This week on the CIRCLE OF LOVE feature, I want to introduce you to a dear, sweet young lady that I not only know here on blogger land but I am honored also to know her in real life.PLEASE MEET ...
LEE ANN ~ author of
Lee Ann is a young lady that I have known for several years. We go way back when she was just a teen. She attended our church with her parents as a young lady, but because of situations and circumstances, we lost touch with each other for a few years.
Recently, she has returned to our church, and even though she left a few years ago as a young girl...she now has returned as a wonderful, excited, on fire for the Lord, eager, "Give me all you got God!" young woman!!
Not too long ago, I sat across the table from Lee Ann at a local restaurant and listened intently as she poured her heart out to me. Sharing her testimony and revealing to me the ministry and passion that God has placed on her heart to reach out and minister to other young women.
What I absolutely love about Lee Ann is that this passion that she speaks about is not just something she talks about...in our church and in our community I have seen firsthand how she has not only spoken this passion but she is reaching out and acting upon this passion of her heart.
Not too long ago, Lee Ann began to write out some of the stirrings upon her heart through her very own blog. BROKENNESS TO BEAUTY describes Lee Ann's testimony, it reveals how God took what Satan intended for bad and turned it around and made something wonderful and beautiful out of it.
Lee Ann has a passion to share with other women, especially young women, exactly what God did for her and how He desires to do the same for others. Women who are broken, do not have to stay that way ... Lee Ann shares with others how God sees past the pain and the brokenness and sees the beauty that lies within each of us.
Lee Ann is a HUGE blessing to me and I know she will be a blessing to you as well. Recently, she penned the following post that I know will bless you:
Have you ever been sucker punched by Satan???
I mean the kind that leaves your head spinning after being knocked to the ground, wondering where on earth the blow came from and where the perpetrator was hiding... I certainly have.Satan is the sucker punch champion... He will hit you when you least expect it, your guard is down, and you have no way to protect yourself. He will leave you with your head hanging low, and fearful of when the next attack is coming.
Well, raise your pretty little head, because there is a solution! As Christians, sometimes we think that we are sucker punched, but are we really??? We don't understand why we are having financial problems, but we blinded ourselves to the fact that we own tons of things that were not a necessity, that we pulled out this little plastic card to pay for. We don't understand why our marriage is falling apart, yet we refuse counseling and stopped regularly attending church and have made our friends more important than our spouses. We don't understand why we are ill, yet we eat junk food constantly and fill our bodies with toxins. We don't understand why we can't "feel" God, but we fail to mention that we don't read our bible, yawn and stretch during worship, nap during sermons, and watch television instead of attending bible studies....Please understand that I am not saying these are the only times these thing happen. I am certainly not saying that. Bad things happen unexpectedly all the time. I am not placing blame or condemning. I am saying what I have observed in my own life.If we open our eyes to our actions and lifestyles, maybe we can get a clearer picture of what is to come in our future. We want to place all the blame on Satan, and he is the culprit, but we have opened the portal to him. We have given him fuel to attack us. You don't tell an enemy your weakness and expect him to console you and help you strengthen it. You don't invite a thief to your house, and show him where you hold your most prized possessions and give him the combination to the lock. So, then, why do we give Satan blue prints to our defeat and roll over and let him attack???
We all struggle. We all have things that we struggle with more than others. Satan is most certainly going to be tuned in to our weaknesses. Therefore, we must first address the weaknesses. Pretending that we do not have weaknesses will land us on our behinds faster than we can stand up good. We must then learn how to fight and overcome our weaknesses. Prayer, daily bible reading, attending church services, worshipping, seeking counsel, and attending bible studies are all awesome ways to counter attack. Sometimes we need a friend helping us fight the battle. Sometimes we need to be the friend helping others battle. When we daily put of the "Armor of God,' we are setting ourselves up to overcome. We must cling to the Word of God. We must spend time talking with God.Yes, there will still be times when receive an unexpected blow, but instead of knocking us to the ground, he knocks us to our knees. That can only happen if we are prepared to fight back. God's children should not fear getting knocked to their knees, it just means that we are already in the position to look up and praise.
Recently, Lee Ann shared a little bit more of her hearts desire with me online and this is what she had to say...
1. PLEASE TELL US YOUR NAME AND WHERE WE CAN FIND YOU ON THE WEB?
Lee Ann Sturch…pleeanns.blogspot.com…Brokenness to Beauty
2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING AND TELL US YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BLOGGING?
I have been blogging since April of this year….. I love being able to share what God has placed on my heart. It is sort of a journaling for myself. Even if no one else reads it, it is great documentation of where God has brought me from, and the things He is doing in my life. On days when I am down or struggling, I can read some of my past blogs, and I truly remember how good God is.
3. WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT YOU BLOG ABOUT?
So far, it has been about my experiences and observations. I pray before I blog, and sincerely try to post what God has laid on my heart.
4. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF...if you work ~where? ...have a family ~ tell us about them?
I work for an investment firm full time, and I work for a large retail store part time…. I am not married, YET! J But, I pray most every day for my future spouse. I have no biological children, but have many I call adopted children. I help with the kids at church, and have fallen in love with them.
5. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SERVING THE LORD?
I have claimed to be a Christian my whole life, but have only recently (last few years) really served the Lord with my whole being. I was very good at being a “church girl” on Sunday, and different the rest of the week…. At first, you only think about how much you have to give up to serve God, but until you give it up, you never realize how much you gain. Once you come to that realization, the trade-off is nowhere near worth it.
6. CAN YOU GIVE US A TESTIMONY OF HOW GOD HAS PROVEN HIMSELF FAITHFUL TO YOU?
Wow! An easier question would how has God not proven Himself faithful, because my answer would be that he hasn’t. He is always faithful, though many times we don’t understand His ways or His timing…. I guess a big testimony to me, is in what most would consider the little things. He has called me to ministry, which can be a scary thought at first, but He has been faithful to put AWESOME mentors in my life. He has asked me to go on, when I don’t have any strength left, but He has been faithful to carry me in those times. He has asked me to give when I don’t have it to offer, but has been faithful to bless me more than I could imagine. He has asked me to praise when my heart is broken, but He has been faithful to lift my Spirits. He has asked me to minister when I am weary, but He has been faithful to restore my joy. He has asked me to love when my pride has been wounded and hurt is buried deep inside, but He has been faithful to overflow my soul with His love and grace.
7. COULD YOU SHARE WITH YOUR CIRCLE OF BLOGGING FRIENDS YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE?
It is actually a chapter.. Psalm 63… It blesses me so much, each time that I read it.
8. HOW HAS THAT SCRIPTURE MINISTERED TO YOU RECENTLY?
It is a prayer of how we should seek God, a praise to how awesome He is, a realization of how much we need Him, and reminder of the power that comes from Him…. It ministers to me each time I read it… God is so very good, and I never want to lose sight of that fact.
9. WHAT ADVICE ABOUT BLOGGING WOULD YOU OFFER TO YOUR CIRCLE OF BLOGGING FRIENDS?
Seek God in all that you do. Let it always be about Him, and not about you… We tend to like the spotlight and want big numbers and lots of followers…. God convicted me of this. I realized that if God uses my blog to touch one person, then it is worth it. It is not to honor Lee Ann, but to honor God!
"AMEN to that Lee Ann! What wonderful words of advice for all of us to take to heart. When I first started my blog I often took time to look at that little ticker that showed how many viewed my blog but in all honesty if God speaks to just one person thru my writing than He will be honored and glorified and that little ticker really doesn't matter! What an awesome encouragement to me to see younger women like Lee Ann picking up this mantle and running with it ... the mantle of putting God first in all that they do! Lee Ann...thank you for being an encouragement to me and to all WOMEN WHO ARE TAKING A STAND!" -blessings, Laurie
Please visit LEE ANN over at BROKENNESS TO BEAUTY...
I promise you will be blessed!
I WOULD LOVE TO FEATURE YOU in a future CIRCLE OF LOVE segment. Please CLICK HERE to see how your blog can be highlighted!
I enjoyed meeting your friend, bless you both.
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