Coming clean. Oh my, I learned something new – and must share Renee Kinlaw’s words with you. FYI – You may want to take note – it has something to do with clean, a scrub brush…and God!
[Tweet “I’ve always dreamed of being more.”]Does that first sentence strike a chord with you? My mind is literally racing with thoughts of me too, how did you know, I want more, so much more, etc. Now, back to Renee’s words…
Somewhere in the depths of all my insecurities was a woman who had a legacy to leave behind. Making a difference in the lives of others was my heart’s desire. Yet, day after day, I am still this same young vulnerable little girl trapped in a woman’s body. A girl who wants to be free. Free to enjoy the abundant life she had heard about Sunday after Sunday. Free to be a woman who knows who she was and what her purpose for being born on this gigantic rock called earth was for.
As days turned into years, the feeling of being inadequate only grew with my outward shell. How could I reach other women for Christ if I couldn’t even reach myself? There had to be a reason for all this self-doubt. There had to be an escape from this dungeon of unworthiness.
I searched for the answer in self-help books. I attended – and even taught! – Bible study after Bible study. Running from one Women’s Retreat and Conference to the next hoping to finally find the key that unlocked my chains, only to find myself in this same prison.
(Sounds so familiar…)
I would never have imagined the answer would come to me while spring cleaning my kitchen. Clean, yes indeed, I had to clean that kitchen! There I was perched on the countertop reaching for the last Pyrex dish tucked back in the far corner of my upper cabinet when the message came—
[Tweet “My spiritual house needed a spring cleaning.”]Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139:23-24, NASB
Years of tossing things to the side hoping to deal with them later hindered my prayer life. My spiritual closets were packed to overflowing with past disappoints I did not know how to deal with. There was trash strewn from one end to the other leaving little room for the Holy Spirit to move. The cobwebs of lies I bought into had taunted and teased me relentlessly since childhood. It was time to tear them down and clean them out.
The day to sort through the tangled mess that had left me with no self-esteem had finally come. With God as my guide, I began the dreadful process. Some days I spent in agony and tears, some day laughing and rejoicing. The task wasn’t easy nor is it complete, yet I can smell the fresh scent of revival in the air.
Join me on this journey to coming clean in my book, God Has A Scrub Brush. We’ll walk hand in hand through the corridors of our souls together, you, me and the Heavenly Father. Each day will bring us closer to true freedom in Christ.
God Has a Scrub Brush is a Finalist for the Christian Women Reader’s Club Literary Lighthouse Award and has been a top 100 Amazon Best Seller in Spiritual Devotions. Ebooks and paperbacks can be purchased through Amazon.
Meet Renee:
Renee Kinlaw is a Pastor’s wife of 20 years. She and her husband, whom she calls her soulmate, have one daughter named Jayden. Renee is enrolled at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has a great passion for the Bible study and teaching woman of all ages the truths of God’s Word.
Renee has never known days without religion, but sadly, she has known days without Jesus. At the age of 21, Renee realized she needed more than the church. She needed more than Mom and Dad’s salvation. She needed a relationship with Jesus. Since that time Renee had become a firm believer that having a personal relationship with Christ is all that really matters in life.
Renee would love to connect with you more through her website, Facebook, or Twitter. Please contact Renee via email at reneekinlaw@sccoast.net.
[Tweet “God Has a Scrub Brush at DanceWithJesus!”] [inlinkz_linkup id=723950 mode=1]
Wow! First of all, Renee is an amazing writer! There is something courageous about allowing others to see that even though we may be doing “religion” we aren’t always right in relationship with Christ the way we should be. I’ve been there myself and it’s so freeing to know that you relationship is the only thing that can clean us up! Thank you!
Susan, thank you for highlighting Renee’s story and sharing it with us. There’s amazing power and transforming in cleaning! To God be the glory! Following you at Suzie’s this week. Blessings!
Julie, it’s such an honor to get to share Renee’s story. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Hugs, Susan
Great post! I love this idea of cleaning the trash out for the power of God.
Susan-thank you for sharing!
Julie, it makes sense when we stop to think about cleaning out the trash first, doesn’t it?! Hugs, Susan
Great analogy… and it is so easy to overlook those areas that need cleaning! 🙂
Yes Joy, I totally agree – it is so easy to overlook all the areas we need to do a deep cleaning on! Hugs, Susan
This is a great post and sounds like an amazing book. Thanks for sharing!
Meghan, I’m so honored to share Renee’s story – it is one amazing book indeed that can help us walk closer to God. And that is GOOD! Hugs, Susan
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful lesson. I could relate it to my life. How true it is that we need time to time cleaning of our soul. Blessing to both of you!
Cleaning our soul…Powerful words, Elizabeth and so full of truth. Hugs, Susan
Having spent time today scrubbing a bathroom, not my own, this so resonated with me 🙂 It truly feels wonderful to step back and know it is clean. And so it is with our heart and lives. So glad you shared this!
To step back and know it is clean – our hearts and our lives too. Oh Joanne, I love that thought. Hugs, Susan
Thanks for this timely reminder about the importance of genuine relationship and transparency before God. Blessings to you both!
Thank you Donna. Genuine transparency before God is so critical to our spiritual health. Blessings to you, too! Hugs, Susan
Thanks for sharing her story and message. It was very encouraging. Hope that you have a wonderful and safe Fourth.
Thanks for hosting.
Thank you Patrick. I love hosting and reading all these words from you and the others who link up each week. Warmly, Susan
Could relate to this idea of letting stuff build up in our spiritual closets. So important we deal with the hard things at the time, or we have to deal with it later. Easier said then done, though. Glad this book was written and is helping others.
You are so right, Theresa. It is easier said than done. It took me 3 years to complete this little book. I had to do the process before I could share. And, even now, there is still junk that needs to be removed. The great thing though–God isn’t finished with us yet. He loves us too much to let us stay the way we are. Thanks for the lovely comment.
Theresa, I totally agree about being thankful Renee wrote her powerful book to help others. We know that we overcome by the words of our testimony and the Blood of the Lamb. Hugs, Susan
Renee! What a great lesson! Psalm 139:23-24 is my life verse and I recently started brainstorming for a spring series on Mastering Our Messes (physical and spiritual spring cleaning). I think I’ll need to include your book in my resources! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Liz!
What an honor to be included in someone else’s work!
Susan, thanks for sharing Renee’s story with us!
Renee, may God bless you and your words as you proclaim the “cleansing power” to many!
Thank you Michele.
Thank you Michele for reading what is written here! I loved sharing Renee’s story – it’s powerful! Hugs, Susan