Bulletproof

When the country girl is looking through her closet, what are her thoughts if she runs across a Kevlar vest? Something’s up, right?!?

A Kevlar vest is designed to protect your vital organs. Apparently Daddy is hoping to keep his Country Girl safe.

When the Bible describes the armor of God, the “breastplate of righteousness” is mentioned. It’s the same idea as the Kevlar vest. But how does righteousness protect us and what does it actually look like?

Think of one friend you have. Or a sibling. Or a cousin. Or a neighbor. How did you get to know that person? When you first met, did the person stand at a podium and read you a speech about herself? Uh, no! The first time you met her, you saw what she was wearing, what she was eating, what she was talking about, how she looked at other people and you already had many clues about the kind of person she was. Then you hung out with her and learned a whole lot more.

People are forming their opinions about you based on the same sorts of things. That, in turn, affects how they treat you.

Time for a quiz:

If you want people to respect you, should you

1. lie 2. cuss 3. gossip 4. speak kindly

(Hint: Proverbs 11:16 says, “A kind-hearted woman gains respect.”)

Such a hard quiz . . . I know.

Here’s another thing to think about: what does your clothing communicate to others? One thing that has always been a little tricky for me is knowing what a affect my clothing will have on guys. I remember wearing a skirt to school that I thought was really cute, but I did not like the effect it had on the guys. Bye-bye skirt. Hello, blue jeans and flannel shirts. (Hey, the lumberjack look worked for me, okay?) I didn’t want to be a problem to guys and I didn’t want them causing problems for me. Paying attention to the responses you are getting from people is important. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 11:22 “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”

(The Country Girl Drive definition of discretion: showing good judgement; making responsible decisions; not being a dumb sheep; being wise; showing the ability to distinguish between what’s okay for everybody else and what is actually the best, most virtuous choice for herself.)

Here are some thoughts on clothes I’ve heard. Some funny. All real.

Knees are ugly. Why would I want to wear anything above the knee, anyway?

If I raise up my arms and expose my belly button, why wear that shirt?

Don’t look at the size; look at how it fits.

Bend down in front of the mirror. Is it gonna work?

Just because it works on somebody else, doesn’t mean it works on me.

Layering can turn a no-way situation into a totally do-able look.

Developing a system with your parents might be difficult, but they can be your best friends in helping you send a message to those around you that you are a girl trying to live righteously. Run everything by them. Ask their opinion. If the way they are approaching the clothing issue is not working for you, respectfully suggest a new system. Be creative.

I know this clothing thing is difficult. All of this can be difficult because you could totally lose friends over how you talk and how you dress. Christ knows. Seriously! He knows all about it. He lived it. He would love for you to talk to him about it. Here is a promise that may encourage you: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Did you catch it? He’s going to reward you. Heaven? Yes. But there are so many rewards in this life, too, for living righteously. It may take years to see those rewards, but pay attention. They are coming.

Here is my prayer for you, based on John 12:43 and Proverbs 31:30. I pray that you will make decisions that cause God to applaud you—fearing Him (in a good way), loving Him (in every way), and enjoying Him every day.

Daddy put the Kevlar vest in your closet for a reason. You’ve got this, girl!

Time to Accessorize

Do you ever forget about some cute accessory you have and then you run across it and it’s just a happy day? Well, I think today we need to go check the hat rack and see what awesome accessories are hanging there to protect our beautiful minds. Which accessory do you need today?

Let’s name our hat rack Phil. Maybe he’s a six foot tall, wooden hat rack–something like a tree. Burned into the trunk are the numbers 4:8. The first item we find is an extremely chic, broad-brimmed blue hat. It represents truth.

Over this next week, pay attention to all the thoughts zooming through your head. How many of them are true?

When I hit middle school, all of a sudden I got a lot of thoughts in my head that were total lies. I thought I was ugly, boring, not saved, unimportant, blah, blah, blah. I read the Bible to find out what was actually the truth and found out that I am saved, I am loved, I am royalty, I am a fruitful branch, I am the apple of God’s eye and SO MUCH MORE!

If you have given your life to Christ, you should learn from the Bible what the truth is about you. Put on the awesome blue hat of truth!

What else is hanging on Phil?

A blue bandana. Maybe you use it as a blindfold for games, which makes it a nice reminder to think about justice.

An eagle feather clip for honor. The feather is gorgeous, but also inspires thoughts of protecting ourselves and those we love.

Puffy white earmuffs remind us to keep pure thoughts traveling between our ears. 

White, horn-rimmed sunglasses with little rhinestone stars in the corners remind us to shoot for the stars–to have thoughts of excellence which will affect the work we do at home, at school, and beyond.

The fresh-flower laurel we made this morning, out in the meadow, circles our head and reminds us to remember lovely things when we are tempted to think that the whole world is inky, soupy blackness.

The blue and white scarf with the bead work on the ends is a great thing to toss over your shoulder. It bounces on your back as you run outside like a gentle pat on the back–a great reminder to think thoughts that would make God want to give you a pat on the back.

And, finally, the binoculars that help us see beyond our immediate circumstances and spy out our beautiful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thinking about Jesus–who He is, the things He did in the Bible, the things He has done for us, and the good things He is doing for others–is a great way to protect our beautiful minds.

Here is my prayer for you from Philippians 4:8: I pray that you will train your mind like an athlete trains her body. I pray that you will train your mind to think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

Keep it up! You’re rockin’ the look, sister! 

Ready for Action

Look out! Today is Country Girl Drive–Danger Edition.

The country girl is prepared for danger, armed with some awesome weapon such as a shovel. She’s prepared, right? Which is totally different than crouching down inside the house behind the couch, shaking in her boots, because she’s afraid of what she’s going to run into outside. Those boots were made for walking, girl! Get out there and make Daddy proud!

1 Peter 5:8-9 says, ” . . . be watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 

Reading verses like that can be a little scary. It’s a lot like thinking about the rattlesnakes on my farm. If I get to thinking about them too much, I get scared. But there’s a balance. Rather than living in a scared, little box, I choose to put on my boots and go get some work done. When I go outside, I keep an eye out for the snakes and listen for their rattle.  The fact is, I’m more lethal to the snakes than the snakes are to me. That’s just the truth and I’ve got to remember what’s true.

We need to remember the truth as we live in a world where the devil is at work. We don’t need to be afraid of the devil; the Bible assures us that Jesus Christ, Who lives in us, is infinitely more powerful than the devil. Our job is to dress appropriately and be on the watch for the devil’s schemes.

I met a woman who described this experience: As a teenager, she was placed in a facility because she had an eating disorder. While she was there, someone gave her a book about Jesus. As she read the book, she began to realize three important things. First, she realized who Jesus was–not a good teacher who died a long time ago, but a very real Savior who is alive and loves her. She also realized that this eating disorder was a scheme of the devil. There had always been a voice in her head that was telling her to continue this eating disorder. It wasn’t until she read the book that she realized that it was the devil. Thirdly, she realized Jesus could help her in her fight against the devil. And He has! 

He wants to help us, too. We can call out to Jesus to help us when we find ourselves in any battle. Or even if we’re just scared.

Here’s my prayer for you, based on Philippians 4:7: I pray that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind as you TRUST in Him!

You’ve got this, girl! Next week we’re going to talk about your beautiful mind!

Rural Intersessions

Is your phone charged? Oh! You don’t have a phone? How about the tin cans on a string that your aunt made you to make you feel better? Pull them out of hiding; today is all about communication.

Your heavenly Father has given you a home, a standard, clothing, and food. Now, what is your response?

Well, a response is a start! I’m pretty sure that since you were a little kid you’ve been nudged to say “thank you” when someone gives you a gift.

Communicating how you feel about all that God has done for you may sound intimidating, but we’ll see what the Bible says about it and I think you’ll find that it’s something you can totally handle.

One of the best pieces of advice I got as a teen was to start my day by saying, “Good morning, God.” Then to pray at mealtimes, saying, “Thank you, God, for this food.” And end my day by saying, “Good night, God.”

Remembering to pray at those five times in a day is a great start.

Imagine the country girl who goes into the kitchen in the morning, grabs herself a bowl and spoon, and says, “Good morning, Daddy.” That starts out the day on a good tone; it makes Country Daddy smile. Maybe he echoes her good morning. Maybe he winks at her. After she dumps her cornflakes in the bowl and pours the milk on, she says, “Thank you for the food, Daddy.” Oh man, Country Daddy smiles a little wider. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.” All of a sudden, those simple words are like magic words. They’re like little presents to Country Daddy. Guess what? Your prayers, even the tiny ones, are like presents to your heavenly Father. (Revelations 5:8 actually indicates to us that our prayers smell good to God. Wild, right?)

I have a friend who grew up in the church but got distracted. One day she “woke up” and realized that she wanted to be back in that sweet relationship with God again. But she couldn’t figure out how to pray. She told her friends. Her friends said, “Say the Lord’s prayer.”

Here’s the story behind the Lord’s prayer: grown men asked Jesus how to pray. (Don’t be ashamed to ask how to pray! It’s actually a great question.) Jesus didn’t laugh at them. He answered their question. In Matthew 6 we read that Jesus said, “This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

So, you can actually pray the Lord’s Prayer if you want to.

When I started 7th grade, the coolest thing happened: my parents let me start wearing make-up. Yes! But, there’s this thing with make-up: it takes time. I tried squeezing too much into my morning: make up and prayer and Bible reading and eating breakfast and getting into the carpool with everything I needed in a timely manner, but it didn’t take long to figure out that something had to go.

Out with the make-up!

But even once I had time to pray, I wasn’t sure what to pray. I didn’t just want to say, “Good morning” or “Gimme this thing I want,” I wanted something deeper.

My mom got me a book that taught me that I could write notes to Jesus–just like I would write a note to anyone else. She had no idea what she was starting! (Thank you, Mom!) Writing notes worked great for me.

Maybe you hate writing! I heard about this guy who would prop up a chair across from him and talk to Jesus like Jesus was sitting in the chair. I think that’s genius!

Like music? That might be a great way for you to pray–singing a prayer. I would guess that you could doodle a prayer if you are artistically inclined. (If you do, would you be interested in sharing that?)

But after awhile, I wanted something more. I wanted some guide to pray by. Here are two things that ended up working for me:

1. The four letters ACTS helped me figure out what to pray next.

Adoration: Telling God how much I love (adore) Him.

Confession: Telling God the sins I’ve committed and asking for forgiveness.

Thanksgiving: Thanking him for all He’s done for me and others.

Supplication: Ask Him for things I need and things others need.

2. Use the verses you know or read today to form prayers. (This is easier with some parts of the Bible than others.)

My prayer for you is this: I pray that any time you see a phone this week, you will be reminded to communicate with God. He loves you! He wants to hear from you. And I pray that in the midst of all your talking with God, you’ll do some listening, too. Even if you don’t hear anything. Sometimes the best of friendships are marked by times of just being quiet together.

Buckle your seat belt, sister! Next week we’re going to talk about dangers to the country girl.

Everyone Can Cook!

Hungry? This is Country Girl Drive Celebrity Chef Day!

The same loving Father who has provided us with a home, a standard, and clothing has also provided us with food. Let’s check out the pantry.

In John 6:27, Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” Jesus then explained, in verse 29 that “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.” A little later, He explained some more. In verse 35 He said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and He who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Later on, in John 14:27, Jesus said, “I do not give to you as the world gives.”

Any time I watch an ad, I feel like it’s promising that I will be happy if I spend money on pizza or a slush. For a second, I believe it. But if I really think about it, I know that an employee might burn my pizza or I might spill my slush. Even if the food is awesome, a couple hours after I eat that pizza or drink that slush, I am going to be hungry and thirsty again. And I may or may not be “happy” when I’m eating and drinking. That’s how the world gives—promising much, giving little.

Different deal with food from Jesus. 100% good stuff.

Now, I said that this was Celebrity Chef Day. Who is the Celebrity Chef?

You!

But before I explain that, consider this story. A long time ago, Moses helped God’s people, the Israelites, leave Egypt. God wanted to take the people to a good land where He could bless them. Before they were about to move into that good land, Moses said these words to them:

Deuteronomy 8:1 “Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the Lord promised . . . Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years . . . He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Okay, so if we live on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord, then the pantry is REALLY full. I mean, I look at all the words that are in my Bible and I’m thinking that I’ve got plenty of food to eat.

When I was 15, I signed up for an 8 week leadership camp that I knew would either make me or break me. A few days in, it was totally breaking me. I was dreading each day. But the director said that if I would ask God each day for strength for just that day, He would provide it, just like He provided manna for the Israelites. I was desperate. Each day I prayed that God would give me strength. And He did! He can do that for you, too. He has proved that over and over for me. Jesus really is the bread of life. His Words really are food that can make us strong.

But food in the pantry doesn’t just automatically pop itself into my mouth so I can eat. (There is actually a funny verse in Proverbs 26:15 that says, “A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.” Is this the country girl who comes to the breakfast table and says, “Feed me! It’s too much work to lift my spoon!”? LOL!)

We’re grown up girls, right? We can open up a can—like, literally open our Bibles. Now, I say that, but we all know that some things in Bible are easy to understand, like fruit gummies in a little packet that even a 2-year-old can prepare for herself. But other things in the Bible are like a raw chuck roast, a stick of butter, a tablespoon of flour, and a mound of potatoes. Trained hands can turn that a steaming roast beef with fluffy mashed potatoes and mouth-watering gravy, but it takes some time to learn how to convert those ingredients into something you can actually eat. You can do it! Eventually. But start simple. Get out the can opener and do what you can now. Read the Bible. Get the fork from your food and into your mouth. And while you’re learning to be a Celebrity Chef, go sit at the tables of other Celebrity Chefs. Listen to your pastor, your Sunday School teachers, and others who teach the Bible. Ask those people for suggestions of books to read. Learn to understand the Bible.

Here’s my prayer for you, inspired by Psalm 78: May God spread a table for you in the wilderness, opening the doors of heaven so that you will have all the food you can eat. I pray that you would put your trust in God and not forget His deeds, but keep His commands.

Happy dining, sister!

P.S. When I started reading the Bible, I read Genesis and Exodus, skipped to Matthew and read the rest of the Bible, and then went back and read the books after Exodus that I had skipped. Three small books you might find interesting are Ruth, Esther, and Jonah.

Country Girl Fashion

Welcome to the Country Girl Drive Fashion Edition. You got it–we’re talking about clothes today.

Just as Christ has provided a home and a standard for us, He has also provided clothes. 

How does a Country Girl dress? Well, she dresses to work. Boots to prevent snake bites. A hat to shield her from the heat. Jeans that keep the sagebrush and barbed wire from scratching her legs. A vest to protect her from the cold. Gloves and tools for her hands. 

Her parents provide these things for her, but her gear does her no good if she doesn’t put it on. Imagine the country girl who sits down at the breakfast table in her pajamas and says, “It’s too much work to get dressed!” Things are not going to go well for that country girl. I’m thinking she’s going to have to kiss her pony good-bye. Or maybe her Mustang.

But the girl who gets dressed and gets the job done is going to end her day tired, satisfied, and still be joking around with her parents.

What kind of work does Christ have for us to do? Here are some scriptures to think about. In Ephesians 6, we read: “11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” What kind of work is that gear for? You got it–war. So war against Satan and his dark forces is part of our work.

Check out this passage from The Message: Colossians 3:12-14 “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” What kind of work is this: Well, I’d call it people work. Anytime we’re around people, we have the work of love to do.

Finally, 1 Peter 3:3 “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. ” What kind of work is this? The work of looking good–Jesus style.

My prayer for you comes from I Timothy 3:16-17. I pray that you will know God’s Word and obey God’s Word so that you  may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The clothes make the woman, sister! Don’t forget to get dressed!

Drive Like a Country Girl!

Welcome back! Last week we talked about Jesus making His home with us. I have a story to tell you about when Jesus came and made His home with me.

When I was eleven, I did not have a great plan for the teen years that lay ahead of me. I had seen enough TV, movies, and older teens doing stupid things to think that I could do stupid things, too, and be just fine. But something happened. I went to church camp. The speaker there talked about all these teens he knew who had done stupid things and he actually told the truth about how awful things had turned out for the teens he knew. I suddenly realized that there was a real devil who wanted to destroy my life.

I started having this feeling. It was sort of heavy and kind of made me feel torn inside. I went up to the altar to pray. A lady asked me what was going on in my heart. I told her I didn’t know. But slowly, I began to understand that God was asking me to give my whole life to Him. When I was younger, I had asked Jesus to come into my heart and forgive my sins, but this was something different. He was asking for complete control of my life.

I didn’t do it.

I left camp and went home. Sixth grade started. In October, I got a jean jacket for my birthday. That was crazy. I had wanted a jean jacket for forever. But something even crazier happened; the week of my birthday, my church had a revival and that same speaker from camp—way far away in Texas—was there in my church in Wichita, Kansas. And that same feeling in my heart came back. On Friday night, my parents let my best friend come to church with us. At the end of the service, I went back to the altar and I did it—I gave control of my life to God. I was crying. My parents were crying. All kinds of people were standing around me crying. My best friend was probably wondering what in the world was going on. But I was so relieved. It was, actually, the best day of my life.

But guess what, when you give God control of your life, things change.

When you read Jesus’ words and obey them, He comes to you and makes a home with you. You’re not alone. He helps you avoid doing stupid things. In fact, He enables you to do good things. Loving things. Impossible things. Suddenly, you have a new standard for your life.

You know, that makes me think of a country girl.

Country girls, living on the farm, help out on the farm. One of the things they do is drive. Sometimes a tractor. Sometimes a truck. But on the farm, she’s almost always driving something with a standard transmission—a stick shift. They’re a pain to learn, but they are necessary on the farm. They are geared down low enough to take on tough farm work and creep alongside a combine while it’s spitting out grain.

What are you driving? Do you have an automatic—just running along, not really thinking about anything? Or do you have a standard?

Here’s my prayer for you from Romans 1: I pray that by God’s mercy, you will present yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. I pray you will not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that the Bible will be the new standard by which you will test what the will of God is—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Remember: Drive like a country girl! Get a standard!

This Is Your Drive, Girl

What’s your country dream? Cowboy boots and a horse? Maybe you want to slap on a pair of galoshes and head out on a rainy day to cuddle cute piglets and fuzzy chicks? Or maybe being barefoot among tender, green seedlings sounds appealing?  Maybe you’re thinking, “What?!? I’m happy in the city!” That’s okay! This web site is about giving you a fun, new way to look at your relationship with Jesus Christ. You don’t have to live in the country or have a country dream. In fact, for today, Country Girl Drive is just the name of a road, a very long road through some beautiful, rural scenery. 

How is your relationship with Christ? All of us have a story. Are you just starting? Or have you been a Christian for awhile? 

Here’s something to think about: 

In John 14:23, Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.”

So there we read that if we love Jesus, we will obey what Jesus says to do, and God will love us, come to us, and God and Jesus will make their home with us.

What does that look like? Take a minute, read the verse again, and think about it. Do you have a picture in your head?

When I read that verse, I imagine that I am a little orphan girl, alone and scared on the street, and then Christ and His Father come and build a little home around me. We sit in front of a warm fire and eat good soup. What is your picture?

Psalm 31:8 is one of my favorite verses. If you look it up on biblegateway.com, it’s so cool to see all the translations. The International Children’s Bible says, “You have not let my enemies defeat me. You have set me in a safe place.” One combination I made out of these translations was, You, God, have “not shut me up in the hand of the enemy,” but You have set my feet in “a large room.” Very cool! Like the little house where God and Jesus are making a home with us. You should look in a Bible at home and see what Psalm 31:8 says in your Bible.

So this safe place where God and Jesus are making a home with you is always with you, but do you suppose that your house is located on a road? Maybe a road called “Country Girl Drive?” This home that God and Jesus are building is always with you, but I hope that this web site, that the words of this blog, will be an encouragement to you week by week. I hope that this will be a safe place where you can grow in your relationship with Christ.

My prayer for you: Ephesians 3:17 (TLB) “And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love . . . “

This is your drive, girl! Make yourself at home!