So Long Insecurity

To spice up my blog- which is in the lacking, here's "Sundays with Bethany."

"First of all if you are looking for cute Sterling pics this is not your post. BUT I would encourage you to stick around.

I just got back from Woodstock, GA. The girls in my Monday night small group loaded up one of the girls' minivan and headed down to Georgia Friday night to be up and at 'em early this morning to see Beth Moore. She was doing a live simulcast to 400 something locations, with 300,000 women tuning in.

We stayed up late last night, were up at the crack of dawn this morning, and drove a lot of hours, we talked, we laughed, and even patted some damp eyes. Needless to say, like James Spann right now, I would love to be going to bed, but I must process. (He is having a hard time tonight, he must have been on the air all day here).

Sidenote - I must add that typing with painted fingernails is much more fun than typing with Plain Jane ones. I don’t normally paint my nails because I hate when they start chipping after about a day, but this polish is lasting a while. I am really enjoying my dark purple fingers dancing across the keyboard. (I made fun of my very stylish sister for painting her nails black, and like so many things you say you will never do, I am now convinced that it is cute.)

Back to Beth. I have to admit, I have not always been her biggest fan. I tend to shy away from what is "popular" in Christian circles today. And let’s be honest, Beth Moore fans can be a bit obsessed. However, I am learning why. I have done some of her studies in the past and even read part of one of her books, but none of that compares to listen to her darlin' voice and seeing her incredible passion for the word. Since I have been here, the girls in our small group have done a couple of her studies along with the videos. And I must say actually hearing and seeing her, I understand why everyone loves her! I mean I don't agree with every single thing she says theologically, but you have to admit she knows WHAT she believes and WHY she believes it. I covet her passion for studying and memorizing the scripture, and as any good Texan girl would say "She LUVS her some Jesus!"

Back to the day at hand. The topic for today was "So Long Insecurity." She also has a book that I just ordered by the same name. I love the subtitle "you've been a bad friend to us." How true! We hold onto our insecurities as if they were our dear friends.

What a topic for women! And might I mention again that 300,000 women studied this along with us today. That is the size of Tampa, FL (or at least according to the last census).

It is so amazing how the Lord works! I am so glad that He is completely sovereign over all creation!! Because I have to tell you that if you asked me what we were going to hear Beth Moore speak about I probably wouldn't have known. It was going to be a fun weekend away with the girls. We were going to hear Beth speak and as He always does, the Lord would show up. But I had NO expectations about this weekend.

Providentially, the past week or two, the Lord has really been showing me the areas of my life in which I find my security. Honestly, if you asked me on most days I would say that I was a pretty secure person. But how much of that security is being sucked from those around me? Do I have to answer that question?

Beth used a great illustration today of us walking around with an empty cup asking those around us to fill it. How many times to I go to my husband and try to get him to fill that cup up? It's not that I haven't always known that he can't. Believe me I do! I know, and have been taught since I was young, that no person or thing can fill you. Nothing can make me full but Christ. But as she reminded us today from our text, Ephesians 4, we have to "Remember what you were taught.” This week Christ put my men in their right place, I pray that they will stay there. What a great lesson going into today.

What if as women we no longer listened to the world? What if we really did find ALL our security in Christ?
Not being able to fit into by pre-pregnancy clothes? In CHRIST
Not in the way my house looks? In CHRIST
Not in finding something cute to wear? In CHRIST
Not in my husband? In CHRIST
Not in my son? In CHRIST
Not in the idea of having more children? In CHRIST
Not in the idea of being the best mom? In CHRIST
Not in the thought of raising godly children for the kingdom? In CHRIST

Beth continued to challenge us today to not only find our security in Christ for ourselves but for those women we come in contact with. To say that Beth was shocked by the number of women tuning in was an understatement. But we were moved to tears to think of the impact of 300,000 Christian women finding security in Christ alone. It isn’t a suggestion by Beth Moore to make us “feel good” (she’s not into that anyway) but a command from our Savior.

I loved that she challenged us to do it for our daughters if not for ourselves. I don’t have a daughter, maybe one day. But in that moment I thought of my dear Sterling’s future wife (if that is the Lord’s will). What will our relationship look like one day if I look only to Christ for my security, not my son? What if I don’t thrust my insecurities as a mother on her young shoulders? What if she keeps a better house than me, cooks better than me, has better taste than me, has children that are more well-behaved than mine were, loves Jesus more than mine did at their age, has the affection and respect of my son more than me? Then I will REJOICE; she is far more precious than jewels!! (I am getting weepy all over.)

Then I thought of my spiritual daughters. The Lord has entrusted some precious girls into my care. (I bought Beth’s book for them after all.) I began to think of how to communicate these truths to them now while they are living daily in an environment that breeds insecurity like kudzu – high school and even worse jr. high! Lord help them! (I sound like BM, ooh those aren’t the best initials) I know it is up to Him to produce fruit in their hearts, but I don’t want them to have the excuse that they can’t “remember what you were taught”

Women, we MUST break up with insecurity; it has been a bad friend to us!"