Hello, I’m January
Inspiration and thoughts on God and faith, written by a simple human, navigating life through the messy and sometimes chaotic.
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Taming Your Thoughts with Truth
Our thoughts can hold us captive. Especially if we are among those who suffer with anxiety. Even if you don’t, Satan often attacks us by placing negative thoughts in our minds. Thoughts that are far from God’s truth.
What are we to do about them?
Paul gives us instructions in a couple places in Scripture about what to do with our wayward thoughts. First, in 2 Corinthians 10:5, he instructs that in our war against Satan, “we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Second, he reminds us in Ephesians 6, just who our enemy is, and where we find our truth:
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17, NLT
I am a follower of Christ, and I am a pastor; but I am most certainly NOT immune to the attacks of Satan. In fact, I am probably more susceptible to his schemes because I am a servant for Christ. Something he can’t stand. Satan’s game he plays with me happens to be in my head.
So, I devised a plan some time ago to suit up with God’s word daily. So I could combat the lies the devil tried to throw at me so frequently.
Below you will find a tool for you to use with some common lies Satan tells me, and the truth straight from His Word that God wants me to know instead. Place this where you can be reminded of the truth about you daily. Where you can go to war, and be ready for battle each and every day and defeat the enemy who wants you to believe otherwise!!
To hear more about taming your thoughts listen to the newest podcast episode here!
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Not By My Strength, But His
Ever heard of a life verse? It’s a verse from the Bible that speaks to you and usually defines the way in which you walk in your daily life with Christ.
Do you have one? I do. One I even decided to tattoo on my arm as a reminder to live out its truth daily:
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
It’s what has kept me going on the days when I didn’t think I could do anything. And this day was no different.
This day was supposed to be a day of rest.
It had been a long, trying, emotional week prior to the holiday break. Mental health crises tend to spike at this time, as many kids are anticipating an extended period in places they may not feel safe. My heart and mind were heavy, and I was just ready to shut the impact of trying to meet all these needs off.
Knowing that at times we have to do this, to ever meet these needs in the first place.
This day was supposed to consist of hot coffee, book fairs, and wrapping gifts. Not navigating the healthcare system with a 6 month old. Not waiting for hours for tests to come back. Not trying to muster the ability to just get past the check-in desk without losing it, since I had lost my wallet. Had no ID. No cash. No card. Nothing but the two Starbucks I had brought in with me.
As I looked down I saw it. The tattoo. My first. To commemorate my life verse. Phil 4:13. And so if I believed it, how was I going to apply it here?
I remembered back to a time I used up all MY strength to do what I could with all the things. And it depleted me. Made me physically, emotionally, and spiritually sick. I stepped out of God’s will, which was the exact opposite of His strength. It was during that time I found this in a book I read, an explanation of what that strength meant. Its source.
I had enough of the other way. I knew if I walked in MY strength, I would fail. I would get in the way, and mess things up. So I got on that elevator, work ID on to replace my actual ID, pushed that button and prayed.
God…I can’t do this without you. Send me your strength. Give me your power to push through this day. Give me your words, give me your patience to deal with the medical staff. I need you, because without you I don’t have the strength to make it through this day.
That’s what it means to live out a life verse. To do more than just slap it on an arm, a mug, a post, whatever. But to know what it means in the context of your relationship with God and live it.
Are you living out your life verse?
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Through You They May Know Him
I didn’t know if I could do it. Yet again. Have another conversation with another grieving relative. The fourth in less than two weeks. Countless in the last couple years. The number of people who had lost loved ones due to various reasons over this pandemic is astounding. The number of times I have processed grief the same, while shutting off my own emotions on the topic.
I was hesitant to make the call. To check-in. To offer “condolences,” and all those words that are supposed to sound so pleasant and helpful but end up just sounding so flat. My heart was heavy, and I didn’t know how many more conversations I could have like this one. The phone interrupted my thoughts. Interrupted me as I dialed the number.
Yes, this is Ms. January. Sure, I have time to talk.
“She talks so much about you. She mentions Ms. January all the time, so I had to call to see if you could help.”
I didn’t get it. I hadn’t seen her in weeks. She had likely been avoiding me. Teens often do when adults hold them accountable, and I am the kind that well, holds them accountable.
This didn’t make sense to me.
Until it did.
In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see. Matthew 5:16
Christ. He lives in me. Once accepted, he made me new. He placed a spirit within me that meant I also possess a certain light-the light of His love. His mercy. His grace. Sometimes it doesn’t require I say anything. Or that when I do, I do so in love. Still holding accountable for choices that are not the best, but always with the purpose of moving someone to a place of growth. Never condemnation or shame.
I may never speak the name of Jesus in the places I walk into. In the office spaces I occupy. In the halls in which I walk.
But…I can be certain of this: They will encounter Him though my actions. My words. My love.
If they never see a church pew. If they never sing a hymn, they will at least have encountered Him. They will see His grace and His light through me.
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Just Be Still, Already
We heard it as kids. We likely say it as adults now: “Be still. Sit down and just be still.” An instruction often given from parent to child. One that comes after too much moving and less just being.
You know we are commanded by God to do the same: “Be still?” Yet, even for us, the adults, who demand this over and over from our children…we don’t know how to practice this.
As I finished reading the devotion relating to this very thing…just sitting and waiting on God, I audibly heard the verse from Psalm 46:10 repeated to me: “Be still and know that I am God.” I have this verse in various places around my house. A reminder to sit, pray and let God do His thing. But as I heard that verse I had read over and over, I reflected on its meaning. The message version states it this way: “Step out of the traffic! Take a long loving look at me, your High God.”
Step out of the traffic. Essentially…get out of God’s way so He can BE God.
For a number of years, I was in the traffic. Ready to assist at the sign of any jam. Any accident. Any crisis. I was there. Running to save as if I was God. Until it took a toll and I needed saving. There is a time to run into traffic, but God’s command to be still, is a command to let God do His thing. However, we don’t do this. We move. We move because we don’t like His timing, thinking ours is better. We move before we are ready. We move outside of His will.
We move and play God, when He simply asks us to be still.
You. You pray. Be still and pray. Sometimes that’s all you can do. Maybe for this season, that’s all God is calling you to do. Because God is the one who saves. God does crisis intervention, and He takes care of traffic jams. You. You just need to get out of His way. Pray and let Him do His thing. Because when you pray…He WILL do His thing.
Get out of the traffic today. Get out of His way, and you? You just simply be still and pray.
I don’t own the rights to the music or video.
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Let There Be Light: Faith in the Unknown
And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. Genesis 15:6
Abram. Deemed righteous by God because of his faith. What does that even mean? First, to answer that-we must know what we are referring to when we discuss faith. According to Hebrews 11:1 and 3, “faith shows the reality of what we hope for, it is the evidence of things we cannot see (v1).” Or…”by faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command; that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen” (v3).
We didn’t see God form the earth, but we believe. That’s faith. We don’t get our prayers answered right away, but we believe God will answer, even if we don’t actually see it. That’s faith.
As far as the Christmas season? Well, what does faith have to do with it?
Let’s get back to Abraham. He is not only known as one of the “Faith Hall of Famers” (Hebrews 11), but he is also known as the “father of many nations.” A title given to him by God after he had left his homeland, moved wherever God said to move, obeyed His commands, and didn’t hesitate.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. Genesis 17:1-5, NLT
And God did what He promised, providing a descendant that would provide rescue.
Jesus. Yes, Jesus is one of these many descendants. It’s why the family tree we may skip in the first part of Matthew is so important.
God keeps His promises, and we must believe this even if we cannot see it. That’s faith.
Faith and righteousness is how a young virgin was chosen to give birth to a Messiah on that long ago night. Her trust in God is how Mary dealt with the rejection, and the realization of what was to come. Was she scared? She had to be. Did she reject God’s plan due to fear? Doubt His promise because it seemed ridiculous? No. Her response to Him was simply this: “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1:38
As it was, that word. Fulfilled through the birth of a Messiah that was sent to save the world. Save you and me. Through the simple faith of his ancestor Abraham, and a young virgin Mary.
So the question to be asked is this: If that kind of faith can birth a nation, and a Messiah, then can’t it birth God’s purpose in us? What doubts do we need to leave at His feet so we can place our trust in His plan and promises, even if we can’t see the end goal? So we can be like Abraham and Mary-counted as righteous because of our faith?
About Me
I am January! Wife, mother, meemaw, pastor, and mental health provider who makes it through the day with my coffee, my journal, and my God; and I am also on some days a hot mess. A simple human, navigating life through the messy and sometimes chaotic.
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