You're Not the Boss of Me!

I kept a journal when the kids were young - mainly at the suggestion of Chris - my accountability partner then and life-long BFF now! At the prompting of the Holy Spirit when I was praying back then, I asked her & another friend to meet with me weekly as accountability partners. My youngest was 3 years old. I'd share a "mommy story" each week. Chris would tell me that I needed to write them down in a journal. So, I did. Eighteen years later, I continue to thank her for suggesting that to me!!

Here's a favorite story from that journal...

When our son was 3 and our daughter was 5, they were sitting beside each other one morning at the kitchen pass-through counter eating breakfast. Our daughter made a "suggestion" about how our 3-year old son should do something, He immediately & emphatically replied:

"I don't have to! You are NOT the boss of me!"

Amused at his reply, I asked him who WAS the boss of him? His reply: "Well, of course, you are Mommy!"

I then asked who the boss of his sister was. His reply: "You are."

I decided to test my luck & asked "who's the boss of Daddy"? There was a pause, as he thought about the question. Then his reply: "You are! (pause) You are the boss of everyone -- except the Cates family! (our neighbors to the west).

Whenever I hear or say the words, "You're not the boss of me!" my mind goes back that day with my young children. The words of my adorable 3 year old boy replay in my head & a smile breaks forth on my face.  And, I am reminded that... it's all a matter of perspective!

Screen shot of what I messaged to my sister
when she suggested that I
make lemonade out of the lemons
in my life right now :)

For me, if I could choose anyone or anything to BE THE BOSS OF ME, it would be God's Holy Spirit! I would surrender to the Holy Spirit's authority & thereby be set free to live an abundant life!

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." Galatians 5:16-17 & 25b

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

A Safe Harbor

I believe that Christians need some sort of accountability structure in their lives.  

I have an accountability partner with whom I've met regularly for almost 17 years now - WOW!!  Over the years, some seasons we've met weekly... other seasons we've touch base 2-3 times a month.   She's not afraid to ask me the hard questions.  I'm not afraid to ask her the hard questions.  I feel completely free to tell her my deepest darkest secrets too :D I know she is praying for me - even when we don't speak regularly.  I am praying for her daily too!

I have a small group through the Worship Arts Ministry at my local church.  During the school months, we meet once a month (plus a few extra social meetings).  In the summers, we meet a few times socially. They aren't afraid to ask me the hard questions. And, I'm not afraid to ask them the hard questions.  We lovingly encourage each other to grow in grace... in Him!

It would be so easy for me to settle into my day to day life & not seek to grow or become "a better me" without the love & help of accountability friends.

It's important to find a SAFE place to open up.  And, personally, I believe that if you ask God to provide a safe harbor to open up to others... He will provide it. We need each other.  Ask Him to help you find a place of accountability, if you don't already have one.

Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again. James 5:16-18 The Message