Mistaken
Identity by Karen Ehman
"He who belongs to God hears what God says." John 8:47a (NIV 1984)
I poured a cup of coffee and logged on to my laptop to peek at a friend's Facebook page.
When I tried hopping over to see her latest pictures, I couldn't get her name to appear in the search bar. I was puzzled. This had always worked before. Glancing at the top of the screen, I realized I wasn't logged in to my own account. My son had forgotten to sign off when he'd been on earlier so I was actually logged in as him instead.
I couldn't get where I wanted to go because I had mistaken my identity.
With a quick click of a mouse I switched accounts and used Facebook as "me." Under the right identity I was free to view pages, leave comments with ease, and get where I wanted to go.
Sometimes in life we encounter the same issue—we don't realize we have mistaken our identity. We log into our day and encounter wrong thinking that makes us forget who we really are. This may happen when a voice from our past or our own negative self-talk urges us to forget our identity in Christ. When we do, we're blocked by doubt and can't get where God is calling us to go: to a life lived with our security and value rooted deep in His thoughts toward us.
Instead we hear:
"You can't do that. You aren't good enough."
"You'll never change."
"Why can't you be more like your sister?"
"If only you were more ____________ instead of so ___________."
When statements of self-doubt seem to scream and discouragement sets in, we need to log out of the lies we believe and log into God's truth. It's the only way we will know and live in our true identity so that we can navigate our lives according to God's Word.
Here are some truths we can tell ourselves to remember our who we are:
I am the daughter of the Most High God.
I am loved, redeemed and renewed.
I am chosen, blameless and holy.
I was bought at a great price.
God knows me thoroughly and yet loves me completely.
He has plans for my future that include hope, not harm; blessings, not banishment.
I belong to Him.
John 8:47a tells us, "He who belongs to God hears what God says." We need to listen to His Word, let it take root in our minds, and allow it to eradicate any untrue, destructive thought patterns. Replacing the negative chatter with assuring scriptures will gently, but firmly, remind us who we are as children of God.
Yes, if we "belong to God" we will hear what He says. As we log into His truths daily, no longer will we mistake our identity. We will know the confident reality of who we are in Christ.
Dear Lord, when I am tempted to think of myself in a way that is neither healthy nor true, remind me both of who I am and to Whom I belong. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Daily Smile:
Forgiveness A Sunday School teacher had just concluded her lesson and wanted to make sure she had made her point. She said, “Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?”
There was a short pause and then, from the back of the room, a small boy spoke up. "Sin," he said.
Kid's Joke:
How much does it cost a pirate to get a piercing?
A Buck An Ear!
- submitted by Sara
In The News:
“Instead of rewarding political special interests and punishing family businesses, the president should instead be true to the oath he swore to uphold and defend the Constitution and religious freedom,” Andy Newland, Vice President of Hercules Industries, told CNA Aug. 13. “At Hercules we offer generous compensation and benefits to all ouremployees, including for women's health, pregnancy and wellness. We are only asking that the government not force our family to violate its faith in order to earn a living and create jobs.” Hercules Industries manufactures heating, ventilation and air conditioning units and has locations in several U.S. states. Its owners, William Newland, Paul Newland, James Newland, and Christine Ketterhagen, all identify as practicing Catholics. On July 27 a federal judge in Denver granted the Newlands and their business a legal injunction against a Department of Health and Human Services mandate they say forces them to violate their Catholic beliefs. The HHS mandate requires most employers to provide no co-pay insurance coverage for sterilization and contraception, including some early abortion-causing drugs. The mandate’s narrow religious exemption would not apply to many Catholic charities, health care systems, and universities. It lacks any protections for secular businesses run by Catholics and others who object to providing the coverage. Employers who refuse to provide the coverage face possible fines of $100 dollars per employee per day. Hercules Industries employs 300 people. The Obama administration has said it will work to provide an accommodation for religious institutions. However, it has also advocated against broad exemptions. President Obama reaffirmed his support for the mandate in a campaign rally on Denver’s Auraria Campus last week. He criticized his opponent, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, for favoring legislation the president said would “allow any employer to deny contraceptive coverage to their employees.” “It would be up to the employer to decide. Your boss, telling you what’s best for your health, your safety,” the president said Aug. 8. Andy Newland questioned why the law’s many other exemptions would not apply to the HHS mandate. “The federal government cannot pick and choose what faith is and who can practice faith, and then target people of faith for punishment while exempting nearly 200 million other people from this mandate for purely political reasons,” Newland said. | |||
Ultimate Grilled Cheese 
Recipe courtesy Ina Garten for Food Network Magazine
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Inactive Prep Time: --
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Level:Easy
- Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon, such as Nodine's applewood smoked
- 1 cup good mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 white pullman loaf or sourdough bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 slices)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 6 ounces aged gruyere or comte cheese
- 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, such as Cabot or Shelburne Farms
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the
bacon on a baking rack set over a sheet pan in a single layer and roast
for 20 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Drain on a plate lined with
paper towels and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Grate the cheeses in a food processor fitted with the largest grating disk and combine. Distribute the bacon evenly on half of the slices of bread. Pile 1/3 cup grated cheese evenly on top of the bacon and top with the remaining bread slices, sauce-side down.
Meanwhile, heat an electric panini press. When the press is hot, cook the sandwiches for 3 to 5 minutes in batches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Allow to cool for 2 minutes. Cut in half and serve warm.
Photograph by Quentin Bacon
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|---|---|
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| Early Voting Begins | October 23, 2012 |
| Early Voting Ends | October 30, 2012 |
| Deadline to Request a Mail Ballot from Registrar (other than Military and Overseas) | November 2, 2012 |
| Deadline for Registrar to Receive Voted Mail Ballot (other than Military and Overseas) | November 5, 2012 |
| UOCAVA citizens - Request absentee ballot by | November 5, 2012 |
| UOCAVA citizens - Return ballot by | November 6, 2012 |
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