Author: Lesley Grimes

Some days I wake up in a funk. Do you ever do this too? I’d like to blame it on the weather or lack of sleep but honestly, it’s just there. There’s no underlying reason. If I can’t pinpoint immediately what the problem is then I know I have a choice…stay in a mood or kick it to the curb.

I’ll admit that I don’t always make the right choice and it’s not fair to my family or to me. I’m doing myself a disservice by choosing to walk under a black cloud. I’m far less productive and assertive when I’m in that place. I don’t know about you but I don’t have days to waste.

How do you consciously change your mood? My grandma (I call her Nanny) says “it’s a good thing I have fingers and toes when I count my blessings!” Oh preach it Nanny! I start off with thanking God for another day and before you know it, there’s a snowball of blessings!

You can be grateful for the obvious but open your heart to add to what your brain compiles. Thank God for the day. Thank God for the air you’re breathing. But maybe you’ve had some places of your heart that only you and God know about that He’s healed and restored. Maybe you’re still in the waiting season for something you’re praying for…thank God that He’s there with you even in the waiting. Blessings are numerous and all around you. You just have to start naming them.

There’s an old song that goes something like this: when upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed/ when you are discouraged thinking all is lost/ count your many blessings name them one by one/ and it will surprise you what the Lord has done/

Try it! What can it hurt? Get out of the mulligrubs by looking at what God has done. So get the funk out! Count your blessings friends! There’s probably so many that you haven’t even acknowledged yet. In fact, thank God for the opportunity to count your blessings. I’ve added each of you precious ones to my blessings list!

Hey girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose, for a purpose and for such a time as this. Until next week…

Have you ever heard the phrase “I wouldn’t concern myself?” I sometimes wonder if we have become a society that collectively holds the banner of unconcern. Hear me out.

I see it on all levels. It’s quiet easy to voice opinions for multiple issues on social media or feel a moment of sadness for a needs of humanity commercial. But to put action to the issue at hand… I don’t see that very often. Perhaps from a small percentage but overall, it’s easier and far less complicated to turn our heads. It seems like we silently say from in front of our phone and television screens that “I wouldn’t concern myself.” I am preaching to the choir here because I am guilty of it too. For me, this is usually the first thought or the “voice of reason” because after all in addition to being a mom of four, I have a million other hats I wear and my attention is constantly being bargained for. So to say I’m not going to get involved or to assume that someone else will is the easiest train of thought.

However, there’s a mantra that I have tried to live by over the last few years. I borrowed it from my pastor. It goes something like this “If you love it, you’ll do it. If you hate it, you’ll change it. If you cry over it, you’ll heal it.” This is the barometer my which I give my heart. I cannot get involved and not give my heart. I’m a radically passionate person by nature or as my husband would say a “firecracker.” But by either perspective, when I give my yes, I am fully committed. It’s good and bad all at the same time. Why? When I say yes, I will lose sleep trying to figure out how to fix the problem. I will literally have long conversations with God on what the solution should be. Notice how I said “should be?” Yes, I like to show God my drawing board. His generally looks much different than mine but He is gracious enough to let me explain my ideas. The stress, loss of sleep and emotional ties are just some of the reasons why I am hesitant to “concern myself.”

While it’s true that we should pick our battles and we can’t and shouldn’t say yes to everything…there are some things that we are called and purposed for. I think of Jesus and His life on Earth. In the short span of a three year long ministry, He concerned Himself with much. So much in fact, that everywhere He went, cities were stirred, lives were changed and His message of hope and love spread like a wildfire and still burns today in the hearts of His people. I’m reminded and spurred on by His innate desire to heal the broken and lead the lost home. I think that radical passion I have is His wildfire burning in me. I think you’ve got it too!

We may not be able to heal the entire world, but we can heal our own little corner of it. We may not be able to reach the masses but we can reach one. We may not be able to concern ourselves with everything that flashes across a computer or television screen but we can pray for those that are called to those needs. And if it grips our heart to cry over it, we can heal it. So should you concern yourself? Yes!

Hey girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose, for a purpose and for such a time as this. Until next week…

Genesis 2:2-3 says that after God created everything, He rested. Did He need to rest? No. I believe He rested to show us the importance of what it means to truly take a break.

I am currently on vacation in beautiful Grapevine, Texas. I was born and raised not too far from here so being back in this area is like finding my roots again and getting food for my soul. I am soaking up every minute of it!

Tonight, I sat on the balcony of our suite. The view is nothing short of spectacular! It overlooks an impeccable atrium. There’s a bridge directly under me. As I sat here, I decided to pray for every person walking across the bridge and as I prayed from afar, I noticed an older man in a suit. It would seem that he is here perhaps on business although he was not preoccupied with anything other than crossing the bridge. He was taking his time, pausing every few steps to look around the atrium. The next person to cross the bridge was a younger man also in a suit and with a much faster pace. I had to pray in a hurry for him! He never looked up from his phone and I thought to myself “what a shame to miss how beautiful this place is.” In that moment, it’s as if God was seated next to me observing it too. I had this sweet truth deposited in my heart: “if you don’t rest, you might miss the glory all around you.”

Webster’s Dictionary defines rest as this: To cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. Wow! I am guilty of ever truly resting. Even when my body is not in movement my mind is running a million miles an hour! I am glued to my phone for various reasons and even after notifications are turned off, I’m still thinking of the “to do” list for the following day.

This vacation is my reset. It’s my chance to unwind. I don’t wanna be like the younger guy on the bridge…so consumed with whatever it may be to not stop and enjoy the beauty of life around me. It’s important to change pace every now and then, slow down and LOOK around!

My idea of resting is definitely this! I’m sitting here watching the water feature and listening to the ripples it creates. Other than typing this post, I’m fully resting. I am at rest and enjoying life. I am in Sabbath-mode 100%!

God may have created everything and then sat on the balcony of Heaven and surveyed the universe and all it’s glorious details. He didn’t need to rest but we do! Like a good Father, He gave us an example to live by.

Let me be clear in that my breaks are few and far in between. This is the first time in three years that I’ve gone anywhere outside of the town I live in. I have dear friends that work relentlessly because they have to and rest is a rarity. If you find yourself in that place, rest might be in the commute to work or taking five extra minutes in the shower. Use that time wisely. Listen to your favorite song, splurge on an overpriced bath bomb… do something that replenishes you and when you get the chance, look at your surroundings. Chances are, you’ll see God’s splendor in the details.

Ladies, we are hardwired to be multitaskers, caretakers and a number of things! We do it well because we love details too. However, we all NEED a break. We all NEED rest. We all NEED to stop and smell the roses. Take some time for yourself today, even if it’s a few minutes! You deserve it!

Hey girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose, for a purpose and for such a time as this. Until next week…

I view this blog as a branch of ministry. I pray about the content before it goes out. There are several posts I’ve already written that are just waiting in queue. However, this week I’ve struggled with what to send. This morning as I drank my coffee, I said “Lord, show me.” And just as simple as that, there was the blog post.

The complexity of life is sometimes hard to navigate. Well, who am I kidding? It’s super hard most of the time! Adulting is difficult! Some days, I miss having my mama pick out my clothes for the day, pack my lunch and chauffeur me around. Life was so simple then. All decisions were determined by someone else. My best interests were always considered and placed as top priority.

These days my choices and decisions affect many more people than just myself. That’s a lot of pressure! Pressure likes to include its partner in crime…stress. Stress reeks havoc on the body and mind. Some people lose sleep or carry the tension of stress in their muscles. I carry stress in my hair follicles! Apparently stress is heavy, because my hair usually gives up and falls out if there’s not a quick remedy to the tension and worry. It’s worth saying again…adulting is difficult and the reason why the hair-loss product industry is a three-billion dollar empire!

I’m learning as I get older to really try to take it easy…take matters to God, drink my coffee and calm down! This bit of wisdom could’ve come to me earlier in life but I’m very grateful for it now (my hair is too!) I’ve learned that most issues at hand are not as mountainous as they first appear when I take a step back and just breathe.

I love how God works in this particular area. He is so incredible in that He has given us free will but I don’t want to do anything if He’s not in it. I want to ask Him to show me what the next step is and if He doesn’t respond right away…I’ll gladly wait. I want His best not what I think His best might be. I could easily get my “wants” intertwined with what I assume His will is and then potentially go off course. This is where I’m at right now. I have a big decision to make and it’s not just about the content of this blog. It’s a possible life-changing decision. Again, it would be a domino effect and touch the lives of many. I can’t chance this. I can’t guess what the right answer is. So, I’m waiting for Him to show me. He will. In His perfect timing, He will make it clear. He doesn’t want me to get it wrong either and not just for my sake but for the sake of those I love too. He is my constant and number one fan! He will definitely show me!

Friends, if there’s ever a question or doubt about what to do, just ask Him for guidance. He has the sweetest and most creative ways of revealing His plan for our lives. Your life is always His top priority so you can trust what He has for you. I stand in awe continually of His graciousness, sovereignty and faithfulness. Waiting on an answer is hard to do but so worth it!

Hey girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose, for a purpose and for such a time as this. Until next week…

Prologue: My smile was brought to you by Invisalign. I invest in skin care. For the most part, I eat clean (aside from chocolate) and most days I run on a treadmill. If you’ve invested in self-care too, this is 100% NOT about that. Please don’t misunderstand me. This is however about the struggle or dare I say, the war that every woman faces unless you’ve been living underneath a rock.

As a mom of three girls, one of whom is a very impressionable teenager, I worry about the effect social media has on my children. It seems unavoidable these days. It’s a world of technology and my kids know how to navigate it much better than me. But the comparison between my teen years and theirs is enormously different.

For example, my only inspiration or connection to anything outside of my little hometown was either through a magazine or from watching “Saved by the Bell.” Seriously, Kelly Kapowski was my fashion icon and Tiger Beat magazine kept me well informed on what my celebrity crush’s favorite food was. So what more did I need to know?

These days however, I am connected to just about anything through my phone. Social media is an encyclopedia, diary, news outlet, gossip column, online garage sale…you name it and it’s probably on social media. I cannot scroll very far through my feed before I am bombarded with ads and videos, all singing the praises of a product intended to make the consumer better. Have you seen these? It’s like the Facebook fairy sees that I’m on and attacks me with the “latest and greatest” of the most ridiculous things.

Today I watched an ad and was quiet confused by it. It starts off with a beautiful, young lady looking straight at the camera. She runs her fingers through her seemingly perfect, long, thick tresses then shakes her head in disappointment. In the next scene, she’s taking hair extensions out of a bag to clip into her hair. Honestly, her hair was just fine before. After she clips them in, she looks like Cousin It from the Addams Family. But apparently, naturally, long, thick hair is not enough to qualify as beautiful. If you wear hair extensions, I’m not poking fun of the product. I realize why some wear them. I simply cannot wrap my brain around the need to if you already have great hair.

There’s another ad that befuddles the tar out of me (that’s Texan for “frustrates.”) This ad has a thin woman in work- out gear clearly disgusted with the way she looks so she takes a “magical” supplement to make her thinner or leaner (I’m guessing.) The list goes on. I’ve seen it for all types of self-improvement. Society is pushing the bar of how far is too far and is enough really ever enough.

I’m rapidly approaching my middle-aged years. I do not need social media helping me into an early grave by initiating fear, worry or doubt that I’m not good enough by simply being me. I’ve been there a few times already and what pulls me back into reality are the precious girls God has gifted me with. I want to steward the time I have with them wisely. If they see me fall victim to the lie that I constantly “need” some sort of product to be better, what message am I conveying to them?

The truth is, there are not enough magical pills in the world to correct my imperfections. I am hopelessly flawed from head to toe. BUT I am a firm believer that internal beauty and peace exudes externally too. If my kids see anything in me, I hope they see Jesus. I hope they see love, light, bravery, vibrancy and some fierceness too! I pray my influence far outweighs anything they see or hear outside the shelter of my home.

Whatever your title, whether mom or daughter, someone is watching you too. You can get sucked into the unrealistic expectations the age of social media is emananting; or you can go look in a mirror at God’s masterpiece. One of my dear friends always says “you do you boo!” Thats excellent advice! There will never be another you. If you’ve got flaws…rock them! If you’re less than perfect, congratulations! You are human! No one can walk in your shoes but you. Walk proudly and confidently. You will make your mark on the heart of someone…let it be a mark of grace for the flaws, love for God’s handiwork and peace for what cannot and should not be changed!

Hey girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose, for a purpose and for such a time as this. Until next week…

Some days I just wanna wave the white flag and be done with everything. I’m talking pack the bags, delete social media, toss the phone into a bonfire and book it! Do you ever feel that way too? This week has been taxing on me to say the very least. I don’t thrive on negativity. In fact, I don’t tolerate it well. However, I promised I’d be real and raw and this is me being completely transparent. There’s a song that’s been swirling around in my brain as of late…

/I can go where no one else can go. I know what no one else knows. Here I am just drownin' in the rain, with a ticket for a runaway train// 

There’s a video somewhere in my Aunt’s vast collection of home memories of me at the age of two. I’m sitting on her lap and she’s teaching me a song (not “Runaway Train” lol!) It’s probably the song I should’ve been singing all week. It goes something like this:

/The devil is a sly, old fox. If I could catch him I would throw him in a box, lock the door and throw away the key, for all the tricks he's played on me.//

In truth, this song is a great reminder that he’s sly, cunning and the biggest, freaking LIAR there ever was! He’s got a bag full of tricks and he’s been dumping them out on me. What in the world?! I would like to lock him up and throw away the key! Here’s the truth of the matter that I love so much, Revelation 1:18 tells me that Jesus defeated that big-headed sucker and now holds the keys to death, hell and the grave! (That’s my translation but you get the idea.) So even if I didn’t come to this fight prepared, Jesus did! And Jesus will always win every battle.

On this Good Friday, I stand next to an empty bag of tricks. I’m weary and my heart is a bit bruised but I’m reminded that my best friend paid the ultimate price for me on this day. He did it so that I could live in freedom. He did it to expose the preposterous tactics of the enemy. He did it for my victory. Some glorious day, my enemy will be chained and thrown into the pit (Revelation 20:3) and I hope I have a front row seat to witness it!

This Friday reminds me that I can dress the part…boxing gloves and all but Jesus is the champion, not me. He gets the glory, not me. I gladly stand at a distance while He knocks every foe to their knees. Oh Jesus…I’m eternally grateful for my champion. I’m grateful that He gently reminds me that He’s got this. He was fighting for me all along; I just forgot and tried to “help.”

There’s so much power in being still. Ladies, if you’re tired and weary; if you feel defeated…be still for a moment. Survey what’s really going on. Most likely, you are standing next to a big bag of emptied tricks too and lies that are circulating around you. Lean into Jesus. Be still. Listen to His heart. He’s got this. He’s got you. If you wave a white flag, let it be in surrender to Jesus alone. Now grab your seat and watch this victory unfold!

Hey girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose, for a purpose and for such a time as this. Until next week…

Many years ago, there was a movie that came out called “Yes Man” starring Jim Carrey and the name foretells the entire movie. Jim Carrey’s character must say yes to everything no matter how costly or absurd. For most of my life I’ve been “Yes Woman.” I thought if I responded with a “no” that the person asking the question would feel badly towards me or worse…I would hurt their feelings.

A few years ago, I came to a breaking point. I’m not embarrassed or ashamed because it’s part of my story and God heals broken pieces so beautifully. I was just getting into my real estate career, trying to homeschool my kids, being on staff at church, managing my home, mentoring and I had just begun to feel the tug on my heart to become a foster parent. Is your heart racing a bit? Yeah, mine did too. So much so that I began to experience multiple health problems including heart palpitations which landed me in the care of a cardiologist. I spent the majority of a year in and out of doctor’s offices. I am still dealing with the repercussions of it today and closely have to monitor my heart. My stress level was off the charts and it took the boldness of a dear friend to tell me that I was slowly killing myself. It’s true…I was. I had too many irons in the fire and it was sucking the very life from me.

What I’ve learned is this: if you are spread too thin, you cannot give 100% to anything. You cannot be at your best and often those closest to you are the ones that suffer with you because of it. What is the solution? That same friend gave me permission to say no. It sounds odd, “gave me permission.” But I had waited my whole life for someone to tell me it’s okay to say no.

If you have children or you’ve been around children, you know that after “Dada” the word “no” is usually the word of choice. My toddler learned the head motion long before the word and I’ve been getting the “no” response for most of her life! There’s an ease and confidence even in a little one in their knowledge of what they want and what they don’t want. Somewhere along the way, I lost that.

Maybe at the crossroads of adolescence to adulthood, I became more concerned with what others would think or feel. At times, I neglected and sometimes have been abusive to myself. I’ve caused the chaos by not evaluating what I can and can’t handle or what I simply don’t want to be involved with.

My Pastor says, “It takes a hundred no’s for that one God-yes.” Good gravy! If I could learn to live by this mantra, life would be easier. There would be room to breathe! I’m being completely honest, I am not fully there yet. Even after the health scare and eliminating some things from my plate; it’s still hard to say no. Sometimes I have to say, “let me think about it” or “not right now” when I know in my heart the answer should’ve been an immediate, solid no.

It’s a journey. If you’re there with me, let me encourage you. It takes time to process the idea that you can’t say “yes” to everything and that people may be disappointed with your answer. But at the end of the day, you are protecting yourself. You are guarding your heart. You know your limits and when you’re not optimally functioning. There’s freedom in saying no. If you need permission, then here it is…it’s okay to say no. If someone gets upset with you, that’s okay too. As my Grandma would say, “they’ll get glad in the same pants they got mad in.” That’s true! Friends, if you can’t do it…if the matter does not captivate your heart…if you’re not at your best to do it…say no.

Hey Girls! Remember you are uniquely made on purpose for a purpose and for such a time as this. Love you all! Until next week…

Paul…I love that guy. I imagine we will have lots to talk about someday in Heaven. He gets me. He gets humanity. He said it best when he wrote: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20

I call this the “Do-Do” verse for about twenty reasons. This verse has always intrigued me and the older I get the more it resonates with me. I struggle daily with a list of things. It is truly a battle of epic proportions. I am a wife and a mom and a warrior against the do-do’s. Anyone else in this battle too?

I carry this baggage. I struggle with thought patterns, bad habits and the innate magnetism I have to toxic things. It hasn’t always been there. I blame myself. Paul also said to take every thought captive and I now believe that word of advice was so we could detox our minds and keep the trash out. I mean, if it isn’t lovely, pure, wholesome, etc., should the thought even be worth the time of contemplation? Sometimes, I war against my do-do’s 1,440 times a day. Yeah, you guessed it. That’s how many minutes are in a day but honestly in the middle of wielding scripture and fighting off what came to steal my sanity and peace, it feels like that number is exceptionally huge!

Do you ever exhaust yourself simply by a mind battle? I don’t know if this is true for our male counterparts. My husband tells me all the time that men are only capable of thinking one thing at a time and most of the time that gets derailed into La-La land. So maybe it’s just a girl thing. But geez…it is tough!

So are the do-do’s only in the mind? NO! I tell my kids, “Trash in. Trash out.” That means not caving into my flesh to read the gossip blasted on Facebook or watch a polluted, degrading reality show just to see fame-crazed adults blow through a group of singles to find “true love.” I’m making a gagging face right now because puh-leaze!! The world has a super twisted view of what love is and that’s a topic for later. How about this one? I’m walking past a Reese’s and trying to convince myself that I don’t need it and it will only add minutes to my work out. But good grief! That chocolate candy will definitely make me feel better for about five minutes before guilt sets in. So, I am filled with do-do. You are too. What can one do? (No pun intended lol!) I am a list maker. Here you go! (This is my personal self- help list.)

1. Get an accountability partner. Who can you trust your life with?
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
3. Get in the word of God. Find a translation that is easy for you to understand and even if it’s a few scriptures a day, read it. Soak it in.
4. Listen to worship music. Trust me! Nothing will change the atmosphere and your mindset faster than turning on some Jesus music!
5. Journal. You may not enjoy writing but getting your thoughts out on paper (and not social media) can really help you in forming strategies to work through it.
6. Leave yourself sticky notes throughout your home. Anytime I receive an encouraging word or there’s a quote I love…I write it out and leave random sticky notes on my mirrors and doors. I have a collection right now on my nightstand. It’s self-encouragement.
7. Last and most importantly, remember that you CANNOT do this in your own strength. Rely on Jesus and trust Him to partner with you in this battle…to pull you to your feet when you are weak and to be your champion.

You know that saying “to err is human?” It may be one of the truest statements in defining humanity. We are gonna screw up. But God’s grace covers our messes like bleach on a stain. And Jesus… oh how I love Him! He is our defender, champion and redeemer. Try…do you part and try. Winning is not curling up in the fetal position and throwing up the white flag. Winning is calling on Jesus to come and do what only He can do. If this is a race, then imagine Jesus on the sidelines holding your #1 fan sign! He is right beside us and cheering us on. His strength is more than capable of handling the do-do’s when they invade!!

I wrote this a few weeks ago and it’s sat as a document that’s stirred up much controversary in my own mind. I’ve revisited it several times. I’ve opened it and clinched my teeth with one eye open, peering through the gaps of my fingers, like someone anticipating a scary scene in a movie. I wrote it late one night when I couldn’t get my brain to turn off. I’ve questioned whether the content is truly accurate or some conjuring of emotions by a very tired Mama. What I am sharing with you now has been bathed in prayer. Nothing has been edited. I’ve searched my heart and the resounding conclusion is that every word I wrote weeks ago is truth.

If I know you, I love you. That’s a radical statement and maybe unbelievable if you don’t know me well. But I assure you, it’s true. I am not looking for a pat on the back when I say this. It’s not a love within my own capabilities. Therefore, it’s not up for debate either. Just take my word for it. I love you. It came in the form of God answering a rather audacious prayer many years ago, when I asked Him to expand my capacity to love people and boy did he ever!

Five years ago, I had surgery on my knee that had been completely shattered (in a freak accident.) I lead worship at church and decided shortly after surgery that I was well enough to get back to it. However, minutes upon arriving, the pain caught up to me so I took one of my pain pills. Worst idea ever!! It kicked in right as service was beginning. My head became fuzzy in the most delightful way and I began to tell the entire congregation how much I loved them. Imagine Oprah’s car giveaways “You get a car! And you get a car!” Yeah, that was me addressing everyone individually how much I loved them until my bass player walked over, patted my shoulder and snapped me out of Percocet land. It’s funny but every drunken-crazy word I said was true!

I’ve heard in well versed speeches and even in sermons to not throw the word “love” around. I beg to differ! Why then does it appear in the word of God more than three hundred times if it should not be at the very top of our vocabulary? Jesus said “So I give you a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.” John 13:34-35 The word “commandment” is in there. That’s pretty serious stuff! If this is the hallmark by which we are known as Christ followers, then go out of your way to love people! Go the extra mile. Actually, use the “L” word. Let it become your new favorite four-letter word!

Three years ago, my family and I jumped into foster care. I say “jump” because there’s no easing into it. You just kind of have to jump in. But the longer I’m on this journey the more I’m exposed and sometimes in the middle of someone’s despair and brokenness. The one constant in every story I’ve encountered is that at some point, someone believed that they were un-loveable. Every time I find my heart grieving with and breaking for one of these precious people, I am reminded that one word can change a life. 

Jesus never said you would be comfortable in following Him and obeying His commandments. In truth, if you do, you will often go way outside your comfort zone! But it’s so worth it!! Love is powerful and just might be the factor that saves a life. If no one has told you today then you need to hear it, so here goes… I love you. Jesus loves you. Don’t you ever forget it! I challenge you. I DARE you to be brave and upgrade “love” to the top of your word list!

Have you ever gotten the hebby-jebby’s before? You know, when it feels like someone is watching you? Recently, Facebook has been giving me the hebby-jebby’s big time! I’ll have a thought and then instantly whatever I was thinking about pops up as an ad!! I’m completely weirded out by it. 

Lately, I’ve pondered over the idea of shape wear. It is a bit bewildering to me. Imagine my surprise while scrolling through Facebook and internally processing the thought of magical material (that sucks you in like a sausage in casing) when there it was! An ad for Spanx popped up! I think my jaw probably hit the floor. 

For one, how the heck is Facebook reading my mind? And second, as I watched the ad, I truly was mystified. 
I did some research on shape wear. As it turns out, it’s been around pretty much since the beginning of time. It’s existed in every form under the sun from whale bones to steel! In Ancient Rome, it was attractive to have a small chest and large hips so women tied down the puppies and let everything else hang out. Clearly I am in the wrong era! 
I do not own a pair of Spanx YET as I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of a girl. But if there’s ever the need to cover second-butt, shape wear just might be the answer. To clarify, “second-butt” is what I call the layer of fat under your derriere. If you don’t have second-butt, congratulations! If you do, welcome to the club!

As odd as it may sound, I feel like I got a divine revelation from something as simple as shape wear. As I watched the ad and saw the before and after transformation it made me think of God’s word. Just go with me here… if I get so caught up in my day and believe me, it’s easy to do!.. and if I forget to make time for Jesus, it’s obvious. I feel it. I miss it. If I go too long without intentionality then I can slip into a dark mentality. (Wasn’t trying to rhyme but there you go!)
My mind falls to mush and my perspective is completely skewed. But when I make time, even if it’s not as much as I’d like, it’s as if Holy Spirit multiplies it and I have this download of the sweetest epiphanies straight from Heaven. My perspective is different, my heart is transformed and I’m a much better version of me…. much like wearing Spanx. 
So ladies, I just want to encourage you to find some time with Jesus. He’s always with you but be intentional about your time with Him. Grab your coffee. Grab your Bible. Spend some time leaning in today to hear what He has to say. It will transform you and your whole day!