Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Opposition to Victory {Graffiti Summer}



We are in the fourth week of the Graffiti Summer challenge. It's never too late to join in. Purchase Graffiti: scribbles from different sides of the street and download the FREE Graffiti Study and Do guide and come join us. You can find the introduction from Alene Snodgrass (our FABULOUS leader) here.

This week we are reading the section Opposition to Victory. I thought the first three weeks were a challenge. This is totally cray-cray, as Alene would say. Before we begin with my words, lets take a look at what Alene is sharing this week in her post.

The first time I read from Exodus my reaction was Moses had to be a little crazy. Seriously, I would have given up on freeing the Israelites after the second or third attempt made to Pharaoh. My mind didn't understand why God didn't make this easier for him. Ten times Moses met opposition—TEN TIMES! How did he not call it quits?

Our DO this week for the section Opposition to Victory, is to "Let Your Secrets Go." Share what we are struggling with authentically with another and experience how when we do we give others the freedom to do the same. Let's go deeper in our relationships. Let our hearts be heard.

I couldn't help but to think of Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly. Brene describes in her book a conversation with her daughter on how friendships are like a marble jar. "Whenever someone supports you, or is kind to you, or sticks up for you, or honors what you share with them as private, you put marbles in the jar. When people are mean, or disrespectful, or share your secrets, marbles come out." Her daughter responds with excitement, "I've got marble jar friends! I've got marble jar friends!"

Woot! Woot! I've got marble jar friends too!

I'd describe a marble jar friend as someone who is grace-filled. A grace-filled person is someone who produces fresh fruit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." ~ Galatians 5:22-23

There is one particular friend of mine who would fill up a marble jar. She continually produces fresh fruit. We haven't had the chance to spend time together recently but she is someone who allows the real me to be seen. She is a friend who provides comfort to let my secrets go.

This friend is one of the few I tell that this eating disorder of mine remains an ongoing battle. Time and time again I tell her I just don't know how to let it go. Like God gave steps to Moses for finding victory, so has my friend given to me. And she always reminds me that no matter what my struggles are God's promises remain.

God's promises remain for me no matter how many times I need to come before him and say, God please take this. Like Moses and the Israelites, freedom will be found.

"God is OK with our failures. He is not OK with our quitting." ~ Alene Snodgrass

I may meet constant opposition from my enemy telling me those familiar lies that I'm not enough but I know God is strengthening me. He is strengthening me for what He has called me to do: To see others who are desperately crying out to be seen and to know they are enough—to lead others to victory.

So maybe I wouldn't give up so quickly and instead stay the course like Moses did. Maybe I'm already staying the course by saying quitting is not an option. I will keep on asking God to please take this.

As I thought about the marble jar friends in my life, I realized this analogy from Brene Brown stood out because God wants me to be a marble jar friend to others. To be world changers it requires us to be marble jar friends.

We need to encourage each other with love and this begins by daring to be vulnerable—daring to let ourselves be seen. When we do, others will find encouragement to let their secrets go too.

Would you be my marble jar friend? I'd love to be yours. Here you can let your secrets go. Your hearts will be heard.


To read previous posts on Graffiti Summer, click here.

17 comments :

  1. Great post Beth! I'm a little behind...out of town this week and can't seem to get my internet to load the video I wanted to post this week. I'm all about getting those secrets out. Once we are only made of truth, whether it's pretty or not, we experience such freedom! And we realize that God is the only one that really matters. I'll be your marble jar friend anytime!

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    1. I hope you are enjoying your time in DC Celeste. It's such a wonderful place. Thank you for your words...God is the only one that matters! Yes, let's be marble jar friends! I'm enjoying getting to know you through this crazy Graffiti Summer journey.
      Much love,
      Beth

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  2. Oh my - I heart this!!! When I was asked to lead a women's ministry years ago at a different than where I'm at now, I told them I'd only lead if I could be authentic and real. I had just gone through a trying time in my life and a friend told me, "when you let the secrets go, they will have no power over you!" I hung on to those words. Some of my first Bible study Dirty Laundry Secrets came from that.

    I was scared to death to lead in a new way. Women were unplugging from church and study and I surely didn't want to push them over the edge, but I knew I had to be real. At our first gathering I told them the new focus -- I wanted to be authentic and real so that others who came in would feel welcomed and not put off by a bunch of girls who appeared to be "perfect."

    At the end of our first study girls said continually "Finally, a place where I can be me and share my struggles. I don't have to pretend any more."

    Love what God is doing in all of us -- This has been a challenging summer for sure! Love you

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    1. You are leading the way, Alene! So blessed by you, your words and your heart. Much love!

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  3. " Maybe I'm already staying the course by saying quitting is not an option. I will keep on asking God to please take this." Amen!

    I love hearing about your journey! You paint beautiful pictures with your words and I thank you!

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    1. Thank you for stopping in Angie and for your kind words! I hope your summer is off to a good start...hoping for some sunny days soon. (((hugs)))

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  4. Beautiful. I love the marble jar analogy. We all need and need to be marble jar friends to one another! Thank you for being real.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa! I'm enjoying being on the graffiti summer journey together and seeing how God is working in all of us.

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  5. Beth,
    I want to be your "marble jar friend"!! I, too, suffer from the ongoing battle with ocd/anxiety and have asked God to enable me to let it go. The victorious days come way more often than the rough days and so I am encouraged to look beyond the failures and keep persevering forward. The more I come to know God's total unconditional love for me, the easier it is to not give up. I will pray that both of us will know, beyond a doubt, the great, great love that God has for us and will give us victories over the opposition!! God's got this...He's got us!!
    Love and ((hugs)) friend...thanks for being REAL!
    Bev

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    1. Oh girl...we are marble jar friends! You have a marble jar over here that's overflowing! So blessed by you. Joining you in those prayers. Love you. (((hugs)))

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  6. Ooh I love that, Beth -- a "marble jar" friend! Yes I have them, and YES I'm thankful for them! Now to be sensitive to other opportunities to be (or have) one. Great application of this week's lesson :)

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    1. Thank you, Susan. This graffiti summer journey is teaching me so much on opening our hearts to others. What a great summer challenge! I love what God is doing in each of us.
      Blessings,
      Beth

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  7. Marble jar friends share the love. Yes, I want to be that kind of friend and I need them too! Thankful for friends who "dare greatly" and stand by others as they do.

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  8. Things have been a lot rougher than usual in my lil life, so that reminder of Moses meeting opposition ten times was really needed :) I also need to get better at adopting the perspective you describe, that defeating thoughts that pass through my mind are actually LIES planted by the enemy.. as always, a lovely and inspiring post! :)

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  9. Dear Beth
    Oh, I am so thankful for all the sweet marbles that I cherish in the jar of my heart! And my best Friend of all. Is certainly none other that our Lord Jesus. But there are a few big, rowdy marbles that can easily break your jar and that should best not be put in your special, fragile container.
    Much love XX
    Mia

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  10. I am so glad you have friends to encourage you. We all need that.
    And I am looking forward to meeting you, if we are still on for Saturday. I will e.mail the details.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  11. Count me in as one of your marble jar friends. I feel honored. We all need encouragement from time to time, and we all need to encourage someone else. Creating that marble jar helps to put things in perspective. It helps us to see who is for us and who is not. Thanks, very well written and very well received!

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