Hello!
Welcome to the Dorie's Stories {devotional} Blog!
The devotional story this week almost didn't make it into my book. I felt like it might be a little too personal.
I had started to scratch it from the manuscript but then got distracted (this is a common occurrence) and started randomly organizing my closet (this is not a common occurrence).
I found a box of some old journals and happen to flip one open to the exact page where I had drawn a picture of frames on the lined paper and had journaled what God had been speaking to me about the way He sees us...the story I was about to cut from the book.
I decided that maybe my random closet cleaning wasn't so random and maybe God liked this story so it made it into the devotional. I wanted to share it with you today!
From my book, Hope Looks Good on You!: a Comedian's Joy-inducing Daily Devotional for Women
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Chapter 8: Frames
So, it happened again. I blew it. Bad. My mommy skills were at an all-time low as I walked away from yelling at my son.
He probably did something that deserved correction, but not like that. I cried out to God in my normal fashion, something like: "God, have mercy!" (or as my youngest would repeat: "God, have murphy!")
This time seemed different...desperate. I didn't know how to get to a place where I could figure out what was happening.
Why the blow-ups? Why couldn't I get things under control? I had been a Christian for over thirty years...when does peace and patience kick in?
I would wrack my brain for the right Scriptures — was it the fruit of the Spirit, the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer, the Last Supper? Why was this so hard?
I felt like in that moment, the Lord said, ‘why don't you just start seeing your children and husband the way I see them?’
Sometimes God talks to me in pictures...He must know I'm a visual learner! I could see a mental image of a golden picture frame with nothing in it.
It was a beautiful and ornate frame on the outside, but the back of it was old and all the wall-hanging parts were exposed.
I felt like the Lord showed me that He saw my kids and husband through the ornate side of the frame, but it was as if I was looking at them with the frame turned around.
He had a whole different perspective of who they are. I realized in that moment that I had been believing lies over each of them and those lies were coloring the way I responded to them. I wasn't seeing their true identity and worth; instead, I only saw all their faults.
I asked God to show me how He sees each of them. It was as if He whispered a word over them, and for some reason, they all started with the letter P...probably because God knows I need a way to remember things easier!
My son's word: “passionate.” The problem was that I was seeing him as being argumentative, emotional, and angry, but God was revealing to me that He saw him as passionate.
When I turned the frame around and saw my son in this new light, I realized that he usually is only angry because he is passionate about something...and chores or other responsibilities are getting in the way of doing what he wants to do!
It doesn't excuse bad attitudes, but this new perspective helped me stop looking at just his faults and to start seeing his potential — being passionate can be a good thing!
My oldest daughter's word: “princess.” She is beautiful and strong, but we were butting heads. I started seeing her as opinionated and headstrong and we would argue more than we would communicate.
When I turned the frame around, I could see her as the princess she is...that she is a natural leader and has great ideas and strengths that I had missed. Yes, it still takes her an eternity to get ready in the morning, but princesses primp a while...it takes time to look like royalty!
My youngest daughter's word: “precious.” She had been struggling with some attitudes that were being picked up from television shows and I began defining her by this new alter ego.
When I heard the word "precious," it reminded me of how God sees her. When I see her that way and start treating her as precious and speaking that word over her little life, some of that attitude began to melt away.
Of course, cutting out some television shows also helped, but changing my perspective of who she is made an even bigger impact.
God gave me the word "peace" for my husband. Lord, love this man. He has to deal with me on a daily basis!
Our personality types are an interesting mix...mine loves to party and his loves peace. With my party personality also comes a myriad of emotions which my husband navigates well most of the time.
God knew what I needed in my life! Unfortunately, sometimes I would not see his peaceful personality as an asset...I began to see my husband through that other side of the frame.
I needed this reminder that God sees my husband as a man of peace and when I see him that way, I can appreciate this gift and know God designed him not to go on emotional roller coaster rides with me!
I felt done with this exercise until God tugged at my heart once more and reminded me that if I didn't see myself the way He sees me, nothing would really change. He dropped the word “perfect” into my heart.
Now I knew that was from God because there is NO way I had ever used that word to describe myself! All I would see are my faults.
There was very little grace I would give myself, but He saw me as perfect. He couldn't love me more than He already did. I have the you-can-do-no-wrong status with Him. He just loves me in spite of the mistakes I make. The more I let this word soak into my spirit, the more I am able to see others through God's eyes.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.”
Psalms 139:14 NIV
Reflect & Journal:
Take the time to ask God how He sees your family — pray that He gives you His perspective for each one. Write them down here and when you interact with them, whisper the word to yourself and try to even visualize it like a name tag they wear on their shirt (or forehead!).
Don't forget about yourself...what does heaven say about you?
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I hope you enjoyed the devotional excerpt! Feel free to share it with someone you think would enjoy a devotional story involving picture frames and how God sees us.
Here’s the link to share:
With hope & joy, Dorie Mclemore
P.s. next time, I’m planning to post another brand new devotional story I wrote for my next (currently unnamed) book! Make sure you are subscribed to get the notification in your inbox! P.p.s. If you want a copy of the full devotional book, Hope Looks Good on You!, use the button below!