Leslie A Lamb/Sifted Wheat

Author: lesliealamb

  • Shantray’s story – How to heal from divorce and gain back your identity

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    In this episode you will hear what can negatively inform our relationship choices: family dynamics, past trauma, fear of failure, emotional immaturity and a disconnected sense of identity.

    Shantray does a beautiful job of highlighting how each of these things led to choices that resulted in pain and suffering. She also shares about the “rescue” of God to call her back to life, how He met her in the dead of the night and required her to do the brave and hard thing, and how that act of obedience, repentance and faithfulness has strengthened her faith and empowered her to be a source of hope for others who are in healing from divorce. And if you haven’t gone through divorce, this is also a source for support in our role as friends and family and how to meet those we love in their struggle and grief as we hear how Shantray’s story can encourage our choices, too!

    Scriptures used and shared for hope and encouragement:

    Psalm 23:1-6

    Psalm 27:1, 13-14

    Psalm 116:1-9

    Isaiah 61:7

    Proverbs 13:12

    Colossians 2:6-8

    Mark 12:30-31

    Ephesians 6:16-21

    Ephesians 3:12

    You can reach Shantray for more information at the address below:

    kingdomlegacyc3.com

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  • The conversation we NEED to have about same sex attraction

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    When I sat down to write this episode, I was hesitant. I knew it would be difficult to navigate without a clear direction and landed on education and exhortation. I think we need to hear about how the world has invaded our personhood, how the environment might lend to sexual interruptions, and mostly how attraction can be the line where we can stay in the space of temptation instead of moving into sin and lifestyle. Just the fact that we have to call it “sin” probably offends some, and I can’t help that. And, in sitting with this content, what makes it overwhelmingly difficult to release is not that we don’t know what the Bible says, but because we love people! We love those who struggle with it. We love those who have embraced it. We love those who whole-heartedly believe it is their identity. And so does God. Truly. Deeply.

    So instead of avoiding or blindly embracing what we don’t fully understand, let’s talk about it and discover more about that fine but significant line between temptation and sin.

    Scriptures referenced:

    1 Corinthians 6:18

    Deuteronomy 30:19

    Matthew 5:29-30

    Matthew 22:37-40

    James 1:14-15

    For more content, feel free to follow along on Instagram @siftedwheatpodcast

    or email us at siftedwheatpodcast@gmail.com

  • Behind Closed Doors: How pornography fuels abuse

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    This conversation might not be popular, but it is a powerful one to expose the hidden dangers of pornography and its effect to unravel and oppress marriages, especially in the church. Tom talks about the real hook of pornography and how that being exposed can lead to better choices within the marriage and not precipitate the engagement of pornographic scenarios which are abusive in nature.

    This conversation also discusses where the church has chosen to hide instead of confronting the messages of pornography that are eroding marriages and damaging the souls of women who have been taught to submit at all costs. My hope is that through this conversation, if will expose the lies and illuminate the truth, not to villainize men and women that find themselves struggling, but to release the captives of abusers and the minds of those that are being indoctrinated about sexuality in a way that will harm others.

    You can find Tom through Banner Institute and find out more about his work through the Psalm 82 Initiative and where he is making an impact on women and men all over the world.

    Feel free to contact us through siftedwheatpodcast@gmail.com with any questions or for more information.

    Follow us on social media @siftedwheatpodcast and @bannerinstitute

  • How can a tree so big fall?


    That’s immediately what we thought when we got the picture from my mom. A tree that had been faithfully standing guard over their home for a century, was toppled by a strong gust of wind – not a storm, not a tornado, but the strength of a direct wind. 

    As I walked the wreckage, and thanked God for its fateful shift that missed the house by mere feet, I considered its substance. The trunk was massive, but as I inspected the roots, they weren’t as thick as I would have thought or as long as I would have expected. In fact, surprisingly, the hole left, though large, wasn’t as massive as the tree that was rooted there. Sure, there is some water to drain out, but in short time, earth will refill the spot left vacant by generations of occupation. 

    As I walked around the corpse of the tree, I noticed it had leaves and the evidence of life and death. In season it had flowered and bore fruit, but the source of its strength and stability had not reached its potential, subjecting it to upheaval. 

    I thought of myself, of my faith, of my identity as an “oak of righteousness.” Are my roots going deep, are they spreading beyond what I am producing? Is the only evidence of stability on the outside while deep down there is shallow depth and spindly faith? 

    In that moment of reflection, I remembered my dad telling me about Redwood trees – a beautiful reminder of his life in California before the great storm of his life shifted an 8 year old boy into a bread winner and man of the family. You see, redwoods are massive, fortified and towering for centuries. And they have a root system that is unparalleled in the plant kingdom – their roots don’t just go down deep, but they branch out and reach for the roots of the trees around them and intertwined to fortify their strength. There cannot be a lone redwood, they are always found in close proximity. They also have this fortified wood that though it is soft, is resistant to pests and corrosion and is ideal for construction. 

    I heard God whisper, “Be a redwood.” 

    “Go down deep in My love.

    Reach out for others and hold one another up.

    Stay connected to others like you.

    Grow tall and resilient. 

    Resist what seeks to attack and corrupt you. 

    Bring stability to others by what you produce. 

    Be soft where others are hard.”

    This is me reaching out, seeking the roots of those longing to endure. Entwining with those who have been sifted so we might remain and resist the winds of change and hold fast in the midst of adversity. 

    My mom’s oak will soon be cleaned up. Just an impression on the ground until time fills it in. And, it hasn’t been lost on me that all that is left will be used for firewood. 

  • The messy truth about divorce

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    What is our issue with divorce anyway? Are our arguments situated in the CONTEXTUAL truth of God’s Word? I find all too often that our position with divorce is very much taken from scriptures that are not interpreted in context, which just adds to the complication and why so many feel trapped in unloving and unkind marriages.

    This episode, we will look at the full context of the infamous verse “God hates divorce” so that it might be used as a source of compassion and healing (as intended) and not the battering ram or billy club it’s come to mean in some spiritual circles.

    We will also look at the FULL definition of adultery and learn why we can’t trust only what we see to bring correction but how to inquire more deeply about what is unseen but just as sinful. My hope is that this conversation can shift our judgment, and instead of using divorce as a means to choose sides or cast blame, our actions and thoughts about the people involved will be lead of the Spirit and entered into with humility and grace.

    For your own study, feel free to read the following scriptures:

    Malachi 2:16

    Ezra 10:19

    Matthew 19:8

    Feel free to follow us on Facebook, social media, or at the website linked below:

    https://www.instagram.com/siftedwheatpodcast

    lesliealamb.com

    Or email us at siftedwheatpodcast@gmail.com

  • Lexi’s Wrestle

    I’m honored to sit with Lexi Wooten as she shares her story about the impact of pornography and childhood sexual abuse.

    I believe her story can bring healing and hope to others in this same wrestle. Maybe that person is you?

    Listen in and follow along!
    Listen Here
    https://siftedwheatpodcast.podbean.com/e/lexis-wrestle-how-pornography-can-be-a-life-or-death-issue/?token=b9489907f2e6bfb94529fa0193d1a8cf

  • Back to the Boat

    Back to the Boat

    Commitment often requires a release of comfort.

    Peter found himself in that boat (literally and figuratively).

    See, he had just walked 3 years with an amazing man who he believed to be the incarnated Christ, the Messiah his people had heard about and awaited for generations upon generations, saw miracles the likes of which he never believed possible, and just prior to the day everything fell apart, had been commissioned to continue the work that He started.

    But then, his faith was tested. His promise felt a million miles away, and his hope looked less like a rock but rocky water, the water he had even walked upon, and so when we see Peter after the crucifixion and the resurrection, he has returned to the comfort of the boat. And this time, he wasn’t thinking about walking on the water, but simply staying afloat.

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    Have you been there?

    I have.

    When all that I believed with my whole heart would happen and had faith to receive and even in some part witnessed its appearing, fell apart, and I was left with my guilt and my shame and the knowledge that I hadn’t done well under pressure, and like Peter, I had a choice to move forward in my commission, committed to the call or return to what I knew, what was comfortable.

    So, Peter witnesses the resurrection and hears again the voice of his Teacher and Leader but eventually finds himself apart from fishing men and back to simply fishing. Why? Because somewhere between the two gardens, he lost sight of the passion that recognized his purpose.

    Guilt has a way of stealing our resolve. Fear has a way of dissolving our confidence.

    But, Jesus knew something was yet to be done, and there was no question in His mind where He would find His disciple, so He meets him where He knows the truth must be revealed, on the shore of the sea, with a warm fire.

    The scene played out similar to the few years before when Jesus found them, only this time the men weren’t catching anything and Jesus shows up re positions them and they can’t contain their catch.  Then, He doesn’t question them, He invites them to a meal.

    Isn’t that like God?

    I’m not here to shame you. We both know that where you are isn’t where I sent you, but I want to show you something, grace, and from that place you will see that I am committed to you, first.

    And He did.

    “Do you love me, Peter?” 

    “Yes Lord, you know I do!”

    “Then feed My sheep.”

    That’s what happens, isn’t it? We get off track. We lose sight of truth and purpose for any number of reasons, and He doesn’t shame us or condemn us, He reminds us of relationship and beckons us to share that with others. In that very moment, Jesus was modeling for Peter what He saw in Peter. It might be bold of me to suggest that Jesus knew He disappointed Peter. He knew that the way things played out were completely contrary to the dreams and longings of His follower, and He knew that in order for Peter to move forward, He had to meet him with grace and remind him of love.

    If I may, here is what I read between the lines:

    “Peter, I’m sorry. I know that you got confused and frustrated and doubted Who I am, but I’m here and all the things I said to you are still true. I love you. I believe in you, and I am here to show you that by feeding you, again. Nothing has changed. And, Peter, just like I am offering this grace to you, I want you to go out and offer it to others – the ones that mocked me, the ones that crucified and hung me and even now gloat that they took care of Me once and for all – I want you to love them and share my love with them and teach them what I have taught you. I want you to know that I love you, and I called  you and I haven’t failed as you feared, but I have victory you can’t even fathom, and I still choose you.”

    Commitment was borne of that conversation. The one we don’t read, but the one we hear in our heart daily, “Trust me. I love you. I chose you. Come back. I believe in you and no matter where you find yourself today, tomorrow is another day where you can still walk out your purpose.”

    Grace has a way of restoring what we’ve lost and love has a way of building our confidence.

    Peter walked away from that fire, on fire, reminded of his purpose and empowered by the love of his Savior, and Jesus meets you and I with that same grace and love, no matter where we find ourselves, because our purpose is so much bigger than our fears and our convictions must fuel our commitment, regardless of our comfort.

     

  • The rain falls

    You’ve heard it, right?

    “The rain falls on the just and the unjust.”

    We quote it quite often to imply that bad things happen to good people, but do we possibly have it backward? Rain could mean blessings, after all it takes rain to grow a crop and to provide a break from the drought. In fact, with the exception of the flood, rain is not depicted as a bad thing. So what of this verse? Well, let’s start by reading it in context.

    “In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

    Why is Jesus having this conversation? What is He teaching? He’s teaching about love. More importantly, He is talking about loving your enemies. See, we are an “either/or”,” this or that” society and culture. But Jesus was in an “either/and” as well as a “this and this” culture. Many times in order to emphasize something it was said a multitude of times, three times would be the ultimate number of repetitions. In this moment with the disciples Jesus is in the process of telling them and retelling them that God provides blessing (the sun rising) and blessing (the rain fall) on the just and the unjust. That’s important!

    This same conversation is recorded in Luke, and He words it a little differently (and since He’s a doctor, maybe a little more intellectually.)

    “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

    Ahhh. The and with the and. “He is kind (the sun shines, the rain falls) to the ungrateful and the wicked.” Wait. Matthew puts the “unjust” in there, but Luke says overwhelmingly, “the wicked.” We know it is the same conversation, the same teaching.. So why the different verbiage? Maybe it has more to do with the writer than the Speaker.

    Who is Matthew? A formerly, notoriously unjust man, a tax collector. He is there as Jesus is sharing this story about loving your enemies (of which he knows he was one) and as He speaks, Matthew is experiencing blessing! Not only was God kind to him, He had chosen him as a follower and cohort and put him in charge of the money! Okay. That’s like the the alcoholic being keeper of the wine for the Lord’s supper. That is a responsibility not just of trust but of proof of redemption! Matthew is hearing this through the ears of a formally publicly condemned sinner, and in his interpretation Jesus might as well be pointing at him, “See? I bless and hang out with those you’ve condemned.” Luke on the other hand didn’t have that lens, he heard Jesus say that God is kind to those we might consider wicked, enemies of our souls. Both men share the same message of Jesus to love those who do evil just as God does, but in their interpretations based on their personal experience, we hear how that message affects each one! But, the message is the same, “God who loves and is kind to those who hate him, asks the same of you.”

    I can’t help but think of Christians and our wrestle with the LBGTQ community. So many call them on sin saying they are sinners, stopping short of calling them wicked (or some out and out doing so), but if that’s the case, God is kind to them. He chooses to bless them and give them good things, regardless. So “Love your enemy” looks more like be kind to your enemy and bless your enemy… And enemies look like those we don’t agree with who commit actions that we think are evil or against God’s plan. Ahhh. And, they are entitled to the sun and the rain just as the Godly are, without prejudice or bias or judgement. That looks different, that feels different, that steps on the toes of the righteously political. But, that’s what loving our neighbor looks like – Doing for others not because they deserve it or because they are worthy, but because we recognize we aren’t, and, as much as it may pain us to speak it, God desires to see them blessed.

    Crazy, this God Who loves us – ALL of us! And the rain falls equally across the landscape of humanity.

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  • Facebook Fast

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    Okay.. It wasn’t a fast. I straight up wanted out. Out of the drama. Out of the posts that were less than authentic. Out of the arguments. The back biting. The passive aggressive warfare meant to injure with wit and snark and the ever revealing emoticons. Off the breeding ground for competition.

    So, I got off. No explanation. No “don’t you wish you were this pious” statements. I just left. Status hanging in mid air, comments left unmade, posts unliked and liked. I agree that originally my emotions led the choice, but my mind kept the commitment. And it was hard… At first.

    I felt out of the loop.
    People would text me and say “Did you see such and such?”, and I hadn’t. People would start conversations about something they saw in a status and all I could do was listen and silently agree or disagree. Articles posted would be fodder for discussion, and I wouldn’t have a clue.

    I felt isolated.
    Here is the sad truth of it, most of my friends stopped communicating with me. Not sure if it’s just more convenient to chat through Facebook or if it was an “out of sight, out of mind” thing regardless, my phone stayed silent.
    A lot.

    I felt limited.
    Take this blog for instance… You either stumbled upon it by chance, saw it on Pinterest (because let’s be honest what woman can live without that!!?) or happen to already follow me. There is something about having a cyber megaphone. Those lessons become group sessions and those words of hope become anthems! But, without Facebook, my ability to project was severely limited. I felt like a lion who suddenly became a tiny mouse. Where was my voice?

    But, despite those inconveniences, here is what I found.

    Time to read.
    My Bible Study time increased exponentially. I’ve always been a reader and studier but now I was reading and studying simply for me.. Not to share a scripture or what God was teaching me. My lessons became truly my lessons not rolling through a Rolodex of names thinking who would benefit from my study.

    I found more time for my girls to play or to talk or just to enjoy a movie or show on Netflix without interruption. It is amazing how much more “quality” that time becomes when half of it doesn’t consist of scouting out “I need to put this on Facebook” moments.

    I came to appreciate Silence.
    I realized that without a half dozen notifications popping up on my screen every 30 minutes I could actually set my phone aside. Like, in the back bedroom, far from my sight and from my ear. I actually missed texts! Can you imagine!? Remarkably, the world did not end.

    I found less need for validation.
    Did you know that research has found that the endorphin rush of getting a “like” on social media is akin to an addiction? Test yourself. Do you find yourself constantly checking likes, shares, and comments and feeling extreme disappointment when they don’t show? You might have a problem. Suddenly what we liked and what we need is based on what everyone else thinks what we should like and should need. Approval is a drug. And I can be an addict.

    I faced Reality.
    There was no hiding behind poignant posts to mask my feelings. Talking to my soul became quiet.. One on one.. And I found my soul without the encouragement of the Body, was significantly less empowered. There is a reason why God said it isn’t good for man to be alone, and whereas Facebook has it’s major hang ups and distractions, it can also be a beacon of hope to the desperate the discouraged and the hurting. Reality bites. It’s good to have those who recognize that taste.

    I will find my way back to the Book of Faces in a few more weeks, but I am wiser having released myself (even if momentarily) from it’s hungry grasp. I challenge you to try. Break free. See what you’re missing and return with a purpose for being there.. Because it isn’t there to create a pretend life, it isn’t there to take out your anger based on insecurities on those who would be exposed, it isn’t there to aid you in posting pictures and being validated and bragging on our kids (which certainly impacts them more if we SAY it not tag it), but it IS about belonging, finding a place to share your voice, to grow in faith and understanding. If you’re a Christian, it’s a place for ministry and mission work. Just don’t get lost. Because in a world of faces, we need to see more of you… Literally.

  • Magnetic

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    As a teen, I wondered what would make me more attractive to those around me. I knew I wouldn’t be the most beautiful or the most talented or even the most talkative (shocking, I know!), but I wanted to be someone who stood out. I struggled to feel important and even necessary at some points. I wondered why I struggled so much even as I believed in Christ – that should be the answer right? And He was, but I didn’t know what that looked like for me or to those around me.

    The struggle was real.

    Recently, I was given a book to read that really put those questions in perspective. Here I am 38 (gasp!) years old, and I still find myself struggling to be seen or to be attractive. So much for “it won’t matter when you’re older.” It matters. And even more so, it matters to all of us girls – young or old, ancient or adolescent. We all want to know we are contributing beauty to the world we live in and when we are gone will leave a void where our shining light used to be.

    “Magnetic – Becoming the Girl He Wants” by Lynn Cowell ties all these thoughts together and provides a blueprint to help you get there. Sounds too good to be true?… Well, it depends on which “he” you want to get! Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a list of characteristics that will lead us directly to becoming a person of influence. They are called “Fruits of the Spirit” and each one of them are pleasing and attractive to those that are affected by them and infected with them. (Infections aren’t all that attractive but for the sake of poetic license just go with it.)

    Cowell takes each fruit and defines what they mean translated into day to day life. It may be a book written for teen girls, but each issue addressed can carry over into the life of any woman struggling to be more. She gives practical advise to rethink how you deal with the world and circumstances around you and pushes it through the lens of the Holy Spirit, Who alone has the power to transform your mind and your life! The point is to establish a sweeter character by changing the way you act and react – whether it’s love and understanding that love is compassionate, or peace and bringing His peace to those around you, or self-control and taking reign over that little two edged sword the tongue! Ultimately, incorporating these characteristics affects the world around you, sets you apart as someone of grace, and this will make you stand out like a candlelight in a darkened room.

    The beauty that Lynn tries to portray is this … You aren’t worthless or unlovely or unimportant, but as you live in the power of the Holy Spirit, He attracts the right people to you! This is important to teen girls as they desire to attract teen boys, but good boys that don’t need sex to spell out love or arm candy to parade around to his friends but sincerely desires to find a girl who loves him for him and who challenges him to be a better man and most of all recognizes and admires the character of Christ in her. Because if you have ever seen a magnet line up with other random metal objects, it is the magnet with equal or greater strength that is most powerfully attracted to the first!

    I presently have an 11 year old girl and a 13 year old girl, and I will give them this book to read because it’s important. I want them to seek to be His not just be popular or the best. It is my heart that they will establish these characteristics into their own lives and not see it as so much a struggle but a challenge. I want them to gain the right attention and to be treated the right ways, and perhaps more importantly, I want to see them treat others the right way. I want them to know that they are enough and Christ in them makes them MAGNETIC!

    Do your daughters, nieces, granddaughters or Goddaughters a favor and buy them this book! I assure you, as one who has a decade of experience ministering to broken hearts and hurting souls, you will be making an investment in their future.

    Order yours here 🙂