Collage of Thoughts Continues

Continuing on in my collage of thoughts, my first one for today has to do with the title of my blog.  It is so strange that being real with the women in my life about me and about the world around me seems to make gals un-easy.  But I know....I KNOW they see things similar to the way I do most times, and struggle with things very similar to me.  They just think speaking out about them publicly is.....not cool?....or not ethical....or whatever.  How have we women arrived to this point of such discretion?  It isn't right.  We need others in our lives who truly know us.  It can't continue....this living our lives to our selves.  We must open our lives up to other women.... but only to trustworthy (non-gossipping, God-fearing, full of integrity) women and share what is going on in our minds and hearts.  If not, we are promoting a frenzy of anxieties, depressions, isolations and such that may not really have to be in our lives in the first place.  Hope that makes sense.  

We share life with others.....but it's usually just surface-y stuff. We talk about the weather with such passion; how we like it or hate it or wish it was a little bit warmer, cooler, less windy, less humid.  We talk about our favorite television shows; how we can't stand so-and-so's character or how we LOVE so-and-so in such-and-such show.  We have no problems spilling the beans about what we think of our work life, our pet's life, our favorite t.v. show's recent episode, our neighbor's life, our current town's weather, our future vacation plans, our spouse's choices, our president's view points, our waiter's wardrobe.....you get the picture.  But when it comes to sharing with other women about our hearts, our dreams/broken dreams, our goals, our accomplishments, our loves, our insecurities, our fears.....we freeze....we hide it....we conceal the real stuff most of the time.  Why?

Women of faith especially, I am talking to you.  As a believer in Christ, you should know that you are special and loved by the one and only Holy and Mighty God.  God loves the whole world and everyone in it (John 3:16-17), but when you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you become more than just loved by God---you become one of God's children. Family. God wants the best for His people. You should know that Christ wants you to have deeper friendships, the best relationships, hope-filled hearts, joyful minds and.....abundant life. He loves you. Women of Christ, you are the Heavenly Father's daughters.  Why wouldn't He want the best for his kids??  Yet, we stay quiet about our fears, weaknesses, pains, failures with people who are our sisters in Christ.....folks who have the Spirit of God in them and can help us cope, strengthen us, look-out for us, etc.  Very often we don't allow others to help us.....when God wants to use EACH ONE of us every day to help, to serve, to strengthen, to encourage, to admonish, to love, to protect, to comfort one another.

Get REAL, women and LIVE like no other. In Jesus' name, I pray that you would. AMEN