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the spiritual

She’s Got It All Together.

January 31, 2021 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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She’s “got it all together.” 

How do you know she’s got it all together?  Her Instagram feed is like magazine quality.  Photo after photo shows the perfect smile, sparkling house and, thanks to the carefully chosen photo preset, a completely cohesive color scheme.  Her follower count sits at just over 2 million, and it appears that everything she touches turns to gold.

You know the kind of woman I’m talking about.  She could have achieved her notoriety in a number of ways ranging from having a famous parent, starring on reality TV, taking pretty pictures or singing and acting well.

Perhaps she has loads of natural talent.  Perhaps her only known “talent” is the way she looks when the light hits her face in that perfect, practiced way.  I’m not saying she doesn’t have other talents… they just haven’t been of use in her climb to the peaks of social and cultural notoriety.words-of-value

When anything major happens (or, anything at all, really), her following demands her insight and opinion.  Why?  Well, because she’s famous, of course.  That automatically makes her wise.  A living legend.  It makes her thoughts more valuable than our own.  Because she’s got it all together..  Or does she?

The Voices of the “Elite”

Early in 2020, a virus soared across the globe.   I don’t know… maybe you heard about that.  At the beginning, our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on famous Canadians Ryan Reynolds and Michael Buble to encourage the population to stay home and stay safe.  Why?  Because he knows that celebrity voices and opinions (even comedic actors and singers) are weighed more heavily than even medical professionals.  You know… Because they have it all together.  Or do they?

Honestly, maybe they do.  Maybe they are super high-functioning human beings.  Not perfect, of course, they are still human, after all.  What I’m saying is that I’m not here to critique celebrities.  For all I know, they’re doing great.  What I am trying to do is critique the mindset of a culture.  The mindset that elevates voices simply because the person takes a nice photo or has gained a following.

Do we really believe these people have the “secret sauce”?  That they’re invincible?  Larger than life?

Do we take the time to truly critique what the voices we so value are actually saying?  Are they speaking truth?  Popular opinion? Or, are they saying whatever keeps the lights and cameras aimed in their direction?

Which Words Truly Hold Value?

Ecclesiastes 1:4 says, “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”  The celebrity voices of the past are dead and buried. The celebrity voices of today are marching toward the grave, and the celebrity voices of tomorrow face the same fate.  As do you and I.

So what has value?  What has meaning?  Where do we find objective truth to anchor ourselves?  Certainly not in anyone who finds the grave and has no power to leave it.

The only answer is in the one who met the grave and defeated it.  The one who was before the earth.  Who walked the earth.  The one who roars like a lion and conquers as a lamb.  The one who, by his power and grace, offers to release us from the grave.

the-one-who-meth-the-grave-and-defeated-itNext time you’re looking for a voice to shed truth and meaning on the tragedy and beauty of this life, look to the author of life.  Jesus Christ.  Look to his word; call on his name.  Only after you do that should you look for other voices that affirm the truth of Jesus.  Because it is only in him, that you find objective truth, wisdom, meaning, and the life you were made for.

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the spiritual

What is the Meaning of my Life?

January 28, 2021 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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What is the Meaning of my Life?

 

It seems in life that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  That may be a cliche statement, but it’s also true.  I clearly remember myself as a child questioning the meaning of life.  Searching the scripture for answers, looking in nature, my interests and my talents.

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the spiritual

Knowing Who I Am in Christ – an unexpected metaphor.

January 5, 2021 by cecilyjoy 8 Comments

As you begin reading, you may wonder how this is going to turn into an article about knowing who I am in Christ.  About knowing who YOU are in Christ.  But let’s get to it.

The truth is, I just can’t trust my slippers anymore.  But why wouldn’t I trust my slippers?  What could possibly have gone so wrong with something designed solely for comfort??

A lot.

I was in the house on a cold, dry evening, making dinner.  While wearing my slippers, obviously.

My boys came running to the door to get me to come outside and take a look at something.  Now, if you live on a farm and you have boys, you will know that if they’re excited to show me something outside, there’s a good possibility that that something is disgusting, and they were just trying to gross me out.  And that’s 100% what was happening on this particular evening.

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the spiritual

Who is Jesus and Why is He Important?

August 5, 2020 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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God is invisible.  No one in human history has ever seen him.  Well, anyone except Jesus.  Today, I want to introduce you to Jesus.  Today we’re going to answer the question “Who is Jesus and why is he important?”

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the spiritual

Truth vs. Lies – how to choose truth over lies

July 28, 2020 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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There’s a battle waging for our minds and for the minds of the coming generation.  It’s a battle of truth vs. lies.  But the good news is that there is a way to choose and believe truth.

“Why don’t the stickers stay on her?”

The maker spoke softly.  “Because she has decided that what I think of her is more important than what they think.  The stickers only stick if you let them. – You Are Special, Max Lucado

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the spiritual

Understanding who God is – and what that means for you

July 21, 2020 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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Understanding who God is has the potential to completely shift your life, your beliefs, and the way you view yourself and the world.  There’s a lot to say about who God is… and it’s all such good news.  But for today, as we dig into understanding who God is, we’re going to focus on these 5 truths about who God is:

  1. Creator
  2. Father
  3. Redeemer
  4. Sanctifier
  5. King
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Food

What Does God Say About Me – The Beautiful Truth of How God Sees You

July 7, 2020 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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What does God say about me?  What does God think of me?  Surely I’ve failed too often.  I don’t even want to know how God sees me.  A failure, a sinner, a liar, a hider.  That must be how God sees me.

Actually… no.  What I wrote above is what we often think of ourselves.  But for the Christian child of God, God sees a beautiful picture when he looks at you.

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Food

How to Stop Being a Perfectionist – and Live With Purpose

June 24, 2020 by cecilyjoy No Comments
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How to stop being a perfectionist.  Well, if you’re going to talk about dealing with perfectionism… you may as well talk to someone who has experience with it.  There are countless examples in my life that point to perfectionism controlling me.  So, if you’re wondering how to stop being a perfectionist, you’re welcome here, and you’re understood here.  Let’s dig in, and start trading perfectionism for purpose.

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Hey There!

Hey, I’m Cecily!

My mission is to help women develop their faith and live their lives with purpose & intention. We look at 4 key areas of life, and how they need to be growing & flowing from a life built on faith.

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Recent Posts

  • She’s Got It All Together.
  • What is the Meaning of my Life?
  • Knowing Who I Am in Christ – an unexpected metaphor.
  • Who is Jesus and Why is He Important?
  • Truth vs. Lies – how to choose truth over lies

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