The Chapel Window

So many of you have asked if I'd share our last day in Bora Bora. 

We started the day with Doctors Rodan and Fields and they shared some staggering comments with us. While I won't share it all here, one comment really stood out to me.

Dr. Rodan said, "We WILL be a global skincare giant and YOU will have the ability to influence and affect thousands for the greater good."

Whoa.

Have you ever thought about what that looks like for you.....to influence and affect thousands for the greater good? For me personally, it's to be a Kingdom builder for the Lord and to share the love of Christ.

On the way back from breakfast, I made a stop at the chapel there at the Four Seasons resort. When I walked in and looked straight ahead, I saw this view. It was the mountain again that I had blogged about earlier. It was another moment in time to sit, reflect and yes, pray. What a responsibility to be called to.

 There are going to be some mountains you're going to have to go around: negative people, difficult situations, and friends who look at you like you're crazy because of your commitment to the Lord. You're going to have to keep the mountain into perspective and remember there's another side you haven't seen yet. But you won't get there....you won't "influence and affect thousands for the greater good" if you waste your time staying at the bottom of the mountain and giving every excuse as to why living the Christ-centered life is so hard and so tiresome.

I was reminded of Proverbs 16:20, "Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful."

Listen to the Lord's instruction and live in joy knowing you're being obedient!

The Mountain in Bora Bora

When we arrived in Bora Bora, I was fascinated with this mountain. It's just an incredible site to see and is actually the side crater of the volcano that lies beneath the water. Who would've thought lava could pile high enough to create this peak? Every time I go outside, I look at that mountain and  wondered "What's on the other side?" 

We took a jeep tour on that island--yes, where that mountain is. I wasn't too thrilled with this climb in an old vehicle that looked like it hadn't had a brake inspection in 20 years. I don't care for heights, especially when rocks are sliding under our tires and we are inches away from death over a cliff.

When we got to the other side of this mountain and stepped out of the jeep, the view took my breath away. My eyes couldn't take it all in and were in overload. Now I knew why I've been so mesmerized by this mountain and why I needed to get to the other side!

Your spiritual walk of faith can often look like an incredible mountain to you.You watch others have faith and walk through the storms in life and come out victorious on the other side. You wonder if or when you'll get to that point of being able to place your problems and issues into the hands of the Father. But it's so easy to get comfortable on your side of the mountain because of the fear of the steep climb and the falling rocks that may come down in front of you, not to mention the dramatic drop off the mountain just inches away. Because of fear of failure, you're simply stuck with admiring the mountain but never going to the other side.

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "We live by faith, not by sight." 1 Corinthians 2:5 says, "...so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom but on God's power."

So my question to the guide on our tour was: Has anyone ever climbed this mountain? The answer is no. It's too steep so the people just go around it by going on the other side. Interesting....

If you knew what's on the other side of your spiritual mountain, you'd go around it. There's no need to climb it when you can go around it. Move forward, in faith, and get to the other side so you can see what's ahead in your growing relationship with the Lord.

Manta Rays in Bora Bora

I have recently returned from the picturesque island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia with Rodan + Fields Dermatology. I had shared some of my experiences and how they relate to my spiritual walk with many of my business partners and thought I'd share them with you as well.

 

One adventure in Bora Bora included a swim with the underwater sealife. Now, I'm NOT the adventurous one of this group. I'd much rather stay ON the boat and not UNDER the boat.

After a short lesson about what we would possibly see while underwater, I had convinced myself there was no way I could do it. I'm not an expert swimmer, especially when there's a tremendous current  (the worst the natives claim in 4 years), but I could certainly spout off the instructions the guide gave. I listened well, could recite word-for-word the instructions on watching out how deep you can comfortably dive without a tank, but there was NOOOO way *I* was going to dip in THAT water.

So a couple of us ladies decided we would cheer everyone else on and stay in the boat. But something began to happen. I watched as others, who aren't expert swimmers either, jump into the glassy blue waters and immediately pop back up. I heard the laughter, the fun, the comments like "Look what's under here! Oh my goodness!" The smiles of amazement were making me even more curious.

All I could think of was: Do these people know manta rays can kill you?! Finally, the guide looked up at me from the water and yelled out, "You don't know what you're missing!" I was content to stay on the boat and watch everyone else swim with the underwater creatures while I played it safe.

Have you been guilt of doing that in your walk with Christ? You long for the peace and joy you see your Christian friends living and you wonder, "Why not me?"

So after watching everyone else talk about what they were seeing and experiencing, the positive peer pressure got to me and I couldn't stand the thought of someone else having fun and fear talking me out of an experience. The guide grabbed my hand and down I went. A manta ray came up, blinked at me and acted like a purring kitten wanting to be touched again and again.

Fear isn't pretty. It's Satan's primary method of attack because he knows when you step out of fear, you step into faith. Psalm 91:3-6 says, "Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday."  Psalm 89:8 says, "O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you."

When I got back in the boat, I was so glad that I got out of the boat. Listening to what I was supposed to do by the guide was a good thing; but actually DOING it brought me a sense of fulfillment that watching others do from afar couldn't match.

I asked the guide why the manta rays seemed so tame, friendly and didn't scare me? "They had their barbs pulled out years ago when they were babies. They can't hurt you." As it turns out, I was afraid of something that didn't even have the ability to hurt me at all.

Worry of the unknown gives small things a big shadow. Stop watching everyone else have the "peace that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:7) and start taking a dip into the water yourself. Chances are, not only will you learn things about yourself that you never knew but your faith in God will increase in ways you never imagined....all because you got out of the boat.

(Barbie will be sharing a few more highlights of her trip to Bora Bora with Rodan + Fields Dermatology in the coming days.)

Thoughts on Emails & Social Media

Being in the public eye for the last 18 years, I get my share of critiques. With the advent of the internet and social media, they come more often than they would should someone take the time to sit down and write a handwritten letter to express their disdain. I remember asking my predecessor, the late Woodie Assaf, if he received as many emails as I did when it came to critical viewers? He said, "If I did, I wouldn't care because I'd tell them where they could put it."

I received these emails just this week:

"Maybe I should get a job as a weatherman. It's the ONLY job I know of that a person can be 100% WRONG and still keep their jobs. You and others have said, "make your plans for there's no rain in the forecast". So, that's what I do, to ONLY be poured on. Today is only one example of the past weather reports. What bothers me the most, we get your forecast, make our plans, and when the weather is TOTALLY different from the forecast, then the reporting changes to fit the actual weather. Seems to me, a "WEATHER ROCK" would be a lot more accurate. If what you all report is coming from some other source, such as National Weather Service, maybe another source would be a thought. Please don't take this personal, because it's not meant to be."

"You look great tonight. There are about 50+ of us women watching  from all different walks of life.

You look very professional. But can we get you to cut you hair?" Anonymous

I had even posted one of these emails on my public Facebook page this week. While many were shocked that viewers take the time to email their critiques, one viewer sent me this suggestion:

"As with many jobs in dealing with the public and being such a public figure being in tv as you are I'm sure there are many trying times. I would greatly appreciate it if you would just ignore the comments from negative thoughts and negative persons comments to you and please don't share on Facebook. As one adult to another we have to look over these comments and move forward. Thank you and have a blessed day. PS-- whining gets nothing accomplished."

A few people have asked why I share some of my emails? My reasoning is simple: to expose how superficially critical we can sometimes be. It's amazing the freedom we feel when we can hide behind a computer keyboard, throw stones and hide. And let's face it, emails and social media have made us more susceptible to everyone else's opinion, barbs, jabs and yes, even the "constructive criticism" (is there really such a thing?)

I began to think how I would be taken if I were to walk into my local bank and tell the bank teller, "I don't like how you're doing your job. My first grader can count money faster than you. And honey child, that outfit you have on is a hot mess. I hope you don't mind that I'm giving you constructive criticism because you know I love you. I just want to help you do your job better since so many people come in here every day and look up to you." I believe I'd be sucker punched and then thrown OUT of the bank. So why do we think it's perfectly permissible to tell others what we think of them?

Psalm 19:14 says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Tapping out your thoughts on a keyboard is easy to do. Before you do, think about the implications of what you're about to share. Would it be considered acceptable in the Lord's sight? If not, hit the backspace key and try again.

Don't Put Him in a Box

Until last weekend, we haven't moved in 16 years. One thing I've learned about moving: the boxes multiply like bunnies. Just when you think you've emptied all of the boxes and put things into their proper place, you find more boxes waiting to be unloaded. It's a never-ending pile it seems.

While I stared at the pile of empty boxes, I felt the Holy Spirit remind me of the many times I've placed God in a box. While I may have prayed for an answer to a complex situation and begged for God to move on my behalf, I've spiritually limited Him by not believing He would REALLY answer my prayer or perhaps I believed I hadn't been good enough for Him to be concerned about my worries. So, without knowing it, I've put God in a box.

Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith, it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him."

If God has no limits, then neither should our prayers. God exists and operates outside of the four space-time dimensions of boxes and the world He created. Therefore, we should pray that way. Even our hardest prayers are easy for the One who created, sees and knows all. And it doesn't matter how long or how loud you pray. It all boils down to if you believe there is no limit to God's power to answer your prayer.

God can answer your prayers. Because He can, you can pray with fervor, ferocity, focus, and see His favor on your circumstance. God is not going to stay in the little box I've put Him in.

(Barbie will be the guest speaker this Thursday at First Baptist Church of Madison's ladies dinner.)

The Writing on the Floors

Our new home is almost ready for the Bassett family to take up residence. It's been 16 years since we last moved. It was at that time in 1996 that I have left my television job in Chattanooga to move back home to Mississippi and marry my husband. Now 3 kids later and lots of acquisitions, it's a bigger project and it takes much longer, too.

While the floors were in transition in the new house, I asked the children to come up with their favorite Bible verses, handed them a jumbo black Sharpie marker, and gave them the instructions: write on the floors. Will, our 7 year old, had a look on his face that read 'Last time I did this, I got in trouble' and asked, "You mean we can write on the floor and not get in trouble?" After asking why I was allowing them to write on the floors their scriptures, I explained how nice it would be to be surrounded by God's Word all of the time, especially when they're having difficult days. So, they commenced to writing first in the children's den.

Afterwards, they went to their bedrooms to write another favorite verse along with the verse I chose to pray over each of them while I was expecting them and still pray over them to this day which I shared in my first book "Forecasts & Faith: 5 Keys to Weathering the Storms of Life".

Did you know the act of writing scripture is dotted all throughout the Bible? God wrote on stone tablets for Moses (Deuteronomy 10:1-2), the Israelites wrote scriptures on their door frames (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), the Israelites wrote on the stones taken from the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 27:1-8), and writing would be a witness against Israel (Isaiah 30:8). John even stated in John 21:25,  "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you."

I want our new home to be a place of spiritual revelation, peace and loving wisdom. It was a lesson for our children that we're not only hiding God's Word in our hearts, but hiding it in our home, too.

(Inquiries are being taken for the remainder of 2013. If your church or organization is wanting Barbie to speak at an upcoming conference, please visit www.barbiebassett.com and click "Contact Info".)

Living With Accusers

Have you ever been accused of saying something you didn't say, doing something you didn't do or taking something you didn't take? Here recently, a couple of people whom I dearly love have been accused of doing something they didn't do. Their names were printed in news papers, posted on pseudo-news blogs and even mentioned briefly on television news reports. It wasn't pleasant to watch, read or listen to because I knew the truth of the matter. When you've been wrongfully accused of something, it's a tough road to travel.

The word "satan" in Hebrew means "adversary, one who plots against another". In the Greek translation, "satan" is diabolos which means "slanderer, one who throws (something) across the path of another". Also in Greek, another translation is the word epiboulos which means "plotter".

Are you seeing a connection here? The truth is no where near someone who is accusing another, who plots against another, who slanders or plots against another. 

Chances are, you've been accused of doing something you truly did not do. When you are facing accusations, it's a natural reflex to defend yourself, your character and your integrity. But God says He will defend you. Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might not by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty."

So what do you do when you find yourself in someone else's cross hairs? Stay strong. Press against the slandering words, the hurt and the pain which the adversary is throwing your way and look at what Psalm 34:7 says, "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them."

There's no need to fear man's words when God has His angels surrounding you on all sides. Your accuser doesn't have God's blessing of angels around them.