I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
She Saw the Lord
Mary Magdalene is one of the most well-known women from the Bible. She was with Jesus through much of His ministry, to the end of His life and after His resurrection. The first time we meet Mary in Scripture, Jesus has already worked a miracle in her:
“...Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out…”
Luke 8:1-2 (NIV)
Imagine feeling helpless, tormented, hopeless. Indescribably crushed under the oppressive weight of evil and without any way out. You may not need to imagine it–you might already identify with what Mary was going through.
But then, Jesus came and set Mary Magdalene free.
In a moment, He relieved her of her torment. She was healed. And she saw Him. She followed Him. From a distance, she watched the crucifixion as her Savior gave His life for all (Mark 15:40). And then, she saw where he was laid (Mark 15:47).
Ever faithful, Mary Magdalene and two other women who followed Jesus rose early in the morning and went to anoint Jesus’ body.
But there was no one there.
At this empty tomb, Mary wept in grief thinking Jesus had been taken away. But then she heard Jesus’ voice:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).”
John 20:16 NIV
Jesus then trusted her with an important task. “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17 NIV).
The news of Jesus’ resurrection took flight through Mary Magdalene, the woman who had once been crushed by suffering. Of all the people He could have chosen for this moment of glorious discovery and critical communication, He chose her.
And she went to the disciples with the very same news that had changed her life to begin with: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18 NIV).
Think About What You Think About
What you tell yourself every day matters. If you believe something about your identity that isn’t true, then you will struggle to believe what God says about you.
But, when you root your identity in God and allow His Spirit to shape your life, you will begin to see yourself the way He sees you—and this will influence the way you treat people, situations, opportunities, and events around you.
So here are three ways you can guard your thoughts and declare God’s truth over your life:
1. Identify the lies you tell yourself.
Your words and actions reveal the narratives you tell yourself. To figure out if a narrative is false, ask yourself: Is this thought marked by fear, insecurity, pride, bitterness, or a lack of confidence? Is this thought leading me to cynical or self-serving behavior? If you can answer “yes” to either of those questions, then the narrative you’re telling yourself probably needs to be addressed and adjusted.
When you can identify where and when ...
