Shelly A. Faust

More Power to the Pep Squad

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This week has been a roller coaster of emotions for me (I know, a woman emotional? Totally out of character).

Maybe I’m the only one but goodness, Monday was HARD. And not for any particular reason either. The enemy is sneaky (and quick) like that. And then Tuesday was going to be better and then it wasn’t and then it was again. (See? Roller coaster.)

But all these emotions got me to thinking. I wonder if anyone else is sitting home on Mondays (or any other day) feeling like they aren’t needed (which, for a mother, how could this even be, because HELLO – mothering), or lonely or unexplainably sad or like they just don’t measure up or wondering how they got to be 43 (FYI – just threw that number out there, ahem) and still don’t always know where they’re going, or worn slap out or a million other feelings or crazy thoughts that trespass on our otherwise delightful day at the drop of a hat (thanks to my 5th grader’s homework for that overused idiom).

So I posted a photo to my Instagram and Facebook and Twitter (insert shameless plug – check) and turns out, some of you – like me – needed some encouragement.

And guess what? My heart soared in the midst of encouraging you. Totally scriptural, by the way.

He who refreshes others

So I wanted to reach out to my readers here and throw some confetti because you are worth celebrating. Whatever you’re going through, whatever you’re feeling, you’re going to make it. I believe in you. And more than that, GOD believes in you AND empowers you to do all the hard things and enables you to overcome all the emotions and all the feelings (because we have a lot of those, huh?).

Chin up, mama!

I want to cheer you on. Except don’t mistake me for a cheerleader. No, in junior high school when all that started I was not popular enough, coordinated enough, or confident enough (I was in all the GT classes though – fist bump from my nerd buddies). And we didn’t have enough money for uniforms and camp (if we did, I’m sure it would’ve gone towards completing that unfinished sheetrock hiding in my closet). And I was SO AWKWARD. Y’all. I’m not even kidding. (Note to self: Naturally curly hair does not look better all brushed out and cannot have wings. Like ever. Pre-flat iron era, of course).

But apparently none of that mattered for the Pep Squad. Because I totally did that for one season. (Still, all the love to my best friends who were ALL, except maybe one, the most awesome cheerleaders.)

Doesn’t Pep SQUAD sound like something we could all do? I mean, you’re my people, but to think of us as a squad, throwing confetti and giving pep talks and cheering for each other? That makes my heart sing. Yes, I can do pep squad.

More power to the Pep Squad!

So, this is the prayer I prayed for all my mama friends this morning (because nothing requires more of us than this mothering, I think):

Holy Spirit, empower us with wisdom to mother well and courage to trust that You, God, can handle anything (even those years of transition from teenager to adult, oh my). Be our strength when we feel weak, our joy when when we feel sad, our peace when we feel chaos, our hope when we feel hopeless, and our stability when we feel unstable. You are enough for us. You are enough for our children. Remind us to rest in You. Thank You for loving us beyond what we could ever deserve. Let us also love well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And, mamas, may we lift each other up, cheer loudly for one another, celebrate one another, high five one another, grieve together, laugh together, pray together, and occasionally have lunch together. ‪#‎togetherisbetter‬ ‪#‎mamasunite‬ ‪#‎youaremypeople‬ #powertothepepsquad

me and logan - power to the pep squad

I love y’all!!

 

 

 

 

The Power in Seeing Beyond the Enemy That Surrounds You

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If we dare to look for Him in all places

Hi friends.

September and October brought the loss of two precious family members for us: my Granny (who – at 97 almost lived forever but still not nearly long enough) and my Aunt Charlotte (who received her healing of lung cancer in heaven). We miss them DEEPLY. My mom lost her mother and her eldest sister within a span of six weeks. Our hearts ache with raw emotion and tears still come without invitation.

The other day we were discussing my September series, A New Season, and my mom mentioned something she had read recently. It suggested that every change of season happens at the loss or gain of relationship. That every time someone enters or exits our lives – by death, divorce, broken fellowship – we are forced into a new place. That life as we knew it – at least in part – ceases to exist. The loss of these two beautiful women has definitely initiated and forced change in our family. We begin a new season without them until at last we too walk into our final season when we’ll most definitely be reunited. Oh what a glorious day that will be.

I’m once again reminded of the brevity of this earthly life, the importance of every single now moment, the even greater importance of investing in eternity, the need to steer clear of ridiculous and trivial controversy and public debate, the responsibility to keep my heart free from offense and the burden to love generously.

During September and October I also traveled outside of the U.S. twice. Once to Canada, which we talked about HERE and HERE, and then to the Bahamas on the Duck Dynasty Cruise where I reunited and served with my beautiful Premier Hospitality Team. I’ll post some fun pictures soon.

So my plan to write a new series for October (which I announced here) just never happened. Sorry about that!

I’ve decided to take the rest of this year slowly here on the blog, seek God for direction on some personal things, listen closely, pause in ordinary moments, scoop up my family and hold them even closer in this holiday season, and love extra-extravagantly in my real life relationships.

Because no matter how many times we stop and start again, evaluate and re-evaluate, focus and refocus, it seems we can always stand to do it one more time (or ten thousand).

In my last post, we talked about seeing God in all places. We discussed how God doesn’t wait to meet us in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, but He builds a temple within us and meets us wherever we are.

I’m so thankful He continues to meet me right here where I am today. In the middle of loss, unfinished blog posts, questions, and some desperate seeking.

I know wherever you are today, He’s there with you, too.

And we said that if we dare to look for Him in all places, our eyes will open in wonder at His ever-present holiness.

But how do we do this?

How do we look for and find Him in all places?

How do we recognize His presence and discern His voice?

Because that can sound like a big, unreachable, super-spiritual goal, huh?

We have a knack for complicating most everything.

The truth is it doesn’t have to be hard or complicated or unreachable.

Just like we have physical senses that help us discover and relate to the physical world around us, we also have spiritual senses that help us discover and respond to a spiritual God.

I love the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6. A great enemy army surrounds the city in the middle of the night in search of Elisha . When Elisha’s servant wakes up early the next morning, he is terrified at the sight of this multitude of horses and chariots that has been sent against them, and he asks Elisha what they’re going to do.

Elisha responds, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (verse 16).

He’s obviously seeing something his servant isn’t seeing.

Then Elisha prays, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see” (verse 17).

Elisha didn’t pray for God to give his servant eyes, He asked for God to open his eyes. He already had the tools he needed to see God’s provision and protection, but because he was focused in on the enemy he could only see what fear magnified.

Totally sounds like something I do sometimes.

Why could Elisha see into the unseen spiritual realm but his servant could not? Why did Elisha have hope when facing such great opposition while his servant was on the verge of an anxiety attack?

Could Elisha’s seeing the provision of God have originated from a place of abiding with God?

My own personal experience screams a resounding yes.

There is a spiritual reality often contrary to what we see in the natural. Our feelings don’t always line up to what we know as truth nor do our circumstances always look like victory. Just like Elisha’s servant, we can be blind to God’s protection and provision and find ourselves in a panic when we put our faith in anything other than Him.

But when we live our lives up close and personal to and hidden in this God who isn’t limited by what we feel or what can be seen in the natural, we can walk boldly in the understanding that those who are FOR us really are greater than those who are against us.

And we can respond accordingly.

Learning to recognize and abide in His presence creates space to rest, even when faced with opportunities to worry. It causes our spiritual eyes to see and understand Kingdom truths no matter the enemy surrounding us.

There is power in seeing. Super-natural power.

Super power? You mamas know we need some super power.

If we want the power, we must pursue the Presence.

Open our spiritual eyes, God. Help us to SEE You and Your great army when we are tempted to focus on the enemy surrounding us. Increase our faith. Stir our desire. Awaken our passion for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I Never Needed a Passport Until I Got One

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Joshua 1-9

We’ve been talking about the different seasons we walk through in our lives, physically and spiritually. We’ve also discussed the importance of hearing and recognizing God’s voice. And two Fridays ago, I shared a personal story about some consequences of obedience and disobedience in my life.

Today, I want to sit down on the couch and share another story with you in hopes that your heart will find courage to do the thing God is asking you to do.

When we hear God speak with words of instruction, we get to choose how we respond.

When we delay obedience, we walk in disobedience. God may be trying to move us into our next season but unless we trust and surrender we will not enter. He will not force us to obey or make us do what He has called us to do.

About ten years ago I received a prophetic word from a prophet (who has also been one of my spiritual mentors) at a conference. He said I was going to travel all over the world and one day I would have a passport full of stamps. The hidden desire to cross the oceans leaped within me.

And then reality interrupted with doubt and fear.

  • I didn’t even have a passport.
  • Not only had I not traveled outside of the country, I could count on one hand the number of times I had been on an airplane.
  • Going overseas seemed scary and impossible.

You can probably guess I did not get my passport.

About a year later, this same prophet spoke over me at a different conference. His words were short and precise: Get your passport.

Over the next couple of years I did make an effort to pick up an application (or three) from the post office but again, doubt and fear won. It’s amazing how much dust a packet of paper can accumulate.

The same words were spoken over me once more.

Three times I received what I believe was divine instruction to get my passport and three times I did nothing (which, by the way, is disobedience). Coincidentally (or not), I never needed a passport.

But last December guess what I did? I filled out my application, drove to the passport office, smiled for a picture, and finally got my passport.

To say I’m a little stubborn or hard-headed may be an understatement.

Since getting my passport, I have traveled (upon invitation) outside of the country once already and have four (yes, FOUR) other international trips/invitations on my calendar over the next ten months.

In fact, next Thursday, I leave for Canada. It’s my very first time to speak internationally. I could not have accepted this invitation if I had not finally surrendered and stepped out of my comfort zone to get my passport.

When we hear God’s voice, we can choose to heed it and obey or ignore it and disobey.

I heard God’s voice.

  • I received a prophetic word and God confirmed it to me more than once (confirmation).
  • I knew in my spirit (inner knowing) that it was a personal word from Him.
  • It lined up with scriptures and another word He had given me in previous years.

For too long, I chose to listen to doubt and fear and walk in disobedience. I was afraid of what God would ask me to do if I moved forward. I was comfortable doing what was familiar and easy.

As long as I refused to do what God was asking me to do, I could not move into the places He was asking me to go.

I am reminded of Joshua. After Moses died, God told Joshua to “arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving them – the children of Israel” (Joshua 1:2). God was calling Joshua to arise and be established in the place He had planned for him, but he had to do something first: He had to go over.

Unless Joshua crossed over the Jordan, unless he left familiar territory, he could not have walked into his place of destiny.

From Deuteronomy 31:23 to Joshua 1:9 God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous, to not be afraid. I don’t know about you, but this makes me think maybe Joshua was a little afraid to do this new thing.

When Joshua made the decision to answer the call, he learned personally that God is a Keeper of His promises. He trusted God with his whole heart and stepped into his destiny.

God is always faithful. If He is telling you to do something, He will not ask you to go alone.

He doesn’t promise it will be easy. He doesn’t promise it will be comfortable.

But He does promise to go with us.

 

Let’s chat:

  • Is there something God has asked you to do that doesn’t make sense or seems a little scary?
  • Is He calling you into a new season? A season of unknowns and unfamiliar territory?
  • Does it line up with scripture? Has it been confirmed?
  • What is holding you back?

Scripture:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

 

When You Feel Like You Failed in a Hard Season

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Romans 8-28a

It wasn’t quite noon but the day was already long.

Frustrations, tears, and a ten year old boy who found refuge and solace behind the locked bathroom door. Two words (or maybe one word, still haven’t quite figured that one out): Home. School.

I desperately wanted to be good at leading my classroom. And I wanted to love it.

But I wasn’t, and I didn’t.

Thankfully, God doesn’t love me based on how well I perform or how good I am at home-school (or anything else). I know this.

But sometimes I hear whispers of another kind. I give in to discouragement and disappointment has a way of wrapping itself tight around my heart – you know, the place where courage dwells.

Many days while homeschooling, I felt like a complete failure and wondered if I had made the right decision. It was hard and there was a lot of pushing through. More than once (or a thousand times) I went to bed mentally and emotionally exhausted.

It’s easy to chase lions (and teach boys or whatever else you might be doing) on the happy, feel-good, everything-is-going-just-right days, but our hearts need a little convincing when we fall short or find ourselves floundering.

But just because something is hard doesn’t mean we aren’t doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Some seasons are just. plain. hard.

Remember, just like in transition, if we refuse the process, we forfeit the purpose.

Because sometimes what we see as a failed assignment God sees as an opportunity to build in us the very things we will need for the task before us (or the next one, or the one after that).

Hard seasons can chisel and scrape and remove what doesn’t belong and they can shape and strengthen and build what needs to remain .

When we risk and fail or risk and fall short we can bend low and pick up wisdom. What we gain in one season can be taken into the next. And we are better for it.

And courage isn’t only found in the lion-chaser. Courage is often found in the small and the quiet and the determination to keep going. Courage helps the mama start over tomorrow when she feels like she blew it today. Courage opens our eyes to possibility when defeat and discouragement try to keep them shut. Courage picks us up when we’d rather just give up. Courage gathers wisdom to know when to keep trying and when to move on.

So if you feel like you’ve failed at something (or if you really HAVE failed at something), that’s okay. Because sometimes we do.

But just because you fail, or because the end results do not look like you had hoped, YOU are not a failure.

And just because you fail doesn’t mean you missed God or made a mistake. You could have, sure. Or you could just be preparing for your next assignment.

So keep going.

Or start over.

Or maybe try something new.

(Or go back to public school. Yes, I did.)

Whatever you do, do something. Do it brave. Do it with courage. Do it with audacious faith.

And trust that God is working here too.

Let’s chat:

  • It’s Monday. How are you? :)
  • Are you in a hard season?
  • How can I pray for you?

Scriptures:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

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