Image Management

I was listening to Tony Evans on Moody Radio the other day and these two words stuck in my head, “Image Management.”

I turned off the radio and sat in silence in my Jeep to soak up what the Holy Spirit was saying to my heart:

“Stop maintaining your image and maintain My image.”

I was struck by how much energy I have put into managing my own image; struck by humility, I mean.

It was truly embarrassing when I realized how many minutes, how much energy, how much focus I have put into forming an image!

Yet, when I committed my life to God, I vowed to die to myself and let Him live through me.

Words? Yes. Action? Not much, until recently.

This past year has been one lesson after another, one revelation after another, showing me what the Christian life is supposed to be.

A life fraught with worries over what other people think of me, what they are saying about me, how I will get my next job, how I will stand up next to those I admire and who I want to be like has consumed all the time I could have been using to manage God’s image.

What vanity! What waste!

No more.

Last May I embarked on a makeover of my entire life from my heart, to my mind to my body. Some of the resources God put in my path were books that I have devoured. I’ve posted them in My Bookshelf if you want to see what I’ve been reading (click on any of the books to purchase them through Amazon).

Anyway, I’m changing. First, my heart changed. Looking back, I see I needed a complete realignment in that area! God revealed that everything, my decision-making paradigm, my thought processes, the logic (and lack thereof) was all skewed by a faulty understanding of what it means to let Jesus be LORD.

I learned that as our Savior, He is the rescuer, the one who pulls us out of the pain, the suffering and the quicksand. But to answer to His commands as LORD and Master, well, that’s a whole different thing altogether!

As Americans, we don’t like to be told what to do. Our image management expends much of our energy. Unfortunately, our national pride seeped into our doctrine. We have Americanized our creeds and given our faith a freedom makeover.

Repent with me!  Let’s go back to the Word of God and realign our Christian faith, beliefs and actions to His holy standards!

The Old Testament Prophet Hosea said,

“Come, let us return to the LORD, for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, be He will bind us up. Let us know,let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD, His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.”

This is a good start. I’m still working on my heart condition, most specifically the words that come out of my mouth. I created a group on Facebook called 28-Day Challenges to engage others in my pursuit of holiness. This month’s event is called, “Be Still” and focuses on silencing our tongues in order to hear the heart of others and of God.

Join me!

Blessings,

CCS

Be Still

Stillness: wouldn’t that be lovely? Most of us can barely remember what that feels like. I’m learning a new type of stillness through silence.

If you’ve been following me on Facebook, you know that I committed to a 28-day challenge focused on speaking only sweet, soothing, sound and soft words and eliminating sarcasm, sharp or self-centered words. Was I successful? Barely, I have a long way to go. Nonetheless, the exercise was eye-opening and a good start.

As I traveled through the month of February focused on my “Sweet Lips Challenge,” I found that choosing to be silent brought a priceless gift: a peace that I have never before experienced. By being still, when I would normally babble, give my opinion or just chatter, I found sweet reward: I heard more, I observed more, I cared more. It became about others instead of me and I heard God’s voice clearer.

Now understand, I’m not saying I heard God audibly, I’m saying that His still small voice is only be heard clearly in stillness. Does that mean that we have to be physically still? If so, not many of us can pull that off very often these days. I believe the answer to that question is yes, and no. Yes, it’s ideal when we turn off the computer, the TV, the radio, the cell phone, and sit still. And, no, that’s not the only form of stillness.

Sometimes, stillness can be obtained by not saying what we want to say, what we feel like saying. When I would “still” my tongue in moments when I wanted to speak, I was able to hear what God wanted me to say to those I was around. I realized that His agenda was different than mine. I wanted to talk about me, about things that interested me. He wanted to use my tongue to speak to others about Him, about their need for Him.

This stillness, this place of silence is quite foreign to me. I’m one of those chatty people who has been teased and ridiculed all my life for talking too much. It took me years to get past the pain of those labels, but when I did, I learned that my chatting was just a nervous habit, masking fear and anger.

You see, I got nervous when gaps opened up in conversations. I impulsively filled those gaps, afraid of what might be said if I didn’t—angry that if what should be said, wouldn’t get said. But, it was more than that. I was afraid that if I wasn’t always funny, if I wasn’t always happy, if I wasn’t always everything everyone wanted me to be, I wouldn’t be loved.

Now I know that’s not true, so I’m learning that if I stay still, there’s nothing to fear. I can love and be loved, and, more importantly, I can be useful. Knowing that I am unconditionally loved by my Creator—knowing that He created me just the way I am—I can let Him help me harness my impulsive chatting into opportunities to speak for Him—to tell of his matchless, merciful, gracious love!

Is it hard? You bet. But the rewards for being still and letting God choose my words are more amazing than any attention or love I could manufacture on my own through self-centered techniques.

Join me this month as I initiate the “28-Day “Be Still” Challenge. I will be posting all the “rules” on my Facebook page soon!

Word Doctor: Don’t Change Tense!

The Word Doctor is IN!

Today’s Workshop Topic is Tense …

What are tenses?  They are the “voice” of your writing:

First Person = “I” or “we”  (informal, personal)

Second Person = “you” (instructional; advice)

Third Person = “he, she, it, one” or “they” (academic; professional writing)

The most popular tense is first person. It’s friendly and personal. As you can see, second person is used for writing instructions or giving advice (I’m using second person in this blog post).

Third person is used in academic or professional writing, by doctors, professors, etc.  So what’s the problem?  Too many tenses!  Here’s an EXAMPLE:

____________________

If you need to fix your computer,  you should first consult with an expert. I like to work with Nerds on Call. We get a lot of good service from them and I know you will too. When we were there last week with our laptop, they helped us out very much.

____________________

The above example starts out instructional in second person, but quickly switches to first person and then adds in a third person tense.  The rule is to stick closely to one tense. If you’re instructing, then stick with second tense throughout.  Here is a RE-WRITE in second tense:

If you need to fix your computer,  you should first consult with an expert. Take your computer to “Nerds on Call.” You will get very good service and sound advice on how to protect your computer from viruses.

__________________________________

If you want it personal, soften your tense by leading with “I”:

I’m sorry you’re having problems with your computer. Bob and I take ours to “Nerds on Call.”  I’m sure you will get the same great service we got.

_________________________________

To find out if you’re switching tenses too much, print out what you’re writing and circle each pronoun. You will see your main tense emerge.

Enjoy writing and don’t get too tense!
CCS

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!

Until yesterday, I always associated a home with a physical house and Valentines Day with lovers. But today I have a new perspective. You see, our house is for sale and though it’s where we lived when we were first married, and we absolutely love that little nest, it’s just a house–brick and mortar.

Because of the economy we had to price it lower than we wanted to and–until yesterday–it broke our hearts to  see it go at such a reduced price, especially after all the improvements we made.

But none of that matters anymore. You see, we moved in to Psalm 91. That’s our new address, if you want to know where to find us.  Now we know that no matter what is ahead, foreclosure, bankruptcy, etc., we will always have a place to live.  Here’s what our new house looks like:

_____________________________________

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.

For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.

He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.

Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.

They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

The Lord says,

“I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Psalm 91 NLT

__________________________________________

If you’re looking for a home in Peoria, IL, here’s one available. By the way, it’s filled with love.

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Peoria, IL 61603

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Word Doctor: Writing To Request Something

The WORD DOCTOR is IN!

Do you need to make a request of someone?  When you must make a written request of your boss, a creditor or someone who can open a door to something you need, you can’t be wordy.

Here are a few key things to remember when you are writing a request:

1. Know precisely what you are requesting–get it down to 2-3 words.

2. State your request in the first sentence.

3. Explain the reasons for your request in the middle of the letter or e-mail.

4. Restate your request at the end with appropriate gratefulness and closure.

EXAMPLE:

RE: Account # 1532432

Dear Bank Manager:

I am writing to request an extension on my loan in order to lower my monthly payment on my above referenced account.

I was recently laid off from my job, and though I am drawing unemployment benefits and will be able to continue making payments on my loan, I will not be able to meet all my monthly expenses unless I can lower my loan payment.

My current loan maturation date is March 31, 2011, however, I would like to extend it to March 31, 2015, so that my monthly payment can be reduced below $100.

Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss extending my loan. My contact information is listed below.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

____________________________________________

EXAMPLE:

Dear Admin Assistant,

I am writing to request your help in obtaining a reimbursement from your company on my credit card by April 30, 2010.

I wrote to your supervisor, Mr. Jones, on March 21, 2010, requesting this reimbursement on my account and received a reply from him acknowledging the reimbursement, however, I have yet to see it on my credit card statement. My situation is such that unless I receive reimbursement by April 30, 2010, I will incur late fees on my credit card.

Your assistance in rushing my request through prior to that date is appreciated. You may reach me on my cell phone 309-123-4567 at anytime if you need further information to make this happen on time.

Thank for your help.

Sincerely,

____________________________________________

Remember: state your request clearly and succinctly–focus on what you need your reader to do and don’t overwhelm them with your reasons!

Let me know if you need help, the WORD DOCTOR is IN!

CCS

Talkin’ Sweet

One night in mid-January I had something on my mind that wouldn’t let me sleep.  I knew it was my “Muse,” who I know is really God’s Holy Spirit. So, I went to my laptop and typed till 4:30 a.m.

From that writing session came the 28-Day Sweet Lips Challenge, based on this verse, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.”  Psalm 14:13

Ever since last summer when I set my mind on a deliberate pursuit of holiness before my God, I have been convicted in this area–to have clean lips.  We can all relate to Isaiah when he cried out before the Angel of the Lord, “I am a man of unclean lips!”  (Isaiah 6:5)

So I put the challenge up on Facebook. You don’t have to join that group, but here are the rules:

PLEDGE: For 28-Days, I will choose only words that are sweet, soothing, sensible and soft.

That means that every negative, opinionated, self-centered, unkind, sarcastic, gossipy word that comes into my head I will stop before it slips from my mouth—be it blurt or whisper.

Here are the rules:

Fair Game:

• Sweet, kind responses
• Soothing words of sympathy, empathy and love
• Sincere compliments (this requires you to notice others)
• Sensible statements (constructive truth, facts, suggestions, observations, comments, etc.)
• Share your hurt feelings, fears and worries only with God and no one else
• Soft tones
• Silence

Not Fair:

• Squelching someone’s faith, dream or motivation with negatively-laced comments
• Sermonizing others with superior opinions
• Sharing your hurt feelings with those who didn’t hurt you
• Spattering unkind comments into conversations that add nothing positive or constructive
• Spearing others in the heart with hurtful words that burst out of concealed resentment
• Sarcastic words crafted to deliberately harm others under a cloak of humor
• Seemingly harmless gossipy words that slip out under your breath past your fake smile
• Spiced up half-truths that suggest something evil of another without substantiation
• Superlatives that flatter but have no substance
• Screaming your words in order to silence or dominate a conversation

Cheating:

Since your facial expressions and body language can contradict your words, no fair speaking a blessing and not sincerely meaning it from your heart, for “out of the heart the mouth speaks,” as Jesus said.

Helpful Hints:

1. PRAY. Ask God each morning before you get out of bed to “put a guard over your mouth” as King David did in Psalm 14:13.  Write out that verse on a card and set it next to your alarm clock so you’ll see it first thing.

2. FORGIVE. If you want God’s help, you must release your prisoners.  (Lord’s Prayer) When you pray for God to guard your mouth each morning, you might as well go here too.  You can’t have sweet lips holding the jailer’s keys in an angry fist.

3. EAT. This is a journey so you’ll need food. Study the Scriptures that back-up the rules listed above. Some are listed below but you can do a quick search of keywords at www.biblegateway.com like: gossip, anger, fools, sarcasm, etc.

4. BITE. If your will fails to stop a thought from being formed on your lips, your last defense is your teeth. A very famous woman once said, “Bite your tongue and swallow the blood.”  Mary Kay Ash

5. SHUT IT. Silence isn’t only golden, it’s power! When you have control over your tongue, the Bible says, you are perfect and can keep your entire body under control. (James 3:2)

How to Study the Bible:

DOSAGE: Take 1 to 2 verses in the morning and chew all day. Take all verses for the full 40 days without missing a dose.

CAUTION: If sweetness starts flowing from your lips, you may be experiencing a heart change. Remain calm and call your Great Physician to examine your heart for real change (Psalm 139:23. 24).

Leave me a comment if you want to discuss or converse about this — I would love to hear from you!

Cheryl

Merger

Ok, I gave in. I’ve merged my website and my blog. It was too hard maintaining both so I just did it. Please look around and feel free to shop too! I’ve published several books, including my first poetry book.  Here’s a look at the cover:

Random Acts of Poetry

by Cheryl Courtney Semick

$13.50

BUY NOW!

I expect to have my novel published soon too, but when it is, you’ll be the first to know. Okay, maybe not the first, I have to tell my Mom and Dad first.

Also, check out my writing services here.

“peace, peace, where there is no peace.”
http://ping.fm/2EsdS

I once was lost, but now am found.
http://ping.fm/RPSNB

With God I need nothing.
http://ping.fm/sP8zJ