After 25 years of working with amazing leaders-there are certain things that are always true. My heroes are men & women of deep humility. 2 weeks ago, @pastorbriangfisher taught 2 principles from Matthew 20 that gave us all pause! “We want honor without humility. We want authority without submission.” Zing! We get it-we all struggle here! Instead of asking a generic , “Am I proud?” Join me in asking yourself these questions.
1. How low am I willing to go?
2. How much of the world’s success have I brought into my faith?
3. Am I disrespectful to my current authority?
4. Am I known for a loving or critical spirit?
5. Is my heart living in awe toward God or anger toward God?
If you’re like me, these questions cut to the quick. Yet, we all want more of Jesus, more peace, more joy, & more satisfaction! Maybe it’s time to step up to going low. #matthew20#betterlife#humility#followwell#leadwell
For 25 years, God has allowed me to share His heart with Texas college and high school women about our true identity. Who are we, anyway? All of us currently live in a world of pretend, heartache, and shame. Yet, we are more than filtered Instagram pics. Our collective beauty can be more than external. Our level of satisfaction in life should be more than just “the next thing” in life. All women sense there is something more to life than beauty, school, career, health, wealth, marriage, and motherhood. Is there something else to make us feel valued? Rather than a something, could it be a Someone? Could it be Someone who knows us because He made us? I cannot adequately express the joy of seeing young women choose to come to Jesus to be made new as someone cherished, valuable, and crucial to the plan of God. It’s no accident that the first person to see the Risen Christ was a radiantly new woman. (John 20) Remember, Jesus was -and is-perfect and yet He gave His first glimpse of resurrection purity to an astonishingly imperfect woman who loved Him. Mary could be my bestie! (Can I get a witness?)
He is still at work in the lives of women.
Now, ready for some next generation hope? For years, my daughter (and her dance pals!) joined me to speak about true identity every summer. These are more than just cartoon princess events. These are times we look at what Jesus -the true King-offers to every girl who believes in Him the role as Daughter of the King. The symbolism of this crown is never lost on these girls! They understand it’s a gift to be received and that crown means “princess”. When girls put on this crown and turn (for the first time) to see themselves in a mirror, they always smile at their reflection! Why? Because the unconditional love and favor of the King has been lavished upon them and they see it represented by the crown!
Many of are not girls anymore-yet we STILL want new identities. We don’t want a mere makeover. We want a MakeNew. Have yougiven up on feeling “special” in this world? Look out of this temporal world to the eternal Kingdom of Love. Jesus holds out a new crown for you with the inscription SHE WHO IS ADORED. He loves you. (John 3:16) We’ve all made mistakes. (Romans 3:23) Jesus paid for our mistakes and wants to give us new hearts and new lives!(Romans 5:8) Now what? Tell Him you believe Him . Tell Him you believe He is God and you are not. Thank Him for dying for you. Ask Him-now-to make you new! (Revelation 3:20) Are you ready? Your life is about to radiate His love, His purpose and His power! Learn about your King by reading the book of John. Then, look in the mirror and say, “This girl is special for she knows the King! ” 🙂
Every year, my daughter & I love sharing our identity as “true princesses” to different groups of girls. I can’t even tell you the joy it gives us to see these little ones light up in response to hearing that they are exceedingly special to the King! At the end of each talk, my helpers & I have the little girls try on crowns we’ve brought. Here’s my favorite part: We have each girl turn and look at herself in the mirror with the crown on! Each girl-every time-every year-responds the same way-they smile!! My prayer is always that they continue to believe who they are in Jesus as they grow up. Some kind parents have asked for a copy of this little talk to discuss at home. Finally, I remembered! Here are some example notes and a bit of the talk time! May it bless your girls!
CROWN Talk
All of us love to dress up and play princess! Today, we noticed that you can look like a princess. But, is that enough to make you a TRUE princess?” Could God-the TRUE King-have anything to say about this? Yes!
I. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life! JOHN 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
II. We are all sinful and separated from God. ROMANS 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
III. Jesus Christ is God’s only substitution for man’s sin. ROMANS 5:8 “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
IV. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior.REV. 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him.”
Your CrowningGod offers each of us a new identity-as TRUE princesses! Can you picture Him offering you this crown? Now, when does this crown become yours? When you take it! This is just like the gospel of Jesus. We receive our new identity as TRUE Princesses of a GREAT King when we respond in faith! PRAYER “Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Savior. Thank you for forgiving my sins and making a new person…a TRUE princess!”
Princess Power (Follow-Up!) Did you receive Jesus? The Bible promises eternal life to all who receive Christ. “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:11-13)
Princess Training Time (How to Grow!)
1. Read the Bible to grow into your identity as Princess.
2. Pray-you can tell the King anything! He wants to help you! You are His special Girl!
1. How low am I willing to go?
