Friday, July 31, 2015

Our Stories Must Be Told


I have spent much time in the presence of God lately, talking to Him, listening and reading His word. It’s amazing how if we spend that quiet time, when we devote ourselves to Him and empty out our hearts before His throne then we see the life altering changes. We hear God speak and suddenly everything is different. Then we have two choices, do we move on with our daily life and leave it as if but a mere moment in time, or do we stop in our tracks. Do we realize what just happened and make the changes which will let that moment become the foundation for the future?

It’s crazy how in this life people are stuck inside their own walls, fighting battles against the wars that rage in their lives. Struggles with addictions, tragedies and loss. Yet we remain inside of our little boxes pasting smiles on our faces to tell the world that we are fine. Hiding the tears and screams that echo endlessly, bouncing off of our prison walls. We fight against the demons at night and pretend in the day that we are the light. Afraid that if anybody knows who we really are or the things that we fight against, we would be rejected, unworthy and shamed. We are scared of being weak yet we don’t really know the definition, because how strong would we be to drop the facade? To show our struggles and pain to the world. To join together against the fight of Satan and his lies and proclaim to the world that Jesus is the light in the dark. What would it take to step out of our boxes, out from behind the curtains of disgrace, to show the world that nobody is alone and that there is no shame in the battles that we fight?

It’s time to stop isolating ourselves for Satan to play with in the dark. To stop hiding the struggles, addictions and pain, time to show the world that we are strong because we fight. That we won’t give up, we won’t give in and through it all we remain steadfast and unshakable with God on our side. No more shame, no more playing pretend to the world. This beginning starts when we realize that with the telling of our story, others lives can be changed. We can be the hope and the light because through Jesus we have seen change. We have seen the Mighty Healer at work and we know who freely gives everlasting life and that is the hope we share with the desperate, the ones the world has pushed aside leaving them beaten, broken and bruised. We have the power to shine the light in their lives by being transparent about what God has done in our own broken lives.

I for one will not merely sit aside, I have seen the prison cells that Satan is lining up in rows as he captures each one of us in our addictions and pain and convinces us that we are alone and unworthy. As his demons pour out the shame that silences our cries from the world. Today it stops, in this moment I tell Satan that he will not have his way, because I know where my identity is found and the shame that was once mine to bear, the Son of God already bore on the cross for me, declaring I am worthy, washing me white as snow. Therefore I’m breaking out from my prison cell. Time to tell my story to the world so that others can find freedom from the lies that Satan is painting before their eyes. Because we don’t have to fight alone and there is power when the children of God come together. And nothing in this life can stop me from proclaiming the truth and freedom that my Jesus offers with His death and resurrection on the cross.

~Kriss Elise Beckman



“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up ofr us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:31-39

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