Category: From the Author

Want Better? Become Better!

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I have been more focused on writing about relationships because for the past 6 years I have been doing a process called soul healing with people. I have seen countless clients in toxic repeating relationships. I also had to examine my own life and what I was settling for in friendships and connections.

It’s quite easy to blame other people. It requires maturity and growth to examine our role in the problem. If something negative keeps repeating in our lives, the common denominator is us. I will speak from my own experiences first, then add below the post on becoming better.

I had a bad habit of giving people the benefit of the doubt, allowing people too much access to my life without properly vetting them (this was mainly Christian friendships), and I would befriend anyone-even the people others avoided. I soon learned why people avoided them. 🙂 I over gave to people who did not match my effort, nor valued my time. I introduced my “friends” to each other and eventually they formed their own cliques and treated me like an outsider.

I had to become better and be a better steward of my heart and life. No one else will do this for you! God won’t force people to love you, care for you, invest in you, or value who you are. YOU MUST LOVE YOU! You must decide to look at your weak points and become better. I promise when you focus on becoming the best version of yourself, loving yourself as God does, setting better boundaries, getting your soul healed, you will attract better people and tolerate less nonsense from people.

I started a quest of becoming better, wiser, and a better steward of myself. My life drastically changed. I don’t have a plethora of people I call my friend, yet the ones I do are A+ instead of F- or wishy washy.

I hope the post from my Facebook (FB) author page (facebook.com/erinlambauthor) helps and blesses you.

FB Post from 12/18/2021:

I meet people frequently who cry out for God’s best without actually asking God to help them be the best version of themselves. They want a Rolls Royce life with a dump truck mindset. They desire high quality friends without being a high quality person. They want the best, yet truth be told they are not working on their issues, soul wounds, attitude, selfishness, greed, lust, irresponsibility, or lack of wisdom. I love what Dr. Myles Monroe said, “God does not give you everything you ask for. God gives you what you demonstrate you can steward well.” If you desire better options in life, I highly recommend the following:

1. Looking at what you bring to the table. Would you want to date you, befriend you, trust you, hire you, be best friends with you, be in business with you? If not, work on you. Ask God to help you be better.

2. Examine your mindset. Our thoughts direct our path. If your mind is a swamp, ask God to clean it out. Swamp thinking: critical, constantly negative, deception, self loathing, shame, hatred, laziness, victim mindset, lust, perverted thoughts.

3. Examine if you love and accept you. Desiring personal growth and development is not self hatred, it is love. It is possible to have flaws and still love oneself. If you and I do not love ourselves as God does, we attract and/or seek out people who won’t love us either. If you examine your relationships, the ones you chose, they are a reflection of how you feel about yourself.

4. How do you manage or appreciate what God already gave you? If God gives you a person or gift, how to do care for them? Don’t ask for more or His best if you don’t take care of what you already have.

I want to give you a personal example. People have told me to buy a bigger house. I do not need a bigger house just to be fancy. A bigger house is more square footage to clean and upkeep. I know what I can handle. I know my schedule is loaded. At this point in life, I do not need a massive yard and mega mansion. I can put more money towards helping the poor.

I will give you another example. What we do not take care of breaks down. Take care of your body, soul, and spirit. I found myself in a season where I was just irritated by everyone. I had neglected rest and self care. Client loads started slowing. It was good because I needed to recoup. God does not give us more than we can manage well.

Be better!

  • Read books.
  • Renew your mind.
  • Deal with your toxic mindsets and behaviors.
  • Get 360 feedback; ask friends or family how you can love them better.
  • Deal with poor views of self; you attract how you feel about you.
  • Address poor boundaries.
  • Be a person of integrity and honor.
  • Talk to people rather than behind their backs.
  • Invest as much as you take, if not more.
  • Don’t be a leech in people’s lives.
  • Deal with the lies you believe.
  • Get your soul healed.
  • Eat right and exercise.
  • Give thanks for what you do have!
  • Take care of and appreciate what you have!
  • Ask God to help you become better!
  • Develop your skills.
  • Invite God into your weaknesses.
  • Aim to be the best version of you!!

It’s not about perfectionism, as there is no perfection outside of God. It’s about excellence and growth. The more whole we are on the inside, the better opportunities, relationships, and connections occur. Focus on becoming the best version of you and the right people and opportunities will chase you! I have been blown away by the opportunities and people I have met since I started changing myself. Obviously God is a tremendous part of the transformation, yet I had to make a decision that I was tired of being sick and tired of bad friendships and drama.

I will tell that the quest for my own soul healing, personal development and growth, meant some people walked out of my life. Some vacated without any warning and a few said they had nothing in common with me anymore. I bless them and it was for the best. I think if they had stayed in my life, I would not be on the same trajectory. They did me a favor. God upgraded my life and continues to do so. Destiny people don’t disappear, and God withholds nothing good (Psalm 84:11).

Cheering for you and I pray you put as much energy into loving yourself as you do loving others.

Love,

Erin Lamb

CEO & Founder of Lamb Enterprises LLC, Empowered & Free Merch, and Operation God is Love

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Marry a Kingdom Person, Not a “Christian”

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Being a Christian is a label in my country that can mean many things. It does not mean that person has a personal relationship with Jesus, obeys Jesus, nor that they even understand who Jesus is. Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than anything else. Don’t let the prophets for profit convince you He talked most about money. He didn’t. I have met countless people who claim Jesus; they do not mirror any aspects of what He said would mark His followers. This includes clergy, pastors, platform ministers with millions of followers. 

Please don’t be fooled by a label, church attendance, and someone saying they are Christian. I had a lady tell me a guy brought his bible on a date. I asked, “Does he live anything in that bible?” It’s not what he says he is, it’s what he is living. 

I would not recommend for anyone desiring marriage to just seek out a Christian person. I have counseled countless people abused by Christians. Gosh, I have been treated like utter trash by quite a few professing Christians. 

A person who truly seeks first the Kingdom of God: 

1. Has a healthy view of the Lord so they will seek to honor God in their interactions with you, knowing they answer to God for their treatment of you. 

2. Will pursue honor, integrity, love, and mutual service and submission. It’s not one sided. 

3. Will repent when they sin and offer forgiveness to you when you sin. 

4. Will yield to God for pruning and godly growth. 

5. Pursues God and their own spiritual health with God. They do not expect you to be their god. 

6. Serves others, has the heart of a servant.

7. Walks in purity. They care about maintaining their purity with God and you. 

8. Builds God’s Kingdom and helps establish it on earth. 

9. Pursues unselfish love! 

10. Cares about the least, last, lost. They share the gospel and make disciples. 

11. Has regular communion with God and discipline of a disciple. 

12. Is a wise steward of what God has given, knowing they are accountable. Where much is given, much is required. 

13. Loves God more than they love you or anyone or anything else. 

14. Listens to God and wise counsel. 

15. Cares about what is best for you, unselfish love. 

16. Pursues you for the highest good, not their personal or lustful gain. 

17. Honesty, loyalty, commitment to do what they promise to do. 

18. Willing to confront you in love about sin or error. 

19. Talks to you to build connection not about you behind your back or so harshly its abusive. 

20. Views you as an equal, not a subordinate. 

21. Takes accountability for their own choices. 

22. Seeks to add value to your life. 

23. Seeks to obey God. 

24. Is passionate about God and their relationship is growing. 

25. Isn’t in love with marriage, a wedding, or the idea of marriage. They are fully in love with Jesus. 

A Kingdom person views life through God’s lens. They seek to do the will of God. They are sold out for Jesus. So, they are not trying to devour you, use you, get you into sin, get you into sexual immorality. They are pursuing God’s best for themselves and you. 

I will be honest that I have met more “Christians” than Kingdom people. It saddens me because Jesus is grossly misrepresented by the masses. My encouragement for those who want to marry is “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all His righteousness.” Instead of, “God gimmie!!” Say, “God prepare me. Help me to be a Kingdom person. Help me to love you most and yield to your purposes. God make me a blessing so I can be a blessing. Give me discernment to know what’s just good and what’s God (you). Heal my brokenness. Fix the broken parts of me. Grow me up in you. Prune away non fruit bearing parts of me.” 

As someone with years of experience helping married couples piece the broken parts together, please consider working on putting God first, getting healed, and pursuing God. Marriage does not cure things. It amplifies whats broken. Seek God. Seek first the Kingdom of God, not religion. Honor God. If you won’t honor God, you won’t honor a spouse.

Warm Regards,

Erin Lamb

God’s Waiting Room

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Waiting can seem like a curse word in today’s insta society. Patience can be a double curse word when culture teaches us that we should be able to snap our fingers and magically get our way. I promise I am not a huge fan of the waiting rooms of life. I am learning to rest in them, to find comfort in God’s character (God is good and is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes), and to seek God for what I am learning in the season of waiting.

I talk about how in March of 2018 I was laid off my full time job. It was the job I landed right out of college. I knew what to do, how to do it, and had comfort in my role. I was not expecting lay offs because our manager kept telling us we were okay. Side note, trust God not people. I felt prompted the weekend before my lay off (not knowing for sure it was coming), to go set up a business line. I was laid off and within days launched my first business Lamb Enterprises.

How does this apply to waiting? Glad you asked. It was 18 months before I ventured back into another corporate job. My business helped; definitely as a start up was making money, yet it was not at the level of the Engineering/ Research Scientist salary that I had.

I asked God for a specific type of replacement job. I made a list of what I desired in my next corporate job. I included the salary I wanted. I included the benefits I wanted. I mean I even asked God for a specific type of coworkers and bosses I wanted. I prayed, believed, and applied to jobs.

I think I applied to over 300 jobs during that 18 months. Yes! Gosh that was excessive. Offers came through, yet they were NOT what I asked God for at all. I had my list. I had given my desires to God. I delighted myself in God and continued to serve people in ministry with no pay (though it would have helped me to have even 20 dollars for gas). God took care of my every need.

Right before I got the current job, an offer came up with another company. It was decent, yet not what I asked for at all. I sensed God saying, “Do not take this job!” How many of you know that when you’re tired, there is a greater temptation to settle? God’s voice to me in that moment was so clear. I went to the car feeling depleted and discouraged. It was a sweaty and humid August day. I was exhausted from looking, and trying to amp up a business. I was ready to be done! I had tons of ministry people wanted me to do, yet most did not desire to pay me anything to be able to buy food and live. I was beyond ready to exit God’s waiting room.

Within a week a recruiter contacted me about a job that I did not apply for, she asked if she could send my resume. I said, “Why not?” I had one panel interview and received a job offer. This job is everything that was on my list and I can still run my businesses on the side. God exceeded my list actually.

What did I learn in my waiting room?

–Trust that God wants to exceed your expectations! The disclaimer here is God does not provide what is evil nor what draws us into sin. If what you desire is not good for you, then God blocks it.

–Be specific in prayer requests. This is not to boss God around and yes God knows already. This helps you to say no to what is not aligned with what you desire.

–God supernaturally provides. Ask, seek, knock. I asked no one for money during those 18 months. I asked God for an extra 1,000 a month to supplement my growing business. People from all over the USA and out of the USA would send money and say God told them to do it. When I asked for 3,000 a month, God provided. God grew my business. God made a way out of seemingly no way.

–Some days will be hard, frustrating, and there may be tears. Talk to God. Don’t turn to a coping mechanism (food, tv, zoning out…). Get into a place of telling God how you feel and ask for His help.

–Journal! I started a gratitude journal. Anything good that happened I noted it. I processed my days with God and bracketed my day in giving thanks.

–The people around you may not get your challenge or care. This one was hard for me. People knew my situation and some had no compassion or one person would ask “Are you still in your house?” The question was, “Have you been evicted yet?” I never missed one bill payment!! I never defaulted nor were any payments late. Some will find joy in your suffering or challenge. Do NOT try to lean on people, lean on God!!

–If you are struggling, ask God who to trust with that info. I did not blast my situation all over social media. I prayed and had a select crew praying with me. I hate to say this but some people like to see others struggling. It makes them feel better about their crappy life.

–Delight yourself in God! I had an incredible time deepening intimacy (knowing) God those 18 months. I learned more about God, myself, and had my trajectory shifted. I am not the same as I was going into the storm.

–Love God more than your desires from God. I love God and told Him that if I never received what I wanted, I would still be in a place of loving and worshiping Him. Money or a job are not my gods, nor my real source. My source is God.

God will help you. God is faithful. It does not feel like God is working when we cannot see His hands. When we cannot see His hands, we can trust His heart. God’s heart for us is pure. It is good.

We do our part. God does His part. I did not lay on my couch eating cheese puffs begging God for a job. I did not waste the time either. I published two books, launched my own publishing license, created a business, designed two websites, took a team to Asia for missions, planned for and executed a 200 person conference, launched a clothing line, preached at other conferences, networked with people, went back to school, got my PMP, took classes, went to charity events, and grew two businesses.

I learned I am more valuable than what I had previously settled for and being laid off was one of the greatest gifts God gave me. I would not have accelerated where I was. I was not always treated with respect or as a highly valuable person where I was. I had high stress and there were things I should not have settled for there. But God (always insert God), knew He desired more for me. The same goes for you! God desires His best for His children. Waiting is not a no. It is a not yet. Ask God to show you what you are learning and to guide your steps. He will!

I bless you! May you keep asking, seeking, knocking, and believing. May you sink into the Father’s love and know God desires the absolute best for you!! I am praying for you and cheering for you.

May our hope (expectation of good) be in God! Today you can proclaim, if you love God and are united to Him-“God is working all things together for my good.”

Christians vs Jesus (Why the Behaviors Differ)

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Christian behavior vs the behavior of Jesus.

It comes up with street people and I have asked the same question of why “Christians” do not behave or love like Jesus. The answer is pretty simple, a person will bear the fruit of who and what they worship. “Christianity” can be rooted in going to church, giving money to a church, attending Christian events and reading Christian books, memorizing the Bible, singing Christian songs, belonging to a particular denomination or political party, pursuing marriage and raising Christian children, finding spiritual parents/mentors/priests/pastors or a Pope to follow, outward signs of piety, or in charismatic circles displays of miracles/signs/wonders. None of these things produce the fruit of God’s Spirit. None of these things mean a person is right with God, in relationship with God, following Jesus!

Jesus stated quite plainly, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you abide (remain, stay in close connection and relationship (intimacy)) with me, then you WILL bear good fruit.” This means relationship, personal relationship with Jesus on a daily and continual basis is what empowers a person to bear the fruit of God’s likeness. Whatever parts of our lives that are bearing fruit, God comes along and prunes to produce even more fruit.

Religion does NOT produce the fruit of the Spirit. Yes, reading the Bible and connecting with other people who believe in God does help with the journey. You can read the Bible, spend all your life in church, and end up in hell. God did not send Jesus to increase the roll number at churches. God sent Jesus to reconcile the world to Himself and expand His family.

I have encountered people more in love with their church than Jesus. More in love with their spouse than Jesus. More in love with their political party than Jesus. More in love with miracles, signs, and wonders than Jesus. More in love with money or power than Jesus. More in love with looking like a Christian than obeying Jesus. If a person does not abide in the real Jesus of Nazareth, they will NOT bear the fruit if His love, character, or likeness.

It’s not a pull yourself up by your bootstraps type of deal. It is a sink into knowing Jesus and pursue close relationship with God.

“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons and daughters of God.” Those without the indwelling of God’s Spirit do not have the seal of God upon them.

I am not against Christian events and the outward expressions of celebrating God. I do know, as Jesus knew, with the Pharisees that you can spend your life thinking you know God because you’re religious and completely miss God. Jesus stood before the Pharisees and they rejected Him. They had their religious feasts and the Torah. They had the Law. They had their outward expressions of righteousness and piety. What they did not have was personal relationship with the Messiah.

Relationship with God is not complex. It is a conversation and yielding of one’s heart and life. It is choosing to say yes to the stirring of God on the heart. “Yes, God I long to follow you. I repent of my sins (the ways I have lived outside your holiness). I accept that apart from you I can do nothing. I want to know you for myself. I yield my life to you. Come live in my heart. I thank you for Jesus. He who knew no sin took on my sins. He is God’s Son. The sinless One who died and rose on the third day. He triumphed over life’s greatest enemy-death, for me. Jesus be Lord over my life. God fill me with your Spirit.” The next steps involve inviting God into each day. Yield to the nudging of God. Listen and follow. It’s about relationship.

The more we abide (sink into personal relationship with Jesus), the more we begin to think like Jesus, love like Jesus, and display the character traits of Jesus. When Christians place the real Jesus first, then their behavior shifts to be more like the Christ (anointed one). Sadly, when being religious replaces relationship, what manifests is behavior that does not mirror Jesus at all.

Let’s be ones who abide in Jesus and display His glory (reputation) on earth.

Love,

Erin Lamb

Upcoming Events & What’s New!

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Happy May!

I wanted to talk with you about upcoming events and what’s new.

2020 was such a whirlwind and 2021 started out with a bang too! Things here changed quite a bit with new projects, ongoing projects, and family moving into the area. There have been plenty of plates circling in the air. I am thankful for all the moving parts and pieces. I also long for a non working vacation. 😉

How have things been for you? How has your life changed due to COVID?

One of the major changes on this end has been loads of online meetings, trainings, smaller classes, no in person conferences, and cancelling mission trips.

We have been able to do the following:

Scheduled the Deep Inner Healing Masterclass for June 17-19th, 2021.

This class will be in person, due to the clinic time (you practice what you learn). I love this class because it is interactive and provides students with three different methods for assisting clients in freedom in the realms of their thought life, emotions, connection with God and others, relationships, finances, self image, trauma, and so much more. We love the reports back from clients that their marriages were restored, their families restored, their mind’s renewed, their nightmare’s stopped, their bad habits broken, they have a deeper connection with God, or their body was healed. Our course not only teaches people the tools to help others, we have breakout sessions to see healing in our students. This course is 24 hours of class time, involves some clinic time, full notes, DVDs, live Q/A, see a full session live with a volunteer student, acceptance into the alumni group (for continuous education), and an opportunity for certification.

You don’t want to miss this course. It’s rated A+ with our students. Empowered-Free.com/Book-Online.

Discernment Course 101-103

We had a blast with the discernment course earlier this year. We discussed what discernment is, how to grow in godly discernment, wisdom vs. discernment vs. the gift of knowledge, how to discern what is God vs flesh vs the soul, testing and knowing, different ways we discern, and so much more!

You can check out the digital course (audio and workbooks) here: https://www.empowered-free.com/product-page/growing-in-discernment-course-101-103.

Helping the Poor/Homeless and Missions

As many of you know, Lamb Enterprises is separate from Operation God is Love (OGL). OGL has continued to venture into the city monthly to feed and clothe the poor. During 2020 we also provided grocery gift cards for numerous families negatively impacted by COVID. The giveaways were in addition to our monthly feeding the homeless. We were able to up our winter supplies for the homeless this year with sleeping bags, coats, and winter tents.

Due to travel restrictions with COVID, we have postponed missions to South Africa and conferences. This has not halted our love for our neighbors overseas. We have been able to sow financially into those on the ground in other nations. Once the borders open, we hope to return to our mission overseas.

Upcoming Books

I am working on a children’s book and the fourth book! Both of these books focus on identity and killing insecurity. I absolutely believe that insecurity is one of the greatest plagues on humanity. People who do not love themselves cannot love others. It is impossible to give away that which we do not possess.

Upcoming Shows

Though I am not running Empowered & Free TV right now, I am working with a buddy on a show addressing racism and social justice. I believe people who know God are called to be part of the solution, not bystanders. I will keep you posted on the show and where you can view the episode(s).

I thank you for subscribing to this blog. My apologies again for such a gap in posts. I hope to write to you more regularly. 🙂

I hope to see some of you signed up for the Masterclass 2021 in June of this year (Empowered-Free.com/Book-Online). Our students LOVE the class and every single one stated it was worth the investment. Even if they do not do what I do, see clients, they received breakthrough for themselves!

I am blessing you and this week. You are so deeply loved.

Warmly,

Erin Lamb

Founder & CEO of Lamb Enterprises LLC and Operation God is Love

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God Cares About Life Once Born

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City Outreach to the poor & homeless last Saturday (homeless camp)

True Christianity (Following Jesus) Cares About the Poor, Hurting, & Life Once Born.

My life changed sitting with children where their parents sold them into sex slavery, one girl they chained in the yard like a dog, another sold for 5 dollars a sexual experience so they would have food to eat. I have seen children homeless on the streets of my city, living in cars or tents with their parents. I once saw a 4 year old in the freezing cold with her grandma with no coat (they were homeless). I cried myself to sleep that night. I had layers of clothes on, they had little to nothing.

I have talked to people of color terrified to have brown children due to racism in America and police brutality. So when people say they are pro life and they care nothing about the poor, nothing about human trafficking, nothing about child abuse, nothing about racism, it’s a lie. You are pro fetus.

In my years of service to the poor and people on the streets, I have heard countless “Christians” tell me they are not called by God to do anything for the poor, though Jesus specifically calls it out over and over and over. There are numerous bible verses about caring for the poor. God takes it seriously.

Sometimes in my view, American “Christianity” is about controlling others/forcing beliefs onto others that may not even be lived by the people trying to force it onto others. That’s what settlers did to natives and Africans. It’s what has continued in this culture. “I will say I am a ‘Christian’, force my beliefs on you by law, treat you quite poorly, not love you or care about you as God commanded. I will look down on you because obviously I am superior. I will live opposite of what Jesus lived. I will become angry if you do not wish to be like me.”

Cultural “Christianity” is a LIE! It’s not rooted in Jesus. It is not about loving thy neighbor, laying our lives down, dying to self, caring about the least/last/lost. It’s about appearing holy without living holy. Hence, I strongly dislike cultural “Christianity.” It is a false doctrine. It does not match what Jesus taught or lived.

“I was hungry, you did not feed me. Naked you did not clothe me. In prison, you did not visit me. What you have done to the least of them, you have done unto me.”~Jesus.

May we choose to follow Jesus, not culture.

Love in Christ,

Erin

Is This Who We Are? Addressing cruelty in cultural “Christianity“

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Quote by Ghandi

This year has brought out the gold in some people and exceptional cruelty/the worst in others. I call it an unveiling year. We always had issues in my nation; now they are more visible.

I understand there has been stress, uncertainty, life changes, and for some they are living on the edge. We all need grace, kindness, the benefit of the doubt, and mercy is greater than judgement. Then there is a time to stand up, speak out, and set boundaries with people who are way out of line.

I do not know about you, yet I have witnessed things in cultural “Christianity” that do not align with God love (unselfish, sacrificial love).

Face Mask Mania:

I have witnessed grown adults having 2 year old tantrums over face masks. Some have cursed out store employees, destroyed property, and given others COVID. Wearing a mask to demonstrate to your neighbor you care about them is not being weak. It’s actually loving to consider other people.

I have heard people say, “Well, I am not afraid, and this is violating my rights.” Yet the same people wear clothes and shoes into the stores. Those are mandatory. The same people wear seat belts. Those are mandatory. The same people yield to traffic signs.

Sometimes loving our neighbors costs us something. I know of people who have died from COVID. My parents are much older (I came later in life). If someone could have prevented them from getting COVID and chose not to attesting their rights, and my parents died, I would be furious! Yes, God heals. Yes, God protects. God also considers people who are afraid, hurting, not healed, have no health insurance, etc.

I want to make a t-shirt for my merch site that says, “It’s not just about you. I looked at the center of the Universe and found God, not your photo.”

Jesus stated, “Love your neighbor AS you love yourself.” I know this is challenging and can only be done by abiding in Jesus. I have to ask God to help me love some people and to walk in love. I am not perfect. I am still being refined. I try to let Him love through me.

Jesus could have been the biggest ego maniac as the Son of God. Meaning His status was and is King of kings. He chose humility. Humility involves lowering ourselves and considering others.

Degrading and Mocking:

I have been talked down to, mocked, and treated poorly by “Christians” because of my stance against racist things and posting about racism this year. I am accustomed to churchy people attacking me because I do not just go along with the crowd.

There are people degrading and mocking other human beings while claiming to be pro-life. I have seen “Christians” stand up and support a murderer aligned with their political party, yet claim to be pro-life. Some have celebrated the death of someone who was pro-choice. I have seen people using another person’s tragedy to promote their political agenda (using a miscarriage to drag a pro-choice person through the mud). I have heard racist comments from professing “Christians”, leaders, pastors, people claiming to represent Jesus. I have seen levels of dishonor from professing believers that was and is absolutely demonic. It’s not how Jesus behaves nor how He behaved. It is from the pit.

I want to say this clearly. The world watches the way Christians behave. They often see the hypocrisy of the church better than anyone in the church. I have spoken to quite a few people about their gross disappointment with the church especially in the areas of justice, addressing racism, politics (turning a blind eye to gross sin in their chosen political party or political leader while screaming “You’re evil,” at them, for not caring about those terrified about COVID, and noticing extreme arrogance in people claiming to be a Christian especially those who are in a leadership or government role.

I may lose followers for posts like these, yet my loyalty is to Jesus. Despite behaviors of pastors, leaders, other Christians, politicians, and even the President-we answer to God for ourselves! If we claim to be a Christian, Jesus is the standard. God looks at how we live, notes everything we say, and we will give an account for how we represented Him on earth.

I hear people say they would die for Jesus. No you wouldn’t if you won’t even put on a face mask to help those around you. I hear people say they want to lead millions into knowing Jesus. Well, that involves sacrifice and dying to self. Would anyone want to know Jesus by the lifestyle we live in front of them? I see people running away from God due to political and rude professing Christians.

This whole notion that we are the center of the Universe and not God, is not only unbiblical, it’s dangerous. It is dangerous because we can think we are following Jesus when we are actually not following Jesus at all.

I am reading through the entire bible and right now I am in Matthew. The things Jesus said were radical. “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out,” meaning we are responsible for our actions. He did not say, “Blame the other person and scream about your rights.”

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” I could hear Jesus preaching this today and people screaming, “No Jesus! Blessed are ALL people. All people are blessed!!” There is something wrong when we make everything about us.

Something is wrong in a culture where there is zero consideration for others. Something is wrong when Christians are linked to cruelty rather than compassion. Something is wrong when the behavior of the church looks more like the world than Jesus.

I have ceased looking at my personal Facebook until I can clean it out due to the conflict “Christians” have caused on my page. No person should feel hostage or bullied on their own page. Why is this happening? People think my page is their territory to say whatever they like and quite a few love to make posts about them, especially the posts addressing racism. It’s funny the most vocal have not been recipients of racism. However, they show up to debate me or offer opinions regarding things they do not understand. They are harmful!!! I had to start a private, unseen group to discuss racism safely with people of color.

Who have been the ones causing strife on my page? Professing Christians. I ask this question, “Is this who we are?” Do we truly want to be lumped in the category of cruel, selfish, lacking compassion, mean spirited, narcissistic, uncaring, apathetic, mockers? I know Jesus is none of those things.

My encouragement to the world is “Let’s do better!” My encouragement to Christians is, “Please consider Jesus as the standard, not leaders of our time. Choose Jesus. Follow Jesus.” The same Jesus who flipped over tables and rebuked people to their faces was willing to die on a cross for them. I meet people who will not even endure 10 minutes of being uncomfortable to show love to someone else.

My hopes are people are pointed at the real Jesus! The Jesus who washed feet even though He was king. The Jesus who denied Himself and chose death to give us life. He put Himself in harms way to save our lives. Jesus who went out of His way to demonstrate unselfish, sacrificial love. Are we? Do people seen any hint of Jesus in us? Because we are walking billboards for Him. He wants the world to know Him. Jesus came to point the world to the Father. We have an incredible opportunity to do the same.

God gave the church copious opportunities in 2020 to demonstrate His love, compassion, selflessness, helping hand, and work for justice. Are we adding value anywhere other than our comfy Christian bubbles? The world around us is hurting.

Church buildings may have closed. Street corners did not. I have gone out on the streets almost every month this year; feeding people, clothing people, praying for people, sharing the Gospel, going to protest sites to love people, etc…Operation God is love paid for groceries for families laid off by COVID. One month we had a line of hungry people because no one was coming to feed them. Jesus does not stop being Jesus in a crisis. Jesus shows up with solutions. He invites His followers to do the same.

Taking Supplies to the Streets

May we sink into Jesus, follow Jesus, and represent Him well.

Warmly,

Erin

Navigation Through Hard Seasons

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Encouragement for those sick or in hard trials: take what God has said & is saying and yield it like a sword.

I am lifting you up. I have been there; sick in body, tired, strange ailments, numerous near death experiences, bad doctor reports, job loss, family & friends who died, and serving others in the midst of extreme circumstances. I joke I have been through 7 levels of hell and back. My encouragement today is sink into what God has said.

No word from God ever fails, it accomplishes EVERYTHING it is sent out to do (Isaiah 55:11). Unlike humans, God always speaks with intention. His words are seeds and when we believe God those words they become a weapon in our hands. Paul told Timothy to wage war with his prophecies.

It is not simply knowing the truth that sets us free. It is believing the truth that sets us free. What we agree with we empower. I confess some days the body will not want to align with truth because it is tired. The body gives out before the mind. There have been moments of professing God’s truth in my mind.

Some things that helped me through hard times:

  1. Getting alone with God and asking Him what aspect of His character I am learning through the trial.
  2. Worship of God. Worry is worship of the problem. When we turn our eyes to God it recalibrates what we see and our hearts. Sometimes I sleep with worship playing or scriptures playing.
  3. Go back and review previous victories with God. Each battle victory becomes a memory stone. Call the mind to remember who God is and what He has already done.
  4. Ask the Holy Spirit to search me with the finger of God to reveal any lies I believe or soul wounds unhealed. When we believe lies, we empower the liar (Satan). When we have soul wounds that are unhealed, they can be breeding grounds for infirmity and spiritual attack.
  5. Put the word, His promises in front of my face. I have a wall covered in sticky notes with promises from God in my office area. I review and recite what He says.
  6. Journal. Get alone with God and write out what God is saying and what is on your heart.
  7. Eat healthy, whole foods and drink water. Processed foods introduce major inflammation in the body.
  8. Only share struggles with faith filled people not negative, fear filled people. I keep most people on a need to know basis.
  9. Cut off the negative medical diagnosis. Yes on paper it says this, yet my destiny is tied to what God is saying. It’s not denying, it’s choosing to align with a greater report. Cease saying “I have …..(insert negative report).” I learned to say they told me this, yet I am believing God for restoration. I stopped claiming what I did not want.
  10. Reduce stress. Sometimes that stress is people. I limited some interactions with toxic behaving or needy people. I was drowning and they wanted me to be their savior. No! Go find Jesus and leave me alone.
  11. Give thanks daily. I would write out 3 things I was thankful for daily. Gratitude releases feel good hormones in the brain.
  12. Stick my feet in earth. It’s called grounding and it does wonders for the body. Whether it was sand or grass, I stick my feet on the earth. There is scientific evidence it greatly improves the health of the body.
  13. Find a way to laugh! Laughing boosts the immune system. Laughter truly is medicine for the soul.
  14. Let some calls go to voice mail. People have sometimes tried to use me as their crisis manager and it’s draining and not my job. Some people I do not answer the phone for them. I had one lady who would try to take up hours of my day just because we were in a ministry network together. She was selfish and draining. I always felt like I needed a 2 day nap after dealing with her. I set boundaries and prayed her away from me. I was glad when she moved along to her next victim. Set BOUNDARIES!!!!! You also do not need to keep everyone informed of your life details. Some people do not care and just use it as a gossip tool. As said before, I tell people what they need to know only.
  15. Take authority over each day. I learned to pray, “I take authority over this day in Jesus name. I bind all accidents, sickness, death, destruction, spiritual attacks, and works of evil.”

What has God said? Stand on that. Proclaim that. Repeat that. Post it where you can see it. Meditate on it daily. Focus on the goodness and power of God. God gave us seed to be used as a weapon against the darkness. Satan works through deception and human agreement. Agree with God. I am alive today because God is faithful to His word. Doctors can say whatever they want, yet God has the final say. In grief and loss, the comfort of God is supernatural. He can be trusted. God loves you!

Love in Christ,

Erin

Racism Thrives on a Lack of Genuine Relationships with People of Color

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Photo: Noxio (Found on Pinterest)

Proximity & intentional relating can help heal a racist viewpoint.

I studied chemical engineering. Yes, I am a nerd. Yes, I love math, science, physics, and my highest grades were in math. I even took more math classes than needed. I digress. My first roommate at college had never seen a “colored” person before. She assumed because we chatted on the phone that I was white (it is a false stereotype that all people of color use broken English). Her mom thought I was the first person from my family to go to college and I was a charity case. My mother corrected her and let her know she had 5 college degrees. That was an awkward moment. The mother believed a stereotype that all people of color are charity cases, unlearned/uneducated.

My roommate’s prejudice was amplified over the first few months. She would say things that were racist and be corrected. She tried to boss me around like I was her live in servant, this too was not tolerated. It was taxing to keep educating her on how to treat people. It was also challenging for her to unlearn all the garbage she had learned about non white people.

One of her biggest fears was I would steal from her. Another stereotype is people of color are poor or steal. I told her I was not poor, did not want her stuff.

Over time her views began to shift some. She stopped acting like I wanted to steal from her. She did say, “You are okay, I just do not want any of ‘those people,’ alone with my stuff.” She was referring to my black and hispanic friends. Many of them had more money than she did. She was corrected.

What I learned from Jane (not her real name) is that it is easy to be ignorant in a bubble. If you have no real connections with people not like you, it’s easy to believe the lies of the media and culturally passed down stereotypes. If anyone should have been afraid in that situation, it should have been me. Historically racists have killed and persecuted more people of color than the reverse. A recent story popped up of a black woman poisoned by her white roommate.

I have encouraged my Bible study to GO connect with people not like you. Try to get to know them. Listen to their stories. Learn about their culture. Read. Study. Learn. Reach out. Listen to understand, not debate.

Did Jane walk away with less prejudice? I think so. I also noted there were ideas of superiority that she refused to let go. We parted ways unamicably. Instead of being able to just focus on study I was teaching my roommate how not to be racist. ChemE is challenging even if you love math, chemistry, etc…I spent a portion of my freshman year dealing with racism and bringing truth to stereotypes.

It changed me a bit. I grew up in a family where everyone was welcome and we did not do the racial stuff. I had experienced racism when we moved to another city and when my mom enrolled me in a school for the gifted. I hated that school. There was plenty of racism at that school. Yet now I was living with someone who had been raised in an environment of racism, bigotry, and white superiority. I learned racism is taught. It can be unlearned.

Though Jane and her parents may have thought she (they) were superior based on race, Jane flunked a year and I am not sure if she graduated.
Ethnic background has nothing to do with value, worth, intellect. We all were created in the image of God and have divine potential.

My encouragement is get to know people and understand every person in the man made groups is not identical. I cannot speak for every person who looks like me. Nor can you. People are people. We all come with our own stories, experiences, etc…invest some time in getting to know people.

Warmly,

Erin Lamb

Founder & CEO

Empowered-Free.com

Empoweredandfreemerch.com

OperationGodisLove.org

Which Jesus Are You Following?

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I do not know the Jesus who does not care about the poor, injustice, the immigrant. That Jesus is not in the Bible.

I do not know racist/white supremacist Jesus because He is not in the Bible nor was Jesus white. He was brown, a middle eastern Jew.

I do not know political Jesus, who was pushing politics on people and in the ear of the political elite. Jesus focused on the Kingdom of heaven, an eternal Kingdom. Political Jesus is also not found in the Bible.

I do not know greedy Jesus who sought for people to give Him all their money and exploited the people. He came to serve, not be served.

I do not know dictator Jesus, nor law & order Jesus (the way humans portray law and order). Jesus sacrificed Himself to save us. He fulfilled the law and invited us into relationship to therefore help us gain righteousness with God through faith. When the Pharisees wanted to stone people, Jesus wanted to offer redemption.

I do not know snobbish Jesus who separated Himself from those society hated. That Jesus is not in the Bible.

I do not know bully or rude Jesus. His harshest words were for the self righteous religious people.

I do not know hypocrite Jesus who let the disciples get away with gross sin while chastising the world. Jesus was fair.

I do not know Jesus who lacked compassion and only cared about Himself and those who agreed with Him. He met with the most sinful and hated of society and offered them life.

I do not know sexist Jesus who mistreated, looked down upon, or displaced women. Sexist Jesus is not biblical. Jesus of the Bible was radical in His love, support, and protection of women.

I do not know the Jesus only interested in filling buildings or seeking to gain a fan club. That Jesus cannot be found in the Bible. Jesus went out to the people. He fed them spiritually and naturally. He preached repentance, and how to have everlasting life. He healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, and demonstrated how to have a relationship with the Father.

I do not know “Christian” Jesus. Jesus was a Jew. He was not Catholic nor Protestant. He was a Jew.

I do not know this Jesus that so many claim to follow. I do know Jesus of Nazareth. He is not like cultural Christianity Jesus at all. My encouragement is open a Bible and get to know the real Jesus.

Love in Christ,

Erin Lamb