QUEEN over the DRAMA!

This week has been one of the most trying weeks for some of the girls and I. We have gone through new jobs, relocation, confrontation in the work place, loss of family members, fall out with a friend, sickness, school stress and major life changes... the week just seemed to regenerate drama after drama. Some changes have brought tears, others have brought on frustration or much needed long naps. But at the end of the day, wouldn't it be nice to push the pause button on life...even for 2 minutes? our instincts say to evade trouble, struggle and drama, but is that really the key to a happy and joyful life?

To be honest, trouble is not always a punishment.  A sad misconception is that once you become a Christian, once you give your life to Christ, and begin to live a "good" life, then your problems will go away. This, unfortunately isn't true. Many people are shocked when they experience the negative effects or consequences in life, despite their faith in Jesus. Yet, Jesus told us (warned us, even) to be prepared for the troubles of life. He didn't want us to be caught off guard when we experienced disappointment, unfair treatment from others, heart breaks, loss of jobs, confusion within our families, stress at work, conflicts within our friendships, misunderstandings with our spouses...In this life, we will have trouble.
Think of it as the "Spice of Life"! Issues come to shake us up, to grab our attention and sometimes... just to give us a good story to tell on how we can triumph, how we are stronger than we think we are and how good our God truly is! Running from the madness just allots for a boring existence. Drama and troubles each have their place. It's up to us to determine how we will respond to it: will we allow it to hinder us or define us?  Will we learn lessons from it and overcome the challenge, or just let the drama defeat us and send us home crying and disarmed? The choice is always ours...and there is always a choice.

So, what is the cure to end the craziness of life? What should we do when the drama won't stop?
The first thing we must recognize, is that drama is a part of life. It will NEVER go away. In fact, drama is like a master of disguise, it hides itself in different forms, but underneath every encounter, it is really the same old thing- it is just the issues and trials of life that Jesus promised we would have.

"In this life, you will have trouble, but do not fear, for I have overcome the world"

                                                                                                                    -Jesus Christ (John 16:33)

If I could be so bold as to translate Jesus' statement into a modern day quote, it might make more sense to say it as such: 

"Don't freak out when drama happens. Stay cool, cuz I'm here and I will be your champion".

I love that word, "champion", because it's pact with loads of power and the perception it invokes is that of a universal winner! For whatever reason, I tend to associate a champion with a  boxer, like Muhammad Ali. He really was the greatest. There are some greats that have followed after him of course, but they all had the heart and desire to be a champion. When  a fighter gets into the ring, he isn't afraid to get hit. He doesn't wonder "why me" when he gets punched or kicked. He takes the blows and the punches and perseveres until he wins. Jesus is the same. He is our champion, he is fighting the battles for us. In fact, when we feel as if we are the one's getting hit and pushed and kicked, it really isn't us at all- it's Jesus who is taking the blows on our behalf. The drama is not personal; its spiritual. Here is a scripture to explain what I mean:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and agains the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." -Ephesians 6:12

When we go through the drama- when trouble won't let up and we cannot escape; when people are hurtful for no seemingly good reason, understand that it's not necessarily us that is the target, most times. The truth is, drama comes as an attack or distraction to our growth and faith. Even now, as I write this, I am reminding myself of that very truth. This is just an attack; it's spiritual warfare, it is not personal. Sometimes, it can be hard to believe that, especially when you are going through trying times. But scripture is clear that trouble and conflict arise from the spiritual realm, and we know that dark forces have only one agenda: to attack Jesus. We are mearly the innocent by standers, caught up in the war against holiness and evil. Yet we know that our God wins! He is the champion, so we need not fear or worry or freak out! Jesus has overcome the world!

When we face drama, instead of sulking or complaining, we have to be sure to rejoice and be thankful! And that's crazy, I know! How in the world can we rejoice when our job is being threatened? Or how can we rejoice when that co-worker keeps spreading lies about us? How can we rejoice when we have to move everything out of our apartment in 4 days, all by ourselves, because everyone else is at work and cannot help us? Where is their room for rejoicing and thankfulness when a friend completely abandons us or when we've suffered the shock of losing a loved one? And who can find time to rejoice after an unexpected surgery or when you must stay 4 hours late after work to catch up for the next morning, only to go home to barely put dinner together, clean the house and submit your college assignment on time???? I'm exhausted from just thinking about all of this, but this is the sort of week Pearls have had in their personal lives, and I'm sure you may have even had more hectic drama than ours. But the point is to understand that drama, trouble, trials and tribulations- they are all able to make us or break us. My prayer is that they make us...make us into better believers, into more faithful followers, prayer warriors, trusters of God, women of effective faith and perseverance.

"Consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything... Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him." -James 1: 1-4 &12

How insightful to consider trouble as a worthy cause- as an opportunity for maturity! When we withstand trouble, and not run from it, we will be perfected and even more so, we will win a crown! That's an awesome deal! The one who endures the drama will be the one who receives the blessing. We can be Queens over the Drama! We have the upper hand! We can do this! In fact, we can do ANYTHING because we have Christ within us! We have the advantage, because drama won't catch us off guard. The Bible has prepared us to understand that drama is not personal, it's spiritual, and we know that if we persevere, there is a crown waiting on us!!! How amazing is that? No need to fear the drama anymore! Let's allow our light to shine! Let's handle drama like we know what we're doing! When the drama won't stop, neither will we!











Remember, you can be QUEEN over the Drama!
Take heart.

~Pearls

Polished

There is an aura of relaxation and self-preservation connected to the feminine experience of the Nail Salon. It's a place of comfort and refuge from a hectic day at work, or an apparatus of expectation- the middle ground between the ordinary and the fabulous. For most women, there is something pleasurably satisfying about leaving the nail salon with a  fresh mani-pedi. You walked in with dull, chipped, peeling color, only to leave with fresh, clean and shining nails. It's a wonderful feeling. It's a lot like our Spiritual process. Let me explain.

There was once a time when I used to do my own nails. Convinced that I was saving money for other things and reluctant to become dependent on someone else, I casually purchased cheap polishes that averaged around $6 dollars or so. I had an entire collection of vivid colors. I kept my nails trimmed and had cotton balls on hand. I would take my time to touch each finger tip and patiently wait for the coat to dry. The end results were pretty... but sadly, extremely temporary. There were even instances where I had to re-do my nails twice in one day or suffer the "crack-effect", due to my cheapness. So, one day, I decided to stop shopping at Walmart for my nail color. I would, instead, invest in more salon quality nail products. I began to pay the $12 dollar fee for more expensive brands and I even invested in a top coat. The laquer and upgrade in quality really made a difference! It had more of a luster in appearance, maintained it's condition for almost twice the time as the cheaper brands and it seemed to me that I was still able to hold onto my own ability to appease my appearance and control of my wallet. Although there were definitely notable positives to my nail polish upgrade, the higher quality came with some side effects. For one, the wait time for drying took much longer and since I did not have my own nail dryer, often enough I ended up waisting time and product due to reapplication of one finger or another because of smudges, scrapes and demarkations. See, the more expensive polishes require more drying time. It may have appeared to be dry on the outside, but the undercoats were often times still damp, unbeknownst to me. Another side effect was the new fumes. Cheap polish doesn't carry as heavy a smell as more salon quality polishes. It took me a while to get used to whiffs of colored chemicals, which of course was accompanied by the need to use stronger nail polish removers. These side effects obviously didn't chase me away from doing my own nails, but over time, it became a hassle.

Friends of mine would urge me to go to the salon with them. I always would insist, however, that I didn't need to. I knew how to do my own nails. I was saving my time and money... but was I really? Probably not. Considering the time alone that it took to apply, re-apply, remove and apply again due to smears and smudges, chips and cracks, I ended up waisting more money than I actually saved and Lord only know how much time it cost me! But in my mind, I was convinced that I could do it on my own. I remember the first time I stepped foot into a nail salon, I was a skeptic. I honestly had no desire to be there, but after numerous invitations, I finally accompanied my friend Kourtney one day after classes. She wanted me to join in the seat next to her, but I declined. I didn't need someone else to do for me what I thought I could do for myself. I felt self-sufficient, but I watched as she placed her hands into the palms of the lady across from her. They had friendly conversation with each other, as the women stripped away the old color and prepared her hands for the new. The women were friendly and very attentive. They helped my friend choose her color, complimented her on her selection, massaged her hands and feet, shared laughs and stories and within an hour, her nails and toes were done. I was astonished to learn that she was able to keep the same color for 2 weeks! I remember glancing down at my nails, shiny, but already cracking; but that initial visit wasn't enough for me to change my mind. Leaving that nail salon, I felt intrigued because it wasn't just about nails... it was an entire experience that my friend could look forward to. It was an opportunity to be taken care of by professionals who made a job feel like an art. She was well taken care of. I secretly became curious about what that might be like for me.

Occasionally, I would go back to the Salon with Kourt... but only to accompany her. I wouldn't order
any services for myself. Even when a lady once urged me to let her take care of me, I kindly said, "no thank you", but really, I wanted to say, "ok". It did look very relaxing and beneficial, I just wasn't willing to part with my own routine of doing things my way. I didn't need her to do something that I could do for myself; or so I thought. It was honestly years before I got desperate enough to venture into a nail salon on my own. I had finally gotten so frustrated with trying to manage myself in my own hands. My left hand was always shaky, causing my right nails to look a hot mess. Cracks seemed to magically appear, no matter how much of a top coat I would use and chips and smudges were inevitable! The moment I felt satisfied with my own work, something would smudge or I'd accidentally knock my hand on the counter and ruin my hard efforts. After a few days, the polish would chip and loose it's shine. It was a mess! I was frustrated.
The first time I went to get my nails done, I'll never forget it. It was for an interview and I wanted to feel confident. I was nervous because I didn't want to pay a ridiculous fee and I was afraid that it would be a waist of time. I was hesitant to trust a stranger to make me look good. What if she was rude and started to speak a different language around me? What if they didn't have any colors that I liked? What if they were expensive? What if, after all the time and money, my nails still chipped? I had all these doubts in my mind, but I figured I should at least give it a try; why not? As I sat in the warm leather chair and chose my services, I can honestly say, the experience delighted me so much that I regret ever taking so long to try it! the women were friendly, diligent and had loads of suggestions. The woman who helped me was very bubbly and sweet and has never forgotten my name. I've been seeing Mrs. Lee for over 2 years now. She knows all about my career, my favorite colors, my sweet marriage and my pregnancy. I know about her home life in Cambodia, all three of her children, how she and her husband started this business from nothing and we have developed some funny jokes between the two of us. Not to mention, my nails are healthy and strong and always very pristine! For years, I was missing out on such a comforting and enjoyable experience, although I didn't even know it.

Many people, convinced that they can do life by themselves, miss out on the wonderful experience of

knowing Jesus. They think that putting their trust in the Lord is a waist of time. They see their friends or family going to church and reading the Bible, they might even join in on a service every now and then or pray when they need assistance, but in their minds, they have control over their own lives and they really don't feel the need for help from God or anybody else. They might notice things here and there in their lives that aren't up to par, so in their own attempts they try to upgrade themselves, just like I tried to upgrade my polish products. For a while, it seems to do the trick for them. They might go on a non-drinking fast for a couple of weeks, no-sex for the first few dates, they might try to loose weight or try a new hobby, quite a bad habit or change their wardrobe; so many attempts for their own personal self-maintenance, but it's only temporary. On the outside, it may appear that life is good, but underneath their top coat, stuff is still wet and unfinished. Like my nails, the cracks in life eventually begin to surface. They get hit with unexpected events that cause smudges and demarkations in their plans to stay in control. No matter how hard they try and no matter how many different upgrades, changes, investments and alterations they make, it still isn't enough and they begin to question their abilities. Those who have the heart of wisdom eventually come to the understanding that they cannot change their hearts on their own; they cannot maintain the God standard in their own efforts. Others continue to wander, trying this product or that technique, never truly finding satisfaction. We all were once there and I thank God for all the spiritual Kourtneys that aren't afraid to invite us into places of love and offer us the opportunity to experience what it's like to put our lives in the hands of someone who is more capable of governing us than we are.

In our own efforts, we think we are saving ourselves; but truly, we are just waisting time. Going round and round in circles of our own efforts, our control, our abilities and our way only leads to a life lacking in luster and full of chipped frustration. But when we allow ourselves to trust in the Lord, place our faith in His suggestions for our lives, rest ourselves in His ability to color our hearts with His love and relax in the joy of the experience of Salvation, well... that's when we really start to shine!

Ephesians 2:8 tells us that Salvation (being accepted by God) will never happen in our own efforts. Instead, God invites us to come to Him, through Jesus, to experience His love and life changing power that we can never attain on our own. It is a gift, a treasure, a permanent establishment of His presence and His perfection in our lives. No, we will never be perfect. The smudges of our past might always grip our minds, but in Jesus, they don't have the power to grip our lives. He asks us for our chipped hearts and smudged up lives, in exchange for his permanent radiance and eternal coat of glory! Christ calls to each of us, saying:
 "Come, take a seat. Give me your hands...give me your heart...give me your life. I have big plans for you! I have desires to make you shine and radiate in this world and in the next! You don't have to live in frustration any more. I know you are trying to improve yourself. I know you are afraid of letting go of control. You think you have found a short cut, but it only has you running in circles. Let me message your messes out of your life. Let me wash you with the water of my word. Let me give you a new life, one that will not fade away or loose its shine over ime. Let me coat you with my joy, my peace, my confidence and my hope. Let me laugh with you and share my heart with you. I have much to offer you that you could never acquire on your own. Trust me. Give me your hands...give me your heart...give me your life."


He wants so much more than to just change your exterior or the color of your experiences; He wants to change your life and polish your heart! He wants to establish a beauty within you that will not fade or peel away. Will you let Him? I pray that you do! I pray that we all will one day fully understand and experience how Salvation can polish our lives and radiate our existence with the eternal luster that only comes from knowing Jesus!

Trust Him with your hands...with your heart and with your life! I promise, you will not be disappointed.
~Pearls