In my last post, I wrote about running the race of faith while dragging heavy rocks from the past. I encouraged readers to “cut the cord” — to release shame, guilt, and old failures that God has already forgiven.
But here’s the truth many people live with: They don’t refuse to let go because they don’t want freedom. They struggle because they don’t know how to let go — and in some ways, letting go feels frightening.
Shame can become familiar. And familiar can feel safe. Over the years, I’ve used an illustration that helps explain why old thought patterns are so hard to break. It comes from something many people today have never seen — an LP record player.
Before digital music, songs were played on large vinyl records. A needle would rest in a groove and move smoothly as the music played. But if the record got scratched, the needle would catch on that scratch and repeat the same sound over and over.
That’s how many of us experience shame.
Scripture calls this a pattern of thinking — and it tells us it can be retrained.
“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2, NLT)
Cutting the cord isn’t a single moment. It’s a practice.
Freedom may feel unfamiliar at first. But unfamiliar doesn’t mean unsafe. It just means you’re learning to run in a new way.
S. Courtney Lawson
Writer and speaker Sandy Lawson recently hit two Amazon.com best-seller lists with the new business book, "Transform," co-authored with best-selling author and speaker Brian Tracy.
Sandy Lawson serves as a Care Pastor at Element Church, in Wentzville Missouri, one of the fastest growing churches America. Sandy recently joined noted business development expert, best-selling author and speaker, Brian Tracy, along with a select group of the world's leading experts, to co-author the book titled, Transform: The World's Leading Entrepreneurs and Professionals Get to the Heart and Soul of Transforming your Life, Business & Health. The book was released on September 18, 2014 by CelebrityPress™ - a leading business book publisher.
On the day of release, Transform reached best-seller status in two Amazon.com categories - reaching as high as #6 in the "Direct Marketing" category. The book also reached best-seller status in the "Marketing and Small Business" category. Sandy contributed a chapter titled, "The Relationship Transformation...Taking Relationships From Terminal to Transformed."
Sandy Lawson has over 30 years of experience partnering with her husband, Kip, in family ministry and outreach. She's had the privilege of serving on staff at three mega churches prior to Element Church. In addition, she and her husband also had the honor of building the bus ministry of the Oneighty Youth Group at Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 400 riders weekly to nearly 1,500 riders each week.
Her biggest joy is coaching people in their personal relationships and helping them reach their God-given potential. She and her husband have helped hundreds of couples turn failing marriages into happily-ever-afters, as well as assisting parents in their quest to create healthy thriving families. In their career, Sandy and her husband have been a major influence in the lives of thousands of children, teens, and adults around the world. Sandy is the mother of three, and the grandmother of eight wonderful grandkids. She and her husband have been married over 46 years.
She is the author of a parenting book, "Parenting Through the Mirror" which explores the concept that great parenting must begin with personal transformation. She is also the author and illustrator of a children's geology book, "Iggy and the Volcano" that teaches kids the cycle of igneous rocks. Sandy is a freelance writer, speaker, blogger and was a major contributor to an internationally distributed children's curriculum.
After such a successful release, Sandy Lawson will once again be recognized by The National Academy of Best-Selling Authors™, an organization that honors authors from many of the leading independent best-seller lists.
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