This week this song has been on my heart and I just enjoy it.

I’m going to share some of the lyrics here:

Legacy by Nichole Nordeman

“I want to leave a legacy,
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to you enough?
To make a mark on things
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace
Who blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy.”

_____________________________

I enjoy listening to Nichole Nordeman singing and this is a good song. Click the link and listen to the song if you haven’t listened to it before! By the way moms . . . yes, she’s the same artist that sings, “Slow Down”, many of you know what that is but if you haven’t heard it before then grab your tissue box (seriously, don’t start it before getting the tissues), and then click the link at the bottom of the page after you’re done reading.

I’ve been thinking about this song, Legacy, as I’ve dealt with a tender heart this past week. Yes . . . that’s peculiar. Me, having a tender heart? Yes, everything breaks my heart and yes, friends, I have a new estrogen patch on. I checked.

But have you ever heard some things that just kind of caught you off guard and you were embarrassed to be hearing the things that you were and you sat there just listening. . . suffering in silence is what that listening felt like . . . because you desperately wanted to speak. . . but you know that Proverbs verse you read last night is actually on the tip of your tongue because the Lord weighted it down there?

Maybe you weren’t just upset about hearing something said about you, but it was more of an embarrassment for the grown folks doing it? Where you wanted to yell, to shout, to shake the other person and ask, “Are you freaking kidding me!?!” But you didn’t?

Yeah, me either.

Except, it did. Then grace spilled over.

Across my social media account came these words from another author that I very much love:

Lysa Terkeurst wrote, “If ever there is a day you hang your head because of something not nice or not true someone said, remember this: What they say is a reflection of their heart, not yours. Now you go live in such a way that illuminates the beautiful reality of who you are. People will eventually see the truth. You are kind. Fun. Loved. Thoughtful. Prayerful. Don’t fall into the trap of saying ugly things back. Don’t retaliate. Take the higher ground and because you didn’t have to live with reaction regret, celebrate. ~Lysa

Wow

Indeed. I think I could build a mansion with all of the rocks that people have thrown at me, because here  in the real world even some of the “nice” girls aren’t so nice, and the world gets cruel. But it’s not about what people say about you or to you, it’s what you answer to that matters. You may just have to keep to yourself if it helps you to feel better, but forgive them, and just choose to love.

It’s tough. It tough out there in the real world. That’s a hard truth. It’s tough being a woman. It’s tough trusting people. It’s tough giving others the benefit of the doubt. It’s tough assuming. It’s tough forgiving. There are so many flaws in everything we do, because we’re flawed human beings. It’s tough.

God doesn’t always move the mountains that we want Him to move. Some people are going to be chronically ill, some of the best friends we have are going to leave, some are going to lose jobs, some are going to experience financial hardships and/or natural disasters, some are going to get divorced, some are going to bury their children; sometimes we’re going to go through season after season wondering and maybe wandering, depending on where you are, but He’s the same. He’s constant. He may not fix our problems for us but He is the solution.

I don’t know about you, but He sure makes me want to be brave no matter what I’m going through.

And He tells me to.

“But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” -Matthew 14:27

I’m hoping to fight the good fight and try to finish the race strong.  How’s your faith? We could suffer through every tragedy that I mentioned above and it still wouldn’t be enough to break us, we could still live for the Lord, and still be spreading the Gospel and bringing brothers and sisters with us . . . nothing that we go through is going to stop us from doing the Kingdom work; unless we let it. Everything we go through can advance us towards our calling and propel us to the next soul we’re going to win over for the kingdom.

He’s still writing your story.

He’s still writing mine.

People talk about me all the time. Guess what? They might talk about you, too! But here’s the thing, people are going to talk about each other until the day that they die and there’s nothing, nothing, that you can do about it. Maybe they’re talking about your “non-fashionable” clothing. Maybe they’re talking about how you’ve made a mistake about something this past year and they just can’t seem to let it go. Maybe they’re talking about that casserole dish you brought to the potluck. Girl, what were you thinking? Maybe they’re talking about the latest “gossip” they heard about you. Because let’s face it, if they start saying it about you in private, it’s secret enough to have to be fact; they almost need it to be. Maybe they’re talking about that awfully loud, colicky baby you always bring to coffee chats or church or work. What’s that matter with you? Maybe they’re talking about those roots you need to have covered up. Didn’t you know that grays are out? Maybe they’re talking about your crows feet. When did you start aging?

It doesn’t matter what they’re saying. You don’t have to. You don’t have to worry about it and you don’t have single them up into a corner and give them a “what for” either. Let. them. talk. Something I’ve learned about gossiping women is that one woman confides something to a “trusted” woman, who then confides it to someone else who then confides it to her husband; he to his friend; he to his wife; his wife to her friend; etc. You get where I’m going. People will talk. Let them assume.

As Lysa mentioned, “Don’t have reaction regret”, so let others do what they’re going to do. You hold strong and fast to your Savior, because His name is the only One that you need, or should have, on your lips.

So don’t worry about the stones that other people throw at you, because those bricks might just knock you right into your purpose. Let them judge you like they know you, let them speculate, let them accuse, let them doubt, but just let them be. Love them anyway.

The stakes are high . . . leave a legacy of spreading the Gospel, the rest isn’t going to matter so much in the end.

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”  Matthew 25:21

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

(Nichole Nordman: Slow Down )