Do you begin a New Year with a word for your year? In 2010 our church family was encouraged by our Pastor at a New Year’s Eve service to seek the Lord in prayer for the one word He had for you, personally, for the New Year. After many days of waiting, I felt the word release settle in my heart. I wasn’t sure exactly how He would apply it to my life but I had a sense it would be year of release for me. It was, in many ways.
 
Last year was the year to be steadfast—firm in belief and determination—which took supernatural strength when I discovered my book would go out of print, the ministry I was involved with would close its doors, and my little sister would pass away. Grief took over for a very unexpected, sorrow-filled season but steadfast in my firm belief of God’s goodness I stood in a difficult season of stillness. 

When I felt the word revision drop into my heart for this year, I became excited, considering my prayers were for a revision of The ABC Book. However, my excitement was short-lived when I began to sense He wasn’t talking about the book. While that may be part of it, I had a suspicion the Lord was more interested in revising…me. Uh oh. Here we go again. One set of revisions on Kolleen lasted about two years and I spent a majority of that time reduced to a puddle of tears as He pinpointed deep areas in need of change.
 
It’s easy to recognize your need for change when you simply can’t imagine one more day of the old. But what happens when you’ve become comfortable? (Which I am.) When life is likeable? (Which it is.) Since revision is defined as “a change or a set of changes that corrects or improves something: a new version of something” my hope was the revision wouldn’t be quite as tearful as in the past. Perhaps just a little adjustment to my attitude – I could understand that – so I hit the prayer road running. Show me what you’ve got for me, Lord! Let the revision begin!
 
He agreed and I found myself revisiting the story Luke shared about the woman who became so desperate for a revision in her life she broke all of the customary laws for her moment with Jesus. We are never introduced to her by name but different translations reveal who she was in the community: a bad woman, especially wicked sinner, an immoral woman, the prostitute and the notorious sinner. The last one gets me every time I read it – she was well known and famous for her sin. There’s nothing like a reputation to hold you hostage, is there? Especially in a small town. She would get the stink eye and cold shoulder for sure from the other women in town. I can only imagine how many times her name would be found trending on social media today. (But that’s for another post.)
 
Her reputation was ruined, her life was broken by prostitution, and just as I began to think, I don’t know what it is like to be a prostitute, Lord. I can’t relate to her brokenness in this way, I was reminded that He often described the Israelites as prostitutes. I felt the sting of tears when I read, “… a spirit of prostitution has led them astray [morally and spiritually], and they have played the prostitute, withdrawing themselves from their God” (Hosea 4:12, AMP). A spirit of prostitution causes us to withdraw from God and leads us astray when we give ourselves to other lovers. 
 
Ouch.

Talk about a divine moment; talk about a take-your-breath-away-in-conviction moment. Is it possible I have been led astray by secret lovers which have caused me to withdraw from God? Have I been found guilty of allowing myself to play the prostitute by permitting idols to fill the place reserved for Him? Idols such as...
 
Comfort? Discomfort? Dreams? Fear? Busyness? Laziness? Rebellion? Impatience? People? Oh, my. I can see now...
 
Revision corrects.

Every time the Israelites gave themselves to the idols of other nations, God called them out for their sin of prostitution. Have you been led astray by an idol in your life? Could it be: Fear? Addiction? A Grudge? Money? Anger? Perhaps, People and Politics? Remember revision corrects to make us aware of our secret lovers that would lead us astray. 
 
When this woman found out Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisees home – grabbing her alabaster jar – she went too. I find her bravery commendable. While it was acceptable for uninvited guests to come and listen to a Rabbi teach in a home, she would not have been invited, nor would she be welcomed. In fact, she scandalized Simon the Pharisee when she entered his home because no woman of such immoral standing would have been welcome there. I admire anyone brave enough to show up to that party uninvited and unwelcome.
 
Can you imagine the looks as she made her way into the room towards Jesus? I’m sure every set of Pharisee eyes fell upon her. It’s risky to expose brokenness but when you’ve reached the point of desperation you tend to forget what others think and finally do what’s best for you. Regardless of what others think or might say.
 
Perhaps she had heard of the invitation Jesus offered when He said to the people, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (Matthew 11:28-30, MSG).
 
Her need to live freely and lightly was great. Just as great as mine when I allow the spirit of prostitution to cause approval addiction to lead me astray.The fear of what others will think can cause us to withdraw from God and lead us astray as we seek to please man instead of God. I can see how...
 
Revision improves.
 
Letting go of the opinion of others can improve the quality of your life and the quality of your relationship with Christ. Revision improves our life when we refuse to be led astray by the words of others.
 
The story continues that as she was, “standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began wetting His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and [respectfully] kissed His feet [as an act signifying both affection and submission] and anointed them with the perfume” (Luke 7:38, AMP).
 
When she broke open her alabaster jar—the jar possessing a year’s worth of wages—I imagine much more than costly perfume poured out. I believe what was locked up inside of her came pouring out at that moment, too. Perhaps flowing from within her were…
 
Her shame
Her sorrow
Her guilt
Her self-hatred
Her regrets
Her suffering
Her resentment...

making this the reason her tears were so great. I can't help but believe sitting at the feet of Jesus, openly pouring out your slander and scars would produce an abundance of tears. Cleansing tears. Freeing tears. The only way she would be free to live the life she was searching for—the life God intended for her to live—was to leave her life of  prostitution. I believe God might just be reminding me of the same thing: Life becomes as He intended when I walk away from the spirit of prostitution and no longer allow myself to be led astray by the cares of this world.

This was a woman ready for revision. She was ready for Jesus to change her, to improve her and to see her – not for her sin but for her who she was. And when Jesus turned to her and said, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith [in Me] has saved you; go in peace [free from the distress experienced because of sin]” I believe she left with what she came for (Luke 7:48 & 50, AMP). I believe she walked out of that room a completely different woman than when she walked in. Now I can see...
 
Revision makes new.
 
As I allow the Lord to change my identity – one letter at a time – I too, am ready for a year of revision. I expect it will be a year of correction and improvement but in the end He will have made something new. 
 
#BeYou
R-Revised.
 
 
 
 
 

 …Cannot wait to see where your words take you!

These were the words I found waiting for me in a message from my daughter-in-law recently after I had informed my kids of a writing goal I had just reached. These nine little words had a big impact on me; so much so, it seems they became cemented in my thoughts. It's become nearly impossible to stop them from rising up within me with every word I speak or hear from others. I constantly find myself wondering, where will those words take you? 
 
Every time I ask myself that question I find myself face to face with this truth: words are powerful and absolutely will take us someplace. The question I decided to start asking is, am I happy with the destination?

My sister, Kara, liked to retell the story of the time she and her husband were driving with our kids and took a wrong turn. She would break into laughter at the memory of our youngest son asking from the back seat, “Aunt Kara, where have you tooken us now?” I thought this might be a good time to consider the same question about our words — “Where have they tooken you now?”
 
It’s pretty easy for me to find myself lost after taking a wrong turn with my words. I’ve been in numerous uncomfortable situations because I allowed words to roll out of my mouth with little or no thought. Rather than have a Proverbs 16:24 moment and allow my words to be pleasant like honey—sweet and healing would not always describe what flows from my lips—I’ve exposed the irritation and impatience stirring within me. There’s nothing healing when words are cutting or rude. My daughter calls it being snarky. There was a time excuses covered my harshness by labeling it as sarcasm. But then it was pointed out to me that sarcasm is just a nicer form of anger and angry words lead to hurt - regardless of how you try to sugarcoat them.  Laurence J. Peter said, “Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.” Oh my! I resemble that remark. Angry words have slipped through my lips, or off my texting fingers, that I still regret today. And while God is always forgiving I have found it takes people a bit longer to let it go. Our words definitely take us somewhere. Where have yours taken you?
 
I’ve noticed the words of my grandchildren have the power to take them straight to time-out and, at times, rather quickly. For some, their words have led a spouse to the couch or a separate bedroom – quite possibly a divorce lawyer. Words can put an end to relationships when they abuse rather than appreciate. We always have the choice to use our words to bully others or build them up. If the lips of the godly speak helpful words how do your words help those around you (Proverbs 10:32)? Our words are leading us somewhere in our relationships – are we where we always dreamed we would be? Where have your words taken you in your relationships?
 
There's always plenty of opportunity to speak words of truth or words that spread lies. However, speak words of truth too quickly and they often come out thoughtless, insensitive and offensive. John Maxwell said, “People may hear your words but they feel your attitude.” Oh. My. Goodness. Can I get an amen? We’ve probably all experienced a moment when we heard the words that held truth but felt the attitude as they hit your ears. Snarky. No one likes to be spoken to snarkily (I might have just made that word up). I don’t mean to speak for everyone but Proverbs 12:18 might be useful to those of us who tend to speak without thinking first. If we held this verse in our memory bank it might keep us from those wrong turns. “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18, AMP). Rash words could have you running to the emergency room with the one you’ve just driven the sword through. Isn’t it easier to hear truthful words delivered from someone who has given careful thought before they share them? Be wise when presenting your words to others. How have rash words been used against you? How many emergency room visits have you made? 
 
The way you speak can cause you to lose the respect of others —even of yourself. Your words can comfort or crush. When we use words to imply we, or others, have no value we dishonor God and His creation. Moses believed himself incapable of surrendering to God’s call because of how he saw himself. When he was asked to go to Pharaoh he “… said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words (eloquent, fluent), neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10, AMP). Dr. Suess wrote, “I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.” Don’t allow your own words to be used against you to eliminate yourself from the life God always intended for you. He’s got good plans for each of His kids. Where are your words defeating you?
 
The Amplified Bible says Jesus’ words and works reflected His Messiahship (Matthew 9:35). How well do our words and works reflect our Christship? (I think I made up another word). As we allow God to change our identity —one letter at a time —let’s grab onto the understanding of what James instructed when he wrote, “…Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]” (James 1:19, AMP). I think what he is saying here is practice the pause before your words take you to a place you didn’t really want to end up.

appreciate or abuse
build or break
comfort or crush
dismiss or delight

​Where have your words taken you? 
 
#BeYou 
A S-Speaker of carefully chosen words