Accountability and a Story

After posting earlier this week on my own personal spiritual warfare, I’ve re-read the message a few times. Naturally, the compulsive, neurotic, spelling-and-grammar checking fiend that I am found usage errors here and there as well as areas that I thought, ‘Huh, I could have said this instead of that’ but what I really question is why I selected to memorize three in my verse commitment. I honestly gave no thought to it at the time. Maybe because it’s the number of children I have. That is an obvious explanation. Or perhaps it’s because I was eating cookie #3 {of 6} at the time of my cyber-babbling. And let’s not forget that my Type-A nature also thrives on even numbers so that further confuses me as to why I chose three verses as opposed to two or four. {Note: my desire to have even numbers does not apply to my reproductive role so don’t start any rumors.} After diving in and examining the Word, I think I know why. Though there are hundreds of verses that are applicable to this particular season in my life, there were three that really stuck. I also think God knows my brain is at maximum capacity and, most days, running on fumes from all the disorder that raising three boys brings so this is probably all I can handle right now.

And there you have it. Deep, I know. Were you expecting some profound revelation? You shouldn't have. I’m a simpleton. And because I am a simpleton {is that even a word because it’s not receiving a red squiggly that would indicate otherwise?}, I don’t need or want complex. I need straight forward which is why my chosen verses below are in the NLT version. To me, New Living Translation also means No Large Text.

*Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

Now that’s easy to comprehend but how many times a day do we get discouraged and so easily forget? Oh, just every other minute…..


*But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

People judge by the outside, the Lord looks at the inside. Got it.


*The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. – John 10:10

I think this is my favorite. Satan’s purpose is to harm, yet God desires a rich life for me. End of story.


I wholeheartedly believe that not only learning these verses but BELIEVING in them is going to strengthen me in all areas of my life but I also want to share one last thing. Just today, I had a great friend tell me the story about Moses and the battle with the Amalekites, specifically with how it pertains to the topic of insecurity. You see, as long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur held his hands up for him and, thus, Israel defeated the Amalekites. I had never heard this story before or, if I had, I didn’t understand it the way I do now but I find it so relevant here. We can’t do this alone. Everyday life wears us down and we need to lean on others to fight for us, to pray for us. In order for this to happen, we have to be willing to open up, admit when we’re drowning and seek reinforcements. We need to be able to lean on others that will hold our hands up when we are just too weak and weary. I, for one, am going to work on that. So ladies {and gents…..}, swallow that pride and let others lift you up. After all, we are human and, contrary to the beliefs of a certain celebrity ‘rockstar,’ we are not all invincible and filled with ‘tiger blood.’ {Sorry, that was ugly but I couldn’t resist. In all seriousness, that man needs intense prayer, not another round of interviews.}

{Just for fun, I did Google ‘Type A personality’ and the results were a little startling. According to Wikipedia, ‘the theory describes a Type A individual as ambitious, aggressive, business-like, controlling, highly competitive, impatient, preoccupied with his or her status, time-conscious, and tightly-wound. People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving "workaholics" who multi-task, push themselves with deadlines, and hate both delays and ambivalence.’

Pfft. They say aggressive like it’s a bad thing. I also happen to think that multi-tasking is a very admirable trait and absolutely vital in a house of anarchy.

Golly Pete, I expected to identify with a few of the qualities but not all of them……}