Guest Blogger: Rebekah Page




I hesitate to even write this.  I am not worthy. I am a broken and leaking vessel. I am lying in bed riddled with guilt from the day.  It is not every day that my heart is broken for how I have behaved or thought.  But tonight is different.  The spirit is leading me to tears yet my sinful nature is angry and bitter at the same time.  Good and evil are raging inside with a mixture of love-remorse  and guilt-and-sin.  

I trust in the spirit and stop and pray.  

“Lord, I know this __________ is still inside of me.  I see it.  I hate it and I am asking you to take it from me. Restore my soul.  I know that without you, I can do nothing good. Every good and perfect gift is from you.  I know that I need you to help me be more loving, caring, gentle, patient, and kind.  I need to be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry.  I do not want to think or feel this way, in Jesus name. Amen.”

But you see, without my brokenness and your brokenness we would want to glorify ourselves. Our brokenness is one way we are drawn to Jesus, who is our breakthrough. Who is the creator and perfecter of our faith.  Who chose us to be the first fruits of all he created.  We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that he prepared in advance for us to do. Brokenness make us reliant on him and not on on our own good works.  For apart from him we can do nothing! Refreshing breakthrough does not come in my strength to do better, and think better, but by my willingness to listen and respond to his good pleasures and purposes.

So the Lord restored my soul tonight with that prayer.  I was reminded that I do not have to be perfect, to be loved.  I am a work in progress.  I can write this post confident I am who he created me to be.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made, created in His image to bear much fruit.  And though I mess up, I will run to him.  He is my true redeemer and friend.  His yoke is easy and his burden in light.   My spiritual walk is not measured by how good I was today or this week, but by how fast I run to Jesus to restore my soul and cleanse me from my sin.   I will turn to the truth, cling to the what is true, right, lovely, and worthy of praise.  I will cast off sin that so easily entangles me and the lies that deceive. I choose to walk in a way that is worthy of the calling to which Jesus Christ has called me. And he has called you.  He wants to walk with you and carry you when you need it until you BREAK FREE and BREAK THROUGH from whatever is hindering you.

Thank you Holy Spirit for leading me and thank you Jonathan Shanks for your sermon on Sunday that was inspiration for this post.

I’ll close with two acts of worship: (A Painting and a Prayer/Song)
Using paint to infuse my heart, mind, and soul with truth.


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“I pray that you would lead and we would follow. We are looking forward to going farther than our feet could ever go on their own.  We pray we would go into unchartered waters with you by faith, and because we were obedient, you will come through.  We know you will follow-through for you are our breakthrough.   Thank you Jesus for conquering sin and death.  Amen.”



Read the full lyrics at:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior”


Scripture References from the Post to Dig Deeper in Truth with Me:
Philippians 4:8



Thank you so much Rebekah for sharing this important message about relying on Christ and His strength to help us "Break free and break through" our struggles! I know I need to break free and break through many things DAILY! I look forward to many more teachings from you on this blog! Just like God put a word on Rebekah's heart, I know He is stirring in many of the hearts reading this. If you are ever interested in being a Guest Blogger or Illustrator on One 39 Fourteen, please let us know!



What I Love Wednesday!

It's Wednesday! Half way to the weekend is a reason to celebrate by introducing you to some neat products! This year I learned about the Be Still Clothing Co. through my son's first grade teacher, Mrs. Carroll. I loved her t-shirt one day so I went home and googled what it said. Up popped the Be Still website! I love the positive, life giving messages on their products! 



I absolutely love these three from Be Still Clothing Co! Here are the few I have below:



This one is my very favorite.



Here is a little more about the company in their own words:


You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bestillclothingcompany

How Reading the Bible is like Going to the Gym

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Today I had a great epiphany while in a step class at the gym.For me, going to step class for really the first time in 2 years, was in many ways an illustration of how my life feels to me whenever I get out of the habit of reading the Bible.

The class begins with a basic march in place and I'm feeling great, I got this! Then we do a few other basic moves and again, I feel like, I've got this. Now, comes the actual choreography. Suddenly, I don't feel like I've got it and somehow the class has shifted on some kind of crazy turn-around-step and now the whole class is facing the back of the room. Meaning, I'm now at the front and the instructor is in the back. Two problems here. One, I can no longer see my teacher so I don't even know where to begin. Two, I'm now front and center displaying my lack of understanding to the whole class.


I had two choices quit or smile and march it out. Though I wanted to quit, I decided to humbly march it out while accepting that...I am confidentially uncoordinated and for the first time in my life I was actually comfortable with that.


The truth is I need to see my teacher every step of the way. I need to hear her voice telling me what to do next. And, even with seeing and hearing her steps and commands I still find a way to misstep and look awkward. In her sweet and patient way, she continued to encourage me in the midst of my missteps and marching while the rest of the class was managing pretty well.


This silly little situation illuminated my relationship with Christ many times. The more I go to the gym, the easier the class becomes and the more I recognize the steps and commands. With Christ, the more I seek him, the more I find him. The more I find him, the more I love him. However, in seasons when I am not reading His Word nor interested in seeking His guidance I find myself making many missteps and struggling to keep up with the music of life.

In the midst of all my missteps, I stopped to take a picture to remember how
much I need to hear my teacher's voice and seek my teacher's face.


My eyes must be on my teacher, my God, so my feet will follow. My ears must be able to hear His commands. But seeing and hearing are not enough if I do not know what the commands mean and have never put them into practice. And, much like step is not my physical forte, if I am not in my own lane running the race God has purposed me for I'm never going to find my stride. Sure, step was a great laugh for me today to realize that there was a reason I needed a few libations in college to get out on the dance floor. But, in truth, I'm thankful to find myself really out of place and the lessons I learn while I'm there.

Thank God that in Christ, it isn't about good works, deeds or steps, it is about believing. It is about being still in His presence. Resting in His care is more than enough.





Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

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Monday mornings can be cluttered with racing thoughts of the week and pressures of the day. Take a moment this morning to remember that the Holy Spirit's power is in you if only you ask. Coffee can only help so much, remember, not my works but His. I challenge you today, to look at yourself in the mirror and repeat these words until you know.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows that full well.  Psalm 139:14


The Comeback

Several weeks ago my heart was heavy and so was the number on my scale. I decided I needed to make some changes in my life, starting with choosing to focus on who God says I am, rather than my own deceiving self image in the mirror. I am thankful that God has started a beautiful transformation in me. After many  months of sleepless nights, dreaming with eyes wide open and a stirring in my heart, God has turned my feelings of "stuck" into being still, to hear His voice.

He has turned my struggles, my hot mess, into a message for His glory. In rebirthing my blog, I hope to connect with and empower others to seek the One who restores all things. The one who uses broken people. The one who allows for rescued people to rescue people. The one whose favor lasts forever, not by behaving but by believing in the One true God whose righteousness is in me. 

For it is written, "Yet this I call to mind and there I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him..." Lamentations 3:21-25

A day after my 34th birthday, I woke up with this on my heart and wrote it down:

"My heart is heavy for this Coastal region and the number of women (including myself) that feel such an immense pressure to have a perfect body. I feel so compelled to speak truth, not only to myself, but to those around me who are healthy and fit yet are unsatisfied with their pant size. I want to speak to those of you who feel a great sense of anxiety with the impending swimsuit season. 

I am certain there are others who, like me, are finding themselves a bit heavier on the scale than you are used too and fighting back in the gym and in the kitchen. However, are you doing it in grace? 

What has the past year dealt to you that leads you to where you are? Be graceful and merciful to yourself. Today at the gym while doing core exercises I felt so weak that I wanted to cry. Than I remembered that I had a hysterectomy less than 3 months ago and I started to rise up inside with a holy indignation at Satan for stealing my joy. My scars reflect strength, not weakness. My weight not does determine my worth. 

I am so tired of talking about weight and body image in social circles. I want to be healthy but more than that I want to be holy. Girls, God has called us to more than a skewed image in a mirror. We are wonderfully and perfectly made. Let's start talking about that. Let's start encouraging each other to be wonderfully made in Christ's image. To be strong and courageous. To be more than we can ask or imagine. I am more than a number on a scale. I am more than any swimsuit I put on. I am more than a conversation about my body or my weight. I am wonderfully and perfectly made. And, guess what, so are you. Let's start spurring each other on towards that."

This was the catalyst for a 21 Day #StrongandCourageousToday conversation on Facebook and Instagram as a way to help women identify strength and courage in each other! In the midst of those 21 days, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to start writing again. I humbly ask that you excuse my grammatical    errors, typos and skipped days. My prayer is that God's words will cover this blog and give many women a platform to share the mighty way that our great God transforms our Hot Mess into something beautiful. 

One 39 Fourteen is a reminder to remember how the God of the universe chose to make you and me, "I praise you because I am wonderfully and fearfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14