Setting the Example

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹NOW ABOUT food offered to idols: of course we know that all of us possess knowledge [concerning these matters. Yet mere] knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love (affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and builds up and encourages one to grow [to his full stature].

²If anyone imagines that he has come to know and understand much [of divine things, without love], he does not yet perceive and recognize and understand as strongly and clearly, nor has he become as intimately acquainted with anything as he ought or as is necessary.

³But if one loves God truly [^[a]with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God [^[b]recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him].

⁴In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing (has no real existence) and that there is no God but one.^(A)

⁵For although there may be so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many of them, both of gods and of lords and masters,

⁶Yet for us there is [only] one God, the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life], and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through and by Whom are all things and through and by Whom we [ourselves exist].^(B)

⁷Nevertheless, not all [believers] possess this knowledge. But some, through being all their lives until now accustomed to [thinking of] idols [as real and living], still consider the food [offered to an idol] as that sacrificed to an [actual] god; and their weak consciences become defiled and injured if they eat [it].

⁸Now food [itself] will not cause our acceptance by God nor commend us to Him. Eating [food offered to idols] gives us no advantage; neither do we come short or become any worse if we do not eat [it].

⁹Only be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not [somehow] become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous [giving them an impulse to sin].

¹⁰For suppose someone sees you, a man having knowledge [of God, with an intelligent view of this subject and] reclining at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged and emboldened [to violate his own conscientious scruples] if he is weak and uncertain, and eat what [to him] is for the purpose of idol worship?

¹¹And so by your enlightenment (your knowledge of spiritual things), this weak man is ruined (is lost and perishes)--the brother for whom Christ (the Messiah) died!

¹²And when you sin against your brethren in this way, wounding and damaging their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

¹³Therefore, if [my eating a] food is a cause of my brother's falling or of hindering [his spiritual advancement], I will not eat [such] flesh forever, lest I cause my brother to be tripped up and fall and to be offended.

Learning to break the do as I say not as I do mentality was not an easy one. I was in a very troubled place in my life when my niece first came to live with me and I didn't always set a stellar example of how to live.

When I went through a particular issue with her, I had a friend point out that she was doing things that she felt were okay, because my example hadn't been better than what she did. I had consistently operated under the mindset that I can do some things simply because this is my home, but she could not, because she wasn't an invested partner in the financial upkeep of the home.

Now, while this is all true (it is my home and I should be free to live in it the way I choose), I needed to take into consideration that I was also trying to teach her how to live outside of the confines of my home, where she wouldn't have our protection. God used 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 to really drive that point home to me. He allowed me to see that I had to conduct my life in a way that all my children would not be tempted to stumble in anyway. And I needed to be able to be open about mistakes I've made.

This caused me to sit my niece and son down, and apologize for the bad example I had been setting. I told them both I was committed to doing what I needed to do to ensure I was setting the proper example. Admitting that I had wronged them was definitely the first of many steps.

I also had to take into account that the spiritual and family dynamic I was displaying was not at all what I wanted for my children. I had to remember that I wasn't just training future citizens. I was training up a son that might one day be called to marry a woman and I was training up daughters who may be called to be someone's wife. Meaning I needed to be the kind of wife I wanted my son to seek and the kind of wife I wanted my daughters to be. I had to raise the bar as a mother. I really needed to follow Proverbs 22:6 and begin to train my children in the way they should go.

I'm not saying I was a bad mother, but I had to admit I wasn't being the best mother I could be, because I wasn't being the best wife, person, or Christian I could be. Once the Holy Spirit put that image in my mind, transitioning to do God's will was almost seamless. I do still struggle with my own selfish desires, but I've obtained enough outside feedback that my changes are very apparent and the difference is being seen in me and my family.

I love hearing my kids tell me that I am the best mom ever. I take comfort in my 2 moms (birth mother and spiritual mother) telling me they are proud of who I've become and that the changes in my life and attitude are heart warming. And, for me it's just one more thing I can say that God has to get the glory in. The changes are apparent in me, but he had to do the work to get me there.

When it comes to my marriage, I don't beat around the bush about where my heart was when we first reconciled. I was not interested in doing it God's way, but I knew that not doing so was not going to turn out well for me. I had to be open and honest with God, because he knew how I felt anyway. It was then that I think all these other seeds were able to be planted and God was able to move in my life. And, with that I was able to be an example in how you just have to keep things real with God. My niece is beginning to walk in her own new birth, and she often expresses that "it's hard." It is hard, but telling God you feel that way makes it easier. It's not likely to be an overnight transition, but it's one that God can make happen in such a way that you won't necessarily realize it's happened. Then one day you will just kind of go "Hey, it's not so hard anymore." You'll notice that God moved in ways you didn't even realize, because you opened up to him and let him work.

It is hard and sometimes it feels burdensome to know that I am not walking this walk just for myself. I have to be accountable for the example that I set, because the bible calls us to be an example. There are many verses that do just that within the 66 books of the bible.

1 Timothy 1:16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

Titus 2:7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.

John 15:13 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

Psalm 71:7 My life is an example to many, because You have been my Strength and Protection.

Titus 2:12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,

Ephesians 4:24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Philippians 3:13 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

But even with our natural struggle against that desire, we have to remember that Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Just let God know and he will be more than happy to honor a request in order for you to fulfill his word. That's a prayer that we can be confident is within his will, because it is in his word.

Someone is watching what you say, do, and how you live...even when you think no one is. Set the example...

*I found this testimony online when I was searching for verses on setting an example and I thought it painted a wonderful picture of the topic. http://azmissions.org/devotions/example.html

Sex and the Spirit

Proverbs 5:15-19

Amplified Bible (AMP)

^15[a]Drink waters out of your own cistern [of a pure marriage relationship], and fresh running waters out of your own well.

¹⁶Should your offspring be dispersed abroad as water brooks in the streets?

¹⁷[Confine yourself to your own wife] let your children be for you alone, and not the children of strangers with you.

¹⁸Let your fountain [of human life] be blessed [with the rewards of fidelity], and rejoice in the wife of your youth.

¹⁹Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant doe [tender, gentle, attractive]--let her bosom satisfy you at all times, and always be transported with delight in her love.

There has been a lot of conversation about sex in my home recently. Having a teen that was sexually active prior to getting into my grips, as well as an 8 year old that seems to be bombarded with messages outside of our influence means that I have to talk often, be open, and be as clear as possible.

Even my 3 and 4 year olds are asking questions about the human body and showing a level of maturity I am not aware that I had when I was in their age bracket. I don't recall becoming curious about the human body until at least the age of 10, but my kids are doing everything they can to be sure that mom (and especially dad) learn to let nothing shock them anymore. (It's really funny to watch my husband's face get all distorted when the kids come to ask a question he was truly not anticipating...lol)

I have had to be very honest and open with all my kids to whatever degree I have felt appropriate for their age level. With my teen I am very candid about things of a sexual nature. I admit my mistakes and wrong doings concerning my own sexuality and I am very graphic about the spiritual and physical consequences of not doing it God's way. Even though overall I have been fortunate, I did have some hard lessons to learn and they all could have been avoided if I would have made the choice to do things God's way instead of my own.

With my son, I am teaching him the things I think will be important for him to know as a teen and adult. I let him know that many of his friends are going to be having sex, but just because they are going to be doing those things, it doesn't make it okay. I let him know that I have an expectation for him to be more than a superficial "in name only" kind of Christian. I want him to truly reflect the image of Christ in actions and words.

The big thing I have made a common statement with my son and my niece is this;"It is not your right to sleep with someone whom you are not married to, because in the event that you don't marry that person, you have slept with another man's wife or another woman's husband." My eyes were opened to that way of thinking when I read Romances with Wolves (Link to article: www.everystudent.com/features/wolves.html). Once I got that perspective it was like being hit in the head. Wow, how many people do we know that would say "I would NEVER sleep with someone else's husband or wife." when in fact, they probably already did? This is a message I really want this next generation of kids to get, because the idea of marriageless sex is becoming so prevalent that we've pretty much become desensitized to it. I had even been guilty of just accepting it for what it was...times have changed. Lucky for us though, God hasn't and he is very clear on his expectations for our body, in no uncertain terms.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

New International Version (NIV)

Sexual Immorality

¹² “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. ¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶ Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”^{[a] 17} But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.^[b]

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. ¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

How do you argue with that? YOU CAN'T!!! God is very straight and to the point on what we are to do and not do with our bodies when it comes to sex. And he even reminds us that we tie ourselves to that person on a spiritual level. If you give yourself (sexually and spiritually) to multiple people, then what are you going to have left for your future spouse?

I also firmly believe that we open ourselves up to spiritual things we couldn't possibly be prepared for. I am gifted in discerning things and all it takes it a close, personal relationship with someone for me to be able to pick up on things no one else is even paying attention to. The times in my life when that has mixed in with sex, I have seen some very dark and ugly things that I could have gone the rest of my life without ever seeing. And, these are things that weren't necessarily out in the open for everyone to see, but they were revealed to me, because I had tied my spirit to that individual. In my marriage, it has been a beneficial gift and connection to have, because it let's me know when to pray, when to talk, and it takes some of the shock value out of big issues (having a situation briefing from God is always better than going in blind). But, outside of that...having that kind of tie to someone else has been devastating. It becomes a connection you no longer want, because you don't want to be exposed to those kinds of things unnecessarily.

I also believe that sex outside of marriage blinds us to things we NEED to see before saying "I do". When you start sleeping with someone, it take the investigative component out of the relationship, because then many things get tied back to the act of sex. We begin to look passed the fact that this individual does certain things or acts a certain way that isn't in agreement with our value system or personal desires, but we overlook them because "well, the sex is good."

We need to place a much higher value on marriage than our society does. I am not advocating that everyone gets married, but I am advocating that marriage and sex need to go hand in hand. If you want to have sex, be willing to wait for the person God has designed for you. Our society has made it common practice to put the cart before the horse.

Hebrews 13:4

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁴Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous.

I wish I could say I followed God's design plan. But, I can at least say that I can speak out about the negative impacts of not doing so. I can be open and honest about reading God's word and then doing my own thing, and what kind of results come with those kinds of decisions. It's painful to know that I have slept with someone else's husband and I allowed someone to sleep with my husband's wife. I even have to be held accountable for sleeping with my husband prior to him being that. I believe that many of the issues suffered in our marriage were tied to that. I also believe that I was blinded by things going on because of our sexual relationship before being totally committed to one another. I am not saying I wouldn't have married him, because if that was God's plan, it was going to remain his plan. But, I think I would have been better prepared for what I was up against if I didn't have blinders on.

I wish I hadn't tied my soul to anyone else, because now my spirit is susceptible to things it didn't have to be. Sex is not just a physical act...it is very much a spiritual one and that is why God intended it to be reserved for and remain in the confines of marriage. As a parent, I encourage you to keep the dialogue open and fresh in your home. It's better to get to them as soon as you can, because someone else will be giving them the wrong message sooner than you think. As an individual, I pray you will read my story and learn from my mistakes. Even if you've already become sexually active, it isn't too late to give yourself back to God. And God's design for marriage and sex is artistic and wonderful. All you have to do is take time to read Song of Songs/Solomon to see that within the confines of marriage it is poetry in motion.

Resources for families and individuals:

www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/sexuality.aspx

www.familylife.com/site/c.dnJHKLNnFoG/b.3781493/k.48C9/More_Articles_About_Sexual_Purity/apps/nl/newsletter3.asp

www.everystudent.com/menus/issues.html

The Voice of Truth

John 16:13

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹³But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].

One of my favorite song is titled The Voice of Truth (Link to song: youtu.be/KwsvqVmFV6Y) by Casting Crowns. It is such a beautiful song, because it encourages us to listen to God's voice and stop listening to the outside voices. This is a lesson that God has really had to pour into my heart and there are times when I still let the outside voices take effect.

That is not to say that we are to be above reproof or advice, but when God is telling us to do or be something, outside thoughts and opinions hold no water, especially if they go against what God is telling you. God has even had to bridle my mouth concerning the visions he shares with me. He let me know recently that there are things that he is instructing me and only me to pray over. And until he appoints the time, I am not to share those visions with anyone, not even my husband.

People can unknowingly speak things over your blessings that can set them and you on a different course. They feel they are being helpful, concerned, or they are just stating their personal opinion, but they and sometime we don't have enough information to form an accurate opinion. That's the beauty of stepping out on faith. You are doing something without knowing anymore than what God has given you. I like to say that faith is believing in something unseen, but knowing everything in advance is just having facts. Anyone, can step out on facts, but God shines when faith is our motivator.

We all have outside voices yelling things that are contrary to God. We have to counteract that by having our quiet time with God. We have to protect our souls by letting God feed them more than other sources. The devil will use whatever he can to send us off course. Our own conscious, people, television...whatever. His ultimate plan is to win by deceiving us and no resource is above his grasp. But God loves us enough to speak the truth in us and knock the outside voices right out of our heads.

Psalm 40:11

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹¹Withhold not Your tender mercy from me, O Lord; let Your loving-kindness and Your truth continually preserve me!

We have to also be sure we steer clear from the voices of doubt and insignificance. There will always be someone who will be smarter, faster, prettier, taller, shapelier, with a better job, can quote the Bible like a champ, volunteers for every organization imaginable, has more money, drives a better car, etc. etc. etc. But, we have to keep our focus on what God has done and is doing in and with us. Those things are for that person and God can use those things for his glory. But the things he has given you are for you to use for his glory, and chances are someone is looking at you and comparing themselves thinking you have it better. We are given things individually, because we all have different callings on our lives.

Make sure that the voice you are listening to is God's. He will not lead you in the wrong direction. He is the only one with the big picture for your life and he wants nothing more than to see it flourish. People (including ourselves) sometimes have the same intentions but they don't have the road map to be able to make it do what God can do. When God sets you on a path, let his voice be your only GPS. Anything that is contradictory to what you know he's told you is meant to recalculate your route. And, if you've miscalculated, he will definitely make that clear and put you back on course.

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Listen and believe the Voice of Truth.

Personally Speaking

Isaiah 55:10-11

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

I read a blog recently that spoke about a family that assigns life verses to their children. Once they are able to identify the talents and personal nature of that child they search the bible for a verse to continually speak over that child. They even had the verse painted onto the nursery wall of their oldest child, because his life verse was given to him before he was born. He had some health issues that they discovered while he was still in the womb, and they began speaking a particular verse over his life. (Article Link:http://www.truewoman.com/?id=1627)

I began to think about this as a parent, and I do pray Proverbs 22:6 over my children quite often. Life is so full of outside forces that I often become internally worried about the job I am doing and how they are going to turn out in the end. But, I find peace in speaking over them that if I train them in the way that they should go, they will not depart from it when they are older.

But I did decide that as I saw the gifts of my children begin to flourish, I would find a verse to begin speaking over them as individuals. I don't want it to serve as a life mantra, but a prayer for their outcome as individuals and as members of society. God blessed me last night with finding a verse that I felt was fitting for my son. And, ironically I've been speaking it over him jokingly, but in my quiet time with God I actually found the verse and decided I would begin to speak it over him.

My son often comes into the room and asks "Did someone call me?" when absolutely no one was talking about him or even times, no one was speaking at all. And, it's not uncommon for him to come back several times and do that. So I started telling him "Hey, if you hear it again...just say yes, Lord, because he's probably trying to talk to you."

Last night in my study I found 1 Samuel 3:10,19

1 Samuel 3:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

1 Samuel 3:19

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁹ The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.

I've always felt my son was prophetically gifted and could hear from God from the very start. I still believe that about him even today, although he says he doesn't feel like he hears from God anymore. I will now be sure to pray these verses over him, so that his gift and his relationship with God will continue to be strengthened.

I am also fortunate enough to have in my Bible to Speak the Word Prayers to go along with those verses. Speak to me, Lord. I am listening for Your voice. Adapted from 1 Samuel 3:10 and God, I thank You that I continue to grow spiritually, You will be with me and let none of my words be wasted and fall to the ground. Adapted from 1 Samuel 3:19

I also took note that I had done this for myself without necessarily realizing it. The Proverbs 31 Woman (Proverbs 31: 10-31) has always has always been a great influence in my life. My job as a wife and a mother are important to me and my mind often travels back to her as an influence.

In October of last year God revealed to me Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and I found such peace and comfort in it. Especially because of where I was at the time and seeing it again from time to time reminds me of where I've been and where I am going.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

New International Version (NIV)

Deuteronomy 28

Blessings for Obedience

¹ If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

⁷ The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

⁸ The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

⁹ The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. ¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. ¹¹ The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

¹² The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. ¹³ The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. ¹⁴ Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

And fortunately again my Bible has a Speak the Word Prayer for 2 of the verses: God, I will listen diligently to Your voice and be watchful to do all Your commandments, and I am expecting Your favor and blessing in my life. Adapted from Deuteronomy 28:1,2 and Thank You, God, that You have made me the head and not the tail, that I am above only and not beneath anything or anyone. Adapted from Deuteronomy 28:13

Those are the verses I am choosing to speak over my life and my son's life. I am excited to see what God will reveal to me over time concerning my daughters and even my husband. I would even like to do a project with the kids where we turn their (and even my) life verses into art to hang around the house. It will be something special they can always take with them when they leave and I'm always looking for ways to make memories. So this can serve as both. t

I encourage you today to seek God out about the verses you should be praying over your life, your spouse's life, your kid's life, and I wouldn't even knock finding a verse to pray over a friend or family member's life. Allow God to use you and take heart that his word will not return empty!

Mean Spirited Christianity

Galatians 5:22-26

New International Version (NIV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

A recent Facebook conversation with a friend was the basis of this blog. I had posted a quote I saw on a group page. The quote read "Wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it. Right is right, even if no one is doing it." -Augustine- I thought is was a very inspiring, but not an extremely profound thought. I posted it and moved on without a thought, but then a friend replied in such a way that it struck up a conversation

Friend: But if everyone is doing it then is not Subsequently right? Wrong is only wrong if the consensus deems it as such. So if the consensus changes wrong can be redefined as right. And who determines right and wrong?

Me: Well that answer could vary. It depends on where you derive your value system from. Say you derive your value system from your family dynamic. Some families may believe that something is okay and others don't, so according to your family dynamic...it is wrong if that is the philosophy and belief in your family. For me personally, I believe my biggest value systems are derived from my faith and my family. If it's wrong according to God and/or my mama...it's wrong. I can generally decide whether I should or shouldn't do something based off of how I think God or my mama would respond. But I also know that when I choose to do wrong, I am also choosing to accept the consequences of my actions.

Friend: You are aware I'm gay, correct?

Me: lol yes, why do you ask?

Friend: Well your bible tells you I'm an abomination in gods eyes.

Me: My bible also tells me that love is the most important thing of all. And it tells me that Jesus rolled the streets with the folks no one else wanted to hang with because they were "bad" and "sinners". I don't have to like the idea of being gay, but that doesn't mean I love my gay friends any less (I actually have a heart for gay men...don't ask me why. I just love them to bits!). I'm no less of a sinner than you are. I make mistakes, I call people names, I get uncontrollably angry, I say bad words, those are all wrong and no more acceptable to God than your sexuality. Sin has no measure of greater than or less than, so I am in no position to judge. I love you for who you are as a person, not for your sexual preference. Just like you love me for who I am, not for what I believe in.

My friend then proceeded to tell me that his past experiences taught him, essentially, that Christians were unloving to "his kind". All his "Christian" friends he had before he came out suddenly ditched him and said they couldn't associate with someone like him (however they chose to use a derogatory term to define him.)

He stated that he always wondered how long it would take his current Christian friends to hit the door running because of who he is, once they were made aware. And I in turn explained that anyone who would do that is not really a friend or a Christian. We aren't called to turn people away or associate with only those that are like us. Who did we have to turn to when we were considered "outsiders" to the Church?

Church is not for saints, it's for sinners and the sanctified sinners need to be willing to love, respect, and reach out to the ones who are still lost. It is not my place to judge or condemn. To quote another friend of mine "No human has a heaven or hell to put me in." Which means that real Christians need to stop turning their noses up at everything and everyone and begin to show the true love of Christ. We have no place to put those that we judge so let's leave the judging up to God. If people can't see the Christ in you, than can you really say you are a CHRISTian? Christ didn't run from the ones who needed him. He embraced them and loved them to the detriment of his own name and character in the eyes of others.

There are 4 verses I feel will help sum this up nicely:

Luke 6:31

New International Version (NIV)

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

2 Kings 2:2

New International Version (NIV)

² Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

Romans 12:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

John 15:13-15

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

As Christians we are obligated to treat others as we are selves desire to be treated, we are expected to be loyal, we are to put others above ourselves, and we need to be willing to lay our lives down for our friends. I personally don't derive that as meaning just our physical life being taken. I feel that God is also calling us to be willing to take a stand and show love to the ones that aren't like us and be willing to take a risk on our own names to do so.

I'd rather have the respect of a gay friend whom I've showed nothing but love and respect to and proven myself to be a Christian with a heart of God, than to gain the respect of a "Christian" who would be willing to turn that person away for the sake of saving face and feeling superior. My goal is not to win over people who are already in the church. It's to do something that would force someone to ask questions about why I'm different in hope that they would want to come. And even more so, in hopes that they would want to form a relationship with God.

I want them to know I have called them friend, because everything I've learned from my Father and big Brother (see blog: Big Brother is Watching) I have made known to them through my words and actions.

Discipline Brings Success by Joyce Meyer

Deuteronomy 4:29

Amplified Bible (AMP)

²⁹But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you [truly] seek Him with all your heart [and mind] and soul and life.

Proverbs 5:23 says that a person "will die for lack of discipline and instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray and be lost." That doesn't necessarily mean that a person will die immediately, but a lack of discipline leads towards deathly situations.

In his book A Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozier said (paraphrased) that God puts a desire in us to seek Him. But we have to discipline ourselves to seek Him. We can become too passive waiting for God to initiate a relationship with us. If you want to have a successful life, discipline yourself to seek God every day.

Kat's notes: I was touched by this devotion. Christianity is a very active form of living. We can't be passive, which often means moving against our very nature. We have to be thoughtful participants in our relationship with God as well as others. God didn't make us mindless bots who are to go about aimlessly living out life. He gave us free will to do all things including coming to him. But free will also comes with the necessity for discipline and order, because without it we create a path of destruction.

Endurance Training

Proverbs 22:6

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

^{6 (A)}Train up a child ^[a]in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

^{The past year...especially the last 3 months or so I have taken in some very valuable lessons. My 19 year old niece came to live with me and to say it has been a challenge would be an understatement. It has been a pure uphill battle, complete with wounds and scars. But, with time, God, and patience, a breakthrough (maybe even a few of them) was made.}

^{I'd been challenged and questioned in regards to if it was really my calling to have her in my home. I believed it was and others agreed, but overtime doubt did settle in hard. But a few weeks ago it was like a cloud broke open and the sun finally started shining through.}

^{My niece and I were having a conversation about her experiences here and the negative outcome of her choices, but at some point the conversation took a turn I wasn't even prepared for. She explained to me that she was often challenged here because we did things differently. She had experiences here that she wasn't used to in the other places that she lived. Church was not unfamiliar to her. She went when she was small and she had even attended with us a few time when we lived near her before moving back south. But, she stated that going to church on Sunday was it. She never experienced doing things like devotions, praying, attending midweek events, reading the bible, and all out walking the Christian walk outside of the church doors.}

^{I was moved by the fact that she was receptive and watching my actions more than I believed. She said she wasn't used to seeing people read their bibles everyday and taking time throughout the day to pray. She never sat and had devotions, let alone as a family until she came here with us. She had prayed in the past, but she suddenly found herself being moved to have a conversational relationship with God.}

^{In that, I had to humble myself and apologize for the moments I was anything less than a good example. I had to apologize for not setting those kinds of expectations from the beginning, but I also had to thank God that I knew without a doubt I had done the right thing by bringing her into my home. I thought my job was to prepare her for the real world and indeed it was, but God positioned the pieces in order for me to do it in a very unexpected way. He was charging me with the job of preparing her soul for the real world.}

^{I am witnessing her grow in ways I would have never thought possible. She is truly searching and seeking God. She is committing to living life as more than a superficial Christian. She is really interested in doing more than saying she is a Christian. I've seen her attitude change in just a matter of weeks and she is excited about going to church.}

^{I thank God for what he has done in her and in me through this experience. He caused me to build a more concrete foundation to replace one that was cracked and shaky, not only in her but in myself. She now has a value system that absolutely wasn't there before and a relationship with God that is going to continue to grow and thrive. I now have a view of her I didn't have before. God was able to soften my heart and allow me to see things from his perspective. Once I was able to do that he began to move mountains.}

^{This situation has caused me to raise the bar exponentially for her and my 3 little ones. I have a job to train them and get them all prepared for "the real world".}

Big Brother is Watching

I wrote last night about God being our father and how in turn that makes Jesus our brother. I ended up coming across verses today that tells me exactly that and I wanted to share.

Romans 8:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 8:29

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Hebrews 2:10-13

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. ¹¹ Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^{[a] 12} He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”^[b]

I love knowing that my big brother was willing to give his life in order to save mine and that he does all that he can to protect my mind, body, and soul on a daily basis. It's also wonderful to know that he is willing to share his inheritance in the kingdom.

How many stories have you heard of family heirs fighting over what they feel is theirs? We don't have to fight for our inheritance. As soon as we accepted Christ as our savior and gave our lives to him, he was willing to split the bank.

But keep in mind we also have to split the pain of walking in his family. Just like he suffered we too will suffer, but unlike him it will not cost most of us our lives, but it may cost us to sacrifice what the world considers "living". Being a true believer will cause you to stand out. You will have no choice but to be different than the world and the world is not easily accepting of our ways.

Romans 12:2

New International Version (NIV)

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Peter 3:14-18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats^[a]; do not be frightened.”^{[b] 15} But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

John 15:18-21

New International Version (NIV)

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[a] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

God will honor us living and walking for him. He will honor our sufferings. But the best part is, we do not have to do it alone. Christ came before us so that we could know how to live. He is our example. And he sent his Holy Spirit in to help and guide us. He also sits at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf.

I love knowing that no matter what I go through, my big brother is always looking out for me and he is looking out for you too. We are one family, through Jesus Christ. So just know that your big or little sister (wherever I fall in the pecking order) is also looking out for you and praying on your behalf. And when you have a fight...I'm willing to fight it with you.

Daddy Issues

Hebrews 12:5-11

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Lately I've worked toward grasping the concept of God being my Father. It is still one that baffles me a bit. I have a good relationship with my own father, but I wouldn't necessarily describe us as having an open and communicative relationship. I rarely go to him with my problems (I save those for my mama) and although we have our little jokes and things, we often don't have a whole lot to talk about.

But, I've had to begin to wrap my mind around the fact that I am not just building a relationship with God. I am building a family life with him...my father! And that entails he and I talking on a regular basis and equally as important, I have to be willing to be corrected by him. As a mother I understand those things, because I love, communicate with, and correct my own children. But knowing that God feels the same way about me seems to still be a bit foreign.

I read recently about a woman who says sometimes she has to imagine herself crawling into her "daddy's" lap and just spending time with him. Talking, crying...whatever it is she needs to do with her father at that moment. That's a comforting concept, that I'm trying to establish in my own time with God. I know what kind of comfort it brings me as a mom to do that for my own children, and hey let's face it; I sometimes miss being a kid who can run to my parents when I am hurting or I just want someone to talk to.

If I open up my mind to it, I can still have that kind of relationship with God and that's exactly as he wants it. And honestly, when he dishes out a little spanking I am able to endure that too, because it's all for me to be a better person.

I have no issues understanding God as my creator, Jesus as my savior, and The Holy Spirit as my comforter, but I pray that one day I can think of God as my very own father, without it being a forced mental concept. And also as awesome, Jesus is my brother...As the baby of the family I'll admit there is something really nice about knowing that "big brother is watching" (sounds like another blog for another day...tomorrow perhaps). I pray that God will grow those 2 relationships into a natural flow in my thought process and your own. I like thinking of them as my family verses some great beings out in the universe.

Stay on Track

For this topic I want to use 2 versions of the Bible. I liked how the Amplified broke it down, but I know it can get a bit wordy, so I am also going to include the NIV version as well.

Colossians 2:4-10

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁴I say this in order that no one may mislead and delude you by plausible and persuasive and attractive arguments and beguiling speech.

⁵For though I am away from you in body, yet I am with you in spirit, delighted at the sight of your [standing shoulder to shoulder in such] orderly array and the firmness and the solid front and steadfastness of your faith in Christ [that ^[a]leaning of the entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

⁶As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him.

⁷Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.

⁸See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

⁹For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].

¹⁰And you ^[b]are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].

Colossians 2:4-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. ⁵ For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of this world rather than on Christ.

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Today's society is filled with all kind of theories and philosophies on who God is, who Jesus is, what being a Christian is, and what is and isn't acceptable according to the word of God. But we need to be mindful that we are sticking to what God's word says and not just what some deep thinker has decided they wanted God to be saying.

For example, not that long ago we experienced a "prophecy" (and I use that term VERY loosely) that the world was due to end on a particular day and time. May 21, 2011 to be exact. I don't remember the time, but I remember being at Beachfest in a crowd, cheering on God that only he knew the day and time. This is what my bible tells me:

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

² For you yourselves know full well that ^(A)the day of the Lord ^[a]will come ^(B)just like a thief in the night. ³ While they are saying, “^(C)Peace and safety!” then ^[b](D)destruction ^[c]will come upon them suddenly like ^(E)labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brethren, are not in ^(F)darkness, that the day would overtake you ^[d](G)like a thief;

I don't know about you. I don't have an extensive amount of experience in being robbed, HOWEVER, I can't recall anyone ever stating that they knew the exact day and time they were going to be robbed....Do you? So, I'm thinking that Jesus coming like a thief in the night means exactly that, he is not going to be announcing his arrival and we should not be expecting it. But just like protecting our homes, we need to protect our souls on a daily basis and just be ready for him to show up.

We all have to be mindful of what we allow to even ever so slowly creep into our spirits. Everyone has an idea or an opinion about God...people at work, the media, entertainers, pastors, teachers, counselors, you name it! But, the big question is where are they building that from. There is probably a bible verse for just about anything you can experience. Because God made sure to let us know that there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.

And there are some things that people can flip and flop any way they want, but there is no way to deny that God said NO to certain things, if you are really reading God's word. Our culture just doesn't want to accept that for an answer.

So I encourage you to stay in prayer about the things you encounter on a daily basis. Don't just take everyone at their word, including me. Test it against what God has to say. Even my pastor requests that we go and research it for ourselves, because in the end...we are only human. We can dink it up, but when you are listening to God, he'll point you in the right direction. We as Christians have been given a spirit of discernment and when something doesn't seem right, we need to sniff it out and set it straight.

I don't want to get caught up in every rad fad of thought and spirituality. I want to do my very best to be consistent in my walk and keep moving in the direction that God has laid out for me. That doesn't mean that we won't have moments where we question God, that is our nature. But being willing to listen for HIS answers is how we stay on track.

Pastors, preachers, teachers, and counselors come and go, change their thoughts, and get swept up in the matters of life, but God and his word are always the same; from the beginning of time until the day Jesus comes back (like a thief in the night.)

God is Always Working by Joyce Meyer

1 Thessalonians 4

1FURTHERMORE, [a]BRETHREN, we beg and admonish you in [virtue of our union with] the Lord Jesus, that [you follow the instructions which] you learned from us about how you ought to walk so as to please and gratify God, as indeed you are doing, [and] that you do so even more and more abundantly [attaining yet greater perfection in living this life].

In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul wrote, "When you received the message of God [which you hear] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it]" (emphasis mine {Joyce}).

The Bible says that God's Word works in those who believe it. So no matter what you see today, believe that God is working on your breakthrough.

Kat's notes: I wanted to share this one, because it just seemed to touch my spirit deeply. I don't know that I necessarily feel like I am waiting for a particular breakthrough, but The Spirit knows things even I am unaware of to pray for on my behalf.

Romans 8:26-27

Amplified Bible (AMP)

26So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.

27And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will.(A)

So when I don't know what to pray, I rely on the Holy Spirit to utter God's will on my behalf and filter his desires into my heart. I also pray that any of you waiting on a particular breakthrough, known or unknown, you will trust, seek, and believe that no matter what your circumstance is currently, God wants the best for you. And when you don't know what to pray, just be open and honest with God and The Holy Spirit and say "I don't know what to pray, but you do...so please move on my behalf."

I thank God for always working in our lives.I thank him for touching my heart with a simple devotion and leading me to share it. The things I experience aren't just for me and I know there is someone else who needed to hear God's words through Joyce, just like I did.

Have a blessed day!!!! ;)

I'd Like to Report a Robbery

My family has spent a lot of quality time together over the past few weeks. We've been making a point to eat dinner together, do devotions together, and spend time having fun and enjoying one another.
I set out to make this a really great summer and as a team we've accomplished that, but today was an all out challenge. Our son woke up on the wrong side of something this morning and hit the day off with a bang.
He spent the entire day getting in trouble for lying, talking back, annoying the other kids for his own entertainment, not listening....you name it, he probably got in trouble for it.
By the end of the day I was so flustered. I ruined 2 pitchers of lemonade, cursed extremely loud in front of the kids, and tap danced on the vein of a tantrum. Finally after dinner, I had to take a second and go to my room to pray...alone. Just me and God. Once I did that I was able to regroup and go back out and spend the remainder of our family time together. But it didn't take long for my son (and his sisters) to kick it back into gear.
Satan was trying to set me up and he was using my baby to do so. Because I have been doing all I could to praise God everyday for all that he is doing in my life. I know the things going on can only be from Him and the fact that I'm taking my mind off of all the distracting stuff, satan hopes to cause me to shift gears.
He almost got me...he almost pushed me to a point of pure irritation, but I just sent my kids to bed, shouted an occasional warning for their least favorite nighttime punishment and flipped through my bible.
John 10:10 tells me that "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance"
My pastor recently said that "happiness is based on what happens, but joy is knowing God is there no matter what happens."
Satan was able to momentarily walk away with my happiness, but thank God, I still have my joy.
I pray tomorrow will be a better day for our household and we can go back to having a good time. Satan was just a little upset that we have been doing things the right way and he wanted to throw a fit too. We both got it out of our systems...now let's move on. God's got me covered. So I'll be taking that happiness on back too....THANKS!!!! :P

Not your Story

Many years ago I learned that our struggles and trials are not for us. They are for the people that cross our paths that will need someone who has been through something similar. And God has blessed me with many opportunities to see that. Ben and I have gone through some very serious marital issues. I've been with him almost half my life, so there were bound to be some growing pains since we were still both technically growing (If you asked us then though, we were grown lol). My mom tells me that we have truly been through the "for better or worse". I remember praying to God once that I didn't want to have gone through all of that for nothing. I needed someone else to benefit from those struggles because it was way too much to simply be a character builder.

God honored that request, and over time has sent me many wives who have gone through similar struggles or have struggles that I can at least comprehend due to my own tests and trials. And beyond that there are things I went through and spoke about that impacted someone else and I didn't find out til later when my words were kicked back at me.

I had a friend recently contact me. We were really close years ago and then things happened that caused us to drift apart. But every now and again we still reach out just to check in. The last time I think we talked was around 2 years ago. Well she contacted me recently, because some major changes have gone on in her life and one of them was similar to something we were both experiencing the last time we talked.

Most people who are really close to me know that I lost one of my favorite people in the whole wide world in Nov 2008. I struggled with that death so bad. The worst one yet and many things spiral effected behind it. I don't recall the exact conversation my friend and I had, but I am pretty sure my message was intended to be one more of empathy than encouragement. However, when she contacted me last week, she relayed that another event had taken place like the one we both went through back then, on top of some other struggles, and something I said to her back then brought her comfort now.

So I guess this is a 2-part lesson. Because, although my intention wasn't necessarily to help, but to empathize, something I said stuck with her. Lesson 1: Our trials, struggles, nor our blessings are for us. They are for God to be able to use us somewhere later. Lesson 2: Be very mindful of the words you speak. My mommy (Yvonne) always says she attempts to speak in a way that will not require that she has to go back and apologize. I know during that time I was going through so much emotionally that I find it hard to believe I was able to say something encouraging, BUT I thank God I did and my mouth was not used to speak something destructive unknowingly. And it has surely made me begin to listen to what I say to others, just that fast.

Romans 8:28

New International Version (NIV)

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

There have been plenty of times where I could see zero good in a situation...Dale's death has been one of them. This situation was probably the first I can say that something about it has been comforting to me. But, God as usual had a bigger plan. That issue was not just for me. It was apparently for me to say whatever I said that day, so that God could bring it back to her heart when she needed it. And, I know that God uses things like that to be residual gifts. So now I know she will have something to pass on to someone else when they need it.

And I pray that God has used other situations, known and unknown, in my life to do the same, that he continues to do that, and that he will show all of you what your trials are worth to him.

God a Minute?

*rim shot* Okay first of all since God has decided 4am is our hour, yall may have to deal with a corny joke or two due to deliriousness. I will let my play on words in the title be #1 and here comes #2...(heard this the other day and got a chuckle from it, but it does have a point...I promise.)

A man was praying and he asked God, "God, what's a million years to you." God replies "A minute." Then the man asks "well, what's a million dollars to you?" God replies "A penny." The man enthusiastically arrives at his next question. Smiling he asks "Can I have a penny?" God smiles back. "In a minute."

God definitely works in his own time and it can very easily not be fast enough for the rest of us. He doesn't see things the way we do and time has no bearing on how he will move. I have had to learn this the hard way many times over the years. And the lesson has really begun to take root over the past year or so.

I can honestly say that the things that have transpired in my life have not necessarily been in my time or even to my liking necessarily, but God may not have the same plan as me and once I became open to his plan, things started to fall into place. Even if they didn't happen the way I wanted, when I wanted.

However, there is one thing I have done over the years fairly consistently and God revealed to me in grand fashion this year the purpose. I often write out my prayers. I have had many prayer journals over the years. They have different formats, but there are several records of many of the things I have prayed for. And as I have looked over them in the past few months I got to see which prayers were answered and I got to thank God for doing so. I got to review the ones that weren't answered and got to thank him for those too. But there is one prayer in particular that I've been praying since I was about 19 or so, that I am really just beginning to see some fruit on.

That means I spent 11 years waiting on an answer. To God, that time was nothing, but to me it seemed like an eternity and I will be honest; I often grew bitter with God and life for that prayer seeming to have no fruit. Especially since it was a prayer I was positive wasn't out of God's will. But, there were things I couldn't necessarily see or maybe I wasn't ready to see that had to happen.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 says

2 Then the LORD replied:

“Write down the revelation

and make it plain on tablets

so that a herald[b] may run with it.

3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end

and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

it[c] will certainly come

and will not delay.

God showed me this verse sometime within the past year and I even placed it in the front of my prayer journal. I began to get very serious about the prayers I wrote. Especially when I felt God was telling me that something was a specific vision. Whenever I heard that, this verse would drop into my heart and I would write the vision down. But I also had to become open to other things in order to see the fruit.

I had to learn to become selfless in my prayers. Was I praying these things so I could benefit or so God and others could? In the beginning...it was all about me me me me me. But once I learned to set the stage for my prayers and see how God could use them, it was a different ballgame.

Fasting was another thing I had to grow into. I HATED fasting and trust me, when I do it now it's not like I am oober excited to go without eating (if it is food that I am fasting from). But God laid it very heavy on my heart to begin fasting last year. I did it for a while, once a week, but I didn't want it to become legalistic or ritualistic, but I do listen in and do it when I feel God is calling me to do so. At the time I did it I think it served a very specific purpose and I think God was able to do things in my life he had never been free to do before, because I wasn't open to being that broken. (you'd be surprised how missing a few meals can leave you wide open to God lol)

Viewing things from God's eyes is another area that I am still continuing to grow in, but I notice that as I do that, God moves in those areas. Especially when it comes to people. I have a difficult time with personal interaction. I can't really describe it because most people see me as friendly and open, which I am, but I also get frustrated easily by people's human nature. And God has had to truly TRULY break that down in me.

I'm sure there are many more lessons to come, but being still and letting God has been the other biggy for me lately. I have really had to cherish my quiet time with God, pray throughout the day, listen to the details, and learn to fall back in many situations where I am used to taking control. By doing those things I have seen God really begin to move in my home in ways I could only have imagined.

Things are far from perfect, but I appreciate getting to know God on a deeper level than I did before. I appreciate seeing how he is moving in my children. How making simple changes has caused a domino effect to take place in the hearts of all 4 of my kids and my husband. These are things I've prayed for, but I also had to appropriately move into action.

I wrote an article years ago called When I move, You move, which talked about how God can do things, but he also has expectations out of us. God can do whatever he wants with or without our aide, but he wants us to be active participants in our blessings. In John 9, Jesus heals the blind man. He could have easily touched that man's eyes and said you are healed. He could have even just spoken the words and it happened. He could have said nothing at all and just willed it to happen, but instead he made the salve, rubbed it on the man's eyes, and then required that he go and wash the salve in a specific location to be healed.

God could easily answer our prayers too, but the fact that we have to go through certain steps and develop our relationship with God in the process makes it so much more of a blessing. God could have easily answered my prayer 11 years ago, but I doubt it would have the same impact it is having now.

I have endured many painful things. Some self-inflicted and some not, but I can say that God is able to use all things to his glory...in his time. 11 years may have seemed like a long time to wait for a blessing, but it beats waiting for a minute in God's eyes. :D

Comparitively Speaking

Last night during the Dinner with the Staff at Whitley Church, Pastor Ferrell made a statement that made a light bulb glow over my head. I'm paraphrasing a bit but he stated that we are Trinitarian in nature and belief.

According to www.freedictionary.com here is the definition:

adj.

1.

a. Of or relating to the Christian Trinity.

b. Believing or professing belief in the Christian Trinity or the doctrine of the Trinity.

2. trinitarian Having three members, parts, or facets.

n.

1. One who believes in the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

The Trinity has always been something I believed in. I never doubted The Trinity, but I can't really say I understood it completely either. It was one of those things that just always was, but I couldn't necessarily wrap my mind around the fundamentals of it, until last night. We are Trinitarian by having 3 functional members: mind, body, and spirit. So my little brain began to break it down like this (I was still listening to what you were saying Pastor, but my writer/thinker portion of my brain kicked into gear a bit. lol) God is the mind, Jesus is the body, and well duh...The Spirit is the spirit.

Without the mind (brain), all other systems aren't a go. The only way to live without a functioning brain is artificial life support. As a child born to the victim of a brain aneurysm, this concept was quite simple for me to put into place. My mother is very protective of her brain, because she has had to learn to live and thrive once again after it suffered severe trauma. However, the doctors originally anticipated her best case scenario for recovery/survival was that she was to be a vegetable (and empty vessel essentially). She would be there, but without her brain, she wouldn't be functional. We cannot be spiritually functional without God (The Brain), because the brain leads the rest of the body.

Jesus came to Earth as God in the flesh (body). He ate, drank, slept, and lived just like we do. This portion is pretty self explanatory in comparison, but it helped me to paint the big picture. This is the part of God that is human like us. This was God as a visual example.

Our spirit is part of our life source (like the brain) and our heart is connected to our spirit. Once the heart stops pumping the spirit moves on. The exit of our spirit means we are truly dead. The Holy Spirit is what keeps our heart pumping for Jesus. He guides us towards things that are not part of our nature or better yet totally against our nature. Matt 26:41 tells us that The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. So we very much so need The Spirit to keep our natural flesh from taking over and running away with things. The Spirit guides us in our prayer and our walk. He is the socket into which we plug ourselves in to connect to Jesus and God.

Without our brain we are empty vessels living an artificial life. Without the body the brain and spirit serve no purpose. And without the spirit, there is no life! The Trinity is an all or nothing deal, just like our own body, mind, and spirit. You can't really have one without the others.

I love when I get these little nuggets from God. It shows me that he's far more tangible than it seems at times. I now have an understanding that I anticipated I wouldn't have before I went to heaven. I've always said that one of the first things I was going to ask God was to explain this whole Trinity thing to me. But, now I guess I have to come up with a new question. :D

Getting Real with God

A few months ago I recall having a convo with one of my besties about how I just needed to tell God exactly how I felt, because he knew it anyway. I was going through a very tough time personally for so many reasons. I honestly wasn't interested in trying to work things out in my marriage, although God made it very clear that was what I needed and would be doing. I was still very bitter about the choice Ben made to get out of the military with no solid work waiting for him on the outside, and then I was very resentful for the fact that he came back to Seymour to do the same job that he had to get out of, for less money and we now had to pay for things we once considered luxuries. And yes, I even cried because I have a pink ID instead of a tan one, which set me apart. Even worse, I felt like Ben didn't want to own up to his end of this mess and he truly didn't understand at all how I felt. Maybe he did, but I didn't feel like he did.

There were plenty of phone calls (Iesha, Trish, Max, Billie, Tiff).They all got them in regards to how I felt about those things and even some harsher feelings that I would never express to anyone but that group of individuals. But, I did what I told Max I was going to do. I just started telling God exactly how I felt, and I told him that if this was how my life was going to be, he was ABSOLUTELY going to have to change some things in me, because I was not the least bit interested.

I would often ride in my car with no music on and just tell God how I felt. He knew I wanted no parts of this situation, but slowly over time my heart started to change. First about being with Ben. I was able to see how we could do this and what I needed to be doing regardless of how I felt. And I learned that I was doing the right thing...telling God how I felt. Because even though he knew it, I had to tell him I wanted him to change it. And when I say my prayers were far from flowery...any of you that have held phone conversations with me, can imagine what my conversations with God are like. My prayers honestly don't start with "Dear God" that often...they start off with a bang..."Look God" lol, but I always keep it real with him and it has paid off.

Now I have come to terms with not being an active family anymore. Is it hard at times...yes. Do I miss the way of life I grew accustomed to for 11 years of my life...yes. But, God has slowly been revealing things to me about this new way of life and what it has given us. And how active life may not have been the best choice for us at this stage.

I've grown a deeper respect for my husband and the life we are striving to live. I've begun to understand that I have to grow accustomed to change, even when I hate it. I have definitely learned to lean on God, and I know that he hears what I have to say, even if it isn't the "right" thing. I believe he has been honoring my prayers because I haven't tried to sugar coat them for him, because he knows what my heart feels even if my mouth never says it.

I encourage all of you to get real with God. Let go of the need to be systematic and formal in prayer and just let go...Get real and tell him exactly how you feel. Trust me...he knows anyway, he just wants you to be as honest with him as you are with everyone else.

He's blessed me for my honesty and I am looking forward to seeing where we are gonna go from here. I love being back in NC. I do miss my family in IL, but I have to acknowledge (and Max has pointed out on several occasions) that NC seems to be where we belong.