The Be One Life

Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength together a one.

Faithfulness – Blessed

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IMG_1018“Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” -John 20:29 (NLT)

This blessing is for us! The Creator and Sustainer of the universe and all therein gives us a special blessing because we believe in Him even though we have not seen Him.

The greek word here for blessed is makarios and means happy or content. We are considered content (having all that we need) because we have believed in Jesus without seeing. Does this make us blind followers of some crazy story passed down through generations? Do we have blind faith?

No. It simply means we have faith; an assurance of our hope and an absolute conviction for what os to come.

We see the evidence of our Creator God everywhere. The evidence lies in the intricacies of this vast universe, our beautiful world, and the delicate design of our beings. It also lies in our ability and need to be creative as image bearers of our Creator.

We have faith because God has left His signature on everything good in creation. Romans 1:2 says “for ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

This month, we will be exploring the topic of faith and faithfulness. Ours to the Creator and His to us. Our prayer is is that we would all receive Jesus’ blessing and return to our childlike faithfulness with awe and reverence of our God.

All Things Work Together For the Good

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IMG_1017“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” –Romans 8:28 (NLT)
How many of us love this verse? This portion of God’s love letter speaks to our souls because it reminds us of the big picture. It is easy to misinterpret God’s message to us here and make it all about us. Let us say it plainly friend, it is not about us.

This verse is about God.

Often we make this verse mean that everything will work out the way we want it. Our desired outcomes become the only ones that matter. We start to think “if I do this, then I can make x happen.” We get lost in the details of our lives and take the focus from God to us.

But our amazing Creator is too big for that box. When we shift our focus from us to Him, we see that “the good” is something that will always draw our souls closer to our Creator. When we are focused on only our own good, we often choose things move us in the opposite direction. Putting the focus back on God reminds us that even when horrible things happen, God will use them for His glory and to draw us into deeper relationship with Him through Jesus.

Scripture tells us in James 1:17 that “every good and perfect gift comes from above.” We must remember that all good things come from God. In the Kingdom of God, many things that Jesus considers good (suffering, humility, dying to self) are seen as exactly the opposite in our fallen world.

This month’s theme is goodness. Let’s open God’s word together and explore what it says about this fruit of the Spirit. As we grow together in goodness, we can reflect more and more of God’s light into the world.

Kindness

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Kindness“But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7 (NLT)

God showed us great love and kindness when he sent Jesus to save us, not because of anything we had done to earn it, but because we needed it; we could not save ourselves. As we look at God’s loving kindness this month, we want to pose a few questions:

Love and kindness go hand and hand. Is it possible to be loving without being kind?

Jesus was the personification of love, but was he always kind?

If Jesus was always kind, what form of kindness did he show when his mother and brothers were standing outside asking to speak to him and he answered, “who is my mother and who are my brothers?”or when he overturned the money changers’ tables in the temple, or the many times he rebuked the religious leaders?

To help us answer these questions, we should first clear up the misconception that being kind means being nice. There are clear differences between the two. Being kind means giving others what they need according to God’s will (Roman 11:22-23). On the other hand, being nice means giving the other person what they want, even if it is not what God wants. Being nice focuses on pleasing others, but being kind focuses on pleasing God. Being kind requires us to tell the truth in love (2 John 1:4-6), whereas being nice requires we tell people what they want to hear. Being nice worries about pleasing the other person or what they might think of you, while being kind focuses on what best for the other person in light of salvation (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
The biggest difference between being nice and being kind is that kindness leads us to value one’s soul in light of eternity over making them momentarily happy. Would we let a child (or any loved one) play or stand in the middle of a dangerous street? No! We would push, pull, and if necessary, drag them to safety. Pushing someone is not always seen as nice, but in this case, it is the kindest thing to do.

Simply put, Jesus was kind to everyone he met, but He was not always nice. What example does Jesus leave us for being kind and loving? The kindness Jesus displayed put other’s spiritual well being over pleasing them. Was that also an expression of his love? As his disciples He wants us to show love and kindness to all those who cross our path, even if it means “pushing” them away from the danger ahead. Kindness is a huge part of loving one another and loving our enemies. In order to have strong, Christ-centered relationships with our spouses, children, and friends, we must cultivate kindness for one another. Today and everyday, let us all bear the fruit of kindness with the people God has put in our lives!

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Joy – Rainbow After the Storm

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joyHave you ever watched a child experience something for the first time? Think of the way their face lights up. That initial light is inevitably followed by a smile, maybe even laughter. Childlike awe is so precious and infectious; it makes you want to smile and laugh right along with them. It’s amazing to us how children keep that awe even with things they get to see over and over again.

Jesus said that if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven we must be like little children. Could He mean that we should approach God with humble, childlike awe? One of the things that brings joy to our daughters is spotting a rainbow. We search the sky to see who can point it out to everyone. You can see their faces light up when they spot it. Joy is that rainbow after the storm.

We all go through storms in our lives. With God, we can endure those storms and look forward to the rainbow that He has promised us. It is because of the great joy that was ahead of him that Jesus suffered the shame and endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:2) We can look to Jesus as our example as we eagerly wait for the Joy that is to come. Jesus teaches us in John 15:9-11 that if we remain in his love and follow his teaching, we will be filled with His joy and our joy will overflow! What can be better than that?

When we have the overflowing joy that comes from Jesus conquering death and giving us the hope of eternal life, no circumstance can steal that joy away from us because it is based on an unchanging promise. Join us as we focus on living with joy and approaching each day with childlike awe for all God is doing. 

Love and Be Loved

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LovejesuThis is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. -1 John 4:10 (NLT)

Last month we explored our identity by looking at whose we are. As children of our Creator, our Heavenly Father, we can also learn our purpose in light of God. We all struggle to find purpose in this life. We all ask the question, “Why am I here?” Our Creator planted this question in our minds and souls so that we would seek Him out to find the answer. What an amazing answer it is! Dear friends, our Creator has all the answers to all of your life questions. He teaches us in His Word that we are His children, and as His children, we are called to LOVE and BE LOVED. Yes that’s right, God created us to love us. Does it get any better than that? Each one of us were uniquely and specifically created by our Heavenly Father so that He could love us.

Like a loving father, God not only tells He loves us, He consistently shows it. His lavish and consistent love for us helps us learn how to love and be a reflection of it. God so intricately designed us with feelings,thoughts, desires, and free will, so that we could not only experience His love, but also fully love Him in return. God defines love, but love is not the only definition of God; He is so much more! He gifts a piece of Himself to us in the form of Love.

Our Eternal God displayed the highest form of love in sending Jesus to earth to take on all the wrongs of this world and die for us. Jesus said that there is no greater love than to die for your friends and He did just that for us! We look to Jesus as our example of how we should love God and each other. Love is not embodied by the symbol of a heart but rather by a cross. True love requires sacrifice of self for those we love. So let us love like Jesus, through our words AND actions.

This month’s theme is Love – God and Us. We will focus on what God says about His love for us, our love for him, our love for ourselves, and our love for each other. Understanding and accepting God’s love for us allows us to fully love and be loved from a place of wholeness. Love is not a feeling, but an action and it guides our lives toward oneness with our Creator God and in our marriage.

So join us in our journey to love and be loved as the Eternal created us to be.
#thebeonelife #love #Godislove

Whose You Are…Identity

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Identity2017Happy New Year! Many blessings as you unwrap the gift of a new year.

Who are you? This is such a loaded question. Often, when someone asks us who we are, we respond with our name, our job, the family we belong to, and perhaps even some activities we like to do. After we answer, though, many of us are never quite satisfied with the answer. It feels incomplete somehow.

That’s because it is.

The truth is we can never quite answer the question of WHO we are until we understand WHOSE we are. You see, our Eternal God made us in His very own image; we are HIS. Just like the moon reflects the light of the sun, for it cannot create its own light, we also reflect the light of the Son.

God has many names for us, but none of them include the things on our usual list. To God, you are His child, His beloved, a co-heir with Christ, a friend of Jesus, a saint, and many other beautiful descriptors.

The most interesting thing about this list is that they all begin with being His. We cannot fully grasp our identity until we realize that it all begins and ends with the Eternal.

So chosen child of God, journey with us throughout the month of January as we explore what God’s love letter says about our identity.

Peace

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Peace“I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
-Jesus (John 14:27 NLT)

It’s December, friends! We cannot believe that it has been a whole year of sharing God’s love letter with you. It is also that time of the year that many in our world focus on peace. We want to take the focus off of experiencing peace and instead focus on the Source of all peace.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to bring peace to all who believe in him. You see, true peace comes from a deep assurance and faith that it is well with your soul no matter what circumstances you face. We have peace in knowing that Jesus conquered sin on the cross and won the war over death when He rose from the grave. Jesus conquered sin and death–once and for all.

Did you read that slowly enough to absorb it? The war is won–that is Peace.

Yes, there are is all sorts of evil around us, but do not be discouraged. Knowing he was lost the war, Satan still battles, but he CANNOT win. Let us side with Jesus, on the side of grace and truth, and experience true peace from the Eternal Source.

We receive this gift of peace when we submit to the Eternal God and follow Jesus wholeheartedly. We become heirs along with Jesus to an eternal kingdom in heaven where there is no war, no sadness, no troubles, no hunger, no conflicts. Instead there is an abundance of joy, peace, love, and worship to God.

The assurance of heaven that we find in Christ Jesus gives peace to our souls.

This month as we explore more about the peace that Jesus gives we pray that each of us live out the words that Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And along with letting peace be with you, share the Prince of Peace.

Grief and Gratitude

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Griefandgratitude“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” –Jesus via Matthew 5:4

Can I say it out loud? This hurts!

It hurts to live during such tumultuous times.

It hurts to have what you already knew confirmed.

It hurts to have people express and confirm that they think you and your people are “other than” and “less than.”

It hurts to see so many people motivated by fear.

It hurts to have your life be one so use to discrimination that this doesn’t even surprise you.

I hurt for my husband, a black man.

I hurt for my two black daughters.

I hurt myself as a black woman.

I hurt for my friends and family of color.

I hurt for the people who are so driven by fear that they would do anything to hold onto their power. That is scariest part, no?

I’m also grateful.

I am grateful that as a black woman I stand on the shoulders of generations of women that have risen through slavery, rape, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination to hold our families and communities together.

I’m grateful for my husband who is a man after God’s own heart.

I’m grateful that through all of this, my family has had so many opportunities to introduce our kids to the ways that love and fear and grief and gratitude can all be experienced at the same time.

I’m grateful to have voted and experienced this election from outside of the States. It allowed me to step outside of the bubble and shift my perspective.

I’m grateful to live in a country where I have the right to speak up, the right to vote any way I choose, and the right to worship God freely and openly.

Most of all, I am grateful for a Savior who tells me that it is okay to grieve. As a matter of fact, I am blessed when I do so.

So I encourage you, dear sisters and brothers, to grieve out loud. Grieve in your notebooks, around your dinner tables, in your churches, on your porches, and in your prayers.

And also express gratitude in those same places. Be grateful that you are not grieving alone. Be grateful that our people are known to be strong beyond belief.

Grief and gratitude can co-exist. Our hearts are big enough for both. Allow your heart to fully feel your sad surprise and to fully feel the joy of knowing a God who is fully in control.

And know this: We are worthy. We matter. We are loved. We rise…together.

Slow Flow Yoga – Rooted

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Hey friend! Wanna practice with me from the comfort of your own home? Here’s a slow flow practice to do just that. Grab a mat and join me!

P.S. I’m super scared to post this, but I also know that fear has no place where God’s love reigns.

P.P.S. Let me know what you think and maybe we can make this a more regular thing!

Moving into Stillness…Day 2

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Stillness-Day2****Instructions for today’s posture, our intention, and a picture can all be found on our Instagram: @thebeonelife or Facebook: thebeonelife.**** Yesterday’s is there too. Let me know how it goes for you! Remember–we are doing this hand in hand!
Be silent before the Lord, all humanity, for He is springing into action from his holy dwelling. –Zechariah 2:13.

How hard is this? We’ve been taught that the way to God is to talk to him. Now I am not saying that this is wrong; of course we should present our requests to God. I’m also saying that there is a missing piece to this puzzle-probably the most important.

How will we know the answer if we never take the time to be silent/still before him?

Have you ever been so rushed to check prayer/quiet time off your to do list that you just hop up after saying “Amen?”
I am guilty of this. I am also forgiven.

God is calling us to something deeper. You see, prayer is communication, and we know that great communication requires both speaking and active listening. God is wonderful at being our active listener; we have full access to his holy throne to speak to him. But how much time do we spend actively listening to God?
By active listening, I am not talking about looking for signs that God approves of decisions we have already made. I mean getting silent, getting still before our mighty Creator and actually listening to what He has to say through His word and His Spirit.
We can use our yin yoga practice as a tool to help us get silent before the Lord. When we are practicing, we can begin to notice the silent whispers from the Spirit. We can notice the burdens that God is asking us to release to him as our bodies release. We can notice the places in our hearts that need healing. We can notice…Him.
So slow down today, my friend. Get silent and watch God spring into action.
What did you hear?

The Be One Life

The Be One Life

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