egypt to Canaan. God had them take a longer route in order to purge them of everything Egypt had tainted them with. When they arrived, Egypt was still very much in them, and they weren’t ready to enter. They felt ready, believed they were ready, wanted to go in and eat of the fruit, but God told them no, therefore they walked around the desert for an additional 40 years.

Desire For My Daughter

Today, on my birthday, I was told “God’s greatest gift lives within you”. I am currently pregnant with my first child, a baby girl. Although there are many years between us, there are so many things I would like her to know, to experience, to run with through life. So, below are the desires I have for my daughter:

Know you are loved. Not only by your father and me, but by the Creator of the Universe. You were placed on this earth for a purpose, a destiny, a Heavenly call. You are known by the One who spoke the world into existence, who told the mountains to rise, the valleys to go deep, the oceans to wave, the trees to sway, and the sun the shine. Your name is always on His mind.

Know you are worthy. The world may tell you you aren’t “enough”; pretty enough, smart enough, talented enough, but your Father believed you were more than enough for Him to give His most precious gift. He gave it all for you, He sacrificed His heart so you could spend eternity with Him. So, no matter what the world may tell you, know you, simply you, were worth the Son sacrificing Himself so you may live.

Where Are The Parents?

A friend of mine, Sarah, a mental health therapist, told me the tragic story of a former client of hers committing suicide last night. The young girl was 14 years old. Sarah is an incredible counselor who has been called to specifically work with middle school aged children. She has seen firsthand the demonic oppression and spiritual attacks bombarding our youth, resulting in an uptick in mental health issues like we have never seen.

Sarah told me there is not a SINGLE child in her caseload who does not struggle with suicidal ideation or gender identity issues. Sarah described the “suicide packs” that many children are in, this young girl being one of them. These packs are filled with children who are obsessed with death. They enjoy talking about death, fantasizing about the “afterlife”, watch shows that promote death and take a blood oath that if one person in the pack commits suicide, they all must commit suicide. Unfortunately, and shockingly, these packs are far more popular and commonplace than any of us would want to admit.

Enmity Between Thee

Yesterday, I read a story, which had an accompanying video, of a young female volleyball player who was seriously injured by a male transgender competitor during a volleyball match. The girl suffered, “severe head and neck injuries, resulting in long-term concussion symptoms, including vision problems.” This story hit home seeing as volleyball was a major part of my life for over a decade.

Volleyball, like sports for many people, was everything to me at one point in time. I lived, breathed, dreamed the sport, resulting in a full-ride Division I college scholarship. Post-college, I coached for a Division III University while achieving my master’s degree. To say volleyball was a big part of my life would be an understatement. The sport was a major aspect of my very identity for years.

I once wrote a post about not giving the devil one inch in your life, because when we give the enemy an inch he is never satisfied, he wants more, and more, and more until he controls every aspect of our lives. I believe this is exactly what we are seeing in regards to the devil consistently, and successfully, attacking women.

Truth

It’s been over a year since I wrote anything. So much has happened since the last time I sat down to write in this blog, both in the world and in my own life.

Since my last post, I moved cross country for a job, got engaged, planned a wedding, moved back to DC, got married, started my own company, moved cross country (again), bought a house, and am just beginning to settle down a bit.

Sometimes, life seems to be passing at a pace I can hardly keep up with. My relationship with the Lord has often been put on the backburner throughout the past year. It seems there is just so much, too much, going on for me to know what to say to God when I sit down with Him in the morning.

My primary frustration and what has been increasingly bothering me is the spiritual attack on Truth.

About To Arise

No devil can stop us

No enemy can stand in our way

No weapon can penetrate the armor God has placed upon us

We have been called forth for such a time as this

This day and this season belong to us, belongs to the Remnant

Though the devil may have had a win during the night, our victory is arising with sun

It’s The Law

I’ve been looking for a solid church to go to for nearly a year which is why I was overwhelmed with joy when I learned a Pastor I respect out of Africa has a sister church not far from me. I called their office to ask a question I ask every church I visit since COVID-19 impacted our world.

“Do you all require masks?” I asked the person on the other line.

“Do we require masks? Of course, it’s the law.” Was the response I received.

My heart sank.

I could have said a million things, but the one statement I wish I had responded with was, “whose law are you following?”

Get Thee Up

It’s been several weeks since I’ve written anything, but this morning I felt inspired to finally pull out my laptop and write what God has placed on my heart.

While praying for the Remnant I saw a camp with soldiers resting throughout. Some were sitting up, others were laying down, but it was clear everyone within the camp was recovering from an exhausting battle.

I then saw a Captain begin to walk throughout the camp and tell the soldiers that the time of recuperation was about to end and they were going to be sent back into the fight, for the battle was still raging not far away.

I then thought of Joshua. Right in the beginning of the book God tells Joshua,

“My servant Moses is dead; now, therefore, arise.” -Joshua 1:2