"How are you??"
"Fine!" (i.e. I'm really stressed and fighting a cold and my workouts aren't bringing desired results and my band hasn't toured in weeks and I feel like a failure most days but I really don't want to tell you all that because we aren't actually friends but I'm a polite Minnesotan so I'll just lie...)
Okay, a tad harsh. But really- what girl says she's "fine" when she really is fine?? If we're fine and life is good, we'll reply with a bright, "I'm great! How are you??"
I was comparing my life with the gym today... how we get stronger by lifting weights, i.e. tearing our muscles so that they repair bigger and tougher. And we condition ourselves by running till our heart rate goes much higher than normal and increases it's capacity.
In the same way we grow spiritually stronger by trials, battles, deserts.
When we fail and we get back up. (stronger)
When we fall into sin and repent. (stronger)
When we despair and give in to depression but choose to believe God is good. (stronger)
When someone hurts us and we don't tell anyone about it to save their face. (stronger)
When a loved one gets sick and doesn't get healed but we believe God is the Healer. (stronger)
It's the same situation really. Life gets hard. We choose to trust God. We get stronger.
God knows if life is always easy we will eventually fall away from Him. He never promised us an easy life. He promised that the burden HE would lay on us is light. That's not talking about the world, other (selfish) people, our own flesh warring against us, our enemy... These things are not from God, because His burden is light. But He WILL use these struggles for our good.
And don't you want to be a strong christian?
I do.
So, maybe the next time I get asked, "How are you doing?"
I'll just reply, "I'm mostly gettin' stronger."
Keep runnin'!
LM
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Lacking spiritual hunger: more blessed than u know.
This post started out as a tweet... and then grew waaay too long (don't u hate that?). So it turned into a post- even better. :)
"For whoever has, to him more will be given and he will have in abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."
This is one of those verses that is fully loaded! I feel like I could read this verse every day for a year getting new insight and perspective every day. Here's what struck me this morning...
"For whoever has, to him more will be given" If you have spiritual hunger, you will be given food. If you desire- you WILL be filled! ("and he will have abundance")
However, more often than not- I am not one of those extremely blessed people! I think the biggest struggle in my spiritual life is lack of hunger. So, you may think it odd, but this next verse encouraged me greatly...
"But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." If you lack spiritual hunger or desire for God, soon even the knowledge of what you lack will be taken from you. You will forget that you have no hunger. You won't be able to tell that you lack anything! Let alone the importance of whats missing. This is a very dangerous position to be in, for there is little hope for the one who does not know he is spiritually dying, apart from divine intervention.
So, here's why I am so encouraged: I know that I lack spiritual hunger! That knowledge has not been taken away from me. I am blessed! I can cry out for the Lord to fill my lack, to give me hunger. Then when I have hunger, I am assured- He will give me food, an abundance of it!
Therefore, when you realize your great lack in an area of your spiritual life, count yourself blessed! God has given you that knowledge for a purpose- to cry out to Him to fill up your lack. But often times the warning comes softly, as a whisper, or a slight hunch that you are growing lazy and dull in your pursuit of the Lord. If you do not take violent action upon that slight hunch, soon even that will be taken away from you.
Oh Lord, let that never be!
Keep running!
LM
"For whoever has, to him more will be given and he will have in abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."
This is one of those verses that is fully loaded! I feel like I could read this verse every day for a year getting new insight and perspective every day. Here's what struck me this morning...
"For whoever has, to him more will be given" If you have spiritual hunger, you will be given food. If you desire- you WILL be filled! ("and he will have abundance")
However, more often than not- I am not one of those extremely blessed people! I think the biggest struggle in my spiritual life is lack of hunger. So, you may think it odd, but this next verse encouraged me greatly...
"But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." If you lack spiritual hunger or desire for God, soon even the knowledge of what you lack will be taken from you. You will forget that you have no hunger. You won't be able to tell that you lack anything! Let alone the importance of whats missing. This is a very dangerous position to be in, for there is little hope for the one who does not know he is spiritually dying, apart from divine intervention.
So, here's why I am so encouraged: I know that I lack spiritual hunger! That knowledge has not been taken away from me. I am blessed! I can cry out for the Lord to fill my lack, to give me hunger. Then when I have hunger, I am assured- He will give me food, an abundance of it!
Therefore, when you realize your great lack in an area of your spiritual life, count yourself blessed! God has given you that knowledge for a purpose- to cry out to Him to fill up your lack. But often times the warning comes softly, as a whisper, or a slight hunch that you are growing lazy and dull in your pursuit of the Lord. If you do not take violent action upon that slight hunch, soon even that will be taken away from you.
Oh Lord, let that never be!
Keep running!
LM
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Valentines day: the unimportance of romance.
Okay, I'll admit- romance is very important at certain times in your life. But I do think that we as a younger generation in this time and culture put WAY too much emphasis on it. And it's not even close to the most important kind of love... That said, here's the post for today:
This post was really about my birthday (which was yesterday) but it goes along with the holiday too now that I think about it.
I was looking forward to my birthday last week and found myself sighing a little with anticipation and delight. And I thought, 'although I love the stuff, the best part of my birthday is the strong reminder of how much I am loved.'
A girl needs to be reminded of that! And my family is near tops when it comes to loving me but around birthday time... they start layin' it on real thick. It's awesome!
Love is to our hearts like water to our physical bodies.
You can't just tell someone, "I love you." and be covered for the rest of your life, just like you can't drink a glass of water and expect to stay hydrated for a year- or even the rest of the afternoon! We all (but I think us girls especially) need to drink love like water to stay emotionally hydrated.
There's nothing I thrive on more than constant affirmation from people that I trust. When I am convinced of their love, I don't just press on- I dance through my day! Sometimes it just takes a few words... "Love you!" "You're pretty amazing" "You look so good today!"
But sometimes words just aren't enough. You know when you're having a pretty awful day and when someone says you're awesome, you just don't believe them? A couple of my family members are pretty good at discerning when I am not emotionally capable of believing their words alone. And that's when they bring out the big guns... presents. :)
Now, I know that sounds horribly materialistic and spoiled little girl-like but hang with me here. It's not necessarily gonna cost money but it does have to cost. Some presents (for lack of a better word) cost time. Some cost effort in being long thought-out. Some cost money or another such sacrifice. But it's the very cost that strikes something in my heart.
The cost proves their love in a stronger way. It makes me believe I am loved.
Sometimes words are enough. Sometimes they aren't. God made us with a longing to be loved, wanted, needed and adored. Constantly. Which is why we can be totally overwhelmed by a verse in the bible or a word from the Holy Spirit or a revelation of God's love, then two days later we're fighting depression. There's nothing wrong with us! We just have to keep drinking!
God not only made us to need His love constantly but to need human love as well. Yes! We need each other. It's the second commandment placed only less than #1. The love of the people around us, family, friends, people we trust, is vital to our thriving. No one thrives on independence. We are all inter-dependent.
So, I would put to you today (on Valentines and after) these 2 things:
First, don't resent or resist your God-given need to be loved. Let others love you.
(Caution: Be wise about this! It is the love of family that we need- sometimes that means friends who are so close they become like part of your family. Although most of us ladies will end up having boyfriends and/or getting married, it is not this kind of love that is the 2nd commandment.
It is quite possible (and easier than you think!) to thrive without the "romantic" type of love. God-love and family-love is the water we cannot survive without.)
Not to say romantic love isn't God-given. It totally is! But don't depend on it entirely. You need God's love. You need family-love.
Second, think about the people who need your love. Family and friends who need to hear you say those words like they need water. And sometimes they might need a little more- something that's gonna cost you. Be generous with your love! Go out of your way, over the top, to show your family and friends that you love them. It's an investment. (And the pay-back is well worth it- I promise!)
Let yourself be loved. And love others well.
Happy Valentines, beautiful girls!
XOLM
John 15:12
This post was really about my birthday (which was yesterday) but it goes along with the holiday too now that I think about it.
I was looking forward to my birthday last week and found myself sighing a little with anticipation and delight. And I thought, 'although I love the stuff, the best part of my birthday is the strong reminder of how much I am loved.'
A girl needs to be reminded of that! And my family is near tops when it comes to loving me but around birthday time... they start layin' it on real thick. It's awesome!
Love is to our hearts like water to our physical bodies.
You can't just tell someone, "I love you." and be covered for the rest of your life, just like you can't drink a glass of water and expect to stay hydrated for a year- or even the rest of the afternoon! We all (but I think us girls especially) need to drink love like water to stay emotionally hydrated.
There's nothing I thrive on more than constant affirmation from people that I trust. When I am convinced of their love, I don't just press on- I dance through my day! Sometimes it just takes a few words... "Love you!" "You're pretty amazing" "You look so good today!"
But sometimes words just aren't enough. You know when you're having a pretty awful day and when someone says you're awesome, you just don't believe them? A couple of my family members are pretty good at discerning when I am not emotionally capable of believing their words alone. And that's when they bring out the big guns... presents. :)
Now, I know that sounds horribly materialistic and spoiled little girl-like but hang with me here. It's not necessarily gonna cost money but it does have to cost. Some presents (for lack of a better word) cost time. Some cost effort in being long thought-out. Some cost money or another such sacrifice. But it's the very cost that strikes something in my heart.
The cost proves their love in a stronger way. It makes me believe I am loved.
Sometimes words are enough. Sometimes they aren't. God made us with a longing to be loved, wanted, needed and adored. Constantly. Which is why we can be totally overwhelmed by a verse in the bible or a word from the Holy Spirit or a revelation of God's love, then two days later we're fighting depression. There's nothing wrong with us! We just have to keep drinking!
God not only made us to need His love constantly but to need human love as well. Yes! We need each other. It's the second commandment placed only less than #1. The love of the people around us, family, friends, people we trust, is vital to our thriving. No one thrives on independence. We are all inter-dependent.
So, I would put to you today (on Valentines and after) these 2 things:
First, don't resent or resist your God-given need to be loved. Let others love you.
(Caution: Be wise about this! It is the love of family that we need- sometimes that means friends who are so close they become like part of your family. Although most of us ladies will end up having boyfriends and/or getting married, it is not this kind of love that is the 2nd commandment.
It is quite possible (and easier than you think!) to thrive without the "romantic" type of love. God-love and family-love is the water we cannot survive without.)
Not to say romantic love isn't God-given. It totally is! But don't depend on it entirely. You need God's love. You need family-love.
Second, think about the people who need your love. Family and friends who need to hear you say those words like they need water. And sometimes they might need a little more- something that's gonna cost you. Be generous with your love! Go out of your way, over the top, to show your family and friends that you love them. It's an investment. (And the pay-back is well worth it- I promise!)
Let yourself be loved. And love others well.
Happy Valentines, beautiful girls!
XOLM
John 15:12
Friday, January 18, 2013
The mid-January resolution slump.
Dear sisters,
Well, it's that time of the year... mid-January. Did anyone make a new years resolution? Can you still remember it? :) Seriously, I'm the worst at this. Last year I outright refused to make any resolution at all because of the imminent failure I perceived as unavoidable. Maybe it was because of a whole year off that, come this December, I was ready to take the plunge into another written recitation of goals... I think it was sheer forgetfulness. But here we are, mid-January once again and I can't say much for my track record so far.
Which brings me to 2 points I'd like to make (both here and in real life if I can!) about resolutions.
1. Plan to fail. Yep, you read that right. If you always failed in the past and you're expecting to fail again... yeah, you probably will. Just consider that part of the plan. But here's the rest... don't stay down. Get back up, press delete in your mind and take off runnin'. And every time you get up, just pretend it's Jan. 1st again and you are gonna do this!
Cause let's be honest, most of us make the goal, fail, then give up, right? But what if you got back up and plowed ahead again, full force! Well, give it a couple days and you'll probably fail again. Get good at starting over. I mean, really good at it. What if all year long you kept getting back again and going full force just like it was January 1st?
I'd wager you'd be pretty far along to your goal by July. Even closer come October. Maybe even almost there at the end of November... still failing every now and again, but still getting up and goin'.
It's okay to fail. Simply because, you're going to! And furthermore, God doesn't really mind. He expects us to fail and waits eagerly to help us get back up! (just picture a happy couple, adoringly watch their baby take his first steps, even though he falls a gazillion times they ooh and ahh, encouraging him to get back up and try again. They are delighted with him. This is how God looks at us when we fail. Don't give up!! Fail. Get up. Fail again? Get up again. And again.)
2. It's easier to keep going then to keep starting over. Okay, this is going to sound like the complete opposite of point number 1... but it's really more advice for September... maybe mid-October. You've been failing, getting back up, failing, goin' at it again, etc... and high fives to you! By consistently starting over, I say- you're a success!
But it does get tiring after awhile. We become fed up with starting over and over, achieving little perceived progress (although learning to keep getting back up is major progress actually!).
I read a quote on twitter the other day, "If you HATE starting over. Stop quitting!"
First, get good at starting over. But eventually, just refuse to quit!
Well, I gotta go fish out that new years resolution again... I think it's somewhere under my bed. :)
What's your resolution?
Keep runnin',
LM
Well, it's that time of the year... mid-January. Did anyone make a new years resolution? Can you still remember it? :) Seriously, I'm the worst at this. Last year I outright refused to make any resolution at all because of the imminent failure I perceived as unavoidable. Maybe it was because of a whole year off that, come this December, I was ready to take the plunge into another written recitation of goals... I think it was sheer forgetfulness. But here we are, mid-January once again and I can't say much for my track record so far.
Which brings me to 2 points I'd like to make (both here and in real life if I can!) about resolutions.
1. Plan to fail. Yep, you read that right. If you always failed in the past and you're expecting to fail again... yeah, you probably will. Just consider that part of the plan. But here's the rest... don't stay down. Get back up, press delete in your mind and take off runnin'. And every time you get up, just pretend it's Jan. 1st again and you are gonna do this!
Cause let's be honest, most of us make the goal, fail, then give up, right? But what if you got back up and plowed ahead again, full force! Well, give it a couple days and you'll probably fail again. Get good at starting over. I mean, really good at it. What if all year long you kept getting back again and going full force just like it was January 1st?
I'd wager you'd be pretty far along to your goal by July. Even closer come October. Maybe even almost there at the end of November... still failing every now and again, but still getting up and goin'.
It's okay to fail. Simply because, you're going to! And furthermore, God doesn't really mind. He expects us to fail and waits eagerly to help us get back up! (just picture a happy couple, adoringly watch their baby take his first steps, even though he falls a gazillion times they ooh and ahh, encouraging him to get back up and try again. They are delighted with him. This is how God looks at us when we fail. Don't give up!! Fail. Get up. Fail again? Get up again. And again.)
2. It's easier to keep going then to keep starting over. Okay, this is going to sound like the complete opposite of point number 1... but it's really more advice for September... maybe mid-October. You've been failing, getting back up, failing, goin' at it again, etc... and high fives to you! By consistently starting over, I say- you're a success!
But it does get tiring after awhile. We become fed up with starting over and over, achieving little perceived progress (although learning to keep getting back up is major progress actually!).
I read a quote on twitter the other day, "If you HATE starting over. Stop quitting!"
First, get good at starting over. But eventually, just refuse to quit!
Well, I gotta go fish out that new years resolution again... I think it's somewhere under my bed. :)
What's your resolution?
Keep runnin',
LM
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Things I'm (really) thankful for.
Well, I don't want to list the obvious... because it's obvious. But I do like to remind myself around this time of year (not just one day and it should be more often!) of things that seem hard, but are really making me strong.
So here's the mental list I came up with out on my run this morning. In the freezing wind. I just couldn't stay in... not with all that turkey coming up.
1. my conscience.
Ps. 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
2. That I never have to struggle with guilt.
Rom. 8:21 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus
who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
3. That I don't always get along with my brothers, because I'm learning the #goldenrule for real.
Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
4. That I have a little sister who knows more about the Lord than I do, because I am consistently being provoked to seek harder.
Pr. 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
5. That I have a body-type that makes me work suuuuper hard to stay in shape! Otherwise I would never to anything athletic or hardcore (like a 4miler on thanksgiving morning in the biting winds of Minnesota!)
6. Fans. Because of you, I am forced to socialize every night when I would otherwise probably be a stay-at-home mom of some sort, never leaving the house except for church and grocery shopping! And that would just be lame. (well, until it happens... cause I'm sure it will one day and it'll probably be awesome)
7. That I live in this country, at this time in history and I have ample opportunity to intercede to my generation and my leaders- both of whom are dying a slow death without God. What a privilege to be alive and pray in the next great awakening!
There is so much we have to be thankful for. But I want to challenge you not only to thank Him for the obvious today, but also the hard things that are making you stronger.
And thanks for reading! ;)
LM
So here's the mental list I came up with out on my run this morning. In the freezing wind. I just couldn't stay in... not with all that turkey coming up.
1. my conscience.
Ps. 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
2. That I never have to struggle with guilt.
Rom. 8:21 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus
who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
3. That I don't always get along with my brothers, because I'm learning the #goldenrule for real.
Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
4. That I have a little sister who knows more about the Lord than I do, because I am consistently being provoked to seek harder.
Pr. 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
5. That I have a body-type that makes me work suuuuper hard to stay in shape! Otherwise I would never to anything athletic or hardcore (like a 4miler on thanksgiving morning in the biting winds of Minnesota!)
6. Fans. Because of you, I am forced to socialize every night when I would otherwise probably be a stay-at-home mom of some sort, never leaving the house except for church and grocery shopping! And that would just be lame. (well, until it happens... cause I'm sure it will one day and it'll probably be awesome)
7. That I live in this country, at this time in history and I have ample opportunity to intercede to my generation and my leaders- both of whom are dying a slow death without God. What a privilege to be alive and pray in the next great awakening!
There is so much we have to be thankful for. But I want to challenge you not only to thank Him for the obvious today, but also the hard things that are making you stronger.
And thanks for reading! ;)
LM
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Follow the Star
Dear sisters,
Apologies for the long absence of writing... I've been learning so many lessons over the past several weeks and sometimes it feels too overwhelming to even share them all!
Lessons, especially hard ones are so good.
So lesson #1: Follow the Star.
We wrote a christmas song last month. Our manager emailed that we were booking a christmas run and could we swing by his place on our current tour and record a song to promote it. Well, my run-outside-the-pack brother D. said doing a cover was a no go. For sure. So I was like, okay just write one then. 2 days later, we had a christmas song. I'm thinking we should write our next album in 2 days. It may turn out pretty nice...
A couple weeks later was the elections. The day after, I was sitting in my room, overwhelmed with heaviness. Feeling sadness and worry over my beloved country, also frustration over voting fraud and knowing there were hundreds of military votes that will probably never be counted. My heart ached. I felt so lost.
Later that day we were practicing our song. It's called Follow the Star, it's not really about the wise men, per se, but that's the christmas image used. It talks about wandering in the darkness, being lost in the desert... and when you can't see anything else- there's always a star in the sky. It's God, truth, scripture, prayer... any one of those things. All I have to do is follow the star.
I can release my country, it's leaders, the government, fraud, unfairness, injustice, into God's hands. When I can't do anything, I can follow the star.
Lesson #2: Humility.
WOW. That's a hard one. I have only just started this journey and I think it's gonna go on for my whole life. So all I will say about it for now is what the Lord told me last night, right before the show. He said, "I am teaching you to play for Me alone." And my interpretation was, no matter what the crowd size or however I "rate" the success of a show, my fulfillment and success must be found in God alone. No big, amazing experience is ever going to make me happy. And no horrible, dark, dirty, bad event should be able to steal my joy.
There's more lessons... but we're up next, and I gotta get my show shirt on!
Keep runnin'!
LM
Apologies for the long absence of writing... I've been learning so many lessons over the past several weeks and sometimes it feels too overwhelming to even share them all!
Lessons, especially hard ones are so good.
So lesson #1: Follow the Star.
We wrote a christmas song last month. Our manager emailed that we were booking a christmas run and could we swing by his place on our current tour and record a song to promote it. Well, my run-outside-the-pack brother D. said doing a cover was a no go. For sure. So I was like, okay just write one then. 2 days later, we had a christmas song. I'm thinking we should write our next album in 2 days. It may turn out pretty nice...
A couple weeks later was the elections. The day after, I was sitting in my room, overwhelmed with heaviness. Feeling sadness and worry over my beloved country, also frustration over voting fraud and knowing there were hundreds of military votes that will probably never be counted. My heart ached. I felt so lost.
Later that day we were practicing our song. It's called Follow the Star, it's not really about the wise men, per se, but that's the christmas image used. It talks about wandering in the darkness, being lost in the desert... and when you can't see anything else- there's always a star in the sky. It's God, truth, scripture, prayer... any one of those things. All I have to do is follow the star.
I can release my country, it's leaders, the government, fraud, unfairness, injustice, into God's hands. When I can't do anything, I can follow the star.
Lesson #2: Humility.
WOW. That's a hard one. I have only just started this journey and I think it's gonna go on for my whole life. So all I will say about it for now is what the Lord told me last night, right before the show. He said, "I am teaching you to play for Me alone." And my interpretation was, no matter what the crowd size or however I "rate" the success of a show, my fulfillment and success must be found in God alone. No big, amazing experience is ever going to make me happy. And no horrible, dark, dirty, bad event should be able to steal my joy.
There's more lessons... but we're up next, and I gotta get my show shirt on!
Keep runnin'!
LM
Friday, September 28, 2012
Lyrics on the run
I am not a lyrics kid. I just love music! I don't really pay attention to the lyrics, or read them, or pour over them trying to figure them out. The only time I really listen to words is on the run. When it's just me. Me and the voice in my head. Today that voice was Matthew Hasting. My Children My Bride.
Let me just interrupt myself for a moment. If you haven't listened to, or don't own either of the last MCMB records (Lost Boy and self-titled, respectively) please, please go buy them and do your heart a favor. They are passionate, heavy and xcore!! I LOVE em!
So I'm listening to MCMB on my 6 miler and my spirit just started preaching at me in my head- does that ever happen to you? So I thought I should share a few of the lessons I learned... yet again.
"Every day is a constant struggle/ full of test and self-doubt"
Life is hard. Life is hard. Sometimes I whine, struggle and complain because I can't figure out why life is so hard. Seems like it should be easy, right? But although it's a daily battle, we have access to great strength. We have great strength in us and His name is the Holy Spirit. The harder the fight- the harder we must press to gain access to the unlimited strength to fight. Life is not going to get easy! Embrace the challenge- access the unlimited strength that is yours in Christ Jesus. (It's just a simple prayer away. You have more strength than you know.)
"No matter how bad you got it, someones got it worse."
Everyone has pain. Your pain is different than mine but it's not easier or harder. Pain is pain. Someone who didn't get the softball scholarship and can't afford college has pain that is different than someone who just lost both legs to cancer. But it's just as hard. The enemy uses whatever circumstances that come up in our lives to produce pain- just cause someone looks like they have a wonderful life doesn't mean they have no pain. My pain looks different than yours but we both struggle. Everyone you see today has pain in their life. Only Jesus can take that away but He chooses to do it through us. Take the opportunity to allow Jesus to help someone through you. Sometimes a kind word is all it takes to give a girl the strength to get through the day.
"With every magazine telling you, how you are supposed to live
No wonder so many people try to end their life with every chance they get"
This made me feel sick at heart. Please, please ladies, do not believe what a magazine tells you about how you should look, dress, act, spend money, spend time... ect. Magazines are made with one purpose in mind and that is to sell things. Every magazine contradicts itself over and over, sometimes in the same issue, to sell what ever is on that page. The only thing you should read to find out who you are is the bible.
Here's my challenge for this one (to you girls, and myself): Don't let yourself believe a magazine. Don't let your friends believe a magazine. Believe in the word of God and speak life to those around you!
And really, check out MCMB for your next work-out. Xcore music= Xcore workout! (well, it's more fun at least!)
Keep running!
LM
Let me just interrupt myself for a moment. If you haven't listened to, or don't own either of the last MCMB records (Lost Boy and self-titled, respectively) please, please go buy them and do your heart a favor. They are passionate, heavy and xcore!! I LOVE em!
So I'm listening to MCMB on my 6 miler and my spirit just started preaching at me in my head- does that ever happen to you? So I thought I should share a few of the lessons I learned... yet again.
"Every day is a constant struggle/ full of test and self-doubt"
Life is hard. Life is hard. Sometimes I whine, struggle and complain because I can't figure out why life is so hard. Seems like it should be easy, right? But although it's a daily battle, we have access to great strength. We have great strength in us and His name is the Holy Spirit. The harder the fight- the harder we must press to gain access to the unlimited strength to fight. Life is not going to get easy! Embrace the challenge- access the unlimited strength that is yours in Christ Jesus. (It's just a simple prayer away. You have more strength than you know.)
"No matter how bad you got it, someones got it worse."
Everyone has pain. Your pain is different than mine but it's not easier or harder. Pain is pain. Someone who didn't get the softball scholarship and can't afford college has pain that is different than someone who just lost both legs to cancer. But it's just as hard. The enemy uses whatever circumstances that come up in our lives to produce pain- just cause someone looks like they have a wonderful life doesn't mean they have no pain. My pain looks different than yours but we both struggle. Everyone you see today has pain in their life. Only Jesus can take that away but He chooses to do it through us. Take the opportunity to allow Jesus to help someone through you. Sometimes a kind word is all it takes to give a girl the strength to get through the day.
"With every magazine telling you, how you are supposed to live
No wonder so many people try to end their life with every chance they get"
This made me feel sick at heart. Please, please ladies, do not believe what a magazine tells you about how you should look, dress, act, spend money, spend time... ect. Magazines are made with one purpose in mind and that is to sell things. Every magazine contradicts itself over and over, sometimes in the same issue, to sell what ever is on that page. The only thing you should read to find out who you are is the bible.
Here's my challenge for this one (to you girls, and myself): Don't let yourself believe a magazine. Don't let your friends believe a magazine. Believe in the word of God and speak life to those around you!
And really, check out MCMB for your next work-out. Xcore music= Xcore workout! (well, it's more fun at least!)
Keep running!
LM
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