Anchored Not Anxious
Welcome to Anchored Not Anxious, Anxiety and worry may manipulate your mind and emotions, but it is not your identity. My anxiety journey equips me to mentor women with anxiety and worry. Find wisdom and realistic encouragement while gaining an unshakeable trust in God. It's possible with practical, faith-rooted anchoring practices. You belong here.
Hosted by Terri Hutchinson, a compassionate nurse and mentor.
Don't miss out on the monthly Anchored Not Anxious CareLetter, and be sure to follow Terri L. Hutchinson or Anchored Not Anxious on Facebook for more inspiration and support.
Anchored Not Anxious
Are You Better Off With Jesus Than Without?
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What’s the Point of Knowing Jesus?
She wasn't invited to the dinner party. Her reputation was well-known. And nobody thought her life mattered except for Jesus. What made her believe Jesus could make her life better? What happened next was an act of complete surrender.
In this episode, I show you a few women who followed Jesus like Joanna and Susanna. Each one followed Jesus not just for a day but for the long haul.
Jesus doesn't make the bad disappear, but He'll walk you through every season. Your trust keeps you anchored to Him so you won't drift into despair.
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Daylight fades as she hurries to a dinner party. Depending on what he says, it could be a night to remember or one of regret. With so much on her mind, she nearly walked past the residence. She expects looks and avoidance as her reputation is well known. But none of it matters. Not tonight.
She came for one reason: to see him. Not just seeing him but coming as close as possible to make her intention clear.
All she needs is two minutes, no, one minute. Weaving her way toward the dining room, she darts to the table where he sits. Before anyone escorts her out, she kneels at his feet and does the unthinkable.
This is the story of the Sinful Woman in Luke 7. She goes to a house where she is neither invited nor accepted to pour expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet, rinsing his feet with her tears, and wiping his feet with her hair.
She followed her heart, sought Jesus, and dedicated it to Him.
Going further into Luke, Chapter 8 says Jesus traveled with 12 disciples and women. The Bible uniquely references Joanna and Susanna. Though mentioned nowhere else, God wants us to know their names, and that they journeyed with Jesus.
Listening to their heart, women came to Jesus for peace and hope and their lives were better for it.
Some of these women showed a little faith, while others were praised for having great faith. Jesus never compared, nor did he condemn.
There were no auditions or tryouts for Jesus to accept them. Still aren’t. He’s not looking for a performance. He’s hoping for a partnership. You partner with Jesus, learn his ways, and you find the gift of being in a relationship with him makes you better.
Of course, Jesus doesn’t make the bad disappear, but he’ll walk you through the firestorm. Your trust keeps you anchored to Him, so you won’t drift into despair.
Unfortunately, we can’t ask those women why or how Jesus made them feel whole. Maybe it was His words, His presence, or that he spoke to their soul like no one else could.
So I’ll ask you. How does Jesus make your life better?
Can’t think of anything? That’s what happened when I tried to answer that question. But I stayed with it. I sifted through the ugly and difficult situations and relationships in my life along with the good and wonderful moments. And I asked, how did knowing Jesus make a difference during those times?
More importantly, what if I didn’t have Jesus to cry out to and lean on?
That question brought to mind the word “survived”. Yes, I survived the fearful and difficult and so did my hope. It didn’t die despite the challenges.
The woman who wiped Jesus’s feet with her hair felt her life was incomplete without Jesus. She deliberately found him and made Jesus her focus. She made room in her life for Him. I have to think she gained an assurance that her life mattered to Him.
There’s something about knowing your life is significant to Jesus. It defies description. It dwells in your soul and once it roots it cannot be moved. You are anchored to the Lord.
If you have ever wondered why am I on this earth or does my really life matter, then knowing Jesus can bring you assurance. But you have to give something to get. It’s not just a casual knowing. You have to make room to learn what He said and why and how his truth and ways fill in the empty spaces of your heart.
For those of you who know why you are better for knowing Jesus, having that answer ready could be a lifeline to anyone questioning if their life matters.
The Bible verses for this episode come from Luke 7:36-50 and Luke 8:1-3.
Thank you for listening. Connect with me on my Facebook Profile, Terri Hutchinson. Get videos and podcasts on my YouTube Channel, Anchored Not Anxious. I’d love to hear from you. My email is in the episode description.
Until next time.
