Keeping it Personal with Martha

About Martha Brady

Martha is a mother to 3 married daughters, a grandma to 6 grandchildren, and a wife to 1 retired pastor. During their 40 years in ministry–either in the US or overseas–she became passionate about helping women understand the grace of God and what it truly is! She believes life is not about me fixing myself up enough to go to God for forgiveness of minor, petty mistakes. It is about God, reaching down to me while I am still a mess. He comes to me before I am cleaned up, loving me and providing a way, through His grace and forgiveness. God’s grace is involved in the grit of our lives, not just the glamor…fortunately! She is a nurse and enjoys writing on her blog.
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Run the Race With Joy

November 15, 2011 | By: | 3 Comments

A few months ago, we were visiting Austin, TX (saying, “Good-bye” to our kids as they left for Ukraine). We were challenged in church that morning from the regular series the pastor was preaching through in Philippians, to run the race of the christian life, metaphorically speaking, for the joy of it.

I hadn’t thought of running a marathon as “fun”

But for many, running a marathon is fun! They enjoy the challenge that goes with preparing for the race…eating the right foods, conditioning their body, learning the pace they need so will be able to finish the race.

It is a challenge! There is no guarantee that just because a person has completed a marathon, they will be able to complete the next one. The challenges are always different. There are times when the combination of factors is such that it is impossible for them to complete the race on a given day. It is never a good day when that happens.

Now, to the sermon…and it is mixed with my musings, so I won’t pretend that this is an outline straight from the pastor. Once it gets into the maze called my brain, a sermon can go in all kinds of directions! But surely that must happen to you too, doesn’t it?

Most of the text was in Philippians 3:12-14.

  • If we, as Christians are race runners
  • and we know who will win the race we are in (and in fact, already won it at the cross!)
  • then we are to run the race with joy.

Just think what it would be like if you were running a marathon, knowing ahead of time that you were going to win!

  • How would you respond to those times of exhaustion when you weren’t sure you could move one more step?
  • What about those times when you were tempted to just give up because the race too difficult?
  • Or even your response to an injury? How would it affect you?

If you are anything like me, nothing would be able to stop you. If I knew ahead of time that I was going to win the race as long as I finished it, you can be sure I would be finishing that race! I would stay in that race PERIOD! Nothing would be able to stop me from finishing the race.

And my attitude? Joyful for sure! Who can be sad when they are running a race they know they will win?

And that seems to be the tone of Paul’s teaching in Philippians.

As you run the race this week, run with joy!

The race has already been won for you! You are going to win, now go run the race!

Photo Credit: pwiwε

God, Save Me From My Inner Diva!

September 13, 2011 | By: | 11 Comments

In the last few years I have been challenged regarding relationships.  It doesn’t make any difference if they are relationships with my…

husband —- children —- friends —- enemies —- co-workers —- fellow worshippers at church —- professing christians or blatant heathen

…I am learning at a deeper, gut level, that my Inner Diva is alive and well.

Over the forty-ish years of serving in pastoral ministry with my husband, I have tried to push her down and keep her quiet.

  • Submission is not in her vocabulary!  (She wants to do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it…and answer to no one…not even God really!)
  • Arrogance is her main attribute.  It shows in ways that can even seem “humble” at times.
  • “Speaking the truth in love” is not something she even wants to learn!
  • Speaking the truth and let the chips fall where they may?  {Isn’t that verse in Hezekiah somewhere?}  Now that is closer to Diva’s desire.

But one thing that has helped me immensely has been learning that  I have control over only one person in any relationship–ME.  And that includes Diva!

As much as I might like to, I can NOT control other people AND I can NOT change them!

What I do have IS control over how I respond to them.  I have learned this lesson in some of the hardest ways imaginable!

I have been amazed to discover the difference it makes when my response to the other person is one of  building them up with encouraging words rather than inflammatory ones.

I don’t have to add fuel to the fire of another person’s anger or pain.  I can encourage a disheartened person or show the love of Christ in ways that may cost me something.

The cost?

Learning  to humble myself and serve them when I would love to give them a piece of my mind!  (It is a process to be sure.)

Do I encourage my Inner Diva to express herself and show the world her arrogance by my use of sarcasm and barbed comments?

Or do I have Jesus’ mindset; available to me as a daughter of the King?

“…Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”  Philippians 2:5-7 ESV

Diva or Servant? <— Which will you choose?

…if you are “in Christ,”  you have the ability to make the right choice.  By the grace of God, choose well!

Photo courtesy of p0psicle