Don't Take It From Me

I’ll be honest with all of you. Sometimes when I sit down to write for the blog, the only thing I can I think is, “I’m a fraud.” Over the course of the week, I’ve taken my stress and frustrations out on my family, I’ve complained about work, I’ve lost my patience, and that’s just scratching the surface. Basically, I feel like I could go day by day and just use my life as a “what not to do” guide. Of all people, why on earth should you listen to me? Well, I’m here to tell you that you shouldn’t!

Obviously, us hens want you to read and find value in what we write, so what do I mean? I’m praying that as you read these words, you look past me and see the one who inspired me to write them.

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

I usually try not to speak for others, but I believe that I can speak for all of the women who contribute to Holy Hen House when I tell you that we don’t have all the answers. In fact, I’m the last person to tell you that I have it all figured out. And if you’re anything like me, that is precisely what has stopped you from sharing God’s word with others in the past.

That feeling of inadequacy almost stopped me from sharing my faith as a regular contributor to this blog. It's had me second-guessing advice that I've given to friends. It's had me doubting myself as a mother charged with the spiritual care of two precious little souls. I’ve thought so many times about how I can be the worst billboard ad for Christianity. I don’t always practice what I preach, in fact, I manage to fail over and over again. But the great thing about sharing the need for Jesus in our lives is that you can point to God's words, not your own.

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

When people criticize Christians for their ungodly actions, they miss the entire point of what being a follower of Jesus means. We don’t follow Jesus because we think we are righteous people, we follow him because we know that we aren’t. Just because you read God’s word and share it with others, it doesn’t change who you are. We are all still sinful human beings with no hope of salvation on our own.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

I encourage you to not to let the fact that you're flawed stop you from sharing the message. It is precisely our imperfections that make the case for salvation through Jesus. In reality, the only thing that would make us frauds would be giving the impression that our lives are perfect.

Sharing God's word through the blog over the past few years has been eye-opening and I'm so glad that I decided to take the leap and do it. All of the posts I've written have been like a mirror showing me exactly what I need to work on in my walk with God. So be prepared to read more about my shortcomings, because as long as I'm sharing the word, I'll be be sharing just how desperately I need it as well.

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Lived that I might never die,
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.