We eat our own. We would probably be more effective if we stopped doing that.

I was taking some time tonight to listen to Susie Larson's "Live the Promise" Faith Radio show online. It has become one of my favorite ways to relax at the end of an exhausting day lately. I can just pop the laptop open and turn her on while I sort laundry or do the dishes or whatever else I am doing. She is so rich with wisdom. I just can't get enough lately. Her show today was done with author Lisa Bevere, who wrote a book called, "Lioness Arising". I have not read the book myself, but it sounds like a really incredible call to women to step it up and boldly make a difference for the Lord. Here are just a few things that Lisa said that I thought were interesting. She likened Christians to Lionesses, and gave a few descriptions of ways that we SHOULD be like the lionesses. Here they are:

THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE LIONESSES

• Each of us has a skill that we are supposed to hone to a magnificent perfection to the benefit of the whole group.
• When we work together as a STRATEGIC team we can (AND WILL) take down the enemy.
• We have an enemy.
• We need to be dangerous to the enemy.
• Right now we are really just dangerous to each other. (OUCH, huh?) Read the next line for more into this one.
• We're doing a lot of his (the enemy's) works for him by judging, gossip, and slander, and just not being who we were created to be.
• God created us to be beautifully dangerous...to be wildly compassionate and strategic.
• We need to greet and groom each other. What does not look good on Lisa does not look good on Susie. We need to help each other get to the spots that we cannot see on ourselves. We need to build each other up, training one another.
  
• Your truest beauty is not judged by what you see in the mirror but by what is reflected back at you in the lives you impact. (OH, I LOVED THAT LINE!! PLEASE, LORD, LET THAT BE SO)
  

So, that was shortened and bullet-pointed because it was taken from their longer interview. Some things were left out that were said between each point so it makes sense to me, but if it does not make complete sense to you I apologize. You can go here to listen to the interview in its entirety.

I just love how Lisa hit that point about us doing the enemy's work, rather than teaming up to fight the enemy off. I'm visual, so that works for me. I hope that helps someone else too. For any guys that come to this site I have also heard it said this way:

ALISHA'S FOOTBALL VERSION FOR THE MEN FOLK:
It would be as if we were gearing up for a football game. We get our pads and helmets on, get all ready for the game. We get out on the field, and so does the opposing team...both teams ready for a win! But, our team's focus is not actually on the win once the game gets going because each player, in turn, get distracted with lots of other things--feuds between one another--and we decide to deal with those instead. Meanwhile, the other team stays clearly focused on winning...and winning only. They are running their plays strategically and solidly, laughing at the ease at which they were winning.

GO! FIGHT! WIN!
WE have GOT to come together! IT'S WAR...but not between me and you. There are bigger fish to fry, and we are a LOT stronger when we work together strategically each of us bringing what we have to the table.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Okay, so awesome song time? SURE! Why not.



PRAYER
Lord, break our hearts for what breaks yours. We come to you for comfort, but we also realize that you call us to pass that comfort on when we are filled up. Let us be a community that loves like you love and rallies together to live out your purposes here on this earth. Amen.