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Karen Sipps Writes

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IG – land of microblogging and the occasional dog photo

My dog Puddles is what some people might call "a h My dog Puddles is what some people might call "a hot mess." She's basically a cat in disguise. This year, she got a Christmas sweater. She's worn it the entire holiday season, only letting us take it off to brush her, or give it/her a good washing. Now that Christmas is over, we've tried to take it off but she won't let us. She has become so accustomed to her sweater with the big red bow on the back, that she can't imagine something else. If she would just let it go, I would take the old sweater and get her a brand new one. Sometimes it's hard to shake off the past. It's familiar. You know exactly what you're dealing with. It feels comfortable. Even if you don't like your past, sometimes it's easier to stay there than it is to bravely step into your future. Ephesus was a fairly new church that quickly became the epicenter of faith for nearby provinces. Acts 19 tells us about the many miracles and new Christians that joined the church's crusade with Paul as their missionary. But Ephesians was written to encourage the church, after Paul had been imprisoned for being an apostle. He reminded them of the power they held as Christ-followers to continue putting off the old things. To him, it was a choice. A conscious, daily choice to choose to walk in the newness of life that they have heard about. The key is knowing that choice begins in the mind - renewing our minds. Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us, "That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness." Change is hard. But if we're to grasp God's best for us, it's necessary. Whether it's a new year, new resolution, or new mindset, don't be afraid to let go of the old so you can take hold of something greater. Cheering for you, Karen
Do you do a word of the year? I used to just pick Do you do a word of the year? I used to just pick a word that seemed cool or popular. Over the past few years, I really prayed about where God wanted me to focus for the next year, whether it was a word, or phrase, or area. Last year, the word was "grace." Not just for others, but for myself. Whenever I found myself lamenting about what I didn't accomplish, the Lord would allow something to bring that word front and center and remind me it was not my season to rush. This past year was a gift of rest, in every way possible, to abide in Him as the year played out. 2021's word is so much different. Rise. As in, rise to the occasion. He's going to expect more from me this year, I already know. But I'm ready, because last year's season of resting in Him filled my cup and gave me what I'll need to rise to the occasion this year. So what about you? Do you have a word, phrase, or focus for the year? I'd love to hear it. Cheering for you, Karen #wordoftheyear #newyear #newyou #rise #hopewriters
Truth time: Do you ever listen to a sermon and won Truth time: Do you ever listen to a sermon and wonder if God had the pastor write that entire sermon, preached in three morning services, just for you? I mean surely not. That's kinda vain, right? But could He? This whole week I've been praying about the next thing. God, what's the next "project" you have for me? I listed out the boxes I've checked off this year for Him, and asked God specifically what's the next box. That was literally the prayer uttered from my lips one more time, not even an hour before I heard the pastor speak. But the sermon? The sermon was on Revelation 3, the Church in Sardis. How He found their deeds unfinished. And then the pastor went on to speak about how he sometimes starts projects and then will move on to the next project before finishing the last. To anyone else it might seem like all the wives got together and paid off the pastor to subtly mention honey-do lists that never get done. But for me? This was the Lord speaking directly to my heart and answering the week-long prayer of "what's next?" The answer? *The project you still haven't finished.* It's hard, so I've put it off and put it off, taking on other things for quite awhile now while that one giant thing sits dusty on an imaginary shelf. Now I don't know if God has a pastor write a sermon to speak to one person. But I do know that God still answers prayers, and this particular sermon was in direct response to what I needed to hear. (Not what I WANTED to hear, mind you. What I NEEDED to hear.) I bet we all have some unfinished business for the Kingdom, ya think? Or maybe that's just me. Good news is, if you woke up today, there's still time to get it done. Don't mind me, I'll just be over here... working on my project. 😉 Cheering for you, Karen #giterdone #womenoftheword #HopeWriter #slacker #motivationMonday #whatiswrongwithme #Sermon #checkthebox #TypeA
Moses had gone up to Mt. Sinai to meet one on one Moses had gone up to Mt. Sinai to meet one on one with God. While he was there, God revealed the standards He expected His people to keep, including the Ten Commandments. These were a specific set of rules and standards for moral living, and God personally inscribed these commandments onto stone tablets so Moses could bring to the people. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Israelites were impatient, and rather than wait on Moses to return from the mountain, they turned back to their false gods. They turned in all of their gold jewelry so Aaron, Moses' brother, could make them a new god to worship! Something they could see NOW.  When Moses finally returned, he was so angry at the golden calf Aaron had made, he threw the tablets and broke them. These were the hand-carved words of the Lord, and Moses just destroyed them in a fit of rage! That moment right after the tablets shattered to the ground must have been so devastating. Sometimes we do things in haste. We get angry. Throw things. Break things. Yell. Send a hurtful text message. Sometimes our thumbs and mouths act faster than our brains, just like Moses when he broke the tablets. But there is nothing that God can't redeem and restore, even words carved into stone. God later called Moses back to the mountain, where He and Moses made a new set of tablets for the people. ...we are not so powerful that we can derail the plans of God. Even though a second set out tablets were made, God still punished the people and brought a plague for their part in creating the calf. The lesson for us is we aren't perfect. We'll make mistakes because we're human. But even in our humanity, we must never let go of God and trade Him in for something more convenient because it seems more accessible, more tangible, or more popular at the time. Waiting on God is always worth it.  Cheering for you, Karen #devotional #womenoftheword #hopewriters #onlyhuman #tencommandments #highstandards #Moses
❤ #Thanksgiving #ThankfulThursday ❤ #Thanksgiving #ThankfulThursday
Guess what today is? It's a new podcast episode re Guess what today is? It's a new podcast episode release day for The Sofa Series! Yippee! Today we're talking about Jael, and skillsets, and oppression, and just a wee bit of murder. 😱 I hope you listen in. Www.karensippswrites/podcasts or just click on the link in my profile, and then on the chalkboard podcast. Lemme know what you think!
Dear Young Ones, Don't worry if you don't look li Dear Young Ones, Don't worry if you don't look like everyone else... if everyone else seems prettier. Or taller. Or seems to be a better shade of feather than you. So you're different. So what!? Different's not bad. Find joy in knowing that God created you exactly the way you are for a purpose! Who you are and where you are in life is right where you're supposed to be. Cheering for you, Karen #dearyoungones #babies #hanginthere #hopewriters #womenoftheword
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