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Baggage Claim

Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

It has been a few years since I have flown and will be boarding a plane this week to attend Icing in Dallas, TX. I am both nervous and excited. Excited to see a friend and spend a few days with her, nervous about the meet and greet part. As I have said before, I am a recovering extreme introvert. I still get overwhelmed when walking into a room with a bunch of people. For example, a couple of years ago I walked in late for a birthday party for one of my friends and the entire rooms attention got brought on me. My reaction was to go in (with my head down to not make eye contact with anyone) and tell her happy birthday, then I quickly made my exit.

Back to the point of this blog…when I started flying you could check one bag with the cost of your ticket at no additional charge. Now you can check a bag your first bag for $30 and an additional charge for anymore. Or the other option is carry on. Which means you have to keep up with it before your flight. Carry it as your find your seat. Find a place for it during your flight. Carry it as you disembark the plane. We have done pretty good at masking our emotional baggage, by checking it. When we are triggered is when it shows up again.

I fully believe in getting to the root issues of areas. Like why rejection keeps attaching itself to me. There is a root there. It does not belong there. I have to do the work to remove it, but not without the help of the Holy Spirit. Unpacking the baggage of rejection, betrayal, hurts, disappointments is like checking your baggage at the gate. You can walk around freely and not have to worry about until the end of the flight. Just because you checked it somewhere, does not mean it is gone. When it shows up, the weight of it tries to know us down. So here we are at baggage claim to get to the root once again, because even though it is not carry on, we still need to deal with the root issues.  Can I help you with it?

Unforgiveness:

  • Unforgiveness because of unfilled expectations. The participation trophy. I was not recognized because I showed up.
  • Unforgiveness because of untreated pain. Trying to act like it never hurt in the first place. You ever stumped your toe in public and played off like that did not hurt!
  • Unforgiveness because of unsolved conflicts. Unresolved conflicts can turn into resentment. Resentment can turn into bitterness.
  • Unforgiveness because of an unhealthy view of ourselves. You think everyone’s thinking about you…they aren’t thinking about you.

Matthew 6: 7-15 (AMP) “And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  So do not be like them [praying as they do]; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. ‘Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’  For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.“

I do believe we are responsible for dealing with our baggage and unforgiveness. I do believe our lives can be miserable because of our choices. You and I can walk around with weights that slow us or stop us from walking in the life that God intended for us. That is why I chose this verse to focus on today: Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Freedom is what God intends for you. If baggage is in our life, let’s identify it, then allow the Holy Spirit to help you get rid of it. A pastor, therapist, life coach, mentor, are all very helpful to lead you through the unpacking of baggage. Make sure they are filled with the Word and have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, if not, the humanistic approach is to put the problem in people. Even the issues that happened in my childhood are not to be blamed on people. I have to forgive, not to be abused again, but forgive, love and grow. I am no longer burdened by my past, I am free! I want that for you too.

Father, I thank you for each and every person that is reading this today. I thank you that you desire us to be rooted and grounded in the love of your Son (Eph. 3:16-19). We are choosing right now to throw off these weights that have kept us from walking in the fullness of that love. We ask the Holy Spirit for the help with the unforgiveness in our hearts and minds. We know to forget is not necessarily not remember, it is the act of not letting it affect the outcome. Our past hurts and the baggage we allowed can no longer affect the outcome of our lives. We are free in you and cast that yoke of bondage away. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

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A new thing

Isaiah 43:18-19 (AMP) Do not remember the former things, or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

As I was ministering Sunday I said something over my church that I regret. I told them I could not share the complete vision of the next steps because of some of their doubt and unbelief. I regret these words. I repent for these words. Those words are no longer true. Those words came out of a hurt that I still have not worked all of the unforgiveness out of.

Those words came out of a hurt that I still have not worked all of the unforgiveness out of.

My husband and I took over as the lead pastors in 2013. The very last service, that marked the transition, a couple walked up to us and let us know that it would be their last service. They said, “we do not want to attend church with the type of people you will attract.” My husband and I thought, great they stirred up strife anyways.

The next blow came from a couple that left that were big supporters. We did not know how much input this couple had in the goings on in the church before our leadership. When my husband corrected them on coming up to him every service to critique his message, they left. We were in shock.

Then there was our core team. We did our best to listen, and communicate, how the transition was going. We did our best to give them tools to succeed. We were told, “This is your baby, do not expect us to love your baby the way you do.” Most of that “core” is gone now.

Then there were the ones who submitted to the former pastor, not you. They tried it, he was their pastor. If we were really going to change our church, why not use the model of the successful church in town. If you are going to succeed as a pastor, you need to be full time. Eventually, we pulled back. We took a different approach, with very little expectations. If you do not have big expectations, then you cannot get disappointed, right?

Before our property sold in March of 2019, I had gotten a phone call December 31, 2018 about an offer of one third our asking price. I laughed at our realtor and told him, you know my answer is no. That evening we had a worship service to ring in the new year. We had a guest speaker who also operates in the prophetic. It was an amazing night of worship. His message was on point for the vision that my husband had given at the beginning of that year. It was the year of “suddenly.” Then he looked at me and said that the property would sell, not to worry. Then he made a statement that I did not understand, until I spoke my words on Sunday. In two years time, this church will not be in the same place it will look completely different.

Sometimes when we think of a church, we think of a building, a physical structure. Actually, it is a people. When God reminded me of those words, I was reminded that this church does look completely different. God has placed a big dream inside of us for the church in our community. It can be pretty scary and overwhelming from looking at our natural resources. He would not have given us this vision if it could not be done though…”We exist to touch the world through our community.” I have to stand on these words:

Father we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. Show us what to do and guide us with your hand upon us. Fill us with the knowledge of your will so that we can walk in a way that pleases you. (Paraphrased from 2 Chr. 20, Col.1:9-10)     

Isaiah 43:18-19 (AMP) Do not remember the former things, or ponder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.     

Amos 9 (MSG) Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening all at once – and everywhere you look, blessings!

Father, I want to believe, help me with my unbelief. Help me with my words. Help me with my thoughts. Help me see your people the way you see them. Help me with my unforgiveness. You are the only one who can heal my wounds. You are the only one who can do the work within me, so that your purpose can be fulfilled through me. In Jesus Name, Amen.