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Brenda Bradford Ottinger

Encouraging Women to Live Rooted in the Sacred

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One Size Fits All

The blinking cursor on the facebook screen asks “What’s on your mind?” I wonder how the status updates would change if people were instead asked: “What’s on your heart?”

My heart has been so heavy lately; feeling like silly putty – stretched and distended. How apt the familiar term “heavy-hearted” is. I’m not even sure how to put the aching of my heart into words on a page, but, as the Bible says, “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” This has been on my heart for such a while that my heart is spilling over as my mouth is trying to catch it and filter it. I pray that the words of my mouth are capable of doing the feelings of my heart justice.

In a word. Love. That’s the bottom-line of the disquiet of my heart. Why are we so wrapped up in what we want, who we think we are, what we think we need…deserve, even— that we seem to have lost sight of love? I am heartsick over the fact that we, as Christians, are too often so caught up in ourselves that we don’t even notice the ones around us who are quietly suffering.  Worse yet, we recognize it and choose not to respond.

I was doing a Bible study recently that asked the question “What does it mean to be clothed in Christ?” I wrote down my immediate thoughts and moved on to the next question, but later that week, the Lord brought this question back to mind as I was doing laundry. Our clothing is very personal to us; we take time to pick out the things that flatter our figures, that  fit perfectly, and that represent our personalities. So much of my wardrobe I pamper, washing it on the delicate cycle, hanging it up to dry.

God met me there that afternoon, right in my laundry room. Our clothing is personal to us because it represents us. We carefully choose it. Being “Clothed in Christ” is a very intimate and personal thing, like being clothed in our most flattering dress, or our favorite pair of jeans. What we are clothed in is how we represent ourselves to the world. Do we represent Jesus? Does Jesus fit like our favorite pair of jeans? Are we carefully choosing to clothe ourselves in Christ?

Is He so intimately close to us that He is what represents us, that when others see us, they don’t see that pretty new sweater — they see grace?

I’ve had this song running through my mind for weeks now – you know it: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of…”

How my heart aches for a world where we are able to get outside of ourselves. Oh that we’d be broken-hearted at the realization that there are people, precious sisters and brothers in Christ, who are hurting—who need for us to come alongside them, and just love them. Reserve judgment, give them the acknowledgement that they need, and just be clothed in Jesus. What a selfish people we are if we are apathetic to that. What breaks God’s heart should break our hearts. God forgive us.

It’s so troubling to me to see Christians not encouraging one another. Why is the love missing so often? Do we even recognize it as a lack of love? Why the comparisons? Seriously, why the competition? God knew what He was doing when He handed out spiritual gifts, why aren’t we supporting each other in our callings more often, rather than being competitive? I long to see a world where we embrace the gifts that God has created each of us for, and allow one another to shine…because as members of the same “Body of Christ”, it is ultimately He who shines. We all share the same ultimate purpose. His purpose.

Why does it seem as if we are often lacking the confidence that realizes that your success is my success, and vice-versa? Can love and pride coexist? I don’t know that they are compatible. I see pride as the antithesis of confidence. Loving each other, supporting each other, rejoicing with each other–That. Let us be confident in that.

Lately, it’s my heart’s desire to see us, as Christians, loving each other more. Not paying lip service to love, but really, realllly loving each other. In sacrificial ways. In genuine Jesus-jeans ways. How can we love the world when we, often, aren’t stepping outside of ourselves enough to love each other well? I want my Jesus to fit perfectly; I want to wear Him well. I want less of me and more of Him.  flower

 

(Originally written October 2011)

 

 

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Every-which-way I turn, I sense it: Heartache. Su Every-which-way I turn,  I sense it:
Heartache. Suffering. Pain. Sorrow.
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My compassion can barely stand itself.
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A tide of trouble beats against the shores of my heart, begging a prayer or two or ten.
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Compassion can sometimes feel like more than a heart was made to hold.
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We long for life and health and peace for our families, our communities, our world…ourselves.
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Flipping through my Bible this morning; my eyes catching on years of faded ink underlining generations of ancient truths,
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Verse upon verse…underscored reminders of the tender nature of God,
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Sacred pages alive with precedent,
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Revealing a heart beating wildly with compassion for a world in pain.
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Oh, to step in the shadow of the Savior,
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Who chose to feel compassion’s ache, instead of looking away.
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More than ever I recognize that it’s the Christ in us that swells compassion upon a hurting world.
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These are the glory days of hope. 🙌
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For we have this confidence: There will be another day—when pain will not exist. 🙌
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Thank you, Lord, that our hope is not misplaced in You. 💗
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Dear friend, life can be overwhelming at times, AmIRight?!
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Praying today that your soul may find rest & peace in the gentle heart of God who never leaves us alone. 💕
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Many a time in life I’ve felt I was standing at Many a time in life I’ve felt I was standing at the edge of a sea, hemmed in by its boundary, unable to discern a path forward.
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If this feels familiar, friend, I have the sweetest of news…
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God has not misplaced His plan for your life.
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Our great God is not bound by limitation. His roads can cross right through our seas, on pathways no one knew were there! 🙌
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Oh friend, may you rest quietly before your God at the water’s edge, trusting Him to bring you to a place of abundance.
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The mighty waters of your circumstances are no match for His power, His heart, His purpose.
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You’re not alone, for He goes before you, ordering unique pathways along His timeline—all for you, my friend.
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Set your every hope into the tender palm of God and walk in freedom, for He is able. 💕
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Friend, no matter what you’ve been through…hea Friend, no matter what you’ve been through…healing isn’t hopeless.
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So often it can feel easier to tamp hurt upon hurt deep into our spirits, than to do a new thing.
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But, friend, our God is a God of fresh beginnings who makes pathways through the wilderness and steams in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)
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You don’t walk alone, for His kindness and faithfulness walk with you through it all.
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This book _Good Boundaries and Goodbyes_ by @lysaterkeurst is a beautifully honest resource for learning to understand & create healthy, Godly boundaries in our lives.
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If you’re looking for a good resource to begin forming healthy boundaries, or are looking for help to understand others’ healthy boundaries, this book is a great place to start.
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I have an extra copy I’d love to give away. Leave me a comment on Instagram if you’d like to be entered to win.
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Also, OBS (Online Bible Study) is beginning a free online community study of this book January 23rd. If you’d like to sign up, head over to proverbs31.org.
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May this be a stream in your desert, dear friend, the dawn of a beautiful new thing God’s set apart for you. 💕
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About 5-6 years ago I started doing this thing tha About 5-6 years ago I started doing this thing that, at the time, didn’t feel like anything radical or life-changing.
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I simply started trying to stop eating around 7pm, and not start eating again until 11am.
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At the time, I’d never even heard the term “intermittent fasting;” I was just trying this new-to-me thing to help with weight management.
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Over time, I learned that what I was doing was called intermittent fasting, and that it has health benefits well beyond the weight management realm.
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(Search the word “autophagy” if you’re interested in learning more about that.)
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I’m not gonna lie, back when I started, 7pm to 11am was hard! It took some time, and I didn’t always do it “perfectly.”
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These days, I typically go from 6-7pm to 1-2pm. My body has adapted and most days it’s very easy. Often, I’d fast longer except that I take supplements that keep me awake at night if I take them too late in the day.
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Yes, I came to intermittent fasting for the weight loss. (30 pounds has long been gone.) But, I stay because I’ve never felt better. Allowing my body the restorative time each day has been a game-changer for me.
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For a few weeks now, I’ve been feeling like I’m supposed to share this…like someone needs to hear it.
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If that’s you, friend, I want you to know that it’s not as hard as it seems. Start as slowly as you need to. Add another hour or 30 minutes, or even 15 minutes per week until your body adapts.
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There’s no right or wrong. There are no bad days. It’s a lifestyle of freedom. You can switch it all up when you need to or want to for social reasons. It’s easier than it seems.
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I’m no doctor. I’m not medically advising. I’m just a girl who has always longed to make a difference, so I share in hopes of helping.
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No matter what your goals are this year, whether they’re health or relational or work related, it’s okay to go slow. It’s okay to get off track by January 10th and start over again.
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All is progress, my friend. Baby steps count. 💕
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