Don't get Sozzled!

Sozzled-drunk;inebriated 

This is a topic that has been on my heart for some time and I've yet to have the courage to speak up.  I feel that is the time especially with the New Year's celebrations commencing tonight.  I say these things to myself and my children as well. This is a sensitive and argumentative subject so I pray for God to guide me with my words as I share with you some of my own personal experiences and the truth according to God's word.  A truth that never changes!  Alcohol and drunkenness is an evil that has affected my life since I was a little girl.  See, I have seen and felt the evil that can be done when one becomes drunken or sozzled.  Word of the day and I think its my favorite word now! I have been guilty of drunkenness and the sins that so easily entangle us.  Drinking in moderation is not the problem it is the overindulgence of alcohol the causes the problem.  Our minds become weak, our inhibitions become relaxed and our discernment impaired or lacking.  I've personally seen and heard stories of men who become abusive physically, sexually, emotionally and verbally! Some become what we call a mean drunk, confrontational, always looking for a fight.   For some reason some find this funny! We are much more bold in our speech and actions.  The scary thing is that when we sober up we may or may not remember the things we've done, but now we are suffering the consequences and so are those around us.  I know that being drunk can cause men and women to engage in activities that they might not ordinarily do such as premarital sex or sex outside of marriage.  All in one night we've crushed our own values and morals.  We may find ourselves flirting more than we should or dancing and putting our bodies up against each other.  Sounds exciting, right?  It is! Sin and the lust of the flesh always is for the moment.  Rape is another evil that can happen when we allow ourselves to over-consume and indulge in worldly ways.  The list could go on!  So, what am I saying?  I'm saying it is not only dangerous, but it's WRONG!  According to God's word those who continue in this way of living, drunkenness, will not inherit the Kingdom of God!

God had been really dealing with my heart about drinking and I kept pushing his nudges away saying "no, this isn't a problem.  I only do it every once in while now.  No, it doesn't make my depression worse, etc." God didn't give up.   He continued to nudge.  I had a feeling why God wanted me to give up drinking even if it was for just a little while or forever, but I wasn't ready to obey or give up the battle in my mind.   I questioned "well, for how long? Forever? I don't know if I can do that. Just for awhile? How about if I just back it down to social drinks?"  He chose not to answer those questions at that time.  Does that seem cruel? It wasn't.  He just wanted more for me and that was not going to happen unless  I could sacrifice my selfish desires and obey completely without question.  God knows what is best and I trust in that!  July 31st while on vacation I was doing my Bible study and once again he presented his request.  This time I relinquished control and submitted to Him!  I can tell you now why he was asking me to submit and let go of my crutch.  HEALING!  God wanted to give me what I'd been asking for, but first he needed me to be willing to move away from the biggest negative influence and memory in my life!  I would like to share some of the negative influences and memories with you with respect for those involved.  The evil began, as I said earlier, as a little girl where I saw and felt the devastation of the evil hands of abuse.  I watched alcoholism tear my family apart, yet my family still remains today!  I was taken advantage of when I was away at college because of the effects of alcohol.  Thank God for friends who noticed the absence of a certain person and came to find me.  I have used alcohol as a crutch for my pain, for acceptance and just plain experiencing life. I must say there is nothing great about feeling sick and dizzy and "praying to the porcelain god"! Yuck!  Believe me I  have done some pretty embarrassing things! Later in my life at a time when my mind was already weak and I was moving away from God, I allowed alcohol to influence my actions in a sinful way.  My actions started an avalanche of pain and chaos in my own marriage and family.  I went from a "blue moon drinker" to a "gotta have all the time" drinker!  My sin then caused my husband to drink excessively! This was not pretty for any of us! My kids included!  I even used alcohol for my depression and attempt of suicide! Can you see the chain reaction that my sin and disobedience had?  This is why God asked me to step away! Every time I put my lips to a drink I fell backwards in my mind! My struggles increased! 
God wanted to heal all those broken places in my life and in my health, but until I was willing to give up my crutch and my excuses, he couldn't move me any further.  When I finally gave in the change in my life was immediate!  I lost my craving and desire for alcohol completely and my desire became more of God!  He's seen me through ever since!  That one act of obedience change my life!  Jesus' one act of obedience has changed my life forever and can/will change yours too! Jesus was obedient when he went to the cross for our sins.  He was obedient to the will of the Father and he now sits on his throne! 

Have I had a drink since that day? Yes, but not before seeking God in prayer to make sure that this drink will not be harmful to me or against his will!  It was about 2 months before I ventured into a drink.  I was able to enjoy A DRINK with my husband without the weakness of my mind!  I will confess that on December 7 I gave in and knew I shouldn't have and had a drink and then another.  I allowed the stress of my husband leaving till Christmas cause me to lose my discernment.  Not intentionally, but it happened! I felt guilty, my mind was weakened and I began to listen and believe all the old lies that satan began to throw at me! This lasted for about a week even though I had already repented and had been forgiven.  

Maybe God has been asking you to submit in some way and you are resisting, I encourage you to trust him!  

For information on how to live as a christian please read Ephesians 5! Proverbs 23:20-21, and the controversial verse that started all the fuss with Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson, 
1 Corinthians 6:9-11- As Christians I'm speaking to you!  This verse is about more than homosexuality-let it sink in, drunkards are listed here as well among other things.  This is what you once were, now you've been washed, sanctified.  Vs 12 says everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial!  Go ahead for your sake and read all of chapter 6.  God loves you and knows what's best for you!  Obviously drunkenness or being sozzled is not what's best!  Just look at the tidbits of my life!  
Luke 21:34, 35-Don't let drunkenness and anxieties of life weigh you down so that your expectations are dulled and you are caught as in a trap doing the things he's warned us not to do!  Romans 13   (vs 13) go read it all!  Instead of dressing ourselves in immorality clothe ourselves with Christ!  
Galatians 5:16-26- It's a long list of things that he says will keep us from inheriting the Kingdom of God!  Don't be deceived my dear friends and children!  The old sinful self is put away so that we can be holy and righteous before God!  We who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature! 
1 Peter 4 is another great chapter on living for God! Please take the time to read it!  Please do not deceive yourselves and think that just because you've been saved and promised forgiveness that it is a certificate to continue in your old ways!  Please do not take me at my word but instead go and read it for yourselves!  Yes, we are going to mess up because in this world we are not going to be perfect but God forbids that we continue in sin so that His grace may abound or be more!  We crucify his grace again & again! We must repent and change our ways every time we stumble!  Strive towards the day we meet Jesus and are perfected!  It is only by His grace and through our faith that we are saved, not of our works so that we cannot boast, but it is our responsibility and pleasure to see to it that we live in obedience to God's word and His will!  If you are in need of a change for any reason, now is the time as the day of Christ's return draws near!  Please don't let today pass you by before you humbly and confidently go before Jesus and ask for forgiveness and then get up and press on to the goal! What a great way to start 2014 in the name of Jesus! 

Have a blessed New Year,
Stephanie Goode

Y'all 'gone see me ROCKING!

Today in church I was listening as the choir sang and was watching their expressions and body movements.  I found myself wanting to ask some of them, "are you singing because your in the choir or are you singing to Jesus?"  Are you celebrating what he's done for you? Are you excited about where you're going?  Are you worshiping with your whole heart? Are you giving Jesus all that you have?  I could ask myself the same questions.

I see TWO singers! TWO women, one on the end of my front right corner and the other on the end of my back left corner, who really appear to want to walk on the golden streets of Jerusalem that they were singing about! To walk where angels have trod!  I can see the excitement and anticipation on their faces!  In the raising of their hands, and the sway and bounce of their bodies!  Oh Jesus, how they love you! How they want to be there with you!  I'm sure there are others who want that too, but on some of their faces I see sorrow, bitterness perhaps, numbness maybe, just tired, or maybe even some who want to be there but just have lost their zeal!  Still there are others who are just dying to let it all hang out!  Their hearts are near bursting to let their joy shine forth!  I'll admit sometimes those are descriptions of me!  Do you know what we need? Some good ole fashioned "old time religion"! A revival!  Praise Jesus! You know what else? We need some ethnic mix within our services! Yes. We. Do! We are all serving the same Jesus!  Now please don't take offense here but we need what some call "black folk praise & worship!"  Amen! Oh what we stand to gain to learn from our brothers and sisters of different ethnicities!  To be free to let our joy and spirit loose! We as "white folk" are lacking here!  What would people think if some of our "white" folk churches just got up and turned loose? Dancing and praising with the lifting and clapping of hands! Foot stomping!  Holy moly, all kinds of names and labels might get thrown around.  I personally was raised worshiping in both black & white churches as well as mixed.  I've seen the differences and to be honest (now I'm gonna share some secrets here), I've always admired and wished for the faith & freedom to express my joy that the black race has.  I'm sure there are great things we could stand to learn from other ethnic groups that I just haven't experienced yet.  Now some believe that they are somehow owed because of what their ancestors went through and some don't.  Let me encourage you to see this in a different way.  I want to share with you what has always stood out to me! Even though they, ours and our brothers and sisters ancestors, some white but mostly black, were enslaved and tortured by men, mostly white men, their faith in Jesus was never enslaved!  All they had was Jesus and each other! Though they suffered much at the hands of cruel men, God, I believe, blessed them with a strength and faith and authenticity so many people lack today.  At least that's the way I see it!  Oh what I would give to be so free in my spirit!  The lack of freedom physically was replaced with a freedom spiritually!  For what man intended as evil whether from ignorance or meanness, God has used and blessed for good!  It is your reward even today!

I have always said that when I'm older (well at my age, now is older) I want to be like an older black woman!  Why? Because she is so free!  I want the faithfulness that I see, the quite, gentle spirit that I've witnessed.  The sweet smile and kind eyes that say "I love you, there is no judgement here! Come and sit with me!"  Holiness!  Strength!  Humility!  Do I have to be of another race to posses that? NO!  There are women of all races who have these beautiful qualities.  This is just what I've seen and what I've admired!  I want to say thank you for the example I've seen in many of you! Old, young, black, white or brown! These fine qualities have been passed down from generation to generation! Be thankful for what your ancestors have gone through no matter your race, because, it was their suffering and their faithfulness that has brought many blessings upon yours and my life!  We need to let loose and cut up for Jesus!

This morning while the choir was still singing that same song about Jerusalem, I began to watch those around me & I saw one woman to my right in the balcony stand in celebration and anticipation of Jerusalem and then another to my left.  So, I then began watching to see how many more would follow that brave ladies lead and stand.  There were others, but not as many as I thought would stand. Sometimes we stand alone but most of the time if we just take that stand others will follow.  Some will stand in unison with you while others will stand just because they are following your lead.  Good, I say! No matter the reason they stood, what matters is that they did!  We encourage one another when we stand.  And when we stand, praise will follow!  No matter your race, STAND! TOGETHER! Be courageous!  Be that lil ole black lady sitting in her rocker on the front porch welcoming all who enter in!  It's not about WHERE you're supposed to be-you will get there, but instead, WHO you're supposed to be!  In a rocker, on a bus, in an office, in a foreign country, be who God has called you to be!

I know this is a blog post full of different thoughts, but take from it what applies to you and leave the rest! This is just how my church service went for me.
For me, I don't want to be great, don't need to be famous or rich, I just want to "ROCK" for Jesus! (pun intended)

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may SPUR one another on TOWARD love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting TOGETHER as some are in the habit of doing, but let us ENCOURAGE one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


On the porch,
Stephanie Goode

Are you caught in the net?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me". John 14:6a  And God is faithful: he will not let you be pushed past your limit, he will always  be there to provide a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 ( paraphrase mine)

Have you ever felt like in your struggles that you just can't take anymore? You wonder where God is?
Me too!

Today I came home from work to find my pup inside the batting cage, "trapped", so to speak.  I left her there because I saw where she had snatched someone's baby doll so I figured she might need to stay in there a little while and learn a lesson.  So, a while later she is going crazy barking and gnawing and pulling on the net and trying to find her way; granted there is a way out she just couldn't see it, so I went to show her the way out.  Notice I didn't say let her out! SHOW her the way out!  That's when part of 1 Corinthians 10:13 came to mind and it seemed that God was showing me this picture and asking "isn't that what I do for you?'  Eye opener!  Considering the fact that I'm at a place in my life where I'm needing to make some hard decisions and have been seeking the way out of some things, so, when what might be an answer comes along I wonder is this the way out? I don't just wonder though, sometimes I worry and stress!

Isn't it just like us when going through life's worries, struggles and temptations to find ourselves kicking and screaming, tangled up in the net, and eventually gnawing, snarling and trying to bite our way through our problems? We may even take hostages along with us! And what's really crazy is that when God starts drawing near we, like the puppy, start really going crazy rolling around, getting even more tangled up in the net,  when God is trying to lift the net just enough to get our attention hoping we will acknowledge the fact that he has provided what we need!  He wants us to draw near to him, and he will draw near to us!  Near enough to  hear his still small voice in the middle of our chaotic, battlefield! If  we and the puppy would just BE STILL and know that he's got this, Oh, how much more  peaceful and easy  it would be to escape our troubles!  

So, now that I have this little piece of clarification that God is working in my favor, he is lifting the net to release me from my troubles, it is up to me to poke my head from under the net and relax and change the direction of my prayers.  AND WAIT!  

If  you find yourself in the same situation let this verse soothe you, Jude 1:2 Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest; everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way! MSG


Caught in the net,
Stephanie Goode

Mud holes & sparkles!

Proverbs 25:26-Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring is a righteous man who yields, falls down, and compromises his integrity before the wicked. AMP

Maybe you like this version better: 26. A good person who gives in to a bad person is a muddied spring, a polluted well. MSG

Or maybe this one: 26. A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. KJV

26. Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked. NIV

No matter how you say it, it means the same thing! Don't be a MUD HOLE!  I personally Do Not want to be a mud hole!  Been there, done that, ain't doing it again!  The old saying is true, "can't see through muddy water"!  If the world cannot see Christ in you then it is time for a cleansing!  

I am not of this world nor do I want to be!  I want it to be crystal clear that I am of the Kingdom of God and am about the King's business!  I want it to be very clear who I stand for and what I stand for!      I want to be completely set apart from the ways of this world!  I want to be seen like Psalm 1:1-3.  She is blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous & enviable) because she does not walk or live in the counsel of the ungodly (following their advice, their plans & purposes), nor stands (submissive & inactive) in the path where sinners walk, nor does she sit down ( to relax & rest) where the scornful (and the mockers) gather. But she delights & desires the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) she habitually meditates (ponders & studies) by day & by night.  She is like a tree firmly planted (and tended) by the streams of water, ready to bring forth  its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or whither; and everything she does prospers!

I will not shrink back! I will speak out loud! I will continue to be confident and bold! I will not be afraid of what man can say or do to me physically because my spirit will live with Christ eternally! This I am completely sure of!  

I have stumbled in the ways of the wicked, but God picked me right up and washed me clean again and I refuse to go there again!  I will be a beacon of light forever steering the lost to the Savior!  So please know that if I share something that is of the truth of God's word and it offends you, I am not sorry because I do it with great love and compassion and a super passion to see everyone live like Christ and to receive his richest blessings!  I care about you!  

If you or I are offended by the truth of God's word then it is good! Offense leads to conviction! We do have a choice in this though!  We get to choose to be offended or convicted.  If we are just offended then we tend to snarl and bite, lash out in bitterness and rage, but if we are convicted we again make another choice.  We can choose to obey and let God work in us and through us or we can continue to make excuses about why we haven't changed and how we know we need to but...and just keep right on muddying the water!  I look forward to conviction because it gives me great joy and peace when I obey!  Discipline is not always easy and eating humble pie does not always taste good at first!  Hebrews 12 encourages us not to make light of the Lord's discipline, and to not lose heart when he rebukes us, because The Lord disciplines the one he loves and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son or daughter. If we are not disciplined then we are not true sons and daughters.  Earthly fathers discipline us as they think best but God disciplines for our good in order that we may share in his holiness.  

11. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been TRAINED by it.  

When I stand before my Father, my King, I do not want to be asked "why didn't you speak up & stand out? Why didn't you obey?"  I want to hear God say, "In you, my daughter, my princess, I am well pleased!"  How about you? Is God convicting you of something or are you still offended? Is he asking you to change or stand out? To be set apart? Then "Just Do It"!

Recently I made some statements in a group that may have been offensive or taken in the wrong way, so, later I asked God to show me where I went wrong and to convict me so I could know where I stood and correct my mistakes.  Two things he showed me 1. What you said was right but your delivery could have been better and he showed me through scripture how to correct it.

2. I am still working on you till the day of completion but I need your obedience in order to use you effectively.  In frustration and passion I had said, "people need to stop using the phrase "he's still working on me" as an excuse to keep doing what they are doing.  The saying has it's appropriateness, God showed me that in Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Along with that truth he also led me through verses about discipline & obedience as well as verses about letting my words be full of salt, tasteful, and also laced with compassion & love. Grace!

I'm so glad he did because I know I will grow to maturity like a tree planted by the spring!

So, yes, God is still working on you, but are you working on you or are you still making excuses?

So, now, go & let the fresh spring water flow through you! Wash the mud from your feet! Be a babbling brook of righteousness! Be a refreshing fountain of encouragement! Be a current of wisdom & understanding and a well of knowledge! Be a scepter of truth and walk in the path of obedience!

Go shine! Go sparkle!

Sparkles to you,

Stephanie Goode