{A Quote to Inspire You} Beth Moore

I've been dealing with a certain someone who is "difficult,"  . . . my oldest child.  The same child I've been having a forgiveness issue with.  As Beth describes here in part 6 of her series on Loving Difficult People, my oldest daughter is my "thorny."  Sometimes, after an interaction with her, I feel as if I've been stuck with quills.  It's painful, and it makes me want to avoid her.

I've often wondered, "Why, Lord?  Why must she be so difficult?  I love her, Lord, but she often makes it so difficult to like her."  Does she bring out the worst in me?  Absolutely.  There has never been anyone is my life who brings out the worst in me like she does.  Do I like who I become in that "ugly place?"  Absolutely not.

Yet even in this, there is a blessing.  God is using this 15-year-old child to refine me, and to mold me into His image.  The tests used to come more frequently, but now they're fewer and far between . . . yet they still come.  I'm still in the refining process.  I'm not where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. 

The following quote is from the video posted below, and the last line is one that truly strikes a cord with me.  We will never be more like our father in heaven than when we love the unlovely.  Amen? 

"Sometimes, the reason why that person has been assigned to our life, is to bring out the very worst in us, so that God can bring out the worst in us.  Turns up the heat, and everything toxic inside comes to the surface.  Not so it'll show, so it can be skimmed off.  That is a refiner's fire.  Thorny.  Thorn in the flesh . . .perhaps there to humble us.  Cause that's the very person that brings out somebody in us that we don't like.  We will never be more like our father in heaven than when we love the unlovely." ~Beth Moore

If you have a "thorny" in your life, I pray that you're able to see the blessing, and embrace what God is doing in your life to refine you and mold you into His image.

Sweet Blessings,
Michelle

{A Quote to Inspire You} #10

Photo Credit: Pinterest From Beth Moore's Breaking Free

Inspirational Friday Funny - {Beth Moore - Cut the Bull}

"What if we just got real?"  This is what Beth Moore asks in this video snippet titled, "Cut the Bull," which she makes clear is short for cut the bologna.  ;-)  Wouldn't it be something if we just took off the masks that we hide behind (as Emily P. Freeman discusses in her book Grace for the Good Girl)?  People need to see that we don't have it all together . . . it's time to get real.  It's time for us to let go of pride, and let people see our brokenness and our mess.  It's time to get rid of the thinking that we have to appear a certain way to people.  Amen?  Enjoy this video, and be blessed!