Hey Friends!
Have you been “thinking about what you are thinking about” this week?
I’ve discovered I can usually determine the tone of my day by the thoughts in my mind.
If my day has been joy-filled and peaceful (even with four busy kids, crazy schedule, etc..) ….my mind has most likely been focused on life-giving Truth.
But if I am frazzled and irritable and anxious and in a bunch about everything – typically my mind has been rehearsing my many fears, failures, insecurities, and shortcomings all. day. long.
And that, my dear friend, is not the abundant life that is ours in Christ.
In my last post I shared how, for many years, I allowed this “stinkin thinkin” to negatively impact most of my days. Even after I became a Jesus girl, I would wear false beliefs like sticky defining nametags, covered over with hurtful lies that I had picked up on along the way.
Labels such as: Not good enough. Not wanted. Not beautiful enough. Bad Mom. And yes, fat red cow. Ouch.
I wonder if you can relate?
So how do we get free of the lies, labels, and false beliefs that have been holding us back, and robbing us of the freedom that is available to us?
The Key: Renewing Our Mind with God’s Word
Certainly there have been many aspects and layers of my healing journey: Christian counseling. Reading God’s Word. Godly mentors. Forgiveness of myself and others. Prayer. Small group Community. Spending time with Jesus. Faithful Friends. Our Bible teaching Church.
But to experience daily victory, I must choose to “take off” the words that hurt – including the lies and false beliefs – and “put on” the TRUTH found in God’s Word.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self…to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
If we’ve been walking around with “stinkin’ thinkin”, how do we live this out on a daily basis?
Well y’all know I’m such a simple girl. I literally started to picture myself ripping off the lies and putting on new nametags of TRUTH – A to Z style.
A – I am Accepted.- B – I am Beautiful
- C – I am Chosen
- D – I am Delievered (God delivered me from a cocaine addiction in 1996, certainly He can free me from the grip of negative thinking!)
You get the idea.
In the beginning I carried my A to Z Identity in Christ Verse Cards with me everywhere I went – even to the dentist while I was getting a cavity filled!
But friend, it was so worth it. It’s amazing what God’s Truth can do!
Sweet friend, we have a choice: We don’t have to live defeated any longer. We can “take off” the words that hurt us, and replace them with His healing, life-changing Words.
My dear friend Darlene, the founder of Verseability, has created an awesome resouce to help us!
Darlene has made spiral bound booklets with 26 BIble Verses all based on who we are in Christ, A to Z style.
She even made one Versebook for adults and one for kids. Although the books look different on the outside, the Memory verses are the same on the inside to encourage memorization together. What a great way to spend idle time in the car!
Here’s my FUN NEWS: Darlene has offered to give 10 versebooks away – 5 adults, 5 kids – to 10 blessed *She Sparkles* friends. Woo Hoo!
To Win my giveaway: Leave a comment in the comment section answering this question, and sharing if you would prefer an adult or kid Versebook.
Why would you like to win this A to Z Memory Verse giveaway?
Extra Entries:
•Subscribe to *She Sparkles*
•Add my *She Sparkles* button to your blog
•Share this giveaway on FB including a link to this post
•Tweet about this giveaway including a link to this post
Please be sure to leave me a comment to let me know your extra entries.
RULES: Starts today, Thursday, February 21st and ends Tuesday, February 26th at 9 PM. Winners will be contacted during the week of March 1.
If your email address is not connected to your ID, please leave your email address with your comment or email it to me at cindy.bultema@gmail.com with the subject “Giveaway”.
Thanks for stopping by *She Sparkles*. God’s richest blessings to you!
P.S. I had the privilege of sitting in with Jeri Howe and her remarkable round table discussion here. We are talking about “The Principle of Proper Thinking” all week. You can listen to our 4 one hour discussions online if you’d like to go deeper on this topic!
Disclosure: I was not provided with any financial compensation for this giveaway, and as always, all opinions are mine.
I would like the adult version. I have struggled with body image for as long as I remember. I remember crying everyday before school because I didn’t want to go, the kids would pick on me and not play with me. I still get nervous to this day about friends and if they like me or not. My relationship with God has really helped but sometimes it’s hard to remember 🙂
I also subscribe to your blog
Hey Cindy, Have you seen Jason Gray’s video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSIVjjY8Ou8 (not sure if link will work here – copy and paste). LOVE IT. We are beloved children of God! (“What?” she says, “JJ’s commenting on my blog?”)
I would like the kid verse pack to share with my girls! I heard a shocking statistic that girl’s self esteem PEAKS at 9!! I am going to be praying and working as much as I can to make sure that is NOT the case with my girls. I think memorizing verses would help them feel beautiful and confident.
I subscribe to your blog, and follow it.
Thanks so much!!
I would like an adult one. i think it would be great to have one because the world and satan try to make us forget who we are in Christ. Distract us and make us feel defeated so we will forget that we are sons and daughters of the King!
Love this Cindy! I was laying in bed this morning at 4 a.m. and started praying through the alphabet for all the attributes of God I could think of. I’d love to add this to my tool belt of Truth!
I subscribe, and I shared it on FB and Twitter 🙂
I would love to win the kids one because it would be a great day to daily remind my girls of God’s truths in their lives.
I would prefer to win the adult version, although the child’s version would be a welcome treat to share with my daughter and grandchildren. I have always suffered from poor/low self esteem. Never feeling good enough or as good as the others. Only been worse the past several years as I put on 50+ lbs after quitting smoking etc.
Love reading your blog, and seeing pictures of your family!
I would prefer to win the adult version, although the child’s version would be a welcome treat to share with my daughter and grandchildren. I have always suffered from poor/low self esteem. Never feeling good enough or as good as the others. Only been worse the past several years as I put on 50+ lbs after quitting smoking etc.
Love reading your blog, and seeing pictures of your family!
I have spent the last 15 years ministering to women about self image, but being the mom of four precious girls is a whole different challenge (especially when I see those signs of insecurity in them).
I would love this resource for them!
With my 12 year old pushing social limits often I am left worrying about how to be sure she knows her true worth in Christ! Since she never listens to me (: I think this is a great way to add to her sense of self! Also if she knows it comes from Cindy that may help too!!! Xoxo
Cindy I just want to tell you how much I love your blog. It has been a great inspiration. I would love either the adult version or the child version. You see I struggle a great deal with anxiety and depression. I have a hard time leaving our house without starting to get strong anxiety. I would love to “arm” myself with the truth and be able to read through these cards as I encounter my struggles. They look like something I could just tuck in my purse. I am also a mama to 3 kiddos and I would like to start helping them memorize Bible verses so they will have them hidden in their heart when they encounter struggles in their life. Thank you.
Cindy, love the idea of carrying Identity in Christ cards!
I would so enjoy leading my girls on this new A-Z journey of discovering who they are in Christ!!