The Oklahoma Standard

The Oklahoma Standard

In Oklahoma, we have faced many traumatic experiences. The bombing on April 19th to the tornadoes of May 3rd, May 5th and now the tornado of May 20th. With what is being reported as 8 times more power than the atomic bomb of Hiroshima, the May 20th E5 tornado is the largest tornado ever.

We have this standard in Oklahoma. It gets us kind of a reputation. The Oklahoma standard, where instead of running from disaster we run to help our neighbors, even if that means we are running into destruction.

We organize quickly, efficiently, and effectively. It doesn't require much effort this standard, because it's our way of life here. We as Oklahomans aren't looking down on someone unless we are helping them up. We are good at helping others up.

During disasters, all television programming is stopped. Our news anchors become our counselors and our confidants. We call into them as much as they report out to us. Whatever it takes until every neighbor is found and every need is met.

The Oklahoma standard, it's our most precious asset. It's grown in the heart of every Oklahoman. It's planted in the heart of anyone that's ever met an Oklahoman. It's our strength, our compassion, and our identity.

When you see us declare we are "Oklahoma strong", we aren't saying we are better. We are saying we have developed a standard and if you haven't met it, we will be glad to introduce ya...

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
And a grateful Oklahoman
~Johnna

Use your voice

One of these days I plan on writing a blog post about our family rules. With 6 kids we have several we have come up with over the years that have worked fairly well for us. One of them being, "if it's not yours, don't touch it". This works with sibling rivalry over toys and when we are visiting other people's homes or we are out in public. It is just a good, solid, kind of covers everything rule of life.

This weekend, my husband and I sat everyone down as we were inspired with a new general rule of conduct. We explained, "Use your voice, and respect other people's right to use their voice". The idea for this one came about because our children are getting older. With our preteens especially, they are running out of patience for the little ones. We are finding ourselves in the middle of yelling matches instead of using effective communication. There is also some ignoring going on and boundaries being violated.

I am excited as to see this rule put into place. When my 6 year old became frustrated last night and started to jump up and down whining, I reminded her to use her voice. She was able to stop and tell me what was going on. Later on, two of the children were wrestling and it was getting too rough and one child began yelling, "stop", I simply had to remind the other child to respect their siblings voice. Their sibling shouldn't have to YELL stop, a simple stop should be respected. So far, this seems to be working. I am sure it won't work every time, but it is progress in a house full of children that want to have their say and want to be heard. Isn't that something we all kind of want?

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

I have really been convicted in this area and am still being worked on. I have learned to use words of love instead of words that might cause fear. I want my children to be able to lift one another up as well as those around them. How great will it be when they grow up and have at least 5 other people to talk to that can fill them with truth and grace when they need it most?

Have you taken the time to use your voice? Are you lifting up those around you and presenting grace to the world? Are you respecting the voice other people have been give? Are you respecting your children's voice? (this was a big one for me) Are you teaching your children to use their voice?  I am looking forward to growing in this area and I pray you will join me!

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna Payne-Hurt

Fight, not flight

Several times in several days, I have faced unwarranted meanness. I have witnessed a single mom be told to go beg somewhere else for diapers for her little one. I received a horrible hate filled email after my account was hacked and sent out spam. I was told during fundraising for a nonprofit that the homeless deserve what they get. I have cried many tears and then I have gotten mad.

I have a fight response to meanness. I have an ability to turn really mean back and often times I can be even meaner than the other person. In the past I have justified my retaliation.

In recovery, I have learned to retaliate less but I'm still being convicted on my reaction. I am reminded of Joseph in the bible and how his brothers sold him into slavery. As a result and several years later, Joseph becomes the second most important person next to the Pharaoh and his brothers are led to repent. They are terrified of what Joseph's reaction might be. He tells them..

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

He forgives his brothers and gives the glory of the outcome to God who took their mean actions and used them to benefit Joseph and help many others.

I may not ever know what it is to not react to meanness. I may always have that "fight" response. God can still use me. I will choose to let that "fight" feeling ignite a passion to help others for good, knowing that meanness loses. It doesn't lose because meanness is stopped. Meanness loses when it is outdone, outnumbered, and conquered by love, faith, and hope. Meanness loses when grace and mercy over take, and grace and mercy will overtake.

I won't let my fight become flight, but I will let my fight become good and worthy, and for His glory and not mine.

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

To my children, what I want for mother's day

To My Children, What I want for Mother's day,

I want you to carry love in your hearts always… real love, true love, love for God. The kind of love that allows you to give love and receive love.

I want you to know with confidence that you are beautiful without anyone having to tell you that you are.

I want you to hear the wisdom that guides you. The wisdom of those that have gone ahead, and the wisdom that whispers to your soul.

I want you to feel life. The breath that has awakened your spirit to encompass this beautiful journey.

I want you to see beauty, real beauty. The twinkle of a billion stars found in the eyes of a beautiful person. The rustling wind found in the gasp of a newborn baby’s breath.

I want you to taste the success of the  impossible  being made deliciously possible through Jesus Christ.

I want you to understand how blessed I am for being able to hold a baby, comfort a child, discipline a teenager, invest in a future, and pray over another person like I have done for you.

Somewhere in the scheme of things, God’s grace and mercy was sufficient enough to pick me to be your mom/guardian/teacher/minister/family.  I could have never on my own qualified to be that person for you. What I want the most for Mother’s day, is for you to know there is no greater gift on this earth I could receive. I want you to know your worth and that you ARE the perfect gift from God and I am eternally grateful for you.


For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 1 Samuel 1:27


With All My Love,
Mom

Forever changed

May 3, 1999,  I stood outside with sirens going off and watched a tornado pass only 17 blocks away. As it moved further away, it got bigger. It would turn into a F5 , the highest rating for a tornado. It was a direct hit on the town of Bridecreek, Oklahoma.

I was 21 years old, going through some rough times in my life already. I couldn’t believe what had happened. I drove to Bridecreek and witnessed destruction like I had never seen. We were all quick to work together and a triage, search and rescue, and donation drop off were soon in place.

To our horror, we found the need to set up a makeshift morgue. I will never forget them finding and bringing in a lifeless newborn baby. A local teacher who knew the parents that were in the hospital, sat in the morgue holding and cleaning up this precious angel.

Everything I thought I knew about life, didn’t make sense anymore. I was put to work on the phone lines. The number I had was the number CNN had broadcast across the nation for people to check on their loved ones. A frantic mother called looking for her children who were in Oklahoma with their father. The phone never stopped ringing, it was back to back calls for over 12 hours. Others had to step in and we took turns in shift on this line where people had been hitting redial until they could finally get through, only to be told we were in a 48 moratorium and no longer allowed to give out information. Again, nothing made sense.

I was numb after returning home. I was lost and questioning everything, including my faith. I sunk into depression really quick. It was two week later, and mothers day. My mind couldn’t stop thinking about the mother’s empty arms. How she must feel.

The next day, I was in for the shock of my life. I found out after being told I couldn’t have kids, that we were expecting our first child. They gave me a pair of crocheted booties at the clinic as a congratulations gift and sent me home.

It was in some of these darkest moments, God reached out to me, performed a miracle in  my life and reminded me why life was so precious, so worth fighting for. It was worth continuing to do what I had done for a so much of life. To step in, to help when I felt most helpless. To hope when I had felt most hopeless.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)

I will never forget what happened 14 years ago on this day. It molded 21 year old me into so much of who I would be for the rest of my life. I wont ever forget the man that showed up with brand new bicycles for every child that lost their home. I will never forget the bent and out of shape rings given to the young woman who had just lost her mom. I will never forget the food, clothes, supplies, and money dropped off by angels. Every time I hear the song “calling all angels” I remember these people. I remember the firefighters, so young , rummaging through debris to find loved ones. I will never forget the victims, the families, the moments that stood still. I was and continue to be forever changed.

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna

Participating in Change

Change…

Last year the word was recovery, at the beginning of this year it was growth, now it is change. I am not sure when it became about change but God has made it loud and clear this last couple weeks, the focus is now change.

When I completely and unconditionally submitted my life to Christ all over again 2 years ago, I did so believing I would be made new. I did believe this, on faith. The bible tell us it’s true and we can claim that…

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

This week, even a few days ago, as I was struggling, I kept asking myself “what am I doing wrong?” I really do believe we can be made new, so why was I engaging in old behaviors? Why did everything seem to tumble back in an instant? It’s because I can say I believe and have faith, but I wasn’t acting the part.

For example, I went with my daughter on a field trip yesterday. They had a weight scale that would give your weight on earth and on the moon. Let me just say, I would be a happy size 2 if I lived on the moon, but I don’t. The reason this particular issue isn’t getting any better is because I am sitting on my hiney reading about being made new and then getting up and acting the SAME. God needs our cooperation sometimes. So today, with the thought, “what can I change today?” , I went walking. Not a huge change, but it is a change. It was a change I took part in as a “new” person.

It’s isn’t coincidence the new book I picked up this morning was titled, “Changing Course”. Claudia Black tells us that “recovery starts with recognizing that you would like at least part of your life to be different that it is now. “ That means… you guessed it, change!

So I share with you my new focus. Some of you may have started this journey with me, some may just be starting it now, and some may be way ahead in the game. In any case, for those that are ready to step out of the insane pattern of doing the same thing over and over expecting different results, I encourage you to ask yourself, what can I do as a new person that is different? It doesn’t have to be a huge deal. It can be skipping the donut shop and picking up some fresh fruit in the morning. It can be lowering our voice when we feel the urge to raise our voice. It can be setting at timer for 15 minutes to clean, or 15 minutes to be still and pray and meditate. It can be dropping some clothes stashed in the back of the closet off at a local charity. Just do today,  something you didn’t do yesterday. Something new, something changed.

The point is, God can, will, and wants to change us. Are we willing to participate?

A Grateful Believer in Jesus Christ,
Johnna