Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Evangelism, Grace, Health, Life Inspiration

The Struggle with Social Media

Written by talk2shari Published May 28, 2019May 27, 2022 Discussion Leave a Comment

I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Psalm 119:113-114

The Struggle with Vanity

By human nature we are a selfish lot, are we not? I tuned into social media this morning and the heartaches of other people overwhelmed my soul. I felt helpless.

I can’t rebuild a life that was lost in a fire.

I can’t undo the bad decision of a young man that didn’t feel there was any other way than death.

I can’t control the fierceness of nature or the devastation it can leave in its path.

I can’t un-break a heart or protect people from destruction.

It’s life. And in this day and age it’s being lived out in a very, very public way that affects so many people with the stroke of a keyboard. Social media can be a blessing or a scourge. I have a love/hate relationship with it, as I’m sure most people do. But like it or not, despise it or not, it’s here to stay. But you and I need to be careful about the vanity of it all. If we are in the mindset of Christ… as we should be. We should shield ourselves from ourselves. Visit https://www.fanexplosion.de/produkt/instagram-likes-kaufen/ to promote your brand or any service to a greater reach on Instagram.

One of my many, many faults is counting. Now I know it got David in serious trouble in 2^nd Samuel 24. So I try not to; but remember the struggle I spoke of. It really is a struggle on social media. How many people likes my post… how many people viewed my video… how many people liked a post, or loved a post. And who were they? Oh. I’m vain. For me it’s validation as to whether or not I was a success.

That a load of lies from Satan. But I buy it like a good flea market find.

Our lives will never be defined in eternity by how many people seen our posts. But it will be defined by what that post did for the cause of the Kingdom.

The Shield of Victory

For all my vain thoughts, and they are many; God put a heart of compassion within me. It’s what drives me to share the hope of Jesus Christ that I find in His word. It’s what creates images like the umbrella in my mind when I think of how many times the Lord has shielded me from the sun and rain. The good times and the bad times that would have had a negative result in my life.

It’s not only the bad times in our lives that cause damage. The good in life can bring more vanity, more self-reliance that can destroy the good things that God wants for us.

How many people do we know with great wealth and health that have no relationship with God? Or how many do we know that have “seemingly” never struggled as we have and are so ungrateful.

Some of the worst things in my life, I am certain, have protected me from forgetting where my hope lies.

I’m so thankful that we have God’s word! It is as if I’m sitting here in my office this morning with God, and I hear Him say… “That’s my girl. Keep writing. Keep drawing. Keep serving. And by the way, stop counting.”

Posted in Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

The Power of Drama

Written by talk2shari Published January 16, 2019January 16, 2019 Discussion Leave a Comment

dra·ma

/ˈdrämə (noun)

a play for theater, radio, or television.
an exciting, emotional, or unexpected series of events or set of circumstances.
A self-centered social media post for the purpose of inciting concern by others without basis, reasoning, logic or the realization that there are people with real problems. – Definition added by the Jesus Chick

The Bible doesn’t say anything about social media, because it didn’t exist in those days, but if it had, Jezebel would have no doubt been an avid user and abuser of it. Her husband Ahab’s page, would have no doubt been filled with vile and self-promoting posts while Jezebel’s would have spewed hatred and slander towards God’s people, all of which would have been shared by her 850 followers (prophets which ate at her table). She would have no doubt intertwined those posts with her own drama and that of her sniveling man. #IneedNabothsVineyard #NabothWontGiveMeWhatIWant #JezebelsMyWoman #ImGoingToBedUntilIGetMyWay

That same nauseous feeling I get when I read the story of Ahab and Jezebel killing Naboth because he wouldn’t sell Ahab his garden (which was a family inheritance), is the same feeling I get when I scroll the drama on Facebook.

Now granted, no one is killing anyone for a plot of land. Or at least they’re not posting about it. But they’re still stirring dung for the purpose of inciting anxiety – be it in their friends or their enemies. And Christians are in the mix.

I read a post from a “friend” who was so traumatized because someone hurt her feelings that she felt compelled to post it on Facebook. It was one of those I’ve been hurt too many times to count, nobody loves me but my mom and even she doesn’t understand me posts. Insert rolled eyes here and tell me “What Would Jesus Do?”

This may not be the godliest of posts of my own. I’ve just really had it up to my eyeballs with Mr. and Mrs. Ahab’s drama. I need to know who told these people that their life would be without issue. I didn’t get that memo. And lest I get a stone back through my window, I can’t say that I’ve never vented on Facebook. But I can tell you those times are rare and regretful.

Drama is powerful

1 Kings 21:25 says of Ahab and Jezebel:

But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Ahab had basically sold his soul to the Devil and his wife stirred him with a big stick. That’s what drama does. It stirs people up and not in a good way. When Ahab threw his temper tantrum on the bed (1 Kings 21) his wife’s solution was to kill a man because he wouldn’t share his inheritance. That seems crazy right?

What’s crazy is that that mentality is still alive and well. But because we have laws that frown on murder, people kill each other with words. So here’s a thought for you and I to ponder today.

Matthew 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

That includes social media posts.

So perhaps my thinking is a little melodramatic. It’s not the first time I’ve been accused of such things. But I’m not bitter.

We’re really not killing people right? But we are killing the power of our testimony! If I see an unsaved person on a rant, I always try to remember that they are not privileged to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within to help them out. But the child of God is without excuse.

Our job is to edify the body of Christ and to point the lost to His saving grace. If we look back at our posts, how many qualify?

It’s a question I ask of myself today. How can I do more for the Kingdom, and less for the cause of Shari? And may I never be guilty of inciting anxiety in the world. There’s enough there already.

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Purpose

Are you a digital missionary or digital menace?

Written by talk2shari Published April 30, 2018April 30, 2018 Discussion Leave a Comment

My social media friend, DiAnn Mills, posted a question today about our relationships and social media. How do we balance the two? First of all, I think we have to look at the latter word of the term social media “friend.” That’s gotten out of hand in a few too many worlds.

I consider DiAnn a friend, although we’ve never met, nor really shared an in depth conversation. If I was having a break down I wouldn’t call DiAnn; mainly because I don’t know her number. Nor would I message her, though I possibly could, I’ve never tried that either. I follow folks like DiAnn and other social media personalities because we are like minded and frankly because I like to steal the stuff of creative Christ minded people. Please don’t think I’m advocating plagiarism. By “”stealing” I simply mean, their thoughts lead my mind in directions I might not have gone on my own. So this morning when DiAnn posted her question, and I read down through the comments, a friend of hers (who I’m not social media friends of) commented with the term “digital missionaries.” That was an amazing term I thought. And so my warped way of thinking went into the super hero analogy of how I view missionaries for Jesus Christ and “dada” Super hero Jesus Chick was drawn.

Please don’t think me arrogant. I actually don’t view myself as a super hero. But when you read the stories of the superheroes of the faith, I have to wonder what would they have done with the tools we have in our era?

If Noah had a Facebook would he have had any friends? Would he have tweeted When the dove returned? Being that Abraham was the friend of God, would he have as many friends as the number of stars because his friends just want to get in tight with Jesus? If Miriam had a social media page would she have dissed her brother to all of the Israelites instead of just Aaron? Would David have shared his image of Bathsheba on Instagram? Good night a mighty, what would the Bible have looked like on Social media?!

If Jesus had a Facebook page, what would He do with it? You could possibly answer that question if you’re a Christian, because He does live in you after all. Are you a digital missionary or digital menace? As Jesus scrolls down your page, does He see himself?

That’s what He should see because we who are online should be using it for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God. If you have “truly” friended someone and you happen to run across a post that shows them in a pit of despair (it didn’t just happen, it was a divine appointment). What did you do with it? Did you give them a frowny face or a prayer hand, or did you actually take the time to read their issue and respond as Jesus would have?

It’s a question I ask myself today… Thanks DiAnn for the thought path… it was a good walk.

Matthew 25:43-44 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Are the people in your list strangers or friends? Naked – when they bear their soul, do you clothe them in kindness? When they are sick do you really pray? When they are in the prison of being alone together on social media, do you visit them? When they need a drink of the water of life, do you show them how to quench that thirst in Jesus Christ? Are a digital missionary? If you are, you’re my hero.

This blog is in it’s 8th year. Hosted on godaddy.com for the past five. Expenses incurred for the operation of this site are without complaint and with gratitude for the opportunity. If the Lord would impress you to give to help cover some recent technology issues, I’d be grateful. I’ve not been in the world’s workforce for 3 years and for that I glorify God. It’s given me the opportunity to not only write and work on music, but minister to nursing home patients, volunteer in the Christian School teaching art and help other ministries with marketing. All of which require technology, communication, time and gasoline. Again it’s without complainT… but just in case you have a desire to help, or have “extra money” 🙂 Know that I would be eternally grateful.

Here’s the Link

Posted in Uncategorized

What Develops After the Camera Clicks

Written by talk2shari Published May 14, 2014May 3, 2019 Discussion Leave a Comment

So I stole today’s blog post idea from Pastor Steven Furtick, just sayin’ that up front in case any of you are fans of his pod cast or watch him online. Yes, he uses the wrong Bible…you probably won’t like his music and you may find a dozen other things you consider faults. Before you judge, check the mirror. This sermon was just so spot on I felt the need to do the Jesus Chick version. It was like he took a page out of my life and scribbled it on his sermon notes. Seriously.

Almost every time (if not every time) I speak, someone says to me, “I love how you’re so very real.” The reality of that statement for me is, they’re saying, “I love how you let us see how very messed up you are.” And that’s the truth. I’ve never professed to be a model of how you should live your life, I’m more the “what not to do” version. I realized this again when I spoke at the Ladies Retreat at Five Forks Community Church and they had decorated their platform with the goal of showing a messed up, packrat home. My first thought was, wow, I’ll be right at home here. My home will never be on the better homes and gardens cover, unless it’s as a cleaning project. I run from daylight to dark (literally). So for someone to judge my housekeeping, they have to take over some of my responsibilities. But they’ll have to fight me for them, because I’d rather serve the Lord than clean house. Yes, I’m using that as an excuse to be messy, I’m sure God will line me out about it when I get to Heaven.

Steven Furtick’s sermon title was “The Problem with Pinterest.” His problem was that when the projects on Pinterest (a social media sight) were tried by the average mortal soul they never quite turned out like they had anticipated. More often than not they were epic failures that cost you money, left you discouraged and feeling inadequate and in constant comparison of the “perfect people” whose children are well behaved, their homes are immaculate and they look like they just stepped off the cover of Vogue. Personally, I prefer another sight Steven Furtick tuned me into which is www.pinterestfail.com, ‘where good intentions come to die.’ How precious is that! Now that’s a website I can identify with. It’s filled with pictures of Pinterest projects gone wrong. You can literally burn up hours laughing at what would been your picture had you actually tried the project.

Ironically enough times haven’t changed since the days of Moses.

In Corinthians 3:13 Apostle Paul says:

And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

It’s often thought that Moses put the veil over his face because it was too bright to look upon, but more than likely the veil was there to keep them from seeing that the glory was fading away, and thereby they’d become discouraged because the old covenant wasn’t a permanent fix. (Exodus 34:29-35). And such is life…

We are continually looking upon Pinterest posts, Facebook profiles, Twitterpics and Instagrams and believing that that perfect image is everlasting. As far as Instagram growth goes, followers play an important role. It lasted for the split second the picture was taken. And then more than likely the child threw a tantrum, the happy couple got in a huge fight because someone was unappreciated or spent too much money and that perfect family went back to being perfectly dysfunctional. The picture perfect home may very well have a huge crack in the foundation of life and although it looks beautiful, the reality is very ugly.

But nobody posts that. Well some do, but I’m quick to hide them, who wants to see it! Well some do… those who are every bit as miserable but love looking and judging someone else’s misery.

Praise God for the New Covenant! Even though the perfect children fade into tantrum throwing, backing talking, door slamming teens, the picturesque home has Oreo’s ground into the carpet and dog hair on the couch, and the happy couple isn’t always so happy when the door closes behind the company that showed up unannounced, we still have a perfect plan.

It’s the one that we’re not in control of.

It’s the one that covered by the unconditional forgiveness and grace of our Savior, who loves us in our messes and in our brokenness.

For marketing my blog and speaking, I call myself “The Jesus Chick.” That doesn’t mean I’m so spiritual I have all of life figured out. It just means I’m pretty tight with the One Who fixes the disaster I call life.

If you’d like to see Steven Furtick’s video message from Elevation Church, here’s the link!

http://elevationchurch.org/sermons