everything will be fine

Another long week comes to a close. Another long week is about to start.

This week will see me working a lot. I'm not complaining. I like working. Friday will be interesting...I'll be working 9-5:30 (with a break from 1-1:30, thank goodness). We'll see how well I can manage my ADHD.

Sometimes I wish my life was simple. Normal. But then I remember that it wouldn't be exciting and neurotic. You can't have it all. At least not all at once.

The nice thing about insomnia is that it leaves ample time to think. I've been getting lots of quality thinking time in lately.

I usually blog with a purpose or theme. Not tonight. I'm too tired, my thoughts are too scattered, my emotions are too exhausted.

Good night. Love,

Shelley

more on comparisons

I've never been very into formulas. I see big pictures, not details. I prefer to do things "off the cuff" and just see what happens. However, I work very well with guidelines and strategies. So I've drawn some more comparisons between working for Ann Taylor and witnessing.

In a recent store meeting, we were given some guidelines on how to work with clients:

-Get to know the client. Be familiar with her lifestyle, know where she's coming from, her background, etc. Befriend her, let her get to know you. Create an emotional connection with her. In doing this, you'll know what to offer her, what will appeal to her, what will work for her, and most of all, make you care about what you bring her. If you don't know or like your client, you won't be motivated to help them.

-Be knowledgeable about the product. Know what you're talking about. Be excited about it. A mirror can convince a client to buy a product, but a stylist can convince her to try it on with how good she makes it sound. Make the client trust you--f she doesn't think you know about the product, she won't. Also, care about the product. If the client doesn't think you love it, she'll second guess it.

-Have style credibility. Wear your words. Follow your own advice. A client will be much more inclined to buy something if a stylist is wearing it, and wearing it well. This is another huge factor in establishing trust with your client. Look stylish, and [at least act like you] know it. She's the client, you're the stylist. If you look sloppy, and you're trying to sell her a chic dress, she won't do it.

Any of this sound familiar? Of course, talking about clothes is a huge leap away from talking about Christ, but apply these same principles in a different context, and what do we get?

-Get to know the unbeliever. Learn their story, their background, their lifestyle. Care about them. We are called to love the lost. So love them. Let them know you love them and want to help them. The unbeliever will be much more inclined to listen to you if they feel like you care about them.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3: "If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am a noisy going or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

-Be equipped with the Sword of the Spirit. Know what you're saying, and know why you believe it. It's not enough to say, "Christ died for your sins. Believe in Him, repent of your sins and you can be with Him." Why? How? Where is that found? If the unbeliever doesn't feel like you know what you're talking about, they won't take you seriously. Give examples, give reasoning, always take it back to Scripture. The unbeliever will see evidence that not only do you know what you're saying, but that you truly care about it. Evangelism is about showing God's love to the people you love.

2 Timothy 4:2: "Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."

-Be credible. Be in the world, not of the world. The unbeliever won't listen to you if you act like "everyone else" while preaching something different. I'm not talking about modesty (although standards of modesty are, of course, important). I'm talking about your attitude. How you live your life. Do you demonstrate God's love and grace in everything you do, or only when you're trying to win people to Christ? The unbeliever will observe you in everything, and if you talk about love, mercy, graciousness, repentance, freedom in Christ, etc. but don't carry it out, what kind of credibility have you established? Live out your faith.

Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

If you read my blog, I pray that you find this helpful. Like I said--I don't like formulas, but I like strategies. I'll end today with another verse from Paul's second letter to Timothy:

"As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:4

Love,

Shelley

on everything

>>>My room is a mess. Mainly because I'm never home for a long enough period of time to clean it. Also because the speakers on my computer are not great, and I refuse to do anything time consuming without a lot of music to help me.

>>>My hair is straight. Feeling adventurous, with hair still wet yesterday morning, I ran a brush through it for the first time in I don't know how long (curly hair is not meant to be brushed). After which I blow-dried it and straightened it. And guess what? My hair is getting LONG. So I repeated this process today, liking the way my hair feels as it brushes across my shoulders. It won't last long though, it will most likely be back to its curly, barely manageable self tomorrow.

>>>My journal is filling up. So many things to write in it. I like my journal more than I like my blog. Most of my thoughts either aren't worth blogging, or are not purposed to be blogged.

>>>My piano is suffering through my mood swings. Days of neglect followed by days of much love and attention. The latter has been the past few days, although at the moment, most of my preferred music is lacking a little something [read: someone] special.

>>>My anticipation is mounting. In less than 50 days, I get to meet my beautiful niece Savannah, see my wonderful sister and co., and stand by my "twin" sister as she gets married. October 9th is going to be an amazing day.

>>>My God is continually preserving and strengthening me. He loves me forever.

leaning on Him

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:3-4

Love,

Shelley

waiting on the world to change

I've recently been feeling very convicted by my lack of evangelism. I can very easily say I have a "heart for evangelism," and a "love for the lost," but at the moment, since I'm not in school anymore, I haven't been living that out. My wandering mind has led me to draw comparisons.

I work at Ann Taylor. Every time I go in and start my shift, my manager updates me on how we are doing in terms of sales, Style Rewards, etc. I am good at both of those things. I can add 3 pieces to an outfit in a dressing room and I can convince women to open credit cards. I'm trustworthy and persuasive. I make people like me. So it hit me earlier,

Why am I not capitalizing on this outside of a clothing store??

When I am so good at helping women find clothes that will work for them, why am I not helping people in their walk with the Lord, or helping them to find their walk?

When I am so good at saying, "Have you heard about our Style Rewards program? Here are all the benefits...," why am I not saying, "Have you heard about Jesus? Here's how he died so you could live...?"

Ann Taylor sets a sales goal for every hour, day, week, month. I'm going to set myself a witnessing goal. I'm excited!

Love, Shelley

well it goes without saying

Been too busy to blog lately...summer does not = summer break.

I have the privilege of lending my soprano-ness to a choir that will perform at two fundraising events for Voice of the Martyrs. VOM is a wonderful organization and I am proud to be a part of this, but the rehearsing is a trip. Fortunately, the two events are the last two Fridays of this month, so we're almost done!

Ann Taylor hired me as a stylist/sales associate, which is fun. When I was a little girl, I would have fainted from excitement if I knew that at 18, I would be required to get moderately dressed up for work, and spend hours styling people. I also think I would have been shocked if I knew that I would come to resent wearing high heels at the end of each day. Mais c'est la vie, n'est-ce pas?

Today is the first day all week that I am home for dinner. Well, really, it's the first day all week that I've been home period. I've been looking forward to today for that very reason, but now that it's more than halfway through the day, I feel like I need to be doing something. I'm not sure I know how not to do anything anymore. All I've been able to do all day is think--which I haven't had time for all week. It's odd.

Well, I've knocked out two items on my list of things to do. Good for me.

I think this is my most aimless, undirected post to date. Time to go find something to do.

Love,

Shelley

measure in love

Something that I have been pondering for a while now is the issue of homosexuality and the rights demanded by homosexuals in this country. As recent as a year ago, I would have told you, straight up, homosexuality was the worst offense, that there is no "coming back" from it, and that conservatives should fight to keep gay marriage illegal at all costs. What I would not have said, but would have felt, is that homosexuals aren't worth my time. I am truly ashamed to admit that. The homosexuals I came in contact with were immediately written off and disdainfully ignored.

I don't recall when specifically my mind changed, but after praying, reading and thinking about it, I came to the realization that homosexuals deserve and need to hear the Gospel just as much as every other unbeliever. If, as is so often the case, Christians more often judge and pay less attention homosexuals than to the rest of the world, can we hardly blame them for rejecting Christ? What example do we set?

I do believe homosexuality is wrong. Scripture gives ample evidence to that. But does that mean that I shouldn't love homosexuals? Does that mean I shouldn't pray for them? Does that mean I shouldn't waste my breath telling them about Christ? Of course not.

I would never do anything to assist in the passing of a gay marriage law. However, I am not going to waste energy standing in its way. Marriage was given to Christians as a religious, Scriptural institution. And to Christians, it has remained that way. But in this country, where two people have to get permission from their state to get married, marriage is a civil institution, having nothing to do with religion. For this reason, I don't see the point in conservatives spending valuable time, money and effort into making sure that no two men or women can obtain a marriage license, especially when this law is so inevitable. Gay marriage will become legal very soon. When thousands of children are being murdered legally in this country every day, when Christians are persecuted for their faith all around the world, why are we so concerned about this group of people that simply wants the benefits that come with being "married?" Conservatives need to throw up their hands on this issue and narrow their focus to things on which they have a fighting chance--i.e. Roe v. Wade.

When this does pass into law, homosexuals will forever look back and say, "The Christians tried to stand in our way." And they'd be right. I know that many don't share this same view, but the way I see it, how does it affect me if homosexuals can get married? Oh yeah, it doesn't really. I was not put on this earth to judge homosexuals--or anyone. I was put here by God to a) glorify Him, b) spread His Word, and c) love. First and foremost, I love Christ. I love the Church. And I love the lost. How do I glorify God and spread His Word if I don't overflow with love for those to whom He called me to witness? Equally as important, why would the lost be open to the teachings of Christ if Christians are perpetually antagonizing them? What if Christians gently but firmly stated that we do not agree with homosexuals' lifestyle choices, but that we love them? Why all the commotion that only ends in bitterness on both sides? Why would homosexuals ever be open to the Gospel after that?

As I have said, I think the passage of this law is imminent. But I firmly believe that a necessary caveat to this law be that churches must reserve the right not to perform homosexual wedding ceremonies, or grant church membership to homosexual couples. In talking with my brother-in-law about this the other night, he profoundly commented that more important than churches having the right not to perform such ceremonies will be churches having the courage not to. Hmm.

I have been told that my point of view is too conservative for liberals and too liberal for conservatives. Story of my life.

In peace and love,

Shelley