Lift Up Your Eyes

Yesterday I was out riding my bike, a normal weekend activity, and listening to my Pandora station. As I was rounding a corner in the country roads of Lorena, I became aware that I was just looking ahead of my front tire....just making sure I was dodging what was coming. My legs were tired, my breath was short as I was headed up another hill, and the sun was hot and making me weary.

I then began to tune back in and refocus on my music that was one and this is what I HEARD...





But if you lift your eyes
See it in a different light
Just a cloud up in the open sky
Let the rain, fall away
Cause today is beautiful


(Listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFLgmvzk-ik)

 

 

And, this is what I SAW as I lifted my eyes from simply avoiding the bumps....

 

And then I stopped on the side of the road to truly reflect on what God was trying to teach and show me. Take Heart Ministries is not only a place for us to be honest about the issues of menstruation and how they effect the lives of those women in transition. It is a place to join ALL women together under the platform of "Let's Just Be Honest" and embracing the freedom and beauty that comes from that.

When I was riding I was again, focused on only avoiding what was coming. And the past few weeks of my life that has how I have lived as well. Getting through the day, going through the motions, and simply putting forth just enough effort to avoid disaster. Do you do that? Do you live that way ever? It's tiring, it's limiting and it's not the life we were intended to live. We were meant to thrive! Let me testify that a life of existence is simply that and there is a life that is full of joy and purpose. I had to get back to focusing on that.

I took a moment to think about how the plan is unfolding in my life, God has revealed Himself, and the rain of trial and brokenness has ended....What do I do now? I think a lot of times we, including me, want to continue to focus with our head down on just getting through. We pray for the beauty to come, we seek the connection in others, we stay humbled on our face for longer than designed and God is sweetly saying "Lift up your face! I'm up here and all that I have for you is up here."

As I stood gazing into the sky and hearing these words simultaneously in my ears I became humbled and grateful that I worship a God that would not only put His hands on my face and lift my eyes but one that also guarantees beauty and awe the day that I look up. And if I do not lift my eyes...I miss it!

Today....not tomorrow or when the crisis is over...TODAY IS BEAUTIFUL! But we've got to choose to lift our eyes and see it in a different light and get caught up in the open sky! Try it, embrace it, and feel the freedom. I guarantee a smile will slowly creep onto your face which may be something you've been missing as the world had kept your face down.

Take Heart Ministries heart is to be instrumental in meeting women and through honesty and love helping them to lift their eyes to see the beauty of them, their situation, and their future. As God spoke to the bleeding woman and said "Take heart, daughter your faith has healed you" I can't help but imagine that he lifted her eyes from where she was touching the edge of his cloak, and saw her.

I pray you have a time to be seen by your creator and to feel the grace He lavishly provides you. And when you understand that for yourself I pray you give that away to someone else and see them and tell them that today is beautiful.

 

 



What Victoria's Secret Taught Me

This past weekend I took myself bra shopping at Victoria's Secret. For some that may not seem like a big deal and many times seems like a "necessity". I, however, have not been bra shopping, except for nursing bras and ones during pregnancy, for 7 years. Yep...you read that right. After we have kids, things seem to slip down the totem pole and priorities change in many ways. Going to buy new bras when I had ones that  would do just never really entered into my mind.

I found myself wandering around Victoria's Secret trying to navigate the store and people as well as  trying to figure out sizes, colors, and types of bras. I eventually chose a few that would work for me and made my way to the dressing room. It is there that I was reminded of Take Heart and our goal to work to provide every recipient of a Love Tote bag with a NEW bra and underwear as well.

This thought became even more humbling when I got dressed for work the next day and put on a new bra and new underwear and honestly, I felt I stood a little taller. I felt dignity and assurance in myself. There was not anything different about me except that I felt appropriately clothed in order to feel good about me.

Think about a time you felt good about how you presented yourself physically. Think about how as a woman there are pressures, comparisons, illnesses that take away the options to feel this sense of dignity. In regards to the women whom Take Heart will serve, their circumstances have taken the opportunity to feel dignified and hopeful away.

In a very black and white comparison, this is the same as me using my kids and their needs as an excuse to not go bra shopping for 7 years. They do not use this as an excuse but their priorities are shelter, safety, food, and getting through the next moment. How could providing not only for their monthly period through a Love Tote but also meeting them in person, hugging them, and getting them their own NEW bra and underwear help to build their sense of self to overcome the trials and obstacles they are facing. I chose to believe this would be a small gift with huge implications!

What can you do? A couple of things....

Join me in thinking honestly about how you feel as a "woman"...Do you feel safe? Secure? Pretty? Dignified? Presentable? Proud? How valuable of a feeling is that to you?

I invite you to partner with me to pray for an opportunity to speak with Victoria's Secret to collaborate with them in providing discounted bras for Take Heart. I also would like to encourage them to offer discounts and opportunities to donate to Take Heart at the store at checkout.

Would you consider buying one extra bra the next time you went shopping to donate?

Women are all unique and fearfully and wonderfully made. And ALL are deserving of basic needs to be met, to include the unique needs of women in supplies for their menstruation and bras and underwear. I pray you are not only made aware of a need but because you allow yourself to be honest see the connection and power in realizing we are all in this together.