Miley, The Morning After
I didn’t catch the Video Music Awards (VMAs), but after all the chatter the morning after, curiosity got the best of me. So I headed over to YouTube to find out what all the fuss was about. (No, I’m not going to link to it.)
After my eyes and heart recovered from Miley Cyrus’ highly inappropriate dance routine in front of millions of people—children included, the thousands of comments from viewers and readers made sense.
Many comments, in my opinion, were as distasteful as Miley’s performance itself. But as I wrote in my post about Whitney Houston, we’re all some version of Miley, whether we admit it or not.
How many times have we made irrational decisions? Choices that seemed fun at the moment, but the morning after, maybe even hours or seconds after, felt regret, guilt, and shame.
- Erupting in anger.
- Pulling up the porn just one more time.
- Binging on fat-laden foods.
- Downing just one more drink.
- Having just one more affair.
- Telling a “little white lie.”
I myself have plopped my face into my hands the morning after saying, “What the H-E-double hockey sticks was I thinking?”
Miley Cyrus might not be saying that just yet, but I assure you: In time, she will. We all will.
We all seek that one thing that will make us feel alive—truly free. And not just free for a moment, but free for a lifetime. We can’t find it on a stage in front of millions of people or in the corner of a dark room with nothing but our conscience. We find it in Jesus.
Jesus is what we’re all looking for. Jesus is the only one who grants us freedom with open arms. We won’t be perfect, by any means, and consequences surely will follow. But when we can grasp that He loves us and He delights in us—His beautiful creations, we have no need for the harmful anger, the porn, the binging, the drinks, the affairs, the lies, or the inappropriate dance routines. We know He loves us! And that’s all that matters.
The night before—and the morning after.
Come alongside… When have you made a poor decision? How did you feel afterward? How did you recover? Remember, you can post anonymously.
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Encouragement RoundUp
Hi, readers!
I hope you’ve been doing well.
I’ve been reading some great articles lately. Here are a few I thought I’d pass along to you.
- In “Chili and God’s Grace,” Cole Huffman reminded me of the many ways that we can be a blessing to others even when they don’t deserve it.
- Rita Schulte encouraged me not to hide my story but to “Turn a Hot Mess into a Powerful Message.”
- April P. repeated what I know well but sometimes forget. Read her article, “Swarm of Pain.”
- In “Grace for the Grouch,” Karen Wingate reminded me that although I sometimes come in contact with grouches, many times, I am the grouch.
- Joy DeKok’s “A Cuppa Coffee” reminded me of my early years as a coffee-drinker. Lovely piece.
- Rachel Wojnarowski “What Happens When You Have to Step Back” reminds me that reverse isn’t always negative.
- Jann Cobb tells us why dentists are “A Little Bit of a Distraction.”
I hope you will check these out and pass them along to your friends and family. Good stuff here!
Blessings,
Daphne
P.S. – Continue to pray for me as I write my book. Slowly but surely. 😉
2nd Graders, Field Trips, and Jesus
“This way, kids. Stay with us.”
“Joshua… Joshua, this way, please.”
“Come on, Jasmine. Time to move on.”
Oh, the joys of chaperoning 2nd grade field trips.
We don’t have all 16! Where’s Samuel?!?!
Nine girls, seven boys. Nine girls, seven boys.
I felt like I was corralling them as we walked along—trying to catch glimpses of sharks, goliath groupers, and sea anemones along the way.
I wanted them to enjoy the aquarium to the fullest—protected, safe, without getting lost and scared.
I was there for them.
Dear one, Jesus is there for us too–except He’s not just a chaperone. He is The Great Shepherd.
“This way, Daphne. Stay with me.”
“Daphne… Daphne, this way, please.”
“Daphne, time to move on.”
He doesn’t want to spoil our fun. He loves us and wants us to enjoy life to the fullest. His boundaries protect us, keep us safe, and help us not to get lost or scared along the way.
We might want to go our own way—and many times we do, but Jesus comes back for us.
If a man has a hundred sheep but one of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other ninety-nine on the hill and go to look for the lost sheep. (Matthew 18:11-14)
When we’re weak, tender, sick, burdened, or hurting, He gathers us in His arms. He carries us close to His heart. He gently leads us (Isaiah 40:11).
***
At the end of the day, we made it back to school with all 16 kids. No major injuries–just a few cuts and scrapes along the way. I set boundaries–they felt loved. Some kids even fought to hold my hand.
“It’s my turn to hold her hand.”
“You already had a turn.”
“Mrs. T., when can I hold your hand?”
Dear one, hold Jesus’ hand. Stay within His boundaries. You will feel His love.
Come alongside… Have you ever been a chaperone? What was that like? Has anyone ever chaperoned you? How has God shepherded you? What is He trying to get across to you? Please share with us in the comments.
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Comfort… Coming Right Up! Er, Down!
Ever have someone tell you just what you needed to hear—without your asking?
It happened to me just a few minutes ago.
I’ve posted about my fear of publishing my very own book. I start then I stop. Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Right now, I’m stopped.
I’ve been praying about this because I know that this is what I’m supposed to do–and I want to do it! So I’ve been cuddling up to God the way I’ve posted before so that He’s the only One I see and hear, cheering me on the way He knows best. That’s when I’ve been able to start again.
This morning, a writer friend shared this on Facebook:
Say it to yourself!
Note 2 Self: No matter how afraid, indecisive, uncomfortable or anxious I am about my path, as long as I keep moving I will always make progress.
I really needed to hear that!
I didn’t expect anything more because I had already received the comfort I needed to take another step toward my goal. But when I thanked her, she comforted me even more.
All it takes is one step at a time. That’s how you get to your destination! It took me awhile to write my book. I’d be inspired one second and then once I got closer to completing it I would stop. Once I put aside my fear and anxiety over who would buy it, how would it be perceived, etc. and just finished and published it for the simple fact that it was something I set out to do, then everything else was easy. Most times the voices in our head that keep feeding us doubts and fears don’t know what they’re talking about! LOL
This is just what I’ve needed to get up, head to the office supply store, buy a pack of printer paper, and print out what I have so far.
What comfort!
Dear ones, God places people on our paths for specific reasons. Sometimes, we comfort them. Today, I was the one who needed comfort—though no one knew.
Isn’t God good? He knows just what we need even when we can’t put it into words ourselves.
Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. (Romans 8:26)
Once He hears us, He goes into action.
I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! (Isaiah 65:24)
Dear ones, He answered my prayers–yet again!
I pray blessings on that special person who used her passion for helping others to speak comfort and inspiration into my life just when I needed it most.
Today, someone came alongside me. And today, I come alongside you: God is listening–hang in there. Comfort’s coming right up–er, down!
Come alongside… Has this happened to you? Has someone shared with you something you needed to hear at the very moment you needed it? Scroll down and share it with us in the comments section.
Movies about Encouraging Others
Oh, God! Quick: Fight, Flight, or Freeze???
Your heart races. Stress stings your pores. Beads of sweat sneak through your skin.
You don’t know what to make of it, but it has set you on edge. Threatened. Afraid. Fearful. Uncertain. Confused. You can:
- Fight,
- Flight, or
- Freeze.
These are your body’s instinctive reactions to fear. We all have them.
Jesus’ followers felt fear—on many occasions, it was warranted. On one occasion, three disciples accompanied Jesus up a mountain. There, Jesus revealed himself—and I mean transformed himself—in such radiant light that the disciples didn’t know what to make of it. They were afraid. They heard the voice of God clearly, and they were shaken to the core.
While he (Jesus) was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. (Matthew 17:5-6)
The disciples panicked. But don’t miss this:
Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” (Matthew 17:7)
Jesus came to his disciples. He drew near to them. Although the disciples went up the mountain with Jesus, they were still a short distance from Him. When He saw their fear, He came to them. He brought them to himself.
Even more, He touched them. Not just any touch, but a touch of comfort and strength. And His voice—not angry, annoyed, belittling, or critical—but calm.
He encouraged them: Get up. Come nearer to me. Get close. I know you’re afraid, but listen to me: There’s no need to fight. No need to flee. And no need to freeze. I’m here to encourage you—not to frighten you. I’m here to show you who I really am—and who I can be in your life, if you would only listen to me.
Look what happened next.
And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone. (Matthew 17:8)
The presence of Jesus, His touch, and His voice were the only things that reassured them enough to raise their heads again. And when they felt safe enough with Him, they looked and saw no one but Jesus himself. Jesus—Jehovah, their salvation—saved them from their fears. Jesus alone. No one else.
They were so close to Jesus that all they saw was… Jesus!
Fears were gone. The instinct to fight, flight, or freeze vanished. They were safe with Him—as they always were.
Dear one, we panic, especially when God wants to show us who He really is in our lives. God loves us. And when He urges us to listen to Him—through His word, prayer, counselors, or others—it’s only natural for our pulse to sprint off with a bang.
- We want to fight what God says.
- We want to flee in the opposite direction.
- We stiffen every muscle and freeze.
But be encouraged: God wants the best for us—and the best is in Him and through Him. He sees our fearful conditions, has compassion on us, and comes to us. No belittling, no criticizing—just Jesus. Tender. Loving. Calm. Close.
Sense His presence. Cuddle up to Him. Lift your eyes and see Him—only Him.
Fight, flight, or freeze? With Jesus, no need.
Come alongside…. What is God trying to show you? Are you afraid? Are you fighting, fleeing, or freezing up? How can you change your response to Him? Do you have an example of this from your own life? Share it with us by leaving a comment below. Remember, you can comment anonymously, if you so desire.
Resources for Dealing with Fear
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