Giving Them My Best

Camp Create challenged me in so many ways…from realizing how God has equipped me, to how important listening to the Holy Spirit is and speaking that into others lives, to how much I talk down to myself.  So many many things to process and think through and start acting on.  One of those being not saving my best just for others.

Here’s what I do.  I know the importance of love, grace, mercy, compassion, kindness, patience, generosity, respect, etc.  I know, know them true and I try my very best to give and show all these things to others around me, but then put me in the midst of my sweet family and often times I forget all those important things.  The love, grace, mercy, compassion, kindness, patience, generosity and respect fly right out the door and more times than I like to admit, my family gets me at my worst.

I know it goes back to the “they’re my family and they’ll love me no matter what”.  Kind of like how my kids act way better for others and then lose their little minds at home.  Plus we are with each other the most, but I have been challenged about making a conscious effort to not only give my best to others, but also those closest to me.  They deserve it.

God calls us to love Him and love others…others is an all inclusive word meaning every last precious person on this earth who were all created in His image.  He doesn’t discriminate or leave anyone out.  Everyone means just that, EVERYONE.

I’m working and I’m working hard.  I’m trying to remember this all the time now.  I’m holding myself accountable.  I’m trying to let go of all those tiny things which mean nothing in the grand scheme of things…like getting totally pissed off at legos on the floor for the 1 millionth time and yelling like a wild women possessed by an out of control beast…which accomplishes nothing.  I’m trying to keep my voice low.  Asking nicely.  Talking to my favorite people in all the land like I want to be talked to…with love and respect.

I know it’s only been a grand total of 3 days, but I’m committed.  I want to press on and make this a real legit habit.  I want to chill out some.  I want to train my kids to be relentless warriors for Jesus and to be crazy kind and loving and they will see all this by the way Josh Kelley and I act, speak and treat them.  We are their prime example and I realize we haven’t been giving them or each other our best.

I know I will fail.  I know I will fall flat on my face with mistake after mistake after mistake.  It’s inevitable because I’m a big sinner every day, but I deeply and truly want to make this change and I’ve felt the Holy Spirit prompting my heart to work on this hard.  So when the mistakes come, I’ll apologize and make it right and reset.  Everyone deserves my best and this absolutely includes the 6 other people I wake up to and go to bed with day in and day out.

As soon as these words left Jeanne Oliver’s mouth, I grabbed my phone and typed them down…

“When you love the Lord, your home is holy ground.”

I have not been treating this space and my people in this manner and I’m committed to changing this.  I cannot wait to watch God work and move in all of us.

Happy Wednesday!