Worth Fighting For

“Fighting Words” by Ellie Holcomb

Fear is like a broken record
Same old songs of accusation play
Like “Who are you to speak the truth”
“Just look at all your failures and mistakes”
“And if they really knew you”
“There’s no way they could love you anyway”

The enemy keeps talking
Telling me to hide my face in shame
Whispering that everything I’ve done will drive the Father’s Love away
Saying, “It’s too late for hoping”
“That something in your heart could ever change.”

My debt is paid, oh, I’ve been set free
And You gave Your life up to rescue me
You say that I am worth fighting for
And Grace is like waves that keep crashing on the shore

Fight the lies with the truth, woah-oh
Keep my eyes fixed on You
I will sing the truth into the dark
I will use my fightin’ words, woah-oh, oh
Fightin’ words, woah-oh, oh

I’m so tired of forgetting what I’m worth
So I will use my fightin’ words

Almost every night I listen to music to fall asleep. I’ve always loved noise when falling asleep, but when I began my waiting on Lucy, music became an even greater soul food, of sorts, that met me in the lowest of lows and the highest of highs and all the in betweens. Hymns, Praise Baby albums, Scripture Lullabies, Singer/songwriters became soothing during my nighttime “wind-down.” Ellie Holcomb’s Album, Red Sea Road, was one of the albums that I can’t overstate was monumental in my waiting, and has continued to be a reminder of God’s forever and always promises, love, and worth that only he can give, for me, Lucy, and her life giving mom. I prayed “Wonderfully Made” for her life giving mom, as I waited for the news, that she would know she was already so loved, seen, and worthy of such love. I prayed that Lucy would know, see, and feel this love in our home. I prayed that I would feel and know this love on the days that I lost focus and forgot my worth, because of the chaos of the world.

When Lucy arrived, I was told her life giving mom loved music. There was no doubt that Lucy had heard music, and good music, while growing in her mom’s tummy! She loved all kinds of music, her favorite to “chill” or the one that would calm her down the best, you guessed it, this Ellie Holcomb’s album.

When I am having a really hard time at night going to bed, because the fact that her little body won’t be beside mine is something I will never get over this side of eternity, I will listen to this album to fall asleep. “Fighting Words” was the second or third song to come on. And when I say, October has been a whirlwind of mind, heart, and soul battles- I mean it’s been a rough 15 days. Medically, well the government shut down doesn’t help any of this, at all. And honestly, I’m flabbergasted at the finger pointing when there are people’s lives in jeopardy. If this is any indication of the state of the United States and the legacy that we will have on this time in history, blatant party separation and no-compromise, I am ashamed. (The people I rarely agree with are making the most sense! This is outrageous! Jesus help!) Emotionally, well I am raw, kind of obvious. Mentally, I am quite foggy. Spiritually, I am hanging in there, running faster and faster to Jesus everyday.

This line always pierces my heart: “Same old songs of accusation play, Like ‘Who are you to speak the truth'”

The enemy LOVES to have me believe I have no place in speaking up, or sharing experience, or even suggesting or recommending something. He loves to tell me, “You are not married. You are no longer a visible Mommy. Nor did you ever physically give birth, so poo-poo on you. You’ve never had a “normal” job. You’ve never lived the “normal” life, nor can you.” He constantly is trying to tattoo my forehead with FAILURE, AKA Don’t take her seriously. When he expects me to give in to him, I use my fighting words!

I will speak truth. I will speak the Truth. I will fight the lies. Because the enemy doesn’t know my worth, because he didn’t give his life to rescue me, Jesus did. God defines my worth.

This doesn’t mean I don’t get beat down, or ball my eyes out until I have a horrible migraine, because believe me I DO! Sometimes I wait too long to cry! Pent up tears are not good for anyone!

What I am attempting to say is that no matter where you are in life, what you have gone through, if you seek the Truth, speak the Truth, the Truth will be heard. “T”ruth= God’s Word, The Bible. And even when speaking “t”ruth=facts, this also fights lies and misinformation.

Which leads me to what I ask you all to consider this week: Trump and his family’s faith and salvation. Yes, I am not his biggest fan, but Jesus came for all people. He has made troubling comments about his entry into heaven, whether or not he will “get in.” The latest (i will link below) seriously troubles me because of the evangelical presence that seemed so present in his first term, and at the beginning of this term, although some have faded. Evangelical, means, relating to or being in agreement with the Christian gospel, especially as it is presented in the four Gospels. The Gospel, The Good News: We messed up, God sent His Son as a baby, to live a human life, die on the cross for ALL our messy sin, be buried, and resurrected, until the time when He has chosen to welcome all believers into His Eternal Kingdom. Now what this requires of us is a relationship, confession of sin, humility, and a lot of surrendering. (more in link below) We can’t win our way, we can’t Nobel Peace Prize our way there, or gain any award to get there. So ultimately individuals have to make the choice, bottom line. But have they even been offered the Truth? There are a lot of people that have sat in his presence, have had the opportunity to have many speeches – quite lengthy, maybe this is a wake up call for all of us to make sure we are getting the full Good News to ALL people.

The picture today is from some of the very first days with Lucy in the NICU. My mom likes to call this my “Lucy smile.” It’s a smile that I have in almost every picture that she is in my arms. It’s a smile that is different than an other smile – before her and since she ran ahead. I can’t recreate it now. It’s not something that is something you can take off and put back on. It wasn’t/isn’t my usual smile. It was my hard fought, now my Lucy baby is in my arms and I am her Mommy, and we are a family, fully content, in the moment, Jesus loves us smile. Not long after Lucy ran ahead into the arms of Jesus, she said, “I want to see that smile again.” My response, “And I think it will happen in Heaven.”

Life Book of the Week: Jackson Goes Camping (Adventures with Action Jackson) by John Schara. This book is available on Amazon. It is written by Jackson’s Dad. Jackson is who I introduced you to a few weeks back – you can find them on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jacksonsnmjourney1 or Facebook or instagram.

https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-gospel.htm