Author: UYM

Joceline's Posts, {Faith}

But God…

UYM

Written By: Joceline Sweeney

Every spring as the snow finally melts off and the fresh grass is awakened, I can be overcome with fear. The smell of the sweet crisp air blowing in from the open windows sadly stirs me. Why at such a time of newness and growth would fear and sorrow creep up on me?

Many years ago, as a growing family my husband and I were looking to purchase our first home. There were not very many on the real estate market and in our price range, so when we found one, we acted quickly. In a whirlwind of paper work, packing tissue and cardboard boxes our moving day arrived. It was the perfect time to take the next step together as a family, spring had sprung and it was going to be great. We busied ourselves unpacking and began to turn the house into our own home sweet home.  The first week was terrifically exhausting and wonderful, but as Friday rolled around it came to a sorrowful screeching halt.  Exactly One week after our moving day, my husband came home from work with some bad news. He had just received a lay-off notice from his job, not just him but hundreds of others workers as well. We both spiraled into fearfulness. How could this happen? What were we going to do? Were we going to lose the house we felt the Lord called us to buy? Why Lord? Why?

But God!

After those two words some of you probably expected to read that everything worked out for us and that my husband got called back to work right away and we were happy! No, it was a very difficult year for us. I shed more tears than I should have. Worried way more than I should have. In the midst of life’s storms it is really hard to see what’s going on. It is so easy to get caught up trying to figure it all out. I remember saying to God “whatever it is you are trying to teach me just hurry up and do it… I’m tired!” We had so little money that the first Christmas we had in our own home we now call “Our poor Christmas” It was a year of wandering sadness. Right down to the last week before no more money would be coming in, panic began to take over. Where would we live? How would I tell my daughters?  How would we survive? The circumstances were almost unbelievable!  Things that had never happened were happening. The office my husband was to write a new career test at, was on strike! I had never heard of them striking before! I went into our bedroom so my girls wouldn’t see me and I shouted to the Lord in sheer desperation and said “Is this what you wanted? I am complete broken and defeated? I have nothing left!!! “I cried until I could cry no more, when I finally picked myself up of the floor, I remembered feeling a strange sense of renewed hope.

 

But God… through His faithfulness carried us, He never abandoned us. We prayed harder than we ever had before and God faithfully answered. It wasn’t always what we were expecting but He never faltered. He was faithful. We never went without.

Now when this time of year rolls around and the spring newness surrounds me, I choose not to fear but to instead remember God’s faithfulness. Allowing the sweet spring breeze to wash over me, not with sadness but with a heart full of hope and gratefulness.

Until Next Time,

~Joceline

Uncategorized

{Beauty} Saying Goodbye.

UYM

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

 

Goodbye to the pressure of myself.

Goodbye to the high expectation that just keeps rising.

Goodbye to heartbreaks and the people that cause heartbreaks.

Goodbye to the people pleaser that I use to be.

Goodbye to the fears raging inside of me.

Goodbye to the shame that I have carried for far too long.

Goodbye to the hater comments that I took as personal attacks.

Goodbye to the season of mourning and constant tears.

Goodbye to the people that just tear me down and use my God-given talents to better themselves.

Goodbye to the on whom I thought was “Mr. Right.”

Goodbye to the moments of faithless defeat.

Goodbye to the sleepless nights spent sick in the Emergency Room.

Goodbye.

 

But, because my God is greater than all of those things and more. I choose to take a step forward and prophetically say Hello to the things that I am taking and claiming back, straight from the enemy himself.

 

God reminds us in scripture, in 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

It’s a NEW Day, Sister. Say Hello and embrace it with ever fiber of your very being. Together, let’s declare these things and claim them for ourselves. Grab a hold of this!

 

Hello Freedom.

Hello Peace.

Hello Hope.

Hello Fearlessness.

Hello Courage.

Hello JOY.

Hello Love.

Hello Faith.

Hello Bravery.

Hello Health.

 

Hello God!

Hello the old-new me, it’s been quite awhile…Glad you’re back.

 

Until Next Time,

~Kerrington

Lanissa's Posts

{Becoming} Becoming Means Removing Sneaky Idols & Refocusing

UYM

Written By: Lanissa Reale

Sneaky Idols

‘And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me.  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God’ Exodus 20:1-5

I just finished a 21 Day Fast to begin this new year, and throughout this Fast the Lord has been challenging me to ask myself the question “where are you dwelling?”  Where am I spending most of my time, my mind space, my emotions?  In the truth of the Lord, or in something else?

I have been fasting tv at night so that I could go to bed earlier and wake up earlier to spend time with the Lord.  And to be honest?  I LOVE MY SLEEP!  That’s the reason I chose to fast what I did, because my desire to “snooze” was becoming greater than my desire to spend time with the Lord!  Ha!  Can anyone relate?!

Do you have something like that in your life?  Something that has become almost a norm that you find yourself more willing to do that thing then dwell in the truth of the Lord?  Whether it’s hitting the snooze button 10 times, dwelling in a negative emotion for too long, cancelling commitments so you can stay home instead?  Etc.  I think we all do. 

And the more I read this scripture, I realized that these idols the Lord talks about aren’t always so obvious.  Sometimes they are excessive sleep.  Sometimes they are living in fear.  They really are anything that keeps our focus off of God and our heart in a different place. 

I want to encourage us to dig a little deeper.  To not just choose to pursue Him completely during the fast, but to begin to remove things in our lives so that we can continue to do so after the fast!

You see Becoming is not just attending Church and gleaning from other’s Revelations, Becoming is getting to EXPERIENCE Jesus.  We get that opportunity girls!  And it’s huge.  And the Lord sent His Son so that we could experience Him.  We have access to Him, not when we have behaved correctly- not when we have stopped sinning.  Our sin, our shortcomings no longer separate us from our Holy Father.  We can come, whenever we decide to.

But let us not be confused.  Because of this immense and freeing access to a relationship with the Father- the enemy will do anything he can to try and keep you from that freeing relationship.  Place other things in our eye sight.  Try and push other things in your focus.  Things that at first may even seem good.  Sneaky Idols.

But our focus, when placed on anything other than our loving God, is misplaced.

I don’t want my heart to be focused on anything but Him. Because I know what happens when that becomes the case.  Your heart and soul were meant to be focused on only one thing.  And as hard as it may be at first, you can do it.  You were made for it! 

You were made for freedom sweet girl.  And it is available for you!

And we want to be here to help you!!  Let’s do this journey of life as young women together!


Let’s CHAT below:

What has become a sort of idol in your life recently?  What are some practical ways that you can begin to be disciplined in not giving in to those things?  Let’s chat in the blog comments below! 

Until Next Time
~ Lanissa Reale
(lanissareale.wordpress.com)

Taylor's Posts, {Worth}

{Worth} Numbers Don’t Measure Your Worth

UYM

Written By: Taylor Fast

“Do you have an eating disorder?”  I have honestly been asked this question multiple times throughout my life.  What if I actually did have one?  Do you honestly think I would tell someone I hardly know?  Do you really think asking me that question would make me seek out help if I did have one?  Does that question make me feel happy?  Obviously, hearing those words was quite devastating to me.

If anyone comments on your weight or comments about your outer appearance, I want to remind you ladies that your weight, height, or any other physical features do not measure your worth.  I also want to remind everyone that commenting on someone’s weight because they are skinny in your opinion so you feel it’s acceptable is most definitely NOT acceptable.  Whatever somebodies weight is, it is none of our business- as all bodies are beautiful bodies.

“You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.” Song of Solomon 4:7 (ESV)

Women of God, remember that your body is a temple; one that God has given you to take care of, nurture, and love.  It is so easy for us to get caught up in how the world says we should look, and even get caught up in the comments others say- I urge you not to!  Our bodies will change as we age, but we will always be beautiful.  Find love and compassion for yourself in the way you look.  Part of being healthy involves loving ourselves, when we love ourselves we take the time to care for our bodies and grow in our self-esteem and worth.

I urge you all to look in the mirror and pick out three things you love about your body.  I also want you to pick out three things you love about your personality.  Rock you today as you go out in the world, no matter what beautiful shape you are!  As you are out and about in the world today, also be aware of how you speak with others, are your words filled with life and love, or anger and jealousy?

Until Next Time

~ Taylor

Joceline's Posts, {Love}

{Love} A Little

UYM

Written By: Joceline Sweeney

When my girls were younger and still often times, even as they are now already 18, 15 and 11, I can still be overcome by some serious mom guilt.  As I sneak into their rooms before I go to bed and check on them (yes I still check to see if they’re breathing. I know right?)

I can so be overcome with pain as I recall the day we may have had.  The many NO’s I gave them for no reason when a yes would have been just as easy.  Unfit words spoken, shortness and all around just a day that I hope we don’t repeat together again.  It can be so disheartening.

As I have crawled into bed many a times weary from the day, a day that would not put me in the running for a mother of the year award.  I have to remind myself that even though some of my mothering may have been a train wreck I was still there… a little.

A little as I help my sweet youngest daughter brush her hair into a pony tail, telling her how much she has grown and how proud I am of her.

A little when I stop to tell my incredibly creative middle daughter what a beautiful job she has done on yet another wonderful creation.

A little when I sit down at my computer to write my words down for this blog to show my passionate oldest daughter how I believe in the importance of the work God has called her to.

A little when I made their favorite meal.

A little when I didn’t get frustrated when we had to review the same concept in school until it was mastered.

A little when I kiss their dad, even though they act like it’s awful to see.

A little when I call to make a doctor’s appointment.

A little when I wink at them and smile with my eyes.

At the end of the day if you are climbing into bed with a heavy heart, with some mom guilt, friendship guilt or daughter guilt, remember… when you are there a little, those moments will add up to be a lot… a little at a time.

Until Next Time,

~Joceline

 

Kerrington's Posts, {Life}

{Life} Coffee Stained Rags

UYM

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

From a youth leaders heart…
It was 7:54pm.  The students were just about to rush out of the youth room at 8pm, on a Wednesday night.  There I was attempting to begin tidying up the great big mess and thinking to myself what a full night we had, had.

As the trash all over the floors and the never ending amount of crumbs seemed to pile up…I had it in my mind, that I really wanted to be out of that room in 6 minutes like the rest of the crowd.  I took it upon myself to make sure that room would be all neat and tidy when that clock would strike, 8pm.  I went into what I like to call…”The cleaning zone.”  Scrambling to get everything done in a very short amount of time.

I was quickly removing extra chairs from the tables and vigorously wiping down the coffee station when…this young gal, came up behind me and asked if I was busy?  I replied with: “Yes! I am just trying to quickly clean right now! So I can leave!”  It was her response that broke my heart and brought me to tears…  “Oh that’s okay, I guess I can just ask you next week, when you’re not so busy.”

As she began to turn and walk away, the Holy Spirit nudged me to stop her.  I quickly turned around and said “I’m sorry, what’s your question my dear?”  She continued on to say, that she really needed someone to pray with her.  That she just needed a little heart-to-heart chat time with me.  So right then and there, I whipped my coffee stained rag that was occupying my hands aside, and we sat on the couch, in the crazy chaos of the youth room and had a beautiful moment together.  We prayed.  We laughed.  She then began to weep, as I spoke many words of life over her and encouraged her to press into Jesus.

Leaders, how often this truly does happen in ministry, heavies my heart.  What is occupying your loving hands and stealing your encouraging words today?  For me, it was that coffee stained rag and that messy youth room that was distracting me, from my purpose in that moment as a youth leader.

Leaders as a reminder to you, like the Holy Spirit reminded me, it’s not about the neat and tidy youth room until after 8pm, when you see your last students leave the room and the goodbye chats have been said.  I think at times, we lose sight of what truly is important in the church.  And Church, is truly about the youth and the kids.  Because always remember, those little souls, they are the future church.
Give up your coffee stained rags and go love on someone today.

Forgive often.  Live abundantly.  Love unconditionally.

Until Next Time,
~Kerrington

Kerrington's Posts, {Faith}

{Faith} Running From “IT”

UYM

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

Have you ever been in a place…where you were running from something?  Something you wanted to escape from?  Something that needed to be dealt with?  Something that was painful and would be awful to bring back up?

We all have those moments of running.

Recently, I had an experience just like this.  I kept myself crazy busy, so that I could continue running from this painful situation in my life.

Of course, running from our mistakes, regrets and mistakes is what we could say “the easy way out.”  But in the long run, its not.  Running only makes the process of dealing and solving the problems that may have occurred, dreadfully longer;  and they don’t have to be.

God reminds us in the Bible, in 1 Peter 5:7

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

It’s in those moments, where I don’t even know where to turn, that I lean in close on that verse.  It’s those moments where I press in, just to hear His tender whisper of love.

Wherever you are, whatever you are running from.  Sister, sit down.  Take a moment and ask God to allow His peace and presence to rain in your life.  Because like that verse reminds us, that we are to cast all our fears, anxiety and worries upon the Lord.  He is our fortress.  He is a mighty God, who does BIG things.  He loves unconditionally.

Remember, whatever you are running from is never bigger than our God.

Until Next Time,

~Kerrington

Melissa's Posts, {Beauty}

{Beauty} The Beautiful Unwritten Ending

UYM

 

Written by: Melissa Longval

This is a story of a little girl with sandy coloured hair and big hopes for her future.  She loved Hostess Cupcakes and chocolate milk.  Outside was her favourite place to be, among the flowers and the trees.

This little girl was kind and gentle, but her home life was anything but.  Her parents, busy with work, would often overlook her, especially when they were fighting…and they fought a lot.  The little girl would run outside to her safe spot until the yelling quieted down.

But the tension at home never calmed down.  It was always thick and present.  It laced every interaction her parents had with each other.  This stress started to wear on the little girl and over time, it changed her.

As she grew, in order to cope, she looked for ways to escape the conflict.  There were many options to choose from—she chose alcohol.  What she didn’t understand was how this alcohol couldn’t provide the escape she was hoping for.  Instead it jailed her in a prison with more conflict and pain than she could have imagined.

As time passed, she did her best to control herself.  She wore the brightest smile and would laugh and laugh.  So many people never knew what kept her chained.  Though the sandy haired woman had a family and friends, she was filled with so much pain.

She couldn’t face the prison, so she denied it.  Ignored it.  Tried to pretend it didn’t exist and in the process, she hurt those she loved most.  Shame covered her and tried to destroy her.  It lied to her and told her she was unworthy, unloved, ugly.  It whispered that no one would ever love her if they knew her secrets.  So she hid them deeper.

The beauty of this sad story, like all our stories, is that the end is not yet written.  We have the blessing of allowing Jesus to write our endings.  To surrender our pasts to Him and allow Him to remove our shame and redeem our stories.  He will not give us a fairy-tale ending, but a good ending because Jesus is good and all He does within us is good.

Jesus will take our shame that threatens to destroy, and work it for our good.  He rectifies our mistakes…makes good from bad.

Even if we end up in a real prison, Jesus advocates and intercedes for us.  He replaces our shame with His love and washes us white as snow.  There is no story too bad for Jesus to rewrite.  After all, Jesus is the author of our faith.

Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. Isaiah 61: 7

 

Until next time,

~Melissa

 

Lanissa's Posts

{Becoming} From My Head to My Heart, Lord Take Me On a Journey

UYM

Written by: Lanissa Reale

Becoming is the journey we get to take together, as we come as an online community to receive encouragement and empowerment.  We get to be encouraged as we Become the women God created us to be.  Becoming is the journey we take with the Lord, as He moulds us throughout our life.  Empowering you in your Becoming is my passion.  We’ve spoken a bit about it already (check previous posts)- and now let’s keep getting deeper!  In order to fully embrace our Becoming, we have to be willing to go on the journey.

lanissa.png

 

‘When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” ‘ Exodus 14:10-14

This entire chapter of Exodus 14 cracks me up & relates so deeply to me at the same time. The Lord, through Moses, had set the people of Israel free from being servants of the Egyptians as Pharaoh had let them go! 

Can you imagine the pure joy?!?!  Being set free from bondage & walking freely?  We’ve all been here in some way or another.  God has set us free from something, He has answered a prayer, He has brought something back together in our lives- we are free!

Our hearts are exploding!!  And we begin to walk freely, & then like the people of Israel we notice that not everything is just perfect.  The Israelites noticed that the Egyptians, from whom they had been set free, were after them again to try and take them back!  Their MINDS freaked out!

How could you set us free and then let our enemies come after us again, Lord?!  The funny part?  God was the one who had hardened the hearts of the Egyptians & made them go after the people of Israel!  Why?  Simply because He wasn’t satisfied with just giving freedom to His people from their enemy, He wanted to defeat the enemy completely. 

And as we know, later in that chapter the Egyptians (by the Lord’s strength & will alone) were defeated and swallowed up by the Red Sea. 

Sweet friends, God has defeated our enemies.  And wants to show us continually that He has done so.  Your life is a process, and He isn’t interested in showing you everything at once!  “Fear not, and stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today!”

Everyday we live is a journey, and I pray that we would allow God to take us on that journey of trusting Him in the journey. Of giving us the faith to fear not, stand firm and see His salvation worked out in us each day. From our heads to our hearts, take us on that journey Lord!

Let’s CHAT below: Share your thoughts on this post with us below in the blog comments!  Are you sometimes tempted to be a bit bipolar when it comes to trusting God?  Ha!  I know I can be!  How can we address that inconsistency Biblically?

 

Until next time

~ Lanissa Reale (lanissareale.wordpress.com)

Guest-Writers

{Pastor’s Wife} The “Seasoned” Pastor’s Wife

UYM

Written By: Luisa Parish

Good friends of ours recently accepted their first pastoral position at a local church a few hours away.  My husband and I were thrilled for them!  So, being a seasoned veteran (and I use that term intentionally as you will see!), I decided it would be good to share some advice with my friend as she officially becomes a pastor’s wife.

I thought back over the past decade or so in ministry – three churches, three hometowns, and now three children later.  Each ministry position and church had its own challenges and blessings, and I have struggled a great deal at times.  It’s not always easy, but there have been some points of wisdom placed into my life along the way…

When we first started in ministry, my husband was the youth pastor of a small church in Southwestern Ontario.  We were just married and were beginning a life together.  It was an amazing season!  We watched dozens of community kids walk through the doors and find healing in Jesus Christ.  I watched some incredible transformations that could only come from Christ alone.  Besides my full time job I spent so much time working beside my husband in ministry.  I was a youth leader, sang on the worship team and had regular coffee and dinner dates with some of the teen girls who attended regularly.  As a valuable bonus, we were living only about 20 minutes away from both of our families.  I loved everything about it!

In May 2011 we received some life changing news.  While at a youth conference my husband and I both felt God telling us that our time at that church was coming to a close and it was time to step aside and let someone else take over.  We loved this group but trusted that God saw the bigger picture and knew what he was doing.

It was shortly after this time that we found out we were pregnant with our first child.  We were beyond thrilled but knew things were going to be different from here on out.

A few months later my husband accepted a job as the Associate Pastor at a church in Sudbury Ontario.  Eight hours away from home!  I was six months pregnant when we made the move.  The first few months went by well as we became accustomed to a new city, a new family dynamic, and a new ministry.

Part of my husband’s job was to oversee the youth ministry. Naturally I assumed I would resume the role I had from the previous church, however, due to my new role as a mother I also knew that I couldn’t commit to that role as fully as before. I helped out as much as I could before the baby was born, but had a harder time connecting with the youth and soon had no hands on part in that ministry at all.

About three months into this new season our daughter was born and life changed.  Immediately I was having a hard time balancing the role of wife, mother, and Pastor’s wife.  I admit that at times I would even call my mom crying and asking her to come and rescue me!

We lived in Sudbury for almost four years.  And I would be lying if I said I figured out how to balance it all before we left.  It was a personal struggle much of the time I was there.  I had a hard time connecting with people, getting involved in the church and learning how to raise not 1 but 2 young children.  I was so caught up in my own stresses and frustrations that I didn’t always see my husband struggling.  After all, it was a different church then our last and carried with it many new challenges.  There were times when I felt like I was more of a hindrance then a help to him.  I depended so much on him and demanded even more.  I expected a lot from the people around me and yet was still unsatisfied and frustrated.  But God speaks to us when we need Him the most and He often speaks during the frustrations of life.  This was one of those times for me…

I remember sitting in a small group meeting when a friend said to me, “You have to stop relying on people to be your foundation.  You need to trust and depend on Christ.  People, on their own, will often fail you.  You will stay in this rut until you look up and get your strength from Jesus and him alone.”

I’ll never forget that. I must admit I haven’t always lived out that advice.  I still struggled to shake off unnecessary expectations – both from myself and from others.  Many days I struggled to simply maintain sanity in a life devoted to serving people and serving my family at home.  God’s word, not man’s becomes the foundation I have learned to depend on, though, as we walk onward together.  

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”  The writer goes on to explain that there are times to plant and to uproot (v.2), to tear down and to build (v. 3), to weep and to laugh (v. 4), and even a time for war and a time for peace (v. 8).  I wonder if that is a missing piece to many of our lives – including those in ministry.  I wonder how often we try to become everything to everyone at all times.  I think it is wise to ask God regularly, “Lord, what season is it right now?  And how can I fulfill your ministry in this time and place?”  Perhaps our greatest peace will come when we learn the times and seasons of the Lord and of our life.

I had to accept that there are seasons in life.  When we had no children I was able to invest so much into our ministry.  But now the seasons change, and we have two, (soon to be 3), children under the age of 5 in my house.  Naturally my ministry will change.  Sure it looks different then before but it’s just as effective, as long as I trust and am obedient to what God is calling me to.  Stop putting expectations on myself, and others.  To instead constantly asking God to give me the strength and wisdom to minister where he wants me to be.

Have I mastered it?  Not even close, I still fail regularly. But know that one day I will get it right, as long as I am constantly relying on Him wherever and whenever He calls me.

~Luisa

About Luisa:

IMG_20160407_135616-2Luisa Parish is a wife, daughter, sister, friend and soon to be a mother of three!  She has been married to her husband Corey for almost 7 years!  Corey is the Associate Pastor at Central Pentecostal Church in Fergus Ontario.  Luisa is a stay at home mom with their two gorgeous children and expecting baby #3 mid may!  She loves to sing, read and play made up games with her kids.  She also loves to bake and eat lots of junk food, all different kinds she isn’t biased  😉  She is a work in progress and loves to watch God at work in her life and the lives of those around her!