Rodan & Fields

Launching anything new in life can be scary and uncomfortable. But I have been stretched and pulled out of comfort for some time now. It is only fitting to find myself once again walking the road less traveled. 

I want to introduce my new adventure that I pray helps fund my ultimate dream. I am launching my own business as a consultant with Rodan & Fields. This is an amazing skin care line created by the Doctors who founded Proactive skin care. 

This line targets women with all sorts of skin issues from acne to aging. In the next month some of my blog will be hijacked in an effort to show off the great products that this company offers. I am looking for people that want to join me in this adventure. To be part of a team that not only brings joy to people through revitalized skin, but also brings social justice to the marginalized and oppressed. 

Josh and I have decided to use ALL the proceeds from this business to build our first transitional living house for women and children that are homeless and need help to get back into life. I am partnering with Leah Gonzalez from Life-Skills house to make this dream a reality. 

God specifically called Josh and I into this ministry. We know that this business is a way to generated income for our ministry, as well as get the word out to the community of Pearland. We have very few resources in our area for women who find themselves needing a safe place to gain life skills and grow in Christ. We plan to provide that place and many resources to help mentor these women. 

When our house burned down we felt the love and support of our family, friends and community. We would NOT HAVE MADE IT without those amazing people. There are people in our own city that do not have anyone to help and support them in times of crisis. We have been blessed with the full measure of God and feel it is our calling to bless others. To bring the love of Jesus to those that need Him the most. 

Thank you for standing by us and supporting our family every single day! I will be having a launch party very soon so stay tuned for more information!

Email or message me on Facebook to find out how to get 10% off all orders and free shipping by becoming a preferred customer. I would love to hear from ya'll! 

My Website https://kristenmcginn.myrandf.com/

Service

There is a growing trend among our generation of believers. One that is purposeful and shows the true beauty of Christ. Serving our poor, our weak, our oppressed and marginalized. This work is the kingdom of God here on earth. It's Gods dream for not just America but the whole world. I see daily examples of servant leadership among my friends. The hard part of this work is when we start to see these people we are helping not as a project, but as a human.

A human who is flawed. One that might not live up to your expectations. When their gratefulness is not great enough. When they start to expect it from you. When they don't behave in the way that fits your mold. These are the times that we tend to just give up. To walk away and say, "well I tried my hardest but they just don't want it bad enough."

Did Jesus ever walk away because you didn't want it bad enough? I struggle with this on a daily basis. Serving God and setting down my ego. We are not in the business of changing hearts or minds. That is the business of our Savior. So lets see our business for what it is. Serving others and showing Christ's love as it has been shown to us.

Jesus illustrates us and his kingdom in the parable of the sower.

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19

In what ways do we not understand the kingdom? Do we take scripture and twist it to fit our ideas of what our world should look like? Do we want to live a life of selfish desire instead of a life filled with God?

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Matthew 13:20

This is my struggle. I am filled with joy and receive the word, but in times of trouble I fall away. When it gets hard I rely on my own self rather than Jesus. Selfishness rears its ugly head and I don't want to move forward loving others. I want only to love myself. What is the root of my existence? Will I choose to be rooted in Christ or have no roots at all?

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

Living for the American dream. What our world calls success. This chokes us out. We become unfruitful. We do not have love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. What we have is a whole lot of dead.

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13: 23

Jesus help me be the person that hears the word and understands it. Help me to sow seeds that produce crops so vast I won't fathom the harvest in my lifetime. Help me be obedient to serve as the Holy Spirit leads me, bringing your kingdom to earth. Let me not grow weary, but continue to run the race you set before me. Loving God and Loving people.

Mothers

The moment that we breathe
Whether you wanted us or not.
Something stirs inside your heart
 It is over before you start.

We learn your heart, your joys, your depth.
Your hurt, your pain, your wrath.
 We learn strength and grace and keeping on,
 And the most important, how to laugh.

At times you don't know what to say
Or how to make it right.
 But knowing that you stand behind us
That's enough to stay in the fight.

You struggle through those little years
 Piles of diapers, lack of sleep.
 Most everything that shines is dirty
 And when you close your eyes, you weep.

We fail. We fall. We get back up,
Because it's what you taught us how to do.
We want to run before we walk,
 Down a path you would not choose.

 The hard part is trusting God.
 Knowing that you did your best.
 Letting go of what you cherish most.
Taking refuge in His rest.

Thank you for doing the hard things
 In each and every second.
We would not be the people God planned
 Without your guidance, love and affection.

 So when it's hard and you think you can't
 Know that you are loved, cherished and blessed.
 By these people that started out so small
Who know their mother is the very best.

Free

Christ died to set us free. Not to lead us into another form of bondage. Not so we could follow another set of rules, but so we could be free from every yoke of sin and death. Free to follow where Christ leads. Liberated. 

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. Galatians 5:1

Living in freedom means living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Following and listening for the spirit to guide your life. That seems like a hard concept. Especially in our world of self reliance. 

We like the check boxes and the list of rules. How foreign a concept to not follow a list. If A happens then you do B. We get to see the progress of how good we are. Our empires grow and we see the result of our actions in motion. 

To follow Christ is a totally different concept to this world. Christ does not give us a list of boxes to check. He daily gives us acts of service in love. Service is messy. It is hard. You do not see instant results. You see tears, anger, hurt, betrayal, frustrations and then ultimately the beauty in following Christ. There are no hard set rules. People look at what you are doing and it makes no sense. How do you allow this to happen to your children, family and home. 

 God is bigger than anything we can comprehend. He knows everything and we know very little of our circumstances. I can make the decision to listen when the holy spirit leads and every time my outcome is glorifying to God. 

He does not cause harm or confusion. 

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. Galatians 5:7-10

Choosing to say yes to God in a world that is all about self can be so tough. Most of the time people think you are not doing the right thing. Then you will question if you are doing the right thing. God calls each of us to His kingdom. He has a different Yes for everyone. 

Standing firm in Christ and what the cross did for our freedom will ultimately lead to justification. 

9 Years

This is 9 years

What do I say to the man God placed in my life 9 years ago?  What words that come out of my mouth could do justice? How can I explain the mercy and grace that has been bestowed upon me unfailingly? There is only 1 word. Love.

God changed my perception and knowledge of love when Christ died for me. Sacrifice. Break. Bleed. We have had a first hand look at what it means to sacrifice. What it means to break and bleed. Not that we could ever compare to what Jesus did for human kind, but we can say our marriage has shown us the true nature of God. 

Josh lives sacrificial love. Even when I was not worthy, he endured. Josh always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Through 9 years we have had crazy. We have screamed, cursed, insulted and broken. We have shared joy and pain. We have clung to each other when there was nothing else earthly to cling too. We have been made stronger by Gods never ending faithfulness. If God is for us, who can be against us? 

This man who I have grown up with these last 9 years is the only person I want to grow old with the next 50 years. I could not imagine doing life without him. He is my rock when I can't see past my own mess. He shows me servant leadership. Most of all he shows me a picture of the love of Christ. 

Praise to God for allowing me the blessing of this man. Happy Anniversary to the best husband and daddy we could ask for. I love you with everything.

Lighthouse

In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures you won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through

You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

In the silence you won't let go
In the questions Your truth will hold

Your great love will lead me through

You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

My lighthouse My lighthouse
Shining in the darkness I will follow you
My lighthouse My lighthouse
I will trust the promise
You will carry me safe to shore

Rend Collective

He does not walk out. We receive him and he never leaves us. He never forsakes us.

Our minds can wander. Satan tries to deceive. The enemy is crafty and wants to pull us away from Jesus. We get lost in our sea of selfishness. My selfish desire to just turn it off. But that's the tricky part.

Isolation leads to destruction.  We feed the lies of the enemy in isolation.

Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves.  We must know ourselves in Christ better than Satan knows us. When the doubt comes we ride the truth of Jesus.

Hide God's word in your heart. It is with this strength and power that we fight our depravity.

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you they are full of the Spirit and life.  John 6:63

In my doubt I dwell on this.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. John 6:39.

Lose=fail to save. Jesus will not fail to save us. He will not lose us. God's will in sending Jesus is so we are not lost.

Do not let lies and darkness guide you. But look to the Lighthouse to carry you safe to shore.

(My computer died while typing this post. Was determined to not let the enemy win so I typed it on my phone. Excuse the spelling errors!)

Bricks

The rubble that was our house is being cleared away. They are busting things up and making the land new. The slate will be clean. Rebuilding will be made possible. 

It was a structure. A place to dwell. The fire burned hot and destroyed everything to ashes. But the bricks remained. The bricks were charred and black but they survived. I wanted those bricks. They were something that I hated when they stood in tact. I complained about the color. I did not like them. I just wanted to paint over them or get a new surface. 

But it is funny how important the surface becomes when you are going to lose it. Those bricks housed my family. Those bricks protected us. They held our cries, our joys, our screams, our laughter, our love. 

I wanted to save some of those bricks to bring into our new home. Our new dwelling place. The thought is to clean them up a little. Leave some of the character and make them even more beautiful. 

When the men came early to clear the mess, I was not prepared. I had not collected my bricks. I cried and panicked. I drove to the house. I called my friend crying. It was a bit of an overreaction. But this meant something to me. I tried to communicate to a Spanish speaking man that I needed those bricks. He looked at me like I was a little CRAZY! I just started hauling bricks to our backyard. My greatest friend came and together we piled those bricks that are going to be made into something beautiful.  

When I asked Jesus to speak His name Boldly, the Spirit came in and started tearing down bricks. My thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviors and attitudes. They are ugly, charred and gross, but they are still my bricks. Sometimes I want to hold on to those bricks. They were mine for 33 years. They were my feelings, my love, my life. But Jesus claims those bricks now. I give Him ALL my bricks. I ask Him to make them beautiful. That others would see Him when they see my bricks. 

All the character that I have is being refined. All the best parts of me are being used so others can see the ONLY ONE who is worth seeing. Jesus. 

I don't care what my life is or does as long as when people see me, they see HIM. When God asks  something, that I say Yes. Obedient. Loving people as I have been loved by God. Showing Mercy as I have been shown Mercy. Leading others to a life of freedom and of service to the least. 

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:11-13

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19