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I decided to keep things “light” this week and share some random observations I made on my recent trip to Texas (refer to last week’s blog). I hate to be cliché but the first one is the obvious…things truly are bigger in the Lonestar State. As Ronnie and I made our way from the airport to the hotel, we stopped at Sonic for an “emergency” dinner where I ordered my usual – a plain cheeseburger on Texas toast with fries. They brought out my sandwich and it was a good half-size bigger than what I normally get. The problem is I was so famished that I ate every last morsel. Note to self…order off the kids menu in Texas. Yeah right.
Later that evening after we checked into the hotel, we ventured out (by map mind you) to the nearest Walgreens to pick up the toiletry items I didn’t think I could take with me on the plane (hairspray being the most important on the list). There, outside of the store, was the biggest belt buckle I’ve ever seen in my life. It had to be the size of a North-Carolina-sized dessert plate. The man wearing it was a solid six foot or better and Texas-built. He looked like he came straight off the ranch. He was in jeans, a button up shirt, had the “pointiest” cowboy boots ever made, a cowboy hat (of course), and that gigantic oval-shaped gold belt buckle. I wanted to take his picture but I refrained.
The church where our event was held was First Baptist of Houston. This place was amazing! It has a massive sanctuary with stadium seating, its own café, elementary school, and complete fitness facility. And when I say complete fitness facility, I mean 2 basketball courts, 3 racquetball courts, weight room, fitness class rooms, 6 bowling lanes, pool table, air hockey, etc. Ronnie and I spent several hours touring the place and bowling! *Grin* There are approximately 20,000 members (very rough estimate) but you could tell the people in those halls have a love for the Lord! We felt so welcomed there.
Houston’s highway system is nothing to mess with. In fact, I suggest you get an advanced degree prior to going down there. I’ve never seen so many main interstates and city loops in my life. We made a good 25 u-turns in four days but we saw parts of the city we wouldn’t have had we not gone the wrong way!
One place we did easily find was the “Taste of Texas” restaurant. My word ya’ll…that was by far the best steak dinner I’ve ever had in my life! You get to pick out your steak which is brought to you on a marble slab with a cow-shaped metal plate on top. Our steaks were cooked in garlic butter and could have been cut with a fork. If you are EVER near Houston, go out of your way to eat there! It’s a little pricey but start saving…it’s worth it! J
Travel tip – the speed limit is apparently a suggestion in Houston so keep up or get out of the way! Also, if you sit at a green light for more than a quarter of a second, prepare to get honked at. They seem to be in a bigger hurry in Texas…much more so than Charlotte.
On a little bit more serious note…you know I mentioned I haven’t flown in 16 years? Well, I really enjoyed it - especially taking off…that was just “plane” fun - but the thing that got me the most was the top side of the clouds. I hadn’t seen that in a very long time and I couldn’t keep from looking out of my window at them. It is simple things like that that makes me realize how awesome God is and how marvelous His creations are. It was absolutely wonderful to look out over clouds that looked like snow you could make an angel out of one minute then a big bowl of mashed potatoes you could mix lots of butter up in the next. It’s quite often the little things that make me love Him more and our trip to Texas was certainly one of them. I know it’s easy to get caught up in the rat race and develop blinders to the stuff around us but every chance you get, make a point to take a look around you and just observe God’s people and creations. He tends to show Himself to us in the small stuff but we have to be looking for Him first! My prayer for you today is that see Him in ways you never have and that He uses something “routine” to make you love Him more!
I have a story to share with you today but I want to pray first and foremost that what you get out of this is that we serve an amazing God. I want all the glory and honor and praise to be His and His alone.
In the fall of 2010, I stumbled upon Beth Moore’s Living Proof Ministries blog and was so hooked by her teaching, sense of humor, and love for the Father that I went back and read all of the entries since its inception several years earlier. In 2008, Beth started a scripture memory team through the blog and every two weeks during that year, thousands of women posted the verse(s) they were committing to memory. It was quite powerful and to celebrate, Beth invited everyone to come down to Houston in January 2009 to worship and fellowship with her and her staff. There was a catch however! You had to pair up with another Siesta (nickname for her bloggers) sometime during that weekend and say your memory verses!
Well, as I was catching up on the blogs I discovered she was doing another Siesta Scripture Memory Team in 2010 and I felt God’s overwhelming “push” to join in. However, God had a “catch” for me too. Now, you are talking to a chick whose memory just honestly lacks a lot to be desired so the idea of memorizing 24 verses was quite daunting – but when I realized God wanted me to do 66 verses in a year (one from Genesis all the way to Revelation), it was simply a leap of faith to go forth! I learned the New Testament books as a child but I had no idea what books made up the Old Testament so this journey was dual-purposed. Each week I looked through the next book of the Bible for a verse that spoke to me (which was a lot to choose from). I started with Genesis 1:1 and figured I would end with the last verse in Revelation which says “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”
Fast forward to August 2011.
I was three quarters through the Bible and was absolutely amazed at what God was doing in my life through memorizing scripture. With a lot of personal stuff going on at that time, memorizing His word kept me from dwelling on my “problems” more than I already was. Completely trusting that He was going to finish the good work He started in me, I made the flight arrangements for the January 2011 celebration in Houston with butterflies the size of softballs in my stomach. I haven’t flown in 16 years, am claustrophobic, afraid of heights, and still have the very vivid memories of anxiety attacks fresh in my mind. I wanted to get to Houston but preferred to sleep through the process of getting there. This was truly a God-thing if I’ve ever seen one.
So, in a (failed) attempt to make a long story short, I just got back from Houston this past Sunday and had the weekend of my life. *Big Grin!* Ronnie flew down with me for support and we got to hang out together when I wasn’t at the celebration. To summarize, an estimated 900 women were in attendance for this celebration that was held at Houston’s First Baptist church and another 400 more attended a live online broadcast since they couldn’t make the trip. Friday night we worshiped with Travis Cottrell and Beth brought a message from 2 John that focused on taking back the ground the Devil had taken from us in various areas of our lives and walking forward with our mighty God! Saturday morning we gathered back together for more worship and the rest of her message, but 30 minutes of the day was dedicated to pairing up with another Siesta to recite our memory verses.
Now allow me to paint a picture for you here. This church is MASSIVE…and women on fire for God were all over the place! During the designated 30 minutes, you could walk down the halls of that church and hear the mumblings of all those women quoting scripture. That, girlfriend, was powerful and I know God had to be smiling down on us.
We had opportunities to pair up earlier that weekend as well so Saturday morning before the event got started, I teamed up with another Siesta and away we went. I explained to her that God had me do 66 verses and we may be there for a little while and she was so gracious to sit with me for that. The one verse I had struggled with choosing the most was Revelation. Though it made sense to do the first and last verses of the Bible, I just didn’t feel like Revelation 22:21 was what God really wanted me to learn, so He gave me 5:12 instead.
As I finished quoting the scriptures God had given me during the past year, I said Jude (1):22 then started Revelation 5:12. “Worthy is the lamb…” and that’s when it hit me. God had taken me through a lot of tough stuff the past year and a half yet there I was, in Houston with hundreds of other Jesus-loving women, quoting scripture that I had studied the last 386 days and they were all fresh on my mind enough that I could say them out loud with the joyful noise of other verses being recited in the background. I lost it, and my partner did too. I sniffled and sobbed my way through the rest of “Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive all power and wealth and wisdom and strength…and HONOR…and GLORY…and PRAISE!”
Sherry and I hugged and praised our awesome God together for the journey He had taken us both on. Later that morning I sang to Him like I never had in my life and felt the overwhelming approval and love from my Heavenly Father. He was having a blast with us scripture-loving girls, and we were having a blast with Him. I learned about other women who had memorized entire books of the Bible during the past year and some even memorized their 24 in Greek! Glory! I can’t imagine…English is hard enough. *Grin*
I walked out of that building completely spent. An entire year’s worth of “work” had come to fruition in a beautiful and holy way and I felt like God just said to each one of us “Well done.”
It was simply the most amazing experience I’ve ever had and the most wonderful part of it was that God was glorified through it all. He told me to move, I did, and He moved with me…and on me. He showed me that His promises always prove true and that He who starts a good work in me will see it through to the end (Philippians 1:6).
Whenever you get the chance ladies, trust God, jump out there in faith, and see what He wants to accomplish in you. I promise you the journey will be so worth it.
“If any message, whether in print or in person, was truly His idea and doused in His anointing, He has tested it meticulously on the messenger.” – Beth Moore, “So Long Insecurity.”
Today ladies, I stand in awe of an amazing God. You see, one year ago (tomorrow), we ramped up this little blog with the hopes of reaching some of you out there and pointing you to Christ by helping you grow in your walk with Him. Though I certainly pray that has happened for more people than we realize, I truly believe that I am the one who has grown the most through this little community.
In the fall of 2010, I started reading Beth Moore’s blog and the love she showed for our Heavenly Father through her writings inspired me deeply and (apparently) brought out some type of writer in me. Her words made me think of my Creator and opened my eyes to the ways He was working in my life and away my fingers went. Words started flowing out of me and a year’s worth of blogs later, I stand here slack-jawed (to use Beth’s term) at what He’s done for me through this, and I am just so appreciative that you’ve come along with me.
I have no idea how many of you read this each week (or most weeks) but even if just one person finds God working in their life through these words, it is most certainly worth every minute spent in front of the computer. Eventually, we’d love to see many people commenting here – sharing stories of what God’s been doing (and currently doing) in their lives – what scriptures are filling their hearts – encouraging one another – or talking about what God has done for them through life’s trials and triumphs. These days we find ourselves connecting with other people in all sorts of ways and blogs are one of them. My prayer is that as long as God keeps this blog going, He will always be honored through it – no matter who’s writing or who’s commenting.
One of my favorite verses is found in Proverbs 21:5 and says “steady plodding brings prosperity; hasty speculation brings poverty.” Many times in my life I’ve had to remind myself to “steadily plod” at whatever I’m doing and prosperity will (eventually) be mine through Christ Jesus. There have been times this past year that God has had me writing with total ease and other times, I’ve struggled to put the first letter on the page. But no matter how His messages came about, the key for me was to keep plodding. True to form, He’s always spoken His truth to me no matter what ended up published on our church’s website.
Maybe God intended for this blog to be a way just for He and I to connect on a weekly basis. Maybe He intended to use this blog to reach a small handful of women and speak to them through someone else’s life’s experiences. Maybe He wants us all to seek Him more. My bet is on all three, and I pray that He continues to work in my life and yours. When people look at us, may they see the Father.
I want my face to glow, just like Moses’ did after he encountered the Father. I want my whole life to shine for His glory and I pray yours does too. Whatever medium God presents us with, let us run with it and tell others about what He’s done for us! We are not guaranteed tomorrow so whatever today brings, I pray you seek Jesus in everything you do.
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to serve you through these writings. Fill me with your words and wisdom so that my life may point others to you. In His name I pray. Amen.
“If any message, whether in print or in person, was truly His idea and doused in His anointing, He has tested it meticulously on the messenger.” – Beth Moore, “So Long Insecurity.”
So how are those New Year’s resolutions going? I hope that you have had four very “successful” days so far – whatever that may look like for you!
The title of my devotional this morning was “Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously” and I thought it was such a great message that I would share it with you! The scripture it is based on is Proverbs 17:22 which says “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (NLT). I know that everyone is “wired” differently but I truly believe in being as light-hearted as possible whenever I can get away with it. Don’t get me wrong – I understand when a certain amount of professionalism or seriousness is required, but I still believe you can be professional and have some good, clean fun in the meantime!
I grew up laughing and I know you are thinking “Huh? Doesn’t everyone?” My family laughed hysterically at everything (and still does), whether anyone else thought it was funny or not. We’ve had so much (innocent) fun at each other’s expense that it’s a wonder we’re not all dysfunctional (perhaps we are), but to say we’ve had a good time with one another is an understatement. I learned that laughing was truly good medicine and can quite often cure what ails you.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about being ugly and hurting people’s feelings. I’m just talking about loosening up a little and, just like the devotional said, not taking yourself too seriously. The NLT Study Bible says in regards to Proverbs 17:22 “To be cheerful is to be ready to greet others with a welcome, a word of encouragement, an enthusiasm for the task at hand, and a positive outlook on the future. Such people are as welcome as pain-relieving medicine.”
If you can find something to smile or laugh about with someone, you create a connection that tends to ease some of that social awkwardness that we often face with one another for various reasons. I also think that when people see joy in us – and I mean true, pure, God-given joy and cheerfulness – it points them to Christ and if they truly sense the Holy Spirit, it will make them want what we have in Him!
The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver and I interpret that to mean a cheerful giver of my time, talents, money – my whole self – not only to Him but to all of His kids (and that includes you)! If you find yourself in a rough season right now, look for reasons to smile and laugh. Let yourself go a little and find joy in the small things. I’m in a tough season right now too, but I can say from personal experience that a little laughter does the soul good and a lot of laughter does the soul a lot of good!
I pray you’ll find a load of stuff to be joyful about today and that your smile will be a shining light for someone else who may need it!
Oh my goodness ya’ll…where has this year gone? I cannot believe that we are ringing in 2012 in just a few short days but ready or not, here it is! So I have to ask…have you made your New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like me, you’re saying “who has time to think about that?!?!”
I guess the tradition of making resolutions for the New Year is a good tradition to have but unfortunately, and all-too-often, those resolutions fall by the wayside. Gym memberships expire, the garage doesn’t get cleaned out like you promised, or your Bible starts to collect dust (again). Let’s face it…sometimes we simply have issues keeping commitments, don’t we? The sad thing is that inevitably we start to come down pretty hard on ourselves when we realize it’s been six months since we made it to the gym, or promised our spouse we’d clean out the garage, or read God’s word. To make things even worse, we usually feel defeated by this point and instead of starting fresh that day, the resolution you made for 2011 ends up staying on the list for 2012. Is anyone with me? Please tell me I’m not the only one who does this (maybe not these specific items, but something)!
But wait, there’s good news! Whatever resolution you made on December 31st, 2010 that you haven’t followed through with this year, doesn’t have to be a total loss because you can start TODAY! If you wanted to lose 20 pounds this year, eat a healthy salad and go for a walk tonight and tell yourself to start today! If you haven’t read your Bible all year like you intended, do it tonight! You do not…and I repeat, DO NOT have to wait until January 1, 2012 to start over…with anything!
I heard Beth Moore speak years ago about having a Christian perspective on health and fitness and she said (in a nutshell) “Why does everyone who wants to start losing weight wait until the next Monday to begin their exercise program?? What makes Monday the National Fitness Day? Tuesday is a good day! Friday is a good day! Just do it!!!” I laughed when I heard this because how true of us!! We pick a future date to do something when the reality is we can take a positive step toward just about any goal TODAY.
Lamentations 3:23 says “Great is His Faithfulness, His mercies begin afresh each morning.” I love this verse because it reminds me that every single day I wake up, God allows me to start all over. If I haven’t been walking as closely with Him as I should, I can start fresh TODAY. If I haven’t been in His Word like I should, I can start TODAY. If I haven’t been faithful in giving or serving, I can start TODAY. Whatever you’re doing in your life – spiritual or otherwise – you have His fresh mercies every single day! God doesn’t require us to wait until January One to renew our relationship with Him and thank Heavens for that!
So, my prayer for each of us (writer especially included) is that starting today and going into 2012, we will find the fullness in Christ that He intends for us to have. That each day is “productive” – whatever that looks like for you – productive spiritually, physically, emotionally, and relationally. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as for the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23). May each of your days going forward be filled with the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Happy New Year everyone! May God be glorified in your life, now and always!
Years ago when my husband was training for the Ironman Triathlon (before we were married), Ronnie would ride his bike to work, put in his eight hours at the plant, ride his bike to the YMCA, swim an hour or two, and then ride his bike home (3 days a week). Other days he would do a long-distance run. One day, a man that he worked with at the time asked him, “How in the world do you do all that?” Ronnie’s response was simple: “The hardest part of any form of training is getting from the couch out to the road. The rest is easy.”
I don’t know that I would classify Ironman distances (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run) “easy” but I totally agree with him. I have found that no matter what situation I’m faced with that requires me to do something, the hardest part is just getting started. I’ve trained for a few small running events and even a sprint-distance triathlon and I have always found that once I was geared up and ready to go, the rest mostly fell into place. But pulling myself off the couch and changing from my PJ’s to workout gear was brutal.
The same applies for tasks at work or projects around the house. Though something may seem daunting at first, once you get started, things usually flow pretty easily and the “whatever it is” is over before you know it. I know a lot of people feel that way about their spiritual lives. Year after year we say things like “This year I’ll read the Bible more;” “This year I’ll join a small group;” “This year I’ll start serving;” “This year I’ll start tithing.” I’ve said these things myself and I can’t tell you how many years went by until God finally got me off the proverbial spiritual couch and onto the playing field but when He did, I realized how empty my relationship with my Creator had been up to that point.
I know our time is at a premium these days. Work, kids, errands, housework, school, family, friends, exercise…they all make withdrawals from our time and what often happens is we end up giving God the little bit that’s left, IF there’s anything left at all. I still struggle with that myself. Some days I feel like I’m right in His sweet spot and putting Him first in everything. Other days, I try to muffle a quick prayer to Him as I’m lying down at night. It’s a constant battle that we all face but I promise that if you just take those first steps to putting Him first, the rest will just fall into place.
This year as we celebrate the birth of Christ and the coming of the New Year, my prayer for each of us is that we’ll take those important first steps into a more intimate relationship with Him. Put God first in everything and watch the rest fall into place!
Merry Christmas to you and yours and I pray that peace, love, and joy will fill your days!!
Love,
Amber Moon
Watching the Super Bowl has been an annual event in my life since I was old enough to fixate my eyes to a TV screen. My Dad and I watched it together every year and we were even featured in the local newspaper in 1992 when our two favorite teams, the Cowboys and the Bills (respectively) went head to head in the big game. I love the hoopla around the Super Bowl and refuse to watch the game with a large crowd because I insist on hearing every word the announcers say. I guess I’m a little fanatical. Grin.
If you know anything about the NFL, you’ve probably heard of a guy by the name of Tom Brady. Tom is one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and will most certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame one day. He wasn’t expected to do much as a quarterback but he went from a bench-warmer to a starter to a Super Bowl MVP in a short amount of time. He now has 3 shiny rings to show for his athletic talents and countless other awards and records that will forever be discussed among analysts.
In 2008, Tom and his New England patriots were literally unbeatable. They went 16-0 in the regular season and marched through the playoffs straight up to another championship appearance. Everyone knew this was the Patriots’ year to re-write sports history but there was one thing standing in their way – The New York Giants. In the end, the Giants came back to score 14 points in the fourth quarter and ended the Patriots’ hopes of a perfect season. This time it was the other quarterback (Eli Manning) hoisting the MVP trophy. The Patriots’ dreams of perfection were crushed but not once during that season did they ever stop pursuing it.
Prior to that season, Brady was interviewed by 60 Minutes in 2005 and was quoted as saying “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, ‘God, it’s got to be more than this.’ I mean this isn’t, this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be. I wish I knew” [what the answer was] says Brady. “I love playing football and I love being quarterback for this team. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of other parts about me that I’m trying to find.” The man interviewing Brady then asked him “Which of the rings do you like the best? What’s your favorite ring?” ”My favorite ring? I’ve always said, you know, I always said the next one. The next one is the best.”
You see, Tom Brady had “everything” – Fame, money, success, attention, health – you name it and it was his. But something was missing from his life but he didn’t know what it was. He gave everything he had (and still does) to his football career and lays it all on the line each and every game. He brings his finest gifts to the field every time he straps on a helmet and grabs a football. This week, the Women of Purpose of Bethlehem Church is hosting our annual Illumination event where we will host approximately 1,000 women as we hear the story of Jesus’ life – from birth to the resurrection – all through the eyes of the Little Drummer Boy. We were challenged in one of our planning meetings to apply the message of that classic Christmas song that the play is centered around – to bring our finest gifts. Serve God with the very best we have to offer.
No matter what capacity we serve in or what we do with our life, God wants the very best from us. He gave us His best through His Son and now He wants us to experience an intimate relationship with Him through giving our best back to Him. Whether we are professional athletes, professional business women, or professional house wives, He wants our best. He never wants us to stop pursuing perfection – a life like that of Christ.
I don’t know Tom Brady’s spiritual beliefs but I do know that for those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we never have to wonder if there’s more out there. We never have to experience that empty feeling that “too much is never enough.” We don’t have to keep pursuing that next Super Bowl ring or whatever the next “big thing” is to be happy. We can be joyful in exactly what we have right this moment. We can be content in any and every circumstance according to Philippians 4:11-13.
Mark 12: 43-44 tells the story of a poor widow who gave every penny she had to Jesus. It was all she had to offer and it was the best she had to offer. Peter said in Acts 3:6, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.” Our finest gifts don’t have to be super-star athletic ability, or VP-level careers. You don’t even have to pastor a church to offer great gifts. All you have to do is give what you do have in your time, talents, and money to Jesus and give it with a joyful heart, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).
This Christmas season, I would encourage you not to try to find contentment in what you can receive or obtain. Find your contentment, peace, and joy in giving what you have to the Father. Serve Him and His children and love Him whole-heartedly. It’s not about money and it’s not about presents. It’s about offering your finest gifts to the One who gave you His!
So how was your Thanksgiving? I hope it was filled with family, love, food, fun, laughter, joy, and most of all, thankfulness! I’m sorry I didn’t get to post last week…time just seems to get away from us sometimes, doesn’t it? I wish that the Thanksgiving and Christmas season meant more time to relax – and given the fact that most of us get extra time off during those times, it should – but unfortunately we are usually more busy than we are the rest of the year! I pray that this Christmas we all get some much needed rest and quiet time alone with our God and our families.
This past weekend I spent some time watching TV and getting caught up on a show I record each week. Beth Moore has a short segment on the “Life Today Show” on the Inspiration network each Wednesday but I have quite a backlog to watch as I don’t have much time to spend in front of the TV anymore (which is quite possibly a very good thing). However, these short teaching segments are always food for my soul and I miss taking the time to tune in each week. This past summer Beth did a series called “A Story Fit for a Song” which is about the story of Deborah from the book of Judges. The teaching focused on the characteristics of Deborah’s life and her circumstances and how a great story always includes drama, a great cast of characters, God’s direction, etc.
The past few months I’ve experienced some relational difficulties that have been very tough to deal with, and I’m still trying to get over what I consider a great loss. This “story” that I’ve been living in has certainly included drama and a cast of characters, but I have found myself looking to everyone around me for help and healing rather than God’s direction. I’ve certainly prayed and prayed and prayed over it but my approach has been all wrong. I’ve wanted other people to fix the situation and other people to pray me into peace again, but it doesn’t always work that way.
In Deborah’s story, the Israelites were being oppressed by Sisera, the commander of King Jabin’s army and the Israelites cried out to God for help (Judges 4:1-3). The Lord used a man named Barak to lead Israel’s forces into battle against Sisera and they experienced a great victory. Judges 5:12 says “Wake up, wake up Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives!” Notice the Word does not say “Lay there, lay there Deborah! Stay still Barak! I’ll take care of this for you!” No, God commanded them to wake up and arise – take captive the enemy. It took action on their part and God gave them the strength to win the battle they faced.
Beth said of this verse “I believe the intent of the scriptures there shows a picture of a woman not realizing she is also called to battle. I wonder if the enemy is taking a yard after another yard of ground in our personal lives and relationships and we are just sitting back paralyzed waiting for somebody else to fight the battle for us. It is time to wake up!”
Yikes. I felt like God was saying “hello down there! This is what you’re doing! You’re sitting back paralyzed by this and in the meantime you’re allowing Satan to gain ground on you. Get up and FIGHT for I have given you the power to win this battle!” Though my situation may never change, I have victory and peace in Jesus to find my strength and comfort ONLY through Him. That, my friends, can never be taken away. God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and I have learned through experience that God usually takes us through a crisis to bring us closer to Him. He’s done it several times in my life and He’s certainly at it again. Just like football players have to suit up before a game to protect their bodies from injury, we have to suit up in the armor of God that Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about and fight these battles.
It’s time we get up and fight ladies. Is there something in your life that you need to “wake up” to? 2 Peter 2:6 says “knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance to godliness.” Don’t let the enemy gain ground in your life. Trust God, exercise the God-given self-control, endure patiently while He works, and fight in His name when He calls you to fight!
Happy Thanksgiving ladies! It’s hard to believe that the Holiday season is upon us but ready or not, here it is! If you are a member of Facebook you’ve probably seen some of your friends (or you may even be doing it yourself) posting something each day for thirty days that they are thankful for. I think this is a wonderful idea so I decided that I would use this blog to list some things that I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. We are a people truly blessed by God and I would encourage you sometime this week to stop and thank our Creator for the gifts in your life!
I am thankful…
…that my God loves me so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross for me.
…for the resurrection of Christ and the promise I will live with Him in eternity when I leave this earth.
…that I live in a free country where soldiers and their families make sacrifices for each one of us every day so that we can continue enjoying that freedom.
…that I can read my Bible – anytime, anywhere – and not be persecuted for it.
…for the ability to see, hear, feel, touch, taste.
…for being able to physically take care of myself.
…for a Godly husband who loves me more than I will ever deserve.
…for a wonderful family who loves and takes care of me and a mother who is my best friend in the world!
…for a church family who loves God, loves His people, and loves His Word.
…for the freedom to worship God the way He directs me.
…for a comfortable home with heating, air, and indoor plumbing.
…for stacks and albums full of pictures representing all of the wonderful memories God has given me during my thirty-one years.
…for a kitchen pantry and refrigerator that is full from the top to the bottom.
…for a comfortable and safe car that gets us from place to place.
…for a closet that is stuffed full of clothes and shoes.
…for a loveable cat that brings so much joy and laughter to our little household.
…for a job that I enjoy going to five days a week.
…for my husband’s job.
…for a wonderful boss who treats me fairly.
…for health insurance and benefits.
…the hard times in life. Though not fun to go through, God has a plan for me through it all and I’m always closer to Him in the end. That is always worth the pain.
…for enough money to pay the bills, buy groceries, put gas in the car, and buy a cheeseburger when I want one.
…for the ability to help others because God has blessed us with enough to do so.
…for family gatherings.
…for God-given discernment that keeps me close to Him and convicts me when I stray.
…for a college education and no student loans to pay back.
…for a handful of people close to me that I cannot imagine life without.
…for the people I’ve met through church who have brightened and enriched my life. You know who you are and I love each of you more than you know.
…for my spiritual heroes – Beth Moore, Ruby Jeffries, and my husband.
…for the opportunity to serve God through the Women of Purpose of Bethlehem and share this blog each week.
…for hugs. Lots and lots of hugs.
…for the cognitive ability to know what being thankful means.
Happy Thanksgiving. May God’s richest blessings fall upon you and your family during this Holiday Season!
Ladies, I have to ask that you indulge with me today and excuse my sappiness in advance. You see, tomorrow is my ten-year wedding anniversary and I am simply beside myself with girly giddiness. It’s still hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I’ve been married “that long.” You know the saying that time flies when you’re having fun…well, I’m on a rocket ship if that’s the case and there’s no sign of slowing down!
For those of you who don’t know Ronnie and me, we have a rather unique marriage that was formed by nothing short of God’s marvelous grace and glory. We both had our share of difficult circumstances before we started dating but Ronnie’s testimony and the path God took him down to get to me is enough to crush anyone into tiny pieces. True to form, the Good Lord knew exactly what He was doing in both of our lives and in the spring of 2001, He revealed to me that Ronnie was “the one.”
Ronnie and I knew each other for a couple of years before we started dating and had the opportunity to have some in-depth conversations that would eventually confirm for both of us that we were getting to know the one we’d be spending the rest of our days with. An age difference of twenty-one years and the fact that we took the express lane to marriage after we officially started seeing one another led to some opposition from those who knew and cared for us but God somehow calmed everyone’s concerns as the months went by. The love and respect that my family now has for my husband is one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received and I can only thank my Heavenly Father for that.
As a young woman, I always knew what I didn’t want in a life-partner but had never given much thought of marriage beyond that. Now, I look back over the past ten years of my life that I’ve spent with my husband and fall on my face before the Lord in deepest thanks and gratitude for the Godly man he gifted me with on November 17th, 2001. Since that day, I have felt like the co-star of the most pure and joyful fantasy God ever created.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 paints the ultimate picture of what Love is supposed to look like. “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” Every day I wake up to my husband’s precious face and the sweetest hugs two arms could give someone and experience what the Bible says love is supposed to be like and I’m in awe of God’s grace on our marriage.
Mark 10:9 says “therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Ronnie, I love you even more today than the day I said “I do.” And just like the Beegees said in our song “Wedding Day” – “this is my pledge to you, I will follow through, to the end.”
Thank you for being the husband God intended for you to be and my prayer is that I make you as happy as you have made me all these years! I love you from the deepest part of my soul! Here’s to the next ten!
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