He doesn’t see it as ordinary at all.
Waking up each morning: He wants to join you, even before you open your eyes.
Grabbing your first cup of coffee: He asks to sit with you.
He enjoys that traffic jam on the way to work: it’s extra time with you.
“Those” days. Yes. Those emotional, hormonal, roller coaster days.
Yes. Even those.
Sister, He wants to spend time with you.
Oh hey, Kacia? Please read these words and believe them too.
Hi y’all! I’m so happy you are here. We are all so happy you are here. If you’ve found yourself at #SheReadsTruth for the first time: welcome! I’d love for you to learn more about this community of women seeking His Truth together. Today we are on Day 19 of YouVersion’s Soul Detox reading plan!
So. I want to let you in on a few things.
- I am from Wisconsin where we say “you guys,” but I’ve recently fallen in love with the ease of y’all.
- I want to be transparent. I am sitting with a cup of coffee as I write this, so just imagine us sitting down and chatting about Him. I told you I’m from Wisconsin so that you don’t imagine some cute southern drawl coming out of my mouth. Instead, I say “bay-g,” “ruff,” and “a-boat.” [Translations: bag, roof, and about.]
- I happen to pronounce my name Kay-sha, but you can say Keisha, Ka-seeya, or even Ke$ha if you want. We can still be friends.
- I feel completely inadequate writing this post today. I pray that my words would show you that I am in the trenches with you, and I am a mess as well. A mess in need of grace and a lot of it.
- I happen to like odd numbers. So let’s get started!
I lay awake in bed a lot. Sometimes it’s because I drank caffeine too late in the day, but I’ve learned that it’s usually where God can get my attention. After my face loses the glow from looking at screens and the house is quiet and silent:
He is not.
And He has been teaching me that we shouldn’t be either.
This week’s scriptures come with heavy challenges. Don’t skim these words and just move on with your day. Reread them. Write them down.
I love reading and seeing what you are learning. How God is challenging you: He is changing lives around you because your heart is becoming like His.
Can I let you in on something else I’ve been learning?
That thing in your life. That toxin. Yes. The one that shames you. The one that has attached so deep it hurts to the bone. The one that has made you believe that you are alone. The one that tells you no one cares. The one that says…
…no one will love you if they know about it.
Here is what you need to know:
It is lying to you, and you don’t need to be prisoner to it anymore.
In today’s reading, we are called to acknowledge our fears. Face the “what ifs.”
Don’t be bound by the silence. Give it a name, and tell Him about it. Yes, He knows your toxin better than you do, but He wants to hear it from you. Listen to David’s words in Psalm 56:1-4
the Message:
Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around, stomped on every day. Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up; They make it their duty to beat me up. When I get really afraid I come to you in trust. I’m proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. What can mere mortals do?
ESV:
1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
I’m not here to write that I have it all together, or that my toxins are gone. The truth is that I am painfully pulling these lying parasites off of me too. I, too, hold them in, believe I can fight them off on my own or perhaps ignore them long enough that they go away, but it only makes them stronger. I tell myself that somehow I can clean them up. Box them up, tie them with a ribbon and then, but only then, will I give them over for Him to bear. I’m not strong enough to do that and neither are you.
So quit trying to be strong on your own: let Him carry it for you.
And as you learn what it means, what it really means to let Him be strong in your weakness, I want to challenge us as a community.
Ready?
On Friday of this week, we will all be reading together from Romans 12. [Don’t you love that? All of us reading together. Wow!]
Romans 12 calls us to live our everyday, ordinary lives for Him. Each day. Each minute.
So this week, as we speak truth into the lies we’ve been believing for so long, could we also, together as a growing community? encourage one another to live these ordinary lives as extraordinary acts of worship to Him.
As you read Romans 12, find one way that you can start living a life that doesn’t fit into our culture.
Live one that fits into His.
Our Truth to memorize together this week comes from Psalm 56. Feel free to memorize it in any version you’d like! [The following is from the ESV.]
3 When I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
We’re doing it together this time, so let’s not forget that! Continue tweeting and posting photos of what God is doing. Keep making Him a priority!
love,
Kacia
Psst! You can comment on this post throughout the week, and each day you will also find an image [like the ones below] in their own posts. If you want to share thoughts specific to that day? You can post there. We want this to be our journal together. If you decide to reread Day 4? Come back and post what He is teaching you! If you are a few days behind? That’s okay too! Bear with us as we catch up posting days 1-19 of Soul Detox.
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47 thoughts on "your everyday, ordinary life"
hello my name is Yonela am a new member a@shereadstruth
i would like to thank you for such interestng n encouraging blog
as am Sinner and i child of God who seek God to take control of my life ..Things of earth has don3 nothing to my Life instead ruined n complicate my Life i ask for prayers to have faith in Him and always praising him nd worshipn him not only wen i need Him but everdayS Of my Life amen
May He cast my burdens upon Him Teach
my heart to be patient. Teach my heart to accept
things that are yet to come.
!Epic.-
Hello,
My name is Deja (Day-ja) I’m new to SheReadsTruth & I’m really excited about our journey together. God is so good! I’m in the middle of a storm but He has been my strength & my bestfriend! I’m learning to trust Him always! I’m diligently working to love myself as I learn more about God. I love that he wants to be with me every minute of the day. I’m never alone. Even when I felt I surely was just last week. Crying & begging for love from a man ( my husband) , that I always had in God. Now Iwe are separated and He is working on my husband. I will pray for you ladies I love you!
I am so greatful for this community and this study – thank you Ladies and thank you Lord. I am on a journey of learning to love myself fiercely and this has become a huge part of my journey. Thank you.
Thank you.
This is GOOD!
I always feel like my life is so boring–I wake up, go to school, come home, do homework, go to bed. Every day it's the same thing. But, knowing that God wants to spend every second of it with me is amazing. It's so true! I always think that this life that I am living is pointless, but if my every thought and action brings glory to His Name, then it is not pointless one bit.
You just keep knocking it out of the park. We need to make seeking His grace our *NEW* habit. As you said, our toxins lie to us and we are in the habit of believing those lies. But we can always make the choice to say no and to let Him free us. Keep rocking this place, Ke$ha! :)
I'm done being strong on my own, I know that He is with me, now I just have to never forget.
I love your post. I love this community. I love all the positivity being shared by this study.
Thank you for your words, they really spoke to me!
I second this!!
Community of positivity is such a good way to remember that we are not alone, and He is guiding us.
I feel ya! I worry so much about what the flesh (or more specifically, sticks and stones) can do to me, but nothing can destroy the peace that I have from a loving relationship with my Savior!
I love this! When you spoke of saying that you're not necessarily free of all toxins yet or that you've got it all figured out since staring the Soul Detox – I totally relate to that! I wrote about it yesterday, that while this has been so cleansing and good for my soul, I don't have it all together or all figured out yet and that's OK! I already feel God's presence stronger in my life and I feel like I'm on the right path and for now, that is what matters!
Hooray for WI friends!! I'm a native Milwaukeean, but currently living in Mississippi – and I REFUSE to take on the "y'all" :-P Hopefully hubby and I can move back home in the next year, depending on what the Lord has planned for our job/school situation. And you forgot to also mention that we say wis-CAAAHN-sin :)
I love what you said, "quit trying to be strong on your own: let Him carry it for you." Yes yes YES. The power in the CROSS is so much stronger than anything we could ever imagine…and it's a free gift we only need to accept!
I'm so blessed to have found this community of women to grow in the Word with! Have a great week!
first? YAY! I've been pronouncing your name correctly in my head!
Second, this verse(s) were important to my family when Cort's dad was suffering/dying of cancer. I love that it is back in my life.
Your transparent authentic heart is stunning. God loves it (so do it).
Love the idea of a soul detox – I realize how much I need this every time I retreat from the world and enter the throne room. And…the beginning of your post so completely matched with my thoughts here: http://whispersinthesilence.blogspot.com/2012/06/…
I love how God does that!
I legitimately couldn't wait to wake up this morning to read a new post! I am only on day 2 of the soul detox, but found myself doing devotionals more than once yesterday and today- I am so proud of you girls for banding together for a higher purpose and encouraging others. It is definitely motivating to log on and see what is happening at #shereadstruth. Not just because I want to make an artistic spiritual journal and be awesome like you girls, but because it's a great reminder that God is awesome enough to deserve my attention EVERY day. Thank you!
I'm just starting too, on day one! Newbies together!
Great post. It made me realize that I have been trying to fight off my thoughts on my own and, before this morning, hadn't taken the step to give them to God and trust Him instead. This reading and community is growing me, and I'm so blessed by it!
Such a great post! I am excited to memorize a verse this week. I had been wanting to start memorizing for weeks but oh well excuses i never did. Now i will for sure.
Romans 12 is so powerful and encouraging. I am very happy @eatliverun posted about this community on her blog.
When I read Psalm 56: 1-4 I immediately thought about my husband. So often he gets frustrated, anry really and he feels like the whole universe is out to destroy him. I need to loving remind him to not fear these attacks but put his trust in God at all times.
Thanking God and Praying for my hubby :)
I will be praying as well! The enemy is attacking our men.. It’s up to the wives to stay strong .. We don’t always have to be upfront to take the lead . Sometimes we have to lead standing behind our husbands. If you’re on twitter or Facebook look into TheUnveiledWife she & her husband are constantly giving inspirational spiritual advice & lifting up All marriages. Be blessed.
Absolutely beautiful, inspiring words today, Kacia. Thank you for reminding me that it's okay to not be perfect, that we're all in this together. This is such an amazing community of women and every day you each remind me even more of God's amazing grace.
This is AMAZING. I am so blessed by you, Ke$ha (hehe), as well all these women coming together through this community. Your blog post touched my heart…I'm sitting reading it with my cup of coffee, too! Love you!!
I was so, so blessed by the #shereadstruthcommunity last night, as I really struggled with some worries & fears. I wrote my heart about it this morning, including the fact that I should have done yesterday's Soul Detox devo yesterday instead of putting it off! ;)
http://sweetestpetunia.blogspot.com/2012/06/he-is…
I've been so blown away by this community as well! Praying that we keep HIM the focus, so that we may be used by Him.
Um, yes to all of this. I was awake most of the night last night (and actually just told my husband 'Maybe I shouldn't have had that cup of coffee right before bed'). Anyway, during that time I felt like it was being laid on my heart that I need to apologize to a friend for something that she may not even know that I said (and what I said was totally not meant in malice, but before I knew it I realized that I'd shared with someone else some info that wasn't really mine to share. It was relatively minor, but still not mine.). Anyway, apologies are hard for me, and I literally had the same nightmare five or six times last night that she never spoke to me again. But I feel like God keeps tugging at me and saying that I need to act in response to what I think He wants from me, not out of fear of what she'll say or do when I admit that I messed up.
But, she'll be here in about 20 minutes, and I just keep feeling more and more that I need to fess up and apologize….but I also just don't want to darnit! I would so appreciate your prayers in the meantime.
Hi Meredith! We'd love to pray for you right now… take a deep breath and know God is near you + wants only the best for you. Friendships are so important, praying you have an easy time talking to your visiting friend + that you feel peace in your conversation. We're glad you're joining us in this community. xoxo
Praying for you and your friend right now, Meredith, that God would bring peace and grace and intimacy into your friendship through this. Way to be sensitive to His direction–that's inspiring!
Thank you all for your prayers! I so appreciate it. We talked, I explained what I said and apologized–she was gracious, and actually not upset at all.
I'm encouraged and humbled again that God knows exactly what I need, always–and today, that was simply a reminder that I have friends, family, and a God who love me even when I don't do things perfectly, and that because of that, it's okay to admit when I'm wrong! Thank God!
True friends sometimes show us more grace than we deserve, trusting our intentions despite conflicting actions. May we always extend that grace ten fold.
So glad this went well for you.
My family has been in dealing with difficult family relationships – each unresolved day makes it worse, there is so much pain and so much hurt. We are, on a daily basis being accused for things that are untrue. Normally I get defensive, but after trying to rip these toxins off me for the last two weeks, I had a wonderful cry and the Lord just spoke to me that I am ugly! Anytime I choose to live without Him, I am a disgusting sinner! I know this sounds harsh, but it was actually a place of freedom for me, what they are saying is true, but I can decide each day, each moment to live with Jesus, because he is the best part about me. I don't have to fight them anymore or feel defensive, I have Jesus – all beauty and grace!
Isn't it amazing how almost backwards it seems? Wait until you get to Friday :) I love Romans 12 where we are reminded to not avenge: that is His job, not ours. We are to turn the other cheek! Praying for you, Elise!
Thank you!
You have no idea how much your post has touched me today. I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes because I had been blocking out that others feel the same way. Thank you so much for your honesty Kacia!
This community is refreshing my soul day after day, and I am SO lucky to have found you all.
Don't let satan fill your head with those lies! You are not alone – yes, humanity will fail you, we are all human. But He will not. Cling to that!
It won't always be easy, but He is GOOD.
Sometimes it feels as though I am clinging by my fingertips but this community (and Soul Detox) is opening my eyes to the Truth of matters.
The memory verse for this week is helping me SO much. I've just completed Day 14 and together, I don't think I could have asked for a more accurate lesson. I am trying to lay it down for Him, I'm finally realising that I can't do it alone, and that He WILL help me.
Just what I needed to read this morning. Thanks friend.
Praying He reminds you how loved you are each minute today!
So happy you are in La Crosse! I'm in Racine – we are neighbors! Hello, friend!
I loved this. I love that you posted how inadequate you felt, and then you just spoke truth…and it really touched my heart. So, God took those inadequacies and spoke through you.Thank you for being a vessel!
Sadly Emma – I don't live there anymore! :( Just go home to visit as often as possible!
I'm so thankful He used my fingers to type a message to your heart. Definitely not my own words!
aww – super sad!
I know! :( I still miss Wisconsin A lot!
i am SO excited to have found this community! found it via instagram users i follow.
where in wi are you from? i'm from southeastern wi and moved to charlotte last year. big change for us, but we love it. and i love that i could relate to "you guys" and "bay-g" :)
We are so happy you are here! [I am from La Crosse :) ]
This is so wonderful! God is at work in my heart. Yesterday at church our sermon was on exactly Romans 12- living our daily lives on mission for Christ. Being intentional in our everyday routines. I'm blogging about this – this week. I just read that this is what we are reading together this week! GOD IS AWESOME!
Loving this community.
It's so easy to say, but often overwhelming to to think about! I know for me I tend to view it as perfection, but really I need to keep my eyes on grace.