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How to Write a Faith-Based Blog Post when Your Walk of Faith Feels Weak

You’ve been there. I know you have. Because I have, and I’m one of you: a person—a person in need of grace…lots and lots of grace. Yet, like you, I’ve battled with not being good enough, pretty enough, wealthy enough, intelligent enough, athletic enough, talented enough, or any other element of life that I haven’t seemed to have enough of.

We can find its roots in our comparative culture; we can blame it on our environment or our upbringing; we can cower to its ability to silence us due to the fear it so easily produces.

Or…

we can take a closer look at Who God really is and move past those movement-stopping excuses.

This afternoon I had to use one of my imaginary “phone-a-friend” tokens to call in some help! I started the conversation with, “I need you to talk me off the proverbial ledge. My mind is dwelling on all kinds of what-if and if-onlys, and I need to have you tell me to snap out of it!” I went on to tell this person that I had just logged off of Facebook for the next fourteen hours in order to have the victory over the evil ick, who was throwing people’s Facebook “likes” and comments into my view and mixing them with thoughts of my own lack in certain areas. Bless her heart, this person said, “Get your mind back on Christ. Remember Who He is!” And that was all I needed to hear.

Did you know that I nearly never started this blog? I wrote my first article and thought, “Who on earth is ever going to read anything I write? I’m not saintly like Elisabeth Eliott; I’m not a Bible scholar and author the caliber of Kay Arthur and Nancy Leigh DeMoss; I’m not a gifted speaker like Priscilla Shirer. I’m Brenda Strohbehn—a doofus whose greatest area of consistency involves how frequently I find myself coming before the Lord and saying, ‘I messed up again.’ Who am I to tell women how to love and serve God with all their hearts when I’m just certain they’ll see me in a moment of giving in to weakness and tell everyone I’m a big, fat phony?”

And then I realized that I had to write anyway, because if I felt “inferior” (a really stupid way to feel, by the way), then there must be hundreds of others struggling, getting up, struggling, getting up, struggling, and getting up yet one more time. (And it turns out that there are!) It hit me that maybe they need to know they aren’t alone, and that God’s grace is this incomparable gift that keeps us going forward, even when we compare our lack to another’s plenty. It was in that moment, at the point of that choice, that I learned how to write a faith-based blog post when my walk of faith felt so very, very weak.

Tell the Truth

Admit your faults. Do we need to know the details of your struggle or the depths of your sinful choices? No. Absolutely not. But don’t pretend they’re not there. We know they are. We have them too. Our faults might be in other areas, but we have them. Lots of them!

James 5:16 (NIV) is a well-known verse, and we often focus on the end of the verse, which tells us, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” This is true, amazing, and worthy of our notice. But so is the first part of the verse: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

The best way to overcome that sin and apply the grace given to do that is to acknowledge its presence in the first place.

Keep Your Focus

This past week I battled vertigo. I finally understood the expression regarding not knowing which way was up! My focus was fuzzy, and my steps were uncertain because of it. As my ability to focus without feeling woozy returned, my ability to walk with a steady gait returned as well.

Oh how clear this made it for me: when I take my focus off of Christ and my ultimate goal to write, to speak, to live for Him, my walk is weak. But when I can keep Him in my sight at all times, even when I stumble, I know where I’m eventually headed. When I’m sidetracked by comparisons, distractions, what-ifs, and if-onlys, my faith falters, and it grows weak. But it doesn’t have to remain in a weakened state! Jesus “initiates and perfects our faith!”

“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2, NLT).

Choose to Win

Was I truly going to jump off of an actual ledge today? No. But I felt my faith headed toward a cliff. The what-ifs and if-onlys were very present. They created imaginary scenarios of what others were thinking, doing, planning, etc. So rather than jumping off the ledge of truth in defeat, I chose to walk away from the location that the evil ick was using to foster these thoughts: I took a Facebook fast. I said, “No, Satan, you don’t get to win. I’m not weak for walking away. I’m courageous, wise, and a recipient of God’s grace. I’m strong enough to say no to you by simply walking away and choosing victory rather than accepting a defeated spirit.”

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, NIV).

This isn’t a maybe. This is a “he will flee from you” promise!

Keep Moving Forward

I’m growing very weary of hearing how someone messed up in the past, of hearing what that sin was, and of even feeling myself that the sins of yesterday rob tomorrow of its hope. Hogwash! It’s called grace. It brings healing. It extends forgiveness. It allows for fresh starts. It provides “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” And it’s sufficient, enough, no, more than enough! It’s undeserved yet freely delivered. It’s unearned yet paid out repeatedly. It grants the ability to get up after a fall, refocus, and keep moving forward with determination and purpose, acknowledging the fall but not giving into it. It’s grace. And it truly is amazing.

So know this: I’m going to mess up more times than I’ll care to admit. I’m going to come to the proverbial ledge many, many times. I’m going to choose selfishly, compare foolishly, and listen attentively to the twisting of truth as Satan whispers his what-ifs and if-onlys into my ear. But I’m going to choose to win by being truthful about my struggles, walking away from people, areas, and things that weaken my faith, and then moving forward.

And I’m going to keep writing about it so that you can move forward with me.

By Petals from the Basket | August 5, 2015 | Bible Reading, Family, Friends, God-and-I-Time, Life Changes |

Is Your Life Jacket On?

Today’s blog post was written for Petals from the Basket by “Grandma” (my mom, Lorraine Strohbehn).

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For a few days over the Fourth of July, my daughter and I visited another of my daughters and her family. My son-in-law took a couple of days of vacation from his work to share our visit with them.

They designated our second day there as our day on the lake. They attached the boat behind the car, packed a picnic lunch into the cooler, and made sure that all the gear was ready. We drove just a few miles to the lake, and the five of us boarded the boat, ready for merriment!

I was given the choice seat, across from the driver (oh the advantages of these gray hairs—I love every minute of it!) and then fitted with a life jacket in case something unexpected happened. I was safe and ready for the waves and speed and the laughter that followed. I loved seeing the skiers as they jumped the wake and met the challenges of staying up for extended periods of time.

Think about it: I put my life jacket on before the boat ever took off. What a picture of my time in God’s Word. I find that time spent reading my Bible is a special blessing and provides the security and strength I need so that I am ready to face, without fear, whatever comes my way.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

—Psalm 27:1–2, KJV

By Petals from the Basket | July 29, 2015 | Ask Grandma, Bible Reading, Family, God-and-I-Time, Guest Posts |

Hospitality is Easier than It Looks!

I don’t remember too many weeks from my childhood when we didn’t have someone in our home for coffee, a meal, game night, or any other number of reasons. But as I’ve grown older (okay fine: much, much older), I’ve realized that this is more the exception than the rule for most families. In the post that follows, my mom, Lorraine, shares a few simple thoughts on the importance and ease of heart-driven hospitality.

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“Come join us for dinner after church on Sunday. We are inviting the Coonrads and the Cruickshanks. We know you will love getting to know them. Sometimes new families find it a bit overwhelming to meet people with similar interests. I’ll have most everything ready, thanks to my slow cooker, and the men can cook the meat on the grill.”

Does that sound like something you would do, or do you shy away from having people in your home?

1 Peter 4:9–10, NIV: “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Sometimes, wonderful friendships begin over a meal at the kitchen table. Don’t think of entertaining as a way to show off “things,” but think of it as a way of showing hospitality, which is a ministry.

Many excuses come to mind when we think of having guests in our home:

“We can’t afford it.”

“Our house isn’t nice enough.”

“Our table is too small.”

“My husband doesn’t like a crowd.”

“It’s too much work.”

“We’ll do it later, when: the kids are bigger / we have a bigger place / my cooking improves, etc.”

Use what you have, within the parameters of your home, finances, and time. Know what? Your guests will love it!

  • Tidy up your house. I find that I always get something extra done in the area of cleaning when company is coming!
  • Set the table early.
  • Plan your menu and prepare as much as possible ahead of time.
  • When you invite your guests, ask if they have food allergies or dislikes.
  • Don’t hesitate to accept your guest’s offer to bring dessert, chips, salad, or veggies. (Be sure to tell them how many people will be there.)

The fellowship is the goal of your hospitality! Don’t miss that because you are exhausted from last-minute preparation.

Hebrews 13:1–2, NIV: “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Hospitality is a great way and easily attainable way to be a good and generous steward of what the Lord has entrusted to you.

Set a time this week to open your home to others in the near future! When it’s done with God’s help and for His glory, you’re sure to have a great time!

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Do you have a question for Grandma or a topic you’d like to learn more about from someone who has most likely been there and done that sometime in her eighty-four years? Send your questions to Grandma@PetalsfromtheBasket.com!

By Petals from the Basket | July 10, 2015 | Ask Grandma, Entertaining, Events, Family, Friends, Guest Posts, Ideas |

More Grace

I’ll be honest: my spiritual compass has been a little off track lately. Unfortunately, I allow it to do that too often. And sadly, I frequently make excuses, procrastinate, and become too distracted by things, people, and longings to fix it. Recently I said, “No more. I miss the sweet fellowship of just talking to my heavenly Father with no barriers between us.”

And in His extravagant and uncommon grace, He held out His arms and said, “My Son, Jesus, already paid the consequences for your sin. Therefore, I never left you. I’ve been loving you the whole time. I forgive you. I’ll guide you through this.”

Because temptation and sin are daily battles for me—and let’s be honest: for all of us!—it becomes a daily choice to “stay connected.”

As part of my personal study and reading of the book of James, I read James 4:1-6 this morning. I never cease to be amazed by the fact that God’s timing, even in our Bible reading, is perfect—truly perfect.

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

—James 4:1-6 (NIV, emphasis mine)

The words that follow are the response I recorded in my personal God-and-I-Time journal today:

It seems to me that verse 2 is reminding me of how often I seek the wrong things, lose my focus, and, sadly, lose my way. But it ends with: “Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” [And what I want is victory over all of this!] But later, in verse 6, it tells me clearly that there is more grace than there is temptation and sin!

The note in the Bible (which Daddy had underlined in red) reminds me: “The Spirit does not want us to have divided allegiance.” Yet I am so easily pulled to want what I want—when I want it.

“But He giveth more grace…” [The NIV uses: “And He gives grace generously.”]

…more grace than my undisciplined stewardship of my time and resources.

…more grace than my impatience—with others and with God’s timing.

…more grace than my pride.

…more grace than I could ever be “perfect” enough to earn.

So today I claim that grace, and I find it to be generous…to be more! Because of His grace, He can, He did, and He will!

Sweet faith-friend, please cling to this thought today when you’re feeling less than perfect, prone to wander, and weary of the constant struggles:

Nothing is greater than the greatness of His generous grace!

By Petals from the Basket | June 22, 2015 | God-and-I-Time, Life Changes |

My Faraway Father

Writing a blog post about my deceased father on Father’s Day weekend seemed so cliché, unspectacular, and anticipated. For the last two weeks I fought hard not to give in. My mind was fully determined to remain silent; yet, my heart was pleading for a chance to honor, to remember, to form its feelings into words that could be shared. To truly honor my father, my heart had to win, because during his lifetime, my father wanted so desperately to help, teach, and lovingly guide other fathers to the heart of God.

When my father traveled to multiple foreign countries for the express purpose of living out—and therefore giving out—the love and gospel of Christ, he left part of his heart in each country. When he spoke in literally hundreds of churches over the course of his lifetime, with a desire to help strengthen families, churches, and individuals by teaching them to focus on Christ, he left part of his heart in each church, camp, or institution. When he was no longer able to travel and later became confined to his house due to the effects of Parkinson’s disease, he generously gave his heart to those who took the time to stop by and learn from him and to those who loved him dearly and were around him on a daily basis.

You see, he was always very present wherever he was: such that I knew that when I needed him, I had his full attention. He not only gave me life; he gave me his heart. Yet he gave me something even greater than that: he taught me by his life that because he had given his heart to Christ—the One Who loved him with an unconditional, forgiving, amazing love and Who provided extravagant grace for him to believe in Him—he wanted his actions to stem from the fact that his heart was longing for its heavenly home.

Because of that, “things” were insignificant. Because his heart was fixed on its final destination, his focus held its gaze on the One Who dwelt there. Because he loved the Lord his God with all his heart, he could freely give his heart to others.

Was his heart perfect? No, no, a thousand times no. (In fact, that’s not only a figurative statement; it is quite literal: five bypasses and open-heart surgery to have a valve replaced, in spite of healthy eating and consistent daily exercise.) He was ever cognizant of the fact that he daily needed what only God could give—grace, forgiveness, and pardoning love.

But it was those imperfections that drove him to the heart of God for guidance, comfort, and strength and that created within him a desire to learn all that he could (until his dying day) about his Lord.

Yes, he loved my mother. Yes, he loved all of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And yes, he loved so many, many, many of you. But there was more to it than that.

Though he is far away from this earth now, the lesson I think his life taught me most as a father and that he would most want other fathers to know is this:

Love others with selfless sincerity, but let that love come from a heart that loves God most.

That’s how the Father loves us. And that’s how fathers can change the world that they have been called upon to love—even when they are far away.

By Petals from the Basket | June 20, 2015 | Events, Family |