Army Wife Network: Six Quick Tips to Fire Up Your FRG

August 6, 2018 by

Family Readiness Groups can be such a wonderful asset to the military spouse life. It can be a great place to connect, meet people, and receive important information about all things mission-based.

Unfortunately, all it takes is one rough FRG experience to make military spouses a bit hesitant or skeptical to participate. (It certainly follows the concept of “One bad apple ruins the whole bunch.”)

If you find yourself in this position, faced with leading or participating in an FRG that currently has the enthusiasm of a jalepeno pepper plant that has been left in the El Paso sun without water (i.e., wilted and tired—ask me how I know about this analogy), here are six quick tips to fire up your FRG.

1. Be authentic. One of the biggest turn offs is an FRG leader who is insincere or just going through the motions. Yes, there’s a time and place for false motivation, (because in tough seasons, false motivation is better than NO motivation) but bottom line, we must make an effort to keep it real.

The heart of the FRG is supporting the families and supplying pertinent information, all while keeping the drama in check. Being our authentic selves might look like saying, “Yes this deployment/TDY/etc., is hard right now… But we can do it!” (If necessary, I like to use “America!” as a verb. It makes things a little easier to handle.)

Want to read the other 5 tips? Go ahead and hop on over to AWN to read the full post there. 

Oh, and if you aren’t military, that’s ok. I think these tips are easily adaptable for ANY leadership position. If you ARE military but aren’t necessarily the FRG leader, feel free to share the original post from AWN on your social media accounts. After all, knowledge is power, and power equals victory.

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Anxiety, Hope and (finally) Asking for Help

August 3, 2018 by

It was a year ago this week that I finally had the courage to say something.

I will never forget it. My battle with anxiety was at an all-time high. Our then-five-month-old son had just been diagnosed with bronchitis, my infantryman husband had to have surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist and I had just started working on my doctorate two months earlier.

That night, after listening to our little son cough and snot his (eventual) way to sleep, I stood over my husband’s recliner. As he looked up at me, I started to sob. My breathing increased and I started to shake.

I had my first (and thankfully only) true panic attack. [Read more…]

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Prayer Walk, Week #2

August 1, 2018 by

Well, my friends… All I have to say about this new Prayer Run/Walk Project is that you all are determined to keep me moving toward my fitness goals!

You might recall that God recently nudged me to start doing Prayer Run/Walks every other week. Basically, I send out the call for prayer requests, you submit them, and I dedicate one mile per person to praying.

Week #2 once again delivered the volume AND quality of requests. I prayed for 21 total miles, which broke down into one 4-miler, four 5ks, and one 10k.

Prayer Walk Note: I write initials (for confidentiality sake) of prayer requestees on my left arm so I don’t have to carry a piece of paper or constantly be looking at my phone. However, I’m left handed, so when writing with my right hand, so please forgive the sketchy penmanship.

One thing I have already discovered about these prayer walk/runs… I love them. It is such a cool experience to pray for you, even if we have never met in real life. Also, it makes the miles fly by (especially since I don’t use music, podcasts, etc on prayer miles– just praying). AND it has already deepened my prayer life, since I do not naturally have the gift of praying as a first line of defense in need or crisis (I DO pray, but it isn’t a natural thing… but it is becoming more naturally as I practice it!)

Oh, and it’s unbelievably encouraging to hear the fruit God is producing from these requests… I love hearing how God is at work in your lives and it makes me want to run more and more for His glory!

Friends, if you have a prayer request, please send it to me via email via sharita@7daystime.com or submit it here. You can also leave your request in the comments below or send me a personal message on Facebook. 

I will be going on these Prayer walk/runs every other week and it would be an absolute privilege to pray for you. Every mile is for God’s glory!

 

 

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” ~2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

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The Struggle is Real (But So Is God)

July 30, 2018 by

Ah yes. Mondays.

I’ve written on numerous occasions about all things Mondays. Fortunately, in the almost seven (WHAT?!?) years that I’ve blogging and engaging in online ministry, I’ve come to loathe Mondays a whole lot less.

Aw. I think I’m growing up.  [Read more…]

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If You are Gonna Run In Texas…

July 27, 2018 by

Over the last seven (!?!?) years since answering the call to ministry, the Lord has taught me many life lessons, from being less “flakey” (literally) with my faith, to seeking Jesus in my Everyday. 

This last year, He has really been teaching me a lot of things in the health, food and fitness realm. Recently, I learned that yes, if you are gonna run in Texas, do it before it gets to hot… Or you won’t just be running to bring Jesus glory, you will be running and feel like you are going to meet him too (and I don’t mean in a “good” way like on-the-road-to-Damascus-life-changing kind of way… More like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego furnace kind of way.)

So here are a few reflections on my way-too-late-start-4-mile run from a while back.

 1. West Texas is beautiful.
2. But SO hot.
3. This run would have been completely glorious if I was able to start three hours earlier. 
4. But I have Tiny Humans.
5. Left side pic is before, feeling like a happy, sparkling ray of Texas Sunshine. Right pic is after, so grateful to be off the Hot Mess Express and back in the air conditioning of the car.
6. The first half of the run was so wonderful.
7. Because, as I realized on my way back to the car, going out was downhill.
8. I need to start running with a full camelbak of water because the piddly bottles on my running belt are not enough.
9. El Paso makes me appreciate even lukewarm water to drink. (It was ice cold when I started).
10. I’ve never been more thankful for mountain breeze.
11. Apparently, I was visually struggling the last quarter mile because a random stranger saw me checking my running watch and said “Parking lot is right there. You are almost done!”
12. It was still a great run and so glad I went.
13. Now, to shower. Because I think I smell…

So now you might be saying, “Cool story, bro.” What’s all this have to do with following Jesus.

Well, I am SO glad you asked.

1.  Following Jesus can be a simultaneously wonderful yet hard, exhausting experience. I think many believers are convinced that when they say YES to the Lord, that their life will automatically be sunshine, rainbows and puppy dog tails. But looking at accounts throughout the Bible, that’s not true.

2. It will sometimes feel like it’s all uphill work.

3. You might sweat… Physically, emotionally, spiritually.

4. But every step is purposeful.

5. It’s not always going to be pretty. I shared the before/after picture of my run so people don’t think I’m one of those always-put-together runners with lipstick and a glittery hat (although research indicates that glitter/fun lips makes a person run faster. And by research, I mean my personal opinion that has no scientific basis whatsoever). Authentic faith is real and can get a little messy.

6. It’s encouraged to always start sooner than later.

7. After fighting the good fight of faith and making it to the end of our journey, there is SUCH victory! Of course, I write this on faith and spiritual speculation, but considering how great sitting down in the air conditioning feels post Texas run, I’m sure crossing the threshold to heaven and hearing “Well done, my good and faithful servant” is simply no comparison!

So keep running, my friends. Even if your steps are heavy and you have slowed to what feels like barely more than a crawl. Keep going, even if you cannot yet see the finish line.

Christ will empower you and carry you. He will refresh you as the Living Water. He will give you rest. Keep moving forward toward Him, because his love is cooler than the Texas temperature and wider than the Texas landscape.

 

 

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” ~1 Corinthians 9:24-25

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Why we need “Those” Days

July 25, 2018 by

Some days turn into “those days.”

Last week, a “some day” turned into one of “those” days for me.

Our dear (rambunctious and fearless) son had his first trip to the emergency room due to falling and hitting his head on the stone fence in the backyard. I knew it was only a matter of time, but still… you can’t really prepare for something like that.

I would love to tell you that I dealt with it peacefully and gracefully, that I was kind and gracious to the kindergartener who was also in tow (and decided that particular day was “National Day of Disobedience and Backtalk.”)

But last I checked, being a Jesus follower who lies is not encouraged.

I was stressed and I was frazzled (especially after the urgent care doc wigged out, said it was “severe” and needed a referral to ER, legit sutures and sedation(?!?)) My tongue was a lot sharper than I wanted it to be.

And honestly, I was really frustrated that MY plans for the day were all thrown out of whack, especially when the ER referral address had a typo in it and send me driving 20 minutes one way in the wrong direction.

Yes, I know that parenting is my greatest calling in this current life season, and of course the health and wellness of my kids are a priority, but it doesn’t make “those days” any easier.

But do you know what? Malick is fine (thank you Jesus… he only needed glue and steri-strips, no sutures or sedation), and we made it through.

God’s mercies really ARE new every morning. His grace really DOES cover us. His power IS made perfect in our weakness. And sometimes, we just need on of “those days” to remind us of His eternal truths.

 

 

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'” ~Lamentations 3:22-24

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PCSing, Marriage and Microwave Placement (Army Wife Network)

July 23, 2018 by

A while back, I stood in our scantly-equipped kitchen. Plastic silverware and paper plates sat on the counter next to the loaf of bread (and the espresso machine named Juan Valdez #BecausePriorities).

Our little family was finishing up our latest PCS. We had arrived at our final destination, found a wonderful house that met our needs, and now we were just waiting on the delivery of our household goods.

So yes, there I stood, looking around our bare kitchen, dreaming, planning, thinking… all of which are fave hobbies of mine with any PCS. [Read more…]

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Prayer Walk, Week #1

July 20, 2018 by

I’m not gonna lie. (Well, obviously, I wouldn’t lie to you. Because I like you. And I’ve heard lying is a no-no with Jesus).

Anywho. I’m not gonna lie, I am often on the lookout for ways to make life more efficient and work smarter instead of harder.

I always love it when God gets right down in there with me and inspires a pretty cool thought.

A couple weeks ago, I was having what I will call a “twitchy” Saturday. For the last several years, I’ve tried to make working out a priority, not only because it’s good for my body whose life motto seems to be “STORE FAT, MAKE BABIES” (it didn’t get the memo that particular ship has sailed), but also because those feel-good-endorphins greatly reduce my heifer-like attitude factor.

(Last I checked, nobody likes hanging out with a heifer. And without those endorphins to work out my stress, that can be like a thing).

That particular “twitchy” Saturday, my workout had not yet happened. (I try to exercise earlier in the day, again to manage all things heifer-ish). But circumstances just didn’t allow it. So I finally got to run, er, lovingly depart from my familia for my workout late in the afternoon.

I wasn’t in the mood to run, so I parked at the parade field and walked. I had felt that God was stirring something up but wasn’t sure what that looked like.

By the time my three miles concluded, He had given me the answer: Go on a prayer walk (which has eventually led to recharging 7DT blog).

So, I put the call out to you lovely 7 Days Time fans and followers on Facebook. My original no-plan-plan was to go on a long walk/run, no more than 10 miles, with each request equaling one mile.

Surely with the wonky Facebook algorithms and the small number of people who see my posts, I wouldn’t get more than 10 prayer requests in just a couple of days, right?

Yeah. You hear that? That’s Jesus laughing as He watches the replay of the latest episode of Sharita’s submission to Jesus Funniest Videos.

In just a couple of days, I got 24 prayer requests. TWENTY-FOUR. Many of those requests were from complete strangers which honestly is pretty cool. But TWENTY-FOUR.

Even though I love Jesus very much, I didn’t actually want to MEET Him on the day of my long walk/run. So I split it up into four 5Ks and a half-marathon. And lived to tell about it.

Here’s how it broke down… (Note: I write initials of prayer requestees on my left arm so I don’t have to carry a piece of paper or constantly be looking at my phone. However, I’m left handed, so when writing with my right hand = please forgive the sketchy penmanship).

Friends, if you have a prayer request, please send it to me via email via sharita@7daystime.com or submit it here. You can also leave your request in the comments below or send me a personal message on Facebook. 

I will be going on these Prayer walk/runs every other week and it would be an absolute privilege to pray for you. Every mile is for God’s glory!

 

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” ~Acts 20:24

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Paul Didn’t Go Shoe Shopping

July 18, 2018 by

If you ask a random person to quote a Bible verse, chances are we can guess which verse it could be. In fact, if I was a betting woman (which I’m not– I only gamble with Jesus dollars because after 7 years of ministry, I’ve got lots of those) I would put money on that the quoted verse would like be one of the following:  [Read more…]

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And I’m Back!

July 16, 2018 by

Hey all. Long time no write.

Well actually, that’s not completely true. I should be more specific: Long time not writing on this blog. In the last year I’ve done a boatload of writing, but most was in the form of doctoral papers for my PhD.

And trust me. As interesting as I personally think Robert Enright’s Forgiveness Counseling Model and Community Psychology 30+ page papers are, I highly doubt you want to read that. (If you follow 7 Days Time Facebook Page, you might notice I have been doing some writing and engaging over there, even though the blog has been quiet… Although figuring out the ever-changing Facebook methods and algorithms practically requires a daily act of the Lord Jesus Himself…)  [Read more…]

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