I was talking with a dear friend recently. We have been talking and praying about things like her marriage and her children. But until this last conversation I was listening and speaking under the assumption that her relationship with Jesus was good. Sadly, she has now shared that she feels dry. Basically, her tank is on E.
Huge difference. There are many things we can not do on our own strength, nor should we try because the results will not be lasting, we will feel exahusted and the result may not be what God had planned for us.
In my own marriage there were times when I would tell my husband "I just can't do this (whatever this was at the time) anymore." "I can't take this any more." "I can't, I can't, I can't" and no, I couldn't. On my own strenght I could not be the wife or mother that God created me to be. But Jesus could do it through me. He has done it. He keeps doing it.
But I have to refill my tank. Otherwise, there is nothing worthy there for me to give.
So that takes us to how we fill our tank...We spend time alone with God. We find a spot where we can talk to Him, where we can be still and listen to Him, where we can read and meditate on His Word, where we can journal, where we can crank up the worship music and sing for Him, dance for Him, weep at the thought of how awesome His love for us is.
Do we always feel like it? No. But it isn't about feeling like it. It's about doing it because He is worthy of our time and attention. We do it for Him, but because He loves us SOOOO, He blesess us in the process. We begin to hear more clearly from Holy Spirit because we are intimate with Him. We begin to see people differently because we are so full of Jesus that we can't help but have a different outlook.
Life is hard. Relationships are hard. They take effort, they take time. But it is so worth it. Best relationship you will ever have is the one between you and Jesus if you nurture it and make it a priority. Not something you invest in if there is enough time left in the day after you do everything else but something you make your #1 priority. Something you set time aside for.
Other relationships can also be great. They can be so enjoyable, so rewarding.
" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud" - 1 Corinthians 13:4
God doesn't just love you. He doesn't just show you what love is. HE IS LOVE. Soak in His presence. Allow Holy Spirit to fill you. Your tank will fill up and love will "happen."
Side note:::::::
Ha, ha, ha...I love how God confirms things...I got a devotional e-mailed Feb 12 that I just read today...I read it after I had writen and posted this blog...here is a link to it in case you want to check it out...
http://www.wisdomhuntersdevotional.com/View.aspx?date=02/12/2011%2000:00:00
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sometimes.
Sometimes I find myself at a loss for words.
Sometimes I know what to say to another and yet have a hard time making the words make sense for myself.
Sometimes I need to hear from others.
Sometimes....always...I need to hear from God.
His Word never fails, it is never wasted, it is always true...yet sometimes we forget to go to it.
Sometimes we need someone to remind us. <><
Sometimes I know what to say to another and yet have a hard time making the words make sense for myself.
Sometimes I need to hear from others.
Sometimes....always...I need to hear from God.
His Word never fails, it is never wasted, it is always true...yet sometimes we forget to go to it.
Sometimes we need someone to remind us. <><
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Me and my Honey
For Valentine's day my hubbie took me to Orlando. We left the girls with my parents and took off. When we got back, as I was telling our girls all that we did, they said "You guys are so cute, you're like teenagers."
What did we do? We went to Universal and Islands of Adventure. We walked around the parks getting on rides, pushing each other to see if we would trip, skipping steps to keep in sync with each other, sharing a slushy, taking pictures of ourselves...I could go on. Point is, we had fun, lots of fun. We enjoyed ourselves and enjoyed each other without caring who was looking or what they were thinking.
But we are not on the teenage stage of our relationship.
We have been married 16 years now. During those years we have been through some wonderful times. We have celebrated the birth of two beautiful healthy girls. We have laughed. We have enjoyed. But we have also been through some really difficult times. I will speak for myself because I don't want to put words in his mouth though I think he would agree with most, if not all of what I am saying... I have made some major mistakes, bad decisions. I have measured him by unattainable standards. I have thought of love as something which it is not. It is not a feeling. It is not flirting. It is not romance. It is not all smiles and giggles. It is not easy. It's hard work. It's a decision you make each day to pour yourself into a relationship with someone. It is a choice you make to want to be with someone regardless. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, with hair and without it, at 130 pounds and at 180, with all your real teeth and with dentures, when you want to be intimate every day and when it only happens once a month.
Would I have chosen to go through all the hardship we have been through in our marriage? No. Do I regret things I have done? Yes. But I am ever so thankful that God has allowed us to live through those experiences, to grow as individuals and as a couple, to learn to lean on Him for everything. We would not be the couple we are today had we not been through...well, what we've been through. Did God cause us to make bad choices? Did he cause us to fight, yell and scream? No. But He allowed us to because He knew we needed to hit bottom in order to stop trying to drive our own lives and instead give Him the wheel. He allowed us to because He knew that He would be able to use our experiences to not only bring glory to Him but also to bring comfort to other couples for whom we can be proof that it can work. God can redeem any relationship. He can heal any wound. If you are someone who has known us before and after, you se ethe difference and you know what I'm talking about.
Hubbie and I do act like silly teenagers in love sometimes, and I sooo enjoy it. But we know that the "fuzzy feelings" are just icing on the cake and not the main ingredient.
Some have heard me say that I can't pin point how it was that we went from disaster zone to peace an wonderfulness but I can say this...It wasn't until I pointed the finger back at me that things began to work out. I can't an shouldn't try to change who or how he is. I can't control how he reacts to things or what he does. But I can ask God to work in me, to change my heart, to allow me to focus on the positives, to allow me to be the wife he needs me to be. The wife that God created me to be.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." - 1 Corinthians 13:4
If you are single, pray that God would bless the person He has created for you. Pray that he or she would love Jesus and make Him the center of their lives. Wait on the Lord to bring you the right person. Do not despair.
If you are married, regardless of the shape your marriage is in...make Jesus the center of your relationship. Ask Him to allow you to see your spouse through the eyes of God, to love them with the heart of God. Ask God to give you patience, to allow you to be kind, to take pride away.
I am so thankful for all God has done in our lives. I love my life. I love my honey. I love my kids. I love my God. I love my Jesus. <><
What did we do? We went to Universal and Islands of Adventure. We walked around the parks getting on rides, pushing each other to see if we would trip, skipping steps to keep in sync with each other, sharing a slushy, taking pictures of ourselves...I could go on. Point is, we had fun, lots of fun. We enjoyed ourselves and enjoyed each other without caring who was looking or what they were thinking.
But we are not on the teenage stage of our relationship.
We have been married 16 years now. During those years we have been through some wonderful times. We have celebrated the birth of two beautiful healthy girls. We have laughed. We have enjoyed. But we have also been through some really difficult times. I will speak for myself because I don't want to put words in his mouth though I think he would agree with most, if not all of what I am saying... I have made some major mistakes, bad decisions. I have measured him by unattainable standards. I have thought of love as something which it is not. It is not a feeling. It is not flirting. It is not romance. It is not all smiles and giggles. It is not easy. It's hard work. It's a decision you make each day to pour yourself into a relationship with someone. It is a choice you make to want to be with someone regardless. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, with hair and without it, at 130 pounds and at 180, with all your real teeth and with dentures, when you want to be intimate every day and when it only happens once a month.
Would I have chosen to go through all the hardship we have been through in our marriage? No. Do I regret things I have done? Yes. But I am ever so thankful that God has allowed us to live through those experiences, to grow as individuals and as a couple, to learn to lean on Him for everything. We would not be the couple we are today had we not been through...well, what we've been through. Did God cause us to make bad choices? Did he cause us to fight, yell and scream? No. But He allowed us to because He knew we needed to hit bottom in order to stop trying to drive our own lives and instead give Him the wheel. He allowed us to because He knew that He would be able to use our experiences to not only bring glory to Him but also to bring comfort to other couples for whom we can be proof that it can work. God can redeem any relationship. He can heal any wound. If you are someone who has known us before and after, you se ethe difference and you know what I'm talking about.
Hubbie and I do act like silly teenagers in love sometimes, and I sooo enjoy it. But we know that the "fuzzy feelings" are just icing on the cake and not the main ingredient.
Some have heard me say that I can't pin point how it was that we went from disaster zone to peace an wonderfulness but I can say this...It wasn't until I pointed the finger back at me that things began to work out. I can't an shouldn't try to change who or how he is. I can't control how he reacts to things or what he does. But I can ask God to work in me, to change my heart, to allow me to focus on the positives, to allow me to be the wife he needs me to be. The wife that God created me to be.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." - 1 Corinthians 13:4
If you are single, pray that God would bless the person He has created for you. Pray that he or she would love Jesus and make Him the center of their lives. Wait on the Lord to bring you the right person. Do not despair.
If you are married, regardless of the shape your marriage is in...make Jesus the center of your relationship. Ask Him to allow you to see your spouse through the eyes of God, to love them with the heart of God. Ask God to give you patience, to allow you to be kind, to take pride away.
I am so thankful for all God has done in our lives. I love my life. I love my honey. I love my kids. I love my God. I love my Jesus. <><
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Our image
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139: 14 (NIV)
Do I believe that? Is it not in the Bible? Is the Bible not God's Word?
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. We are so hard on ourselves. The world tells us we should look and act one way. People in our lives put us down. We compare ourselves to those who we consider to be beautiful, to be popular, to be smart.
Our image should be base in who God says we are. Our image should be based on who we are in Christ. We should be humble in knowing that we are nothing without Him and yet confident because He created us. That doesn' mean we don't do our part to take care of ourselves, be healthy, be clean, study, strive to grow and achieve. But it should mean that we are much more willing to look for and accept the things we do well. We should encourage each other but we should also be willing to accept what we ourselves are good at.
If you can write...write, and share it! If you can paint...paint and let others see it. If you can sing...sing, for the glory of The Lord. If you can file paperwork, answer phones, organize...do it!!!!
See the beauty in others and see the beauty in yourself. DO NOT say "oh, I'm not good at anything", "I'm ugly" Ahhhhhh! I can't even imagine what it does to God to hear us.
We are all different. Different colors, different shapes, different talents. Don't be a punk! take a compliment and quit insulting God. He designed you!
your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139: 14 (NIV)
Do I believe that? Is it not in the Bible? Is the Bible not God's Word?
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. We are so hard on ourselves. The world tells us we should look and act one way. People in our lives put us down. We compare ourselves to those who we consider to be beautiful, to be popular, to be smart.
Our image should be base in who God says we are. Our image should be based on who we are in Christ. We should be humble in knowing that we are nothing without Him and yet confident because He created us. That doesn' mean we don't do our part to take care of ourselves, be healthy, be clean, study, strive to grow and achieve. But it should mean that we are much more willing to look for and accept the things we do well. We should encourage each other but we should also be willing to accept what we ourselves are good at.
If you can write...write, and share it! If you can paint...paint and let others see it. If you can sing...sing, for the glory of The Lord. If you can file paperwork, answer phones, organize...do it!!!!
See the beauty in others and see the beauty in yourself. DO NOT say "oh, I'm not good at anything", "I'm ugly" Ahhhhhh! I can't even imagine what it does to God to hear us.
We are all different. Different colors, different shapes, different talents. Don't be a punk! take a compliment and quit insulting God. He designed you!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Different Parts...One body
I love my church. Under Vision and Values for my church it says:
"We see...A church where people feel like they can belong before they believe and believe before they behave. We also see a body with too much brown to be called a white church, and too much Hispanic to be called a black church; with too many kids to be called an old church, and too many wise ones to be called a young church - a church that models the variety of God's kingdom. "
I love it!
I am part of a Micro church (small group) which also falls into that description. We are a bunch of women in ALL stages of life who come together for one purpose...to love on our God and love on each other.
In just a few months I have had the pleasure of seeing this group of women transform from co-workers to friends and I do dare say even family. I have seen us reach out to each other for support as well as rejoice with each other over wonderful things Lord has blessed us with. I have seen people go from complaining to praying, from hopeless to faithful. I have seen someone completely new in the faith light up like a child at the same time that someone who has known God for decades is re-discovering His love.
Some of us are loud (yes, I would fit into that group), some of us are quiet. Some of us are crafty, some of us drop our jaws when we see their creativity. Some of us can cook, ALL of us can EAT. Some of us are single, others married, others divorced. Some of us have toddlers, others, teenagers, others adult children, others are grandparents. We range in ages from 18 to...I better not say.
Al of us were designed by the same creator. All of us are loved. All of us were made to love Him and love each other.
I am blessed to have the chance to do life, not only with these women but with all the people who God allows me to interact with.
We all bring something unique to the table, we complete each other. We can laugh at each other's jokes. Hold each other up when we feel like we may fall. Encourage each other when we are trying to accomplish something. Stop each other when we are about to make a mistake. But in the mix...Jesus should always be our center, our focus, our guide.
The decisions we make affect not only our own lives, but the lives of those who we do life with. Whose life are you touching? Which direction are you pointing them toward? What would Jesus say about that?
"Things that make you go Hmmmm....."
"We see...A church where people feel like they can belong before they believe and believe before they behave. We also see a body with too much brown to be called a white church, and too much Hispanic to be called a black church; with too many kids to be called an old church, and too many wise ones to be called a young church - a church that models the variety of God's kingdom. "
I love it!
I am part of a Micro church (small group) which also falls into that description. We are a bunch of women in ALL stages of life who come together for one purpose...to love on our God and love on each other.
In just a few months I have had the pleasure of seeing this group of women transform from co-workers to friends and I do dare say even family. I have seen us reach out to each other for support as well as rejoice with each other over wonderful things Lord has blessed us with. I have seen people go from complaining to praying, from hopeless to faithful. I have seen someone completely new in the faith light up like a child at the same time that someone who has known God for decades is re-discovering His love.
Some of us are loud (yes, I would fit into that group), some of us are quiet. Some of us are crafty, some of us drop our jaws when we see their creativity. Some of us can cook, ALL of us can EAT. Some of us are single, others married, others divorced. Some of us have toddlers, others, teenagers, others adult children, others are grandparents. We range in ages from 18 to...I better not say.
Al of us were designed by the same creator. All of us are loved. All of us were made to love Him and love each other.
I am blessed to have the chance to do life, not only with these women but with all the people who God allows me to interact with.
We all bring something unique to the table, we complete each other. We can laugh at each other's jokes. Hold each other up when we feel like we may fall. Encourage each other when we are trying to accomplish something. Stop each other when we are about to make a mistake. But in the mix...Jesus should always be our center, our focus, our guide.
The decisions we make affect not only our own lives, but the lives of those who we do life with. Whose life are you touching? Which direction are you pointing them toward? What would Jesus say about that?
"Things that make you go Hmmmm....."
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