Lysa TerKeurst
About the Author

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa has lead thousands over the past 15 years to help make their walk with God an invigorating journey. Not...

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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
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  1. When you begin and every day on the journey Home it’s the same. We need, I need Him. I need His voice, I need His wise ear, I need to know He loves me. I need His comfort, and especially like you said “your tender mercy.”

    Thank you Lysa. Thank you Heavenly Father.

  2. perfectly surrendered. This is a theme in my life these days. Bless you Lysa for this. I needed the reminder.

  3. Lysa,
    I was this woman. But, I had been baptized a young girl. I left the church for 18 years and always thought I was ‘OK’ because if things went well for me I would think it was because I did something right but when things fell apart, I was quick to blame God. Thats the only time I thought of Him.

    I got back to church in 2005 after my world was turned upside down with a divorce. I came to church each and every Sunday with my children. I joined our choir, I joined our quilt group, I joined our adult bible fellowship classes. I also sat alone each week, I refused to get to know anyone because of how they might view me, I was living 2 lives. In church and out of church. The two did not mix well. I had a past. A past I thought was horrible and I didn’t deserve to be in church.

    In 2008, God introduced me to a woman who now knows everything there is to know about me. I had no idea I could open up to someone so much and they would still like me, let alone love me, support me, encourage me, teach me, and yes sometimes correct me. As we talked over the months and now years, I realized something was missing from my life and its what you described as a relationship with Christ. I never realized it was a 2 way street with me and God. He wanted to know me and wanted me to know him. And so began this journey that I was not expecting but has been so wonderful.

    On June 9th, 2009, my friend baptized me for a second time. I knew I didn’t need it for my salvation but I needed it for me. I needed something to look back on and something to hold onto and something for someone to witness to help me say I am doing this for me as a declaration that I am starting new with God. I am dedicating my life back to Jesus and I want more than anything to know him personally because in spite of all my issues, past lives, problems, etc. he loves me and just wants me back to him. He will and has forgiven me. I chose to give up the fight of hiding my issues from him and I just handed them over. Anytime I see the baptistry I envision all my junk floating in that water because I left it there for him to take care of.

    I never knew there could be such a longing to know more and more and more about Him. It is an awesome feeling!

    lkh

  4. I need to pray this more often: “Oh Jesus… I am such a mess but I am Yours. Show me… help me… forgive me… reassure me… and pour your tender mercy upon me.” I’m more apt to fall into despairing over my circumstances until I can’t take it any more, then I run to Jesus. But praise God I’m learning!

  5. Something I need to remember as I sit comfortably in my own promise of salvation.
    Who around me needs Jesus? I must be willing to share…even in my most forgetful moments.

  6. I agree with almost this entire post. I just hate when people talk down on “religion”. Religion by definition is a fundamental set of beliefs. As a Christian, how can anyone say they don’t want that? I have a fundamental set of beliefs, guidelines that help be grow closer to Jesus every day. He did come to earth to create a new law and to create establish his church. After his Resurrection, he stayed on earth for 40 days before he ascended to God the father, and is says in John 20:25 that, “There were also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” Many of those things were those rules you mentioned.

    It just really hurts me when people assume that those of us who do have a “religion” and do follow rules and love the order and grace that they bring into our lives, don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus our Savior. Because we definitely do.

  7. I LOVE this quote: “Oh Jesus… I am such a mess but I am Yours. Show me… help me… forgive me… reassure me… and pour your tender mercy upon me.” This needs to be my daily prayer right now. I have been so inconsistent in my daily walk with Him, and I am a mess right now because of it. Yeah, on the outside, things look good…but my inner turmoil is one of saying “Jesus, help me, give m hunger for You. I want more of You” but then being so stubborn that I refuse to make the small sacrifices He asks of me (get up 15 minutes early…what?????)
    Tears burned my eyes as I read this post. I KNOW that I have accepted Christ as my Savior…but I also know that I need more of Him and less of me every single moment of every single day. Thank you, Lysa, for this post.

  8. Beautiful piece. I attended some form churchmy whole life; from Catholic elementary school K-6th to church hopping in early college years. I knew the Bible stories.

    I even prayed sporatically.

    But something was missing…

    It wasn’t until I met my now husband 4 years ago that I was saved and “got it.”

    I love the image of painting fresh paint on rotten wood because that’s EXACTLY what it was.

  9. Oh Lysa,

    Thank you! I needed to hear these words today… you are truly gifted of God..

    Be Well,
    Lina

  10. Just lovely. I agree with Kristal and can understand the thoughts “Oh Jesus… I am such a mess but I am Yours. Show me… help me… forgive me… reassure me… and pour your tender mercy upon me.” Luckily we always have his forgiveness and mercy! Praise God!

    I also can understand Lauren’s point on so-called organized religion. No matter what church you belong to, whether it’s a denomination or not, we’re all part of a religion. Christianity IS a religion and the beauty of it is that God’s grace and love are everywhere. Some people may have had a bad experience with organized religions and have a bitterness toward them but I know of people who have had bad experiences with non-denominational churches too. There’s not a one-size fits all with Jesus. I think it’s totally prideful and un-Christian to say “I get it and you don’t.” I don’t think anyone can say God is in one place and not another. God is everywhere and loves everyone. That’s what makes loving Jesus so unbelievable and beautiful. He loves us whether we’re organized or totally not. 🙂

  11. Lysa,
    Thank you for this message because I am a mess. So much has happened in my life this past year that there have been times I wanted to throw in the towel. This message reminds me that I have Jesus in my corner and as long as I have Jesus walking beside me I will be alright.

  12. What a gift, to be able to share your stories, in all their beautiful, glorious messiness, and have Jesus use them to bring someone home to him. We never know how the Holy Spirit will use our words. He just calls us to bear faithful witness. What a privilege, getting to do this via the internets and blog world!

  13. Having a relationship with Christ is so much more than going to church and following rules. I mean these things help, it is wonderful to fellowship and serve together, but the worship has to come from within us. The Church is only there to help support and enhance what we already have going on within us.

  14. Beautifully said, Lysa. Jesus is not about a band-aid fix, He’s a whole body fix: renewing our earthly flesh, transforming our temporal perspective into divine, one cell at a time. It’s all in the “yes.” We need to be reminded about His love, mercy, and grace continuously to complete our transformation. Thank God for communities like (in)courage and Proverbs 31 Ministries that are willing to hold hands and lend ears through the process.

  15. Oh please pray for me. I so relate to this post. Something is missing. And I have prayed about it, and I don’t know what it will take to make that leap. I know He has been active i my life. I want to have that joy in the Lord. Why don’t I?

  16. “I simply press on by continuing to say YES moment by imperfect moment… day by imperfect day.”

    Thank you….God inspired and in God’s perfect time.

  17. Oh Jesus… I am such a mess but I am Yours. Show me… help me… forgive me… reassure me… and pour your tender mercy upon me…AMEN!