changing who you are. (BethP)

We hear frequently, "just be you", "don't let other people's opinions or words change you", "be amazing", etc.  And many of those sentiments are good.

What I am thinking about, is positive change.  God inspired change. The changes we love as He works deep in our souls.  The changes that make us more of Him and less of us. LESS of me! I think as much as I hate labels I still tend to cling to my favorites.

"I'm an introvert."

"I don't like speaking up!"

I often cling to things I think are part of my personality when He is trying to USE me for His plan. And sometimes that requires changing who I am. What parts of your personality to you cling to?

Sometimes it requires stepping out. Letting go of your own labels.

Sometimes it requires sacrificing who I want to be seen as, to be who He wants to be seen as in me.

He wants to transform me.

He is more interested in who I am becoming than in what I am doing.

While I am thinking about my circumstances, He is thinking about my transformation.

(Maybe my circumstances are there for the very purpose of my need for transformation and change.)

Yes, he made me unique and special and He wants me to "just be me", but may I never use that as an excuse not to change who I am, for Him.

What does He say to be?

handing over your guilt. (Beth P)

(My thoughts after Week 4 Day 2 - Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer)

How many of you instantly start feeling guilty when I talk about Jesus Christ, God’s Word, Christian ideas?

We all have things in our lives that bring us guilt.  But did you know that the only guilt that comes from God, comes from God’s desire to offer grace to cover that thing for which we feel so ashamed? He’s not here to throw stones. He’s here to offer hope, and love.  Now, KNOW that  He will call you on it; He will not let wrong things go unchecked, BUT His purpose is restoration and grace. Hand it over.  Hand over the guilt and let Him do with it what we cannot, remove it. 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 

~1st Corinthians 13:4-5

THAT is the nature of our loving God. He wants to offer a solution for our guilt. He offers healing, cleansing, and rescue from all that hangs over us.

So don't cringe at the mention of Jesus Christ.  Hand over your guilt.  Seek Him. He will love you to the end of the earth! 

tapping into the Power! (Beth P)

WANNA KNOW SOMETHING AMAZING!?!?

When we make the choice to believe in Jesus Christ as our only means of Salvation from sin and hell, God sends the Holy Spirit to reside in our hearts. 

Do you realize what that means?!?!

We have access to the very thoughts of God Almighty in our lives!

1 Cor. 2:10-12

“The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?…. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”

Did you just read that?

re- read it. 

Let's TAP into that Power y'all! 

He is waiting to give us that guidance!

That is just amazing. 

We have the Holy Spirit who is able to give us direct access to the thoughts of God as they pertain to our personal lives! Amazing.

I will confess here, I am really good at assuming I know where He is taking me and rushing ahead.  Today He has shown me rather than rush ahead I just need to respond with patience AND with preparation! I can prepare for his leading but not rush into it! He has a script I just need to follow it not FIND it!

(Another post inspired by Priscilla Shirer - Discerning the Voice of God - I am a little obsessed with her, and inspired!)

hearing. (Beth P)

Hearing the voice of God….. wow, doesn't it seem hard? 

This study from Priscilla Shirer (that the woman at my church have been doing) has shown me it is actually the OPPOSITE! It is actually pretty simple if we listen.  BUT we seem to try and make it so hard. 

Here are some thoughts from the study…

1. We can't depend on circumstance to determine what God is doing. 

2. Just because we feel comfortable doing something doesn't make it right.

3. God will never lead us to do something contrary to His Word, so know His Word and use it as a filter for discerning His voice versus our own thoughts or conscience. 

4. “You may feel ill-equipped to handle many things God calls you to do, but when you sense His peace His is encouraging you to step out in obedience. When you obey, you will experience His supernatural power operating through you to do it.” - Priscilla Shirer

5. “You may not feel confident in your own ability but you can grow in confidence in His.” - Priscilla Shirer

6. "It is God's responsibility to cause you to hear and to recognize His voice." - Priscilla Shirer

Don't believe her?  Read Proverbs 3:5-6. Or read Philippians 3:15, it's there too! Oh, and in Philippians 2:13 and Psalm 37:4.  

Are you seeking Him right now in your life? 

That is how you hear His voice, seeking to know Him. 

knowing Him. (Beth P)

“Often we seek to know God’s direction more than we seek to know God. We bypass the relationship because we would rather have answers about us. God wants to speak to you because He wants you to know Him; knowing His direction is just a by-product.” ~ Priscilla Shirer “Discerning the Voice of God” study book. 

God is more interested in us know Him than anything else. Sure, it matters where we go for Him but it is not as important as knowing Him and  experiencing Him. 

God cares more about my relationship with Him than how good a mother I am.

God cares more about my relationship with Him than about what service I do for Him.

God cares more about my relationship with Him than about where I work.

God cares more about teaching me about Himself than about rescuing me from my circumstances. 

God cares more about what I am learning about Him than about how well I perform the tasks He places in front of me. 

God wants me to EXPERIENCE Him, 

not just believe in Him or hear about Him. 

He wants me to KNOW Him. 

My thoughts from Week 4 Day 1 Bible Study from 

Priscilla Shirer - Discovering the Voice of God.

listening (and shutting your little mouth) (Beth P)

We started a great Bible study for women at church on the Holy Spirit.  I am learning so much and finding great concepts to apply to my life. It is called "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla Shirer.

This week I have been hit with the fact that we don't have to struggle to find God's will for us.  It is His job to reveal His will, it is our job to be listening and to obey.  I am a bit of a worrier at times.  I feel the need to control things at times, especially when it comes to planning and decision making.  But the Bible tells us in Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know....". (He has been leading me to that verse over and over for MONTHS and MONTHS now.  *smile*

BE STILL! Sounds so refreshing and comforting.  But the control freak in me wants to do more than that! (Just keepin' it real, y'all!) I try to "help" God along in His plan, or what I THINK is His plan,  last time I did that..... He used a story in a book I was reading about a little bird needing to SHUT his little mouth, to tell me to SHUT MY LITTLE MOUTH! And I knew I was guilty of saying something to try and push His will into my time frame!

NOW I am working hard to be still, listen and SHUT MY LITTLE MOUTH.  

explaining your reason for hope. (Beth P)

How do you explain to someone what it is like to "walk with Jesus" everyday? How do you communicate the passion He brings to your heart and overwhelming sense of assurance He gives? How do you tell the people you love what they are missing when they don't know that they are missing something critical?
I have friends who think it is great I have this "relationship with Jesus" but don't think they need that for themselves.

Why can't I just leave it at that?

Love, that's why.
Two kinds.
When I look at that cross and what Jesus did for me. How He loved me.  I want to love Him back.  And He even tells me how to do that.
By loving you. Loving you enough to tell you that He wants you. He still wants you. 100%.  He wants you to have the same passionate, intimate relationship with Him that I have.  He wants to walk through life with you, He wants to use you.  He wants to know you.
You don't know what you are missing. And I love you too much not to bug you about it. *wink*

Most of all, He wants to save you. We all need Him to save us.  Unless you are perfect, (am I am NOT) you don't deserve heaven with Him.  So Jesus came and paid for your lack of perfection by being the sacrifice FOR YOU! He made those who believe in Him, perfectly clean before God.  Not perfect, but perfectly pure before God.  He made it right, for someone so wrong to be forever in His presence.
When you stand before God one day, and you will, there is only one reason He can let your imperfect self into His glory.... not because you are a really nice person, not because of the people you helped and loved..... He sets the bar high..... He has to because He is God....but He has not left you without a means to reach that bar... He made a way for ANYONE to stand before Him pure.  And it is simple and pure. It is by faith in what Jesus Christ did. AND ONLY in what Jesus Christ did. That is the ONLY reason I will spend eternity with God, because Jesus paid the ticket price for me.  There was never enough good things I could do to buy that ticket.

Sure you can trust in Him to save you and then go about life living how you want. Lots of people do.  Lots of people are just comfortable with trusting Him with only THAT.

But why would you?  If you REALLY believe that God Almighty sent Jesus the Son of God to earth as a baby and ultimately to the cross to be a sacrifice for all the sin you ever committed, don't you want the REST of what He has for you? There's more! And it's incredible! There's a life time of amazing things He is waiting to do in you and through you, that just won't happen without a close relationship with Him.

Don't really believe me?

Ask Him,  I dare you to ask Him!!!

Ask Him to show you TRUTH.

All I can do is tell you over and over that the passion and joy he brings to life is beyond your wildest dreams.  Don't miss out.  Here or in eternity.  There IS a HELL.  It is real.  And life is so very short. You may have gotten sidetracked by the cruelty of things that happen in this world, but it is not too late.

He is forgiving and loving and waiting.

setting boundaries. (Beth P)

Ok, so Beth B's husband Ken said months and months ago that I should read the book "Boundaries:When to Say Yes How to Say No" by Henry Cloud.

  I downloaded it.


And then gave myself permission to read it "later".  Well, I am reading it now (many, many months later).

Wish I had read it months ago! lol!

This is gonna sound corny, but y'all, EVERYONE could benefit from reading this book.  (Unless you are a single hermit living in the mountains with a bear named Ben,  then you could skip it.)

I am a "yes" girl, a "people pleaser" a girl who often grabs onto other peoples problems and runs with them, tries to fix them, or at least ease the load, or pressure or whatever my little heart can do. That sounds really "sweet" doesn't it!

HA! It's not.  For so many reasons!

I often don't set good boundaries, at home, at work, and even at church. I often say yes to the wrong things and no to the wrong things! And miss focus on the things I should be doing first.

I have 18 pages of notes from the book, y'all, and I am not even done.  Where do I start?!?!

Here is the first quote that hit me:

"Part of taking responsibility, or ownership is knowing what is our job, and what isn't..... she ends up taking on problems God never intended her to take on...."

DANG! I do that! And what a weight was lifted when I realized that I do that! Then I realized I might be missing other important responsibilities when I am busy taking on ones that are not mine to take on! I want what HE wants for me not all the stuff I latch onto! This problem stems from not having proper boundaries!

Ok, so maybe you cannot relate to that.

Try this:

"...don't be afraid to confront my critical internal conscience that is sometimes too harsh..."

Come on, tell me I am not the only one with an overly critical internal conscience?!?!

Ok, here is another random quote:

"Confronting an irresponsible person is not painful to him; only the consequences (of his irresponsibility) are."

Yep!

Sometimes, "....It is not good to rescue someone from the consequences of their sin, for you will only have to do it again. You have reinforced the pattern." Proverbs 19:19.

I could go on an on with quotes and principles about boundaries.  Want me to? Want more or do you just wanna read the book!?

He goes on to confront myths that surround setting up boundaries.  Then talks about the war over boundaries, and also gets into resistance when new boundaries are set.  Really good stuff, cause he relates this to every relationship - spouses, parents, children, friends, co-workers, church family, etc.

I think y'all get that I love this book.  Just saw that there is a workbook!!! AND a series that dig deeper into the specific relationships. Man, I need a firm grip on boundaries!

How about y'all?

Tell me about a boundary you have set OR NEED TO SET!

living young. (Beth P)

I turned 43 today!

So far I like being 43! lol!

To be honest it feels the same as 42 so far.  *wink*

I am thrilled to still be on this earth at 43!

What a gift!

How about I make a list (43 would be too long) of 10 things you may not know about me at 43?!

1. I ate fudge for my snack this morning.  It rocked.

2. I love sleep.  I need sleep.  I now nap on a regular basis. And I am learning to not feel guilty about it.

3. I gave up sugar and white flour and it wasn't even that hard, thanks to (THM). And I don't mind having a birthday without sugar!

4. I am finally letting go of the fear of what others think of me..... wish I could say I learned it sooner, but better late than never.

5. I have committed to being more vocal.  More courageous with my words.  I have a lot to say that y'all don't even know!!!! *smile*

6. I am so excited about what God is doing in my life lately! Oh! And in my church family.  It is pretty cool, no, it is amazing. Ask me about it! I would love to chat with you!

7. I am learning how HUGE, I mean REALLY H.U.G.E. God really is. It is life changing.

8.  I often struggling with the aches and pains of an aging body, but I feel 33, yea, and I forget that I am 43 and it is probably a good thing I forget. I forget a lot of stuff. *wink*

9. I DO know I am not at all the same person I was at 41. THAT, I do know. And it is all because He is changing me in wonderful and fun ways! Sometimes painful, but mostly fun.

10. I wanna live like there won't be a 44 for me, and act like I am 33.

I watched this video last night (back when I was 43), both women are just precious. While I am often fearful and more like An in the video sometimes, I want the joy of the Ria at 78, don't you!?!?!

You will smile and laugh through this whole video! ENJOY!

embracing the men in your life. (BethP)

(These are from a couple years ago.)

Oh the men in my life! They ARE men.  Yet so young at heart! All three of them! In case I disappointed you with the tease about what it is like to be married to Daniel in another post, I thought I would share more about life with Daniel and my boys in this post.
I am not sure which desire is greater in men, the desire to win, the desire to compete, or the desire to experience and experiment!
You might live at the Paulsen house if you have:
1. bitten into raw ginger just to see what it is like.... fyi.... it is SPICY HOT!
2. found fully intact crawdads in the clothes dryer and assumed they were living when they started off in the pocket of someone's cargo pants in the washer.
3. ever asked if you could put a piece of pizza - among other things- in the Ninja blender.... just because.
4. done the cinnamon challenge MORE that once.
5. eaten raw jicama, and now desire to try raw rutabagas.
6. held your tongue in front of the air conditioning vent in the vehicle all the way home from Chapalla's Mexican Restaurant.
7. tried drinking carbonate milk.
8. you have mastered the art of camo painting trucks and trailers.
9. you get so dirty you have to nearly strip naked before entering the house.  (Yes, that is why all summer there are wet, muddy, sandy socks all over our front steps.)
10. found containers of live worms and grubs in the fridge next to things people EAT!
11. found containers of dead worms and grubs in the fridge next to things people EAT!
12. coined terms such as second breakfast, and second supper.
13. run through three feet of snow in only a pair of shorts.
14. come up with 100 reasons it is your brother's fault.
15. eat the insides of a snake cooked over a small fire in the bayou of Arkansas.
16. broken your nose more times than you can count.
17. have a ping pong table in your bedroom.
18. had massive marshmallow fights with up to 30 people in the house.
19. mooned University Avenue from high up in a cherry picker while working on parking lot lights.
20. slid off the barn into what you thought would be a very deep but soft pile of snow.

Those are just 20 glimpses into life at my house. I don't think it is asking too much for each of them to ALWAYS, ALWAYS kiss me goodnight.  IS IT?

(Again these are from a couple years ago, but they might be my favorites.)

plucking people from their death. (Beth P)

I am reading an incredible new book by Tony Evans, The Power of God's Names.  (CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOK). It has made a profound impact on me and my relationship with Him.   Today I read a passage that is really leaving me with serious thoughts about what He has called me to do in this world.
It reads: There's a story told that in Nazi Germany , when the Jews were sent to the death camps, they often rode trains through the the countryside. These trains often passed by churches full of German Christians who continued worshipping even as they heard the Jews being carried off to their deaths.
Later, a German Christian was asked how he could worship and study God's Word when he heard these trains pass by.  He simply replied, "When we heard the trains, we simply sang louder." These individuals chose to ignore the evil in their culture. They chose to remain in the church building but outside the righteousness of God  (God's viewpoint as our central focus).

Are WE just singing louder?!!?? Our culture is carrying people off to their deaths.  Evil is raping and molesting children everywhere.  All around us and around the world. Drugs and alcohol are dragging people to their deaths.

What are we doing?

THIS is what our faith should look like..... this woman's faith. AnnMarie Richards. SHE is plucking people from their death. Literally, and I would guess, many are being plucked spiritually too.  *smile*



CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT SHE IS DOING!

This is Cadet.  He has been plucked by the Hands and Feet Project in Haiti.  

..........praying. (Beth P)

Y'all my heart is heavy over the hurts I see happening to those around me.

So I whisper prayers. A lot. Out loud even. Sometimes while I drive.  Sometimes while I read.

Sometimes I feel like my prayers are just tiny wishes that float on the air until they disappear.

Sometimes it feels like they fall like a sinker into the muck of the riverbed.

HEY!

But praise God, our feelings don't determine the power of our prayers. All He asks is that I pray believing. And He asks that I come humbly before Him. He even tells us it takes only TINY TINY faith like a mustard seed. (Boy does He know my weakness.) And He hears.

He hears y'all!!!

He hears, He knows and he longs for that tiny wish I send to Him believing.  He longs to hear my say it whether in my heart or out loud from my lips. He LONGS for it! He doesn't mind if I am not on my knees, He understands if I am praying to Him on the inside while looking right at that friend.

Prayer matters.

Come on, ask me... ask me why the Almighty God of the Universe wants me to pray!!!

I know! He is in control so why does my prayer matter?!?!?

He chooses to LISTEN to MY prayers and let that be a catalyst in His will.

WOW!!! WOW!!!!

Doesn't that blow you away?

That's how much He loves and cherishes us! Amazing.

The answer is - relationship.

We have a God that didn't just create and set the world in motion hoping we don't screw it all up, He wants to move and work in every tiny or BIG situation we face.  He wants to build a bond with us, emotionally, spiritually and knit our souls with His!

Do you know what it is to have a relationship with Him?

Ask me!

Just ask me!

Message me on FACEBOOK! I can tell you more.  It's amazing. It's filling, it completes everything you are longing for in your soul.

I don't write for this blog to get more "likes" on Facebook;  I don't even do it to get you to like me. I do it because I want to build a relationship with more people that are longing for more of Him.

Come on, message me. *smile*

I promise I will pray for you...

if you want.

And He will hear.  

Cause He wants to hear, 

even though He already knows. 

 He WANTS to hear.

Don't stop.....letting go. (Beth P)

Let's face it. In general, we women can be controlling. A lot. If you are like me, you also like to be "right" and like to "fix" things.

It feels good; it feels safe. And, well, we are good at it. *smile*

If there is one thing I have learned in my old age (almost 43), it is learning to just let things go.

Little did I know when I am married Daniel, that learning to let things go would be a huge key to a happy marriage.  He and I are not only from very different cultures we are complete opposites in sooooo many ways.

I saw this on pinterest the other day---Go look at it and come back:

CLICK HERE TO SEE IT ON PINTEREST

Such a simple image with such a DIFFICULT statement.  Let it go.

Learning to let things go has brought me so much peace and harmony in my marriage.

That Pinterest image is neat, the thought of letting a balloon just float away.

HARD to do, but so so freeing.

I am not Daniel's mother.  I do not need to correct him like a child.

I am not the Holy Spirit in his life either.

I must let things go that he does that I may not like or approve of at the time, or things I am annoyed by.

I must let things go.... and as the older saying goes, let go and let God.

GOD is so much better at fixing things that I am, why don't I just leave it to him.

The more I let go, the more I fall deeper and deeper in love with Daniel too.

HE is actually the one God has used to teach me how to let things go.  

I am blessed.

..... encouraging our little girls. (Beth P)

I think we all can agree this is a difficult culture for our little girls to grow up in and feel secure about how they look on the outside. And I know you cannot really separate that from who they are on the inside, but I don't think little girls understand that until they are older.
I want to tell you about how you can help them in a way that we often forget. We can start TELLING the little girls in our lives what we think about how they look.  I am not saying to gush over how pretty they are to the point that they think it is all that is valuable about them.  BUT I have to say, that we don't realize the impact our words as adult women can have on a little girl dealing with insecurity.
I still remember the exact moment and place that a woman I looked up to told me I was beautiful.  I was actually shocked. I was a chunky little sixth grade girl. She was my teacher. She cupped my cubby cheeks in her hands and said with all her heart, "you're beautiful!" It didn't matter that she was a very large woman, she had a heart to match her size and she was beautiful to me.

I did not feel pretty.  I didn't know I was beautiful.  I didn't hate myself,  I just didn't know I could be seen as beautiful.  (Yes, I knew that my mother saw me that way but it is different when it's your moma!)

Oprah tells a similar story of the moment someone, a teacher, I think, told her she was "pretty as a speckled pup".  It was a big moment in her young life. 

YOU can create a special moment in the life of a little girl who just doesn't know that she can be beautiful.  YOU can even go further and tell her that it comes from the inside out. You can cup her chubby cheeks and tell her that she is very very special and why.  She may skip away seemingly un-phased.  But know that she might remember that moment, the moment she found out she could be beautiful.  

Meet Beth P!

Meet Beth P

If you look up the definition of grace you will find Beth P’s picture. Beautiful inside and out, this remarkable woman passionately loves Jesus and her family. Like all of us she struggles with living out her convictions but her determination and honesty makes it appear like she is immune. We can all learn a lot from her example. An avid and talented photographer, a great cook and a loyal friend, I am blessed to be able to spend time with her and I am confident that you will feel blessed by getting to know her too!

Ok enough of the serious. Here are the little known facts about BP:

1.     She doesn’t like corn! (I don’t know how she survives living in Iowa!)

2.     She hates cold weather! (I don’t know how she survives living in Iowa!)

3.     She loves real sweet tea! (I don’t know how she survives living in Iowa!)

4.     Like me, she is a huge Chick-fil-a fan. (I still don’t know how she survives living in Iowa!)

5.     If you need something photoshopped, Beth is your woman.

6.     Her husband puts live fish in his mouth and she still kisses him! She must really really love him!

7.     She has mad firearms skills.

8.     Her church is blessed by her singing and volunteering in many ways.

9.     She is like an Amazon warrior when it comes to prayer!

10.  She never condemns anyone while still standing up for her beliefs.

And most importantly, my life is better for knowing her!