Lisa notes

7 Healing Steps for Relationships
—Grace & Truth Linkup

By LisaNotes August 21, 2020 Encouragement, Grace & Truth Link-Up 18 Comments

I heard my friend had a “Karen” moment. Ugh.

While it was a vague incident with no one person harmed, it still harmed the reputation of the Black community in general, which hurts a lot of people collectively.

Including, well, all of us.

Oppressive words and actions are bad for everybody, regardless of which side of them you’re on.

So I was troubled.

When other people do things we don’t think are right (according to us), what do we do?

Should we say something?
How far does our responsibility extend to confront it?
When is it better to just forgive and forget?

7 Healing Steps for Relationships

I just finished reading The Four Laws of Love, a book on relationships (marriage in particular, but much of it can apply to any relationship). My daughter Jenna read it first, then loaned it to me.

Here are 7 steps mentioned by the author Jimmy Evans when issues arise in relationships.

1. Take responsibility for your own behavior
2. Do not return sin for sin
3. Admit your faults
4. Forgive
5. Speak the truth in love
6. Pray for each other
7. Seek healthy friends and fellowship

These steps helped me clarify my own motivations concerning my friend’s Karen moment.

And they also reminded me I have blind spots too. I say things and think things that harm other people.

I want others to give me grace. And I also want others to confront me about my issues so I can grow.

We all need to keep learning from our weaknesses. To become more aware. To repent. To change.

And to do it surrounded by love.

Featured Post

Are you having more trouble making decisions these days? Joanne Viola mentions these:

How do we know we are making the right decision?
Essential or non-essential?
Mask or no mask?
Three feet, six feet, or ten feet?
In person or online?
Vacation or not?
Hybrid, remote, or homeschool?

We’re also questioning the decisions that other people make, which can be dangerous.

Joanne concludes this:

“As we weigh options and seek God to help us make right and good decisions, let’s trust that He is guiding each one of us. The decision may look differently for each of us, but it may still be the right one for each.”

Read all of her wonderful post here at her blog, JoanneViola.com. Her words can help us all be a little less judgmental and a lot more gracious toward each other.

“Right” by Joanne Viola

Thanks for sharing, Joanne! Here’s a button for your blog.

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Don’t Hate Her—She’s Been Good to You

By LisaNotes August 19, 2020 Book reviews, Encouragement, Linger 10 Comments

When We’re Incompatible

I’ve said ugly things about her. I occasionally look at parts of her with disgust. I think of ways she needs to change.

I’m taking her to the beach next week (abiding by all the proper coronavirus precautions, of course!). She’ll put on a swimsuit and out we’ll go, walking together into public spaces.

I’ll try not to be embarrassed by her.

Because she’s done and continues to do so much for me.

I’m talking about my body.

Wasted Time

She’s been with me since birth. And even though I feel she fails me at times, she’s been my constant companion, taking me into the world to do things I enjoy and hug people I love and eat food I treasure.

She’s been good to me, even when I talk bad about her.

Here’s how Jen Hatmaker puts it in Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire:

“If I had every second back that I’ve spent thinking about my weight and age, my belly and my crow’s feet, I could have cured cancer with all the extra time.”

Do you struggle with this, too?

I try to do better about it. To accept my shape. My numbers on the scale. My inches on the tape measure.

The ugly self-talk is wasted time. It’s poisonous. It’s disrespectful.

Honor Her Instead

This is a battle I’ll continue fighting to win. Because when I think of all the beautiful ways my body has served me—just as she is, including a few extra quarantine pounds—I am grateful.

Again from Jen:

“She walks and cooks and lifts and hugs and types and drives and cleans and holds babies and rests and laughs and does everything in her power to live another meaningful, connected day on this earth. She sure does love me and my life and family. Maybe it is time to stop hating her and just love her back.”

So when I walk her onto the beach next week (keeping 6-foot distance from others), I want her to revel in the sand between her toes, the sun on her skin, and the waves in her ears.

She deserves it. I honor her for housing me and God. Just as he made her.

Just as she is. Just as I am.

This topic was from Chapter 3, “I Am Strong in My Body” in Jen Hatmaker’s new book, Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire. All the chapters are worth reading about who we are, what we need, and how we connect.

How do you keep a healthy body image? Please share in the comments.

Thanks to Net Galley + Nelson Books
for the review copy of this book

Stop the Name Calling

By LisaNotes August 17, 2020 Community, Encouragement 49 Comments

Pardon me. I have a public service announcement.

If you lean Republican

Please don’t classify all Democrats as baby killers, as socialist lovers, as unlawful looters, as election disrupters, as police haters, as freedom destroyers, as … (fill in your own blanks; you know what you say).

Maybe some of them are.

But most of them are just regular people who are trying to live good lives, to be kind to their neighbors, to love their children and partners and parents.

Just like you.

If you lean Democrat

Please don’t classify all Republicans as Trump lovers, as conspiracy believers, as money grabbers, as covid deniers, as white supremacists, as climate destroyers, as … (fill in your own blanks; you know what you say).

Maybe some of them are.

But most of them are just regular people who are trying to live good lives, to be kind to their neighbors, to love their children and partners and parents.

Just like you.

This is who you’re talking about

Because when you say ugly things about the other side, you’re saying them about your neighbors. About your family members. About your church friends.

And about me.

I’m trying to live a good life, to be kind to my neighbors, to love my children and partner and parents.

Just like you.

Give me the benefit of the doubt. I’ll do the same for you.

I don’t like being called names. You don’t either.

We can stop this.

Do you see this around you, too? Share your thoughts in the comments.

When It Hurts
—Grace & Truth Linkup

By LisaNotes August 14, 2020 Grace & Truth Link-Up, Pain 3 Comments

Everybody knows pain. We’ve all experienced suffering. And probably of every type: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.

In the midst of our pain, we likely want to pray it all away and be done with it.

God doesn’t always whisk away our pain though. And even though he does stay in it with us, it still hurts. What then?

It helps if we’re able to find purpose in our pain.

In this week’s featured post, Donna shares 3 ways that pain has a purpose at her blog, Serenity In Suffering. I encourage you to read what she shares, then link up your own post below.

3 WAYS PAIN HAS A PURPOSE

Thanks for sharing, Donna! Here’s a button for your blog.

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

Don’t Lose Hope. God Is Still Good.

By LisaNotes August 13, 2020 Guest posts, Hope 3 Comments

In the middle of this crazy year, we can wonder: Where is God?

We once knew the right answer to this call-and-response:

“God is good all the time. And all the time __________.”

But what about now?

Is God still good? Even in 2020?

Read the rest here:

3 Ways to Hope in God’s Goodness

I’m writing today at Do Not Depart. We’re looking at 3 places to find God’s goodness. Will you join me there?

Growing Little Miracles
—Book Review of "Gracie's Garden"

By LisaNotes August 12, 2020 Book reviews 4 Comments

“People can make pizza. Only God can make seeds,” she said. “He grows a little miracle inside each one for us to see!”

My granddaughter loved her pumpkin seed packets. She’d shake them, listen to them rattle, and talk about growing a blue pumpkin.

The soil has now been tilled and the packets emptied out. The seeds are planted, and the waiting has begun.

In the meantime, I’m enjoying reading her this new children’s book by Lara Casey, Gracie’s Garden. It is a beautiful story about three children who plant tomato seeds.

“You can’t see it yet, but little by little, it’s happening,” said Gracie. “Just wait. We have to be patient. It means to wait and see.”

Just as my granddaughter is having to wait to see the pumpkin crop in her garden, we each too have to wait to see the little miracles inside each day, each situation, each person, to grow into fruit.

The waiting is often the hardest part. But waiting time doesn’t have to be down time. The story goes on to explain all the fun things the children can do as they wait.

I look forward to fall when the pumpkins mature and show their true colors.

And I look forward to seeing my granddaughter grow too, little by little, into all the good things God has for her.

May we each learn to wait and watch and marvel as we also see things grow little by little by little into all they’re meant to be.

My thanks to B&H/LifeWay Bloggers
for the review copy of this book