My Scarlet Letter

Mary, the Mama of Jesus....did you know in Hebrew the meaning of her name is rebellion?

Hebrew Meaning: The name Mary is a Hebrew baby name. In Hebrew the meaning of the name Mary is: Wished-for child; rebellion; bitter. Famous Bearers: the Virgin Mary; Mary Magdalene; Mary, Queen of Scots  

Do you know about Mary Magdalene?

The Gospel of Luke says seven demons had gone out of her,[Lk. 8:2] and the longer ending of Mark says Jesus had cast seven demons out of her.[Mk. 16:9] She is most prominent in the narrative of the crucifixion of Jesus, at which she was present. She was also present two days later, immediately following the sabbath,[3] when, according to all four canonical Gospels,[Matthew 28:1–8][Mark 16:9–10] [Luke 24:10] [John 20:18] she was either alone or as a member of a group of women the first to testify to the resurrection of Jesus.[5] John 20 and Mark 16:9 specifically name her as the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection.

Do you know about Rahab? I just learned about her several weeks ago.

Rahab, (/ˈreɪ.hæb/;[1] Hebrew: רָחָב, Modern Raẖav, Tiberian Rāḥāḇ ; "broad," "large") was, according to the Book of Joshua, a prostitute who lived in Jericho in the Promised Land and assisted the Israelites in capturing the city. She became a figure of fascination to the writers of the New Testament, where she is reckoned among the ancestors of Jesus,[2]and is lauded as an example of living by faith,[3] while being justified by her works.[4]

My point being with just these three women I’ve listed…..look at their past lives, and then look at how God uses them in their future.  You could be one of those women? I could be one of those women?  Other women we know could be too…..just one of the reasons we shouldn’t judge other people’s pasts, or their actions - we should just love them to God. We all have a role to play in Jesus's kingdom.

Until recently, traveling to my hometown used to be difficult for me. In my hometown, to me, it felt as though my sin is the big red A stained and stinky on my chest, the Scarlet letter of Adultery per se. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's how I used to feel. Satan liked my shame and blame a lot. I used it a lot.....still fall back into it some days but I try my hardest to remember who I am - His daughter and His Beloved. Period. Nothing more, ever. It really is enough for me.

If I saw someone I knew, I would turn around and walk the other way or ignore them, hoping they wouldn't see me and my Scarlet letter. Or, worse yet I wouldn't even go anywhere or want to do anything outside of visiting SOME family.

Then God changed my heart, forever more.

How will women who are or were in my same shoes of adultery ever know how God can and will change their heart, if they don't know or don't see me and how He has changed me. My stain, it is still there; however, now the stench is gone.

I believe God made us to desire Him, to look for Him and to want Him.

Whether you feel it as a need for a Father, a husband or a best-friend...it's really about Him.

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the IF: Gathering in Yakima. A room full of women Saturday morning coming together, ushering in the Holy Spirit raising our arms and singing a song about our "Good Good Father", you could feel Him in the room...the Holy Spirit was SO present it was palpable. I loved it. (I'm tearing up as I write this, sitting here feeling all of this)

A bunch of women in the same room, singing about their Dad, how much He loves us and it is who we are...in His love.

You are a good, good Father

It's who you are

It's who you are

It's who you are

We are loved by you

It's who we are

It's who we are

It's who we are

When I'm singing about our Dad with a bunch of my sisters, it sounds like we are angels and telling him how much we love Him and reminding each other just how much He loves us.

I miss my own Dad a lot and situations like this reminds me of my first and best Father....and it makes the grieving gone, in an instant. Praising Him, thanking Him and loving others as He loves me....really helps all the negativity or sadness. Sometimes I will say, "I just wish I could hear Dad’s voice one more time" and then I will immediately thank God for the time I actually had with my Dad and it is so very helpful. Some women never even knew their Dad or have a relationship with him.....here is your chance to have a relationship with your first Father, too.

No more hiding behind your sin. Giving it over to God, to take it, to remove the stink of it…..you’ll never be the same again. He will change you. I dare you to try it. What do you really have to lose? NOTHING! You have so much to gain.

I’m praying for you!