You are Invited ~~ to join me for a special edition here at T2T ~~ as I open up this month to Celebrate what I call: Heartbeats.
As this chapter in my life opens up to having an adult daughter who is now raising her own daughter, there are a myriad of things that swirl through my mind that I hope to pass on to this precious next Generation. I’ve often told my daughter, “Mom’s are the heartbeat of the home.” And as Scripture tells us to guard our hearts, and that what we hold in it flows out of it, I believe it’s important to care for it wisely.
Heartbeats this month will hopefully encourage you, Girlfriend, to also share your tho’ts and insight ~~ it’s all for God’s Glory and the Ones coming up behind us.
“Who’s in?!”🙋🏻
The Scripture verse above was the opener for my daily Reading this morning. I’ve come to learn that when my eyes land on Biblical wisdom that seem to cause me to re-read words more than once, there’s good reason why God took my eyes there in the first place.
Digesting the words, my mind jogged back to when mama would tell me: “Be careful about what comes out of your mouth; don’t intentionally offend others.”
Whether you’re a Believer and Follower of Christ or not, that makes for good sense and peace among people in your immediate sphere of influence. But for the Woman of God, whose influence is deeper and far reaching, we need to lay hold of why the Scriptures admonish us to behave with such diligence.
I can recall being within earshot of conversations that probably were not meant for public notice. In other words, the persons involved likely would have been embarrassed had they realized that a stranger overheard their conversation. In such cases, I’ve trained my puny brain to simply “delete” and physically “escape,” so as to permit “privacy” for all involved.
As a Believer, it’s imperative to remember that the world watches us ~~ our every move, gesture, word, response, and reaction ~~ these are the reasons or the evidence that will cause them to either embrace Christ or reject Him.
I’ve encouraged my daughter to be mindful of how she reacts and responds to specific occurrences in the presence of her own daughter. While Zoë is yet only six months old, no doubt she is demonstrating her ability to “imitate” big people actions like holding a plastic cup and pretending to drink from it. If Zoë can pick up on simple gestures, she’s capable of soaking in behavioral nuances as well.
As with non-believers, Women of God need to be “ultra-sensitive” and compassionate towards those who don’t “see” with a spiritual lens. Living in a fallen world, this isn’t always easy ~~ and too many times the opportunity slips by and we don’t realize it until the damage is done. However, since we do worship a God of second (and third, and fourth, etc.) chances, we must also remember to willing extend grace to those who may not know what that looks like or tastes like.
I recently told a friend that I have come to terms with the fact that I am most happy being in the company of those women who allow me to be transparent without judgement ~~ because there is freedom there. I can also testify that this kind of freedom is best enjoyed and found in the Body of Christ. It is here that women can find rest and comfort for their souls ~~ because her Sisters have all been through their part of The Journey and live to tell about it. And it echoes beyond the galaxy: “The Journey is best spent with Christ.” Apart from Him, The Journey is empty, lonely, and without genuine meaning.
It is in this freedom, that I say to all my Girlfriends: share what God has freely given you ~~ your heart beats for the One Who Created it ~~ so share what He has put in it!
Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~~
LindaRJohnson
T2T Visionary
Titus Two 