He's teaching....am I listening?

Kathryn at Expectant Hearts is hosting In Other Words today and has chosen an amazing quote:

“Every happening, great or small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.” -Malcolm Muggeridge

WOW! Love this quote.... I believe it with every fiber of my being! The "trick" of life (for me, anyway!) is training myself to listen..



Sometimes I can get so busy in life that I just blow right through, forgetting that God is trying to teach me something in every happening. Sometimes I forget to slow down and ASK Him what He is speaking to me. I continually pray for a SENSITIVITY to the Holy Spirit every day. I want to hear what God is teaching!



Sometimes we think it is just in the BIG things of life that God is teaching us lessons. But, really, He is there through out the smallest details, always calling to us. Again, as Malcolm says, "the art of life is to get the message." Continually, God is speaking love to me....through small victories (like biting my tongue) or a close parking space at Target on a rainy day. He is constantly teaching me life lessons through my family and friends. And, He is giving me eyes to see "my neighbor" the way He sees him. I need to quiet my heart, my mind, and my life, and SEEK HIM. I need to ASK Him, "God, what is it that You are teaching me in this?"



He will teach us life lessons when someone cuts in front of us in line (come back tomorrow for a lesson God taught me through that!!!). He will prompt us to call a friend in need, to smile to grocery clerk, to extend grace to a family member.... But, I must be quiet enough to hear His promptings. I must continually walk with Him, seeking Him, asking Him, listening for and to the Holy Spirit.


Jesus was (is) a master storyteller. He used wheat and farmers and widows and sheep and people to tell parables. He used the everyday things of life to teach people spiritual truths. He used common things in their lives to explain eternal principles. He does the same thing today!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding; in ALL your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps (make your path straight)." Prov. 3:5-6

Father God, thank You that You are aware of every moment of my life. Thank You, Holy Spirit, that You are leading me and guiding me. Give me ears to hear You and eyes to see You. Lord, make me sensitive to Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that You love me so much that You do change me and teach me and mold me. Thank You that You promise "Your sheep hear Your voice." And, Lord, thank You for Your Word that tells us, "You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD....All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God (psalm 139)..." I love You, Lord! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

For some examples of what God taught ME through everyday life, you might like to read THIS or THIS. And, come back tomorrow to read what God taught me through LINE JUMPERS!


Please go HERE to link up and find more "In Other Words"!

In Other Words

“Martha was busy for Jesus,and that left her too busy to be with Jesus.”

~ Jon Walker "Growing with Purpose: Connecting with God Every Day"


Have you ever felt like God was trying to tell you something???? I wrote yesterday about the importance of spending time ALONE with God every day. I read a devotion in my Bible about needing a daily quiet time. My devotion tomorrow at the Internet Cafe is about having a "MARY" Christmas...being Mary and not Martha during the busy Holiday season (please stop by tomorrow to read it....).

So, God, are you trying to tell me SOMETHING??????

I love the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10). I can relate to BOTH sisters. I have the heart of Mary, wanting so much to sit in His presence soaking up every Word.... But, I tend to have the hands of Martha.... busy, busy, busy, busy. When I study the story I see that Martha is doing a "good" thing- she is serving Jesus! But, Jesus tells her she is not doing the BEST thing. The BEST thing is to sit at His feet soaking up His Word, communing with Him, being filled by His very Presence.

How many times am I busy FOR Jesus to be busy WITH Jesus?

Busy doing the "good" things.....

Teaching Sunday School....

Leading a small group....

Blogging....

Leading a young girls' group....

Coaching Confirmation leaders.....

Volunteering at school....

Sending out Operation Christmas Child boxes...

Visiting the nursing home...

Calling my mom...

All of these things are GOOD. But, when I fill all of my time SERVING, I have none left for SOAKING. And....I soon find myself with the same ATTITUDE as Martha.

Banging cabinet doors.

Huffing and puffing.

Slamming dishes.

Rolling my eyes....

Until I impatiently whine, "Jesus, make her(him/whoever!) help me!!!!"

When I make sure to be busy WITH Jesus, He will show me how to best serve Him. He does want me to serve Him. But, I need to be FILLED with HIM, FULL of HIM before I can share Him with others.

I love that we see Martha later serving with a better attitude! (John 12:1-3). I tend to believe that she learned this valuable lesson....

Here is another devotion I wrote about the two sisters that you may like to read.

This was a great quote this week and one we all need to ponder as the holiday season quickly approaches...

Our hostess this week is Debbie @ http://www.heartchoices.com/

Please do join us by writing and/or visiting those who've linked-up on Debbie's blog...

In Other Words....Living Differently

Today Debbie at Heart Choices has asked us to ponder this message:

"Christians make a difference in this world by being different from this world;

they don't make a difference by being the same."

from Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian

I LOVE this quote!

Jesus told us that we are "the light of the world." He said, "A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16

When we were out in the desert in Arizona, we were staying at a remote resort outside of Phoenix. At night we could go out on the balcony and look out into the darkness. It is so DARK in the desert. But, when we turned towards Phoenix, the city was a shining light in the darkness. It was BRIGHT and could be seen for miles and miles and miles. Jesus says WE are to be that light.....

The world is HUNGRY for something different. The world is lost and hungry and suffering and debilitated and ailing......it is darkness. Flip channels to any variety of reality shows and watch for a few minutes and you will see people who are empty...searching....needing...

The world looks to the Church to be DIFFERENT. Yes, the world is quick to condemn us as Christians. But, usually it is because we are hypocritical....saying one thing and doing another.... If they were honest, they would tell us that they WANT us to be DIFFERENT.

When you are in the dark, what is it that you stumble around for? What is it that you are searching for? What is it that you desire more than anything else?

LIGHT

Are we shining? Are we shining the Light of Christ?

Or...are focused on BEING LIKE THE WORLD? Are we allowing the world to seep in...little by little...so that the lines are blurred and we can't be distinguished from the world?

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor....In your anger do not sin. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, vulgar talk or coarse joking, which are of out of place, but rather thanksgiving.....

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. (Ephesians 4 and 5)

Lord, may I be a Light shining for You. When the world looks at me, may they see something different....holy, set apart, separate. Lord, be big in me. Lord, I choose to put ON YOU. I love You, Lord.

If you would like to join us today, please link here.

In Other Words

Loni, from Writing Canvas has given us a "heavy" quote and assignment to ponder today. Honestly, I hesitated joining in.... I knew this would be one to go really "deep" and take some time to write.

Here is the quote:

“There was a time when [you fill in] defined my life and left me physically void, cocooned in a prison of fear. It stole my every hope and dream. But God’s love and His Word set my heart free. I learned that within the confines of God’s story, nothing had been stolen from me, rather everything was given to me. My life, which felt so out of control, was in reality in complete control – God’s control.”

~ Wendy BlightHidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God’s Story


Although I could fill this in with different things- living in an abusive home, being molested- the first thing that came to mind was "how I looked". For so many years, my weight defined me and who I was. I am sure it stemmed from childhood. It was then I turned to food for comfort and whenever I was upset, overwhelmed, scared, sad....I would eat. Food was my "safe" place, my escape. I would never eat in the open, but in secret. I became an overweight child and was teased.

Because of my weight, I felt like a failure...like I wasn't good enough. The worse I felt, the more I ate. By the time I hit junior high, I didn't want to be "the fat girl" so I stopped eating. I lost weight and my appearance and being thin became the most important thing to me. It was where I found my self-worth. As long as I looked good, then I was "OK."

I struggled with this for many years until God began setting me free several years ago. He first dealt with the food issues. I had made food my "idol" since childhood. I had to first recognize that, repent, and begin turning to God when I was upset. Eating would never make me feel better- not really. I may get a very temporary "good" feeling, but I would instantly feel guilty and then ashamed. Felt like a failure.

Once God had set me free from the stronghold of emotional eating, He began to work on my self-image. I stopped seeing myself through the world's eyes and began to see myself in Christ. I began learning that it wasn't "self-image", but Christ-image.

It was definitely GOD'S WORD that set me free. I began to recognize the enemy's lies:

You are ugly.

You are not good enough.

Food will make you feel better.

I learned that I had to NAME the lie, come into agreement with God by repenting and turning away from sin and turning TOWARDS faith. I had to REPLACE the lie with Truth.

I am beautiful in Christ.

"The King is enthralled by your beauty."

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

I am "precious and worthy in His sight."

Food is not going to make me feel better- only my relationship with the Lord will fill those empty places.

His love set me free from the pain and shame.....

And, like Wendy, I, too learned that my "out of control" life is in God's control.

If you also struggle with food issues or your appearance, you may be interested reading my testimony (click on testimony at the top of the page) or these posts:

Am I Beautiful?

Beautiful......

And, please visit Loni at Writing Canvas. She is giving away Wendy's book as well.

In Other Words

This week Nina from Mama's Little Treasures has chosen a quote from one of my FAVORITE author/speakers- Joyce Meyer. Ponder this:

“Give yourself permission not to know and be satisfied knowing the One who does.”
~ by Joyce Meyer, “I Dare You

Hmmmm......

Are you ever plagued with having to be "in control?" Do you just have to KNOW how things are going to turn out? Do you find it hard just to TRUST??????

Why is it that some of us simply "put it in God's Hands"....trusting Him and resting in Him, full of peace....

while others of us WORRY.....FRET....and are definitely NOT satisfied with "not knowing."

Do you really believe that God is in control? Or....have you held on with white knuckles, refusing to relinquish CONTROL of your life?

"Give yourself permission not to know."

Part of the beautiful mystery of life is NOT KNOWING....

AND....I have found so many times what I THINK I KNOW turns out not to be best for me! If I would have "been in control", I would have messed things up BIG TIME. Often, it turns out the Creator of the Universe also knows how to weave together the fabric of the circumstances of my life for my good. My wonderful Father God knows the end from the beginning. He is NOT surprised about anything that is happening to me.

"Be satisfied knowing the One who does (know)."

I love that Joyce uses the word "satisfied." I want to be satisfied....experience SATISFACTION. When I am satisfied, I am CONTENT...resting in God. Full of PEACE.

"Knowing God" doesn't just mean that you know about God. It means that you have a relationship with God. When you have a relationship with the One who placed all of the stars in the sky, you can rest in His plan for your life.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans for good and not evil." Jeremiah 29:11

Take some time to ponder this quote and join us in your words!

In Other Words....

“God’s promises are never affected by our failures. He can use us at any age. ”
by Michael Youssef from Leading the Way

Thank goodness that God's promises are not affected by my FAILURES!

I fail in so many ways, so many days!

But, He promises that I am forgiven.

He promises that His mercies are new each morning.

He promises that I am a NEW CREATION in Christ!

God can use my failures to bring good.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

God can turn my messes into miracles......

And, I have complete confidence that Jesus, the author and perfector of my faith is changing me from glory to glory.....He who began a good work in me WILL bring it to completion.

When I do mess up, it is an opportunity to again turn to Jesus, throwing myself on His mercy, washing myself in His grace, confident that I am becoming a display of His splendor.

Please join KAREN on her blog, In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus. She is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” this week. Be sure to visit her site and the links to the other women who have shared on this quote. Blessings!

In Other Words

Thank you, Miriam at Miriam Pauline’s Monologue for hosting this weeks, In Other Words. She asks us to ponder:

“God does not speak simply to be heard. He speaks to be obeyed. Obedience is the Alpha and Omega of discerning God’s voice.”

by Priscilla Shirer

I love the beginning of this quote- God doesn't simply speak to be heard, but to be obeyed!

As a mom, I know exactly the meaning of this! I want my kids not just to hear me, but to OBEY me. In fact, I just said something similar to my Ashley (10) this morning. She didn't obey a command I had given her. She said, "Oh, I didn't hear you, Mom," but I knew she had heard me. So I said, "You heard me, Ashley, you just choose not to 'listen' to me...you disobeyed!"

I am also teaching my children that I am not speaking just to talk, but that I have REASONS why I am saying things. They have learned the "hard way" that Mom says to do something for a reason- a reason of love- not just to be "mean." And, when they choose to ignore my commands there are consequences....sometimes natural consequences, sometimes consequences from Brian and I.

God is like that as well.

He gives us commands for a reason....not to be mean, but because He knows what is best for us. And....we can choose either to obey or go our own way...

It's been like that from the very beginning! In the garden, God's Word said not to eat the fruit. But Adam and Eve choose to do it their own way and disobeyed God's Word.

Then, all through the Old Testament, we see the Israelites choosing either to obey or disobey. When they disobey, we see God's anger and His consequences (often Him allowing them to be taken into captivity). Proverbs 1:31 comes to mind that says when sinners disobey, they will EAT THE FRUIT of their own ways. Ouch. Hmmm....kind of like the rotten fruit in the Garden....We are still eating the fruit of Eve's mistake!

Like the Israelites, when I choose to disobey God, I will be taken off into captivity.....

I experience the bondage of my own SIN~

See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse- the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God...Deuteronomy 11:26-28

I struggled with the last part of the quote:

Obedience is the alpha and omega (beginning and end) of discerning God's voice.

I'm not sure what the author means by this, so I look forward to reading others' take on it! I didn't have time this week to go to the original writing....

Please take a few minutes and check out what others are saying in their words!

And, please join us today in the first day of our Bible Study,

In Other Words

Denise, from Shortybear's Place is hosting IOW this week. Boy, she has chosen a wonderful quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. I have been pondering this for a few days. Wow! There are so many directions I would like to go with this....it has sparked many ideas.

"Take the first step in faith."

Faith is about NOT seeing...but believing anyway. Trusting that the staircase is there. Believing.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
"-Hebrews 11:1

This is the essense of faith.

I also thought of this quote in terms of my faith journey. I can't see the whole stairway of ME. Yet, I need to continue to take each step. "He that began a good work in me will bring it to conclusion." Philippians 1:6. God isn't finished with me. He is refining my faith. He can see the whole staircase, the "finished me," but I can only see the steps I have taken. I need to take each step in faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

And, God knows the plans He has for me....He knows the stairway of my life. I can't see the "end"- how everything will turn out. I don't know what is up the road ahead....I can't see the whole staircase. I just need to keep my eyes on Jesus, taking each step in faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

I hope you take a few moments to ponder this quote...then visit Denise to read more....

In Other Words....am I a Pharisee?

I love the quote Amy is asking us to ponder today!

“A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself,

but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.”
by A.W.Tozer

I love this! Oh, how Jesus was so MAD at the Pharisees of His day. They continued to burden people with rule after rule to follow while ignoring rules themselves. (Matthew 15:1-9) He calls them hypocrites and says, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."

Pharisees want to follow the rules without offering grace. Jesus said, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 12:7) It is so much easier to look out "there" and see Christians who are messing up or who are not living out the Word perfectly. We can say, "Look! The Word tells us to do this and they are doing THAT!"

While we want to encourage one another in the faith, we are NOT to be the Holy Spirit for others! When God convicts US of something, it is NOT our "job" to impose it on others. I openly share my trials and what God is teaching ME and convicting ME of. Often other women share with me that the Holy Spirit convicted them of the same because of my testimony. But, it is the Holy Spirit who does the work!

That's why I love this Tozer quote!

"When we are hard on ourselves," we are looking at our own faults, seeking to follow Christ, picking up our own cross, allowing the Lord to shape, mold, and refine us, NOT telling others to pick up their crosses.

It is a fine line because we see Paul admonish the churches through his letters and challenge Believers. And, we are called to speak the Truth (and here is the key!) IN LOVE. What are our motives? Are we being self-righteous, "holier than thou"? Or, is our motive a genuine, loving concern for someone. Sometimes God calls us to lovingly approach other believers about sinful behavior. Last year, after MUCH prayer, I talked to a good friend about a sin she was caught in. It was wonderful and she knew that I loved and cared about her- in fact, loved her enough to be tuthful with her! But, it was GOD who led me and gave me the words and prepared her heart in advance.

So, as I ponder Tozer's quote, I am challenged to look at my own heart, asking God to search ME and refine me. And, as I openly and honestly share these situations with others, sometimes it will challenge, encourage, and inspire them to do the same.

This quote reminded me of another favorite quote.
"A child needs your love the most when she deserves it the least."

Lord, may I never be a pharisee to those around me, especially my children!

Mothering.....in other words!

Today, Nina has given us a wonderful quote to meditate on~ our calling as mothers.

Please visit Loni at Writing Canvas for more inspiration!

This quote speaks to me and has been an area where God continues to "work" with me!

As a Christian speaker and writer, I can sometimes forget my first and most important ministry is my family! I can get caught up in ministering to others when I am first needed at home. God has convicted me of this and it is something that I am so aware of now.

Sometimes it is much more "fun" and "rewarding" to be writing, preparing for a talk, and studying God's Word than laundry, wiping up messes, or changing poopy diapers!

But, God has entrusted these precious little ones (and my "big one"- my husband) and our home to me. He has given me the incredible privilege of taking care of them. In the "dailies", the daily chores, the mundane....I can lose sight of what I am doing~ the impotance of nourturing, teaching, loving these little humans that will grow up and become men and women!

I am "training up children in the way they should go." When I am speaking at women's events, I encourage the ladies to seek Jesus, to have an intimate relationship with Him. I am passionate that they would fall in love with Jesus. BUT, I don't want to be "on fire" in my ministry and "lose" my children! I want my own children to have an intimate relationship with Him! So, if I am passionate about and for these "strangers", shouldn't I be even more so with my own family?

You may be thinking, "Well, I am not a Christian Speaker, so I don't have to 'worry' about that!" But, the same principle applies to whatever you are involved in- career, volunteering, a project or cause..... How many times can we get so involved with a very worthwhile project, but in the end, our family suffers? We try to justify it by saying that the project is so important. But, aren't our children MOST important?

I think that our generation is losing sight of the importance of parenting. We are pushing off our responsibilities to day care, coaches, church youth programs- expecting those outside areas to raise up our children.

God us entrusted US- not the church, not school- to train up our children- to help them to love the Lord with all of their hearts, to discipline in love, to teach them the Word, to teach them to pray, to show them that victory in life is only through the power of Jesus Christ working in our lives.

Oh, may I truly believe and live out the words of this quote. May I always consider my children the greatest ministry, the greatest gift and honor God has entrusted me with.

“Dear Lord, I do not ask that Thou shouldst give me some high work of thine, some noble calling or some wondrous task. Give me a little hand to hold in mine.”
Anonymous

In Other Words....

Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. Hosea 2:14

When I saw the verse Heather choose for this week's quote, my heart soared! It is one of my favorites! I wrote about this verse in a talk I gave called, "Don't Waste Your Life!". Here is an excerpt from it:

Do you know how the Lord feels about YOU? You are so precious to God. He loves you so much. You see, He loves the world, and you are included in that, but He loves YOU. God woos us, He whispers to us, He never gives up on our love. He desires YOU. He wants a deep relationship with YOU. He wants YOU to be completely abandoned to HIM, head over heals crazy about Him! We are His beloved and He is the lover of our souls.

You may have never experienced this love relationship with the Lord. This may all sound very new, and a little strange to you. You have never thought God would want an intimate relationship with GOD. Or, maybe you feel unworthy of His love. You feel that what you have done, or something that has been done to you has disqualified you from His love. Maybe you have felt this love once, but have left it grow cold over time. You have forgotten your "first love." Or, maybe your heart is soaring in agreement right now because you ARE experiencing this intimacy with God.

Now matter where you are, God is calling you to Him. He meets each one of us exactly where we are, and it doesn’t matter if this is all new to us, or we are experiencing His intimacy, God wants each one of us to go deeper in Him today. He has called you by name and placed this desire in your heart to know Him more.

He wants us to surrender to His love and be completely abandoned, wild for Him. He wants to allure us. Isn’t that a romantic word, “allure?” And, yet that is the exact word the Bible uses!

In Hosea, God says, “Therefore, I am going to allure her; I will
lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.”

Why does God lead us into the desert BEFORE speaking to us?

Have you ever been to Phoenix? The desert, or the wilderness is out beyond the city. We stayed at a resort in the desert. It was beautiful. It had trails you could walk through in the desert. It was very quiet, almost lonely. This resort sat on incredible hills, and had a beautiful view of the city, especially at night. Looking out, you could see the city lights of Phoenix, but everything else was so still, so quiet, so dark. It was so amazing~ the contrast of the loneliness of the desert and the business of the city.

God wants to take us away from the city lights, away from the distractions, where it is still and quiet and we can hear His voice. He wants to make sure we are listening. God needs to get us alone, away from the cell phones and the emails and all of our commitments; away from the busyness of life. Then, He can speak and be heard.

And, sometimes it is only in the wilderness, the dry, hard times of life, when we are ready to listen.

For more thoughts on this week's quote, please visit Heather at http://atitus2woman.blogspot.com/

In Other Words....

"'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!'" We smile as we read
the wall plaque in the novelty store. But our smile quickly turns to a frown if
truly "Mama ain't happy." This is because the wife and mother in a family often
"sets the tone" in the home. The "tone" God wants her to set is one of joy,
optimism, and a delight in the Lord and in her family. If your family were
called upon to describe you, what would they say?"~Martha Peace, "The Excellent
Wife"

Oh, my! Have you ever experienced a time when God was really driving home a point with you and everywhere you turned, you kept seeing/hearing the same thing? I had to chuckle when I read this week's quote because at last Monday's bible study, we were discussing this same thing and mentioned the exact saying, "If mama ain't happy....!" Is God trying to tell me something?

I was confessing that night that when I am mad or frustrated, I want everyone around me to feel the same way. If I am upset, then I make sure others are, too. I hate that! I hate that about myself. I was sharing that I was doing my best to aggravate my hubby, but that he wasn't "biting," and how that made me even madder! Oh, how childish I can be.

But, it is so true that we, as the mama, do set the tone in our families. If I am calm in the middle of chaos, then my kids aren't as upset. If I am happy and joyful, that spreads to them. But, if I am grumpy, not getting along, criticizing....that, too, sets a tone and they usually follow in kind. We as mothers have such a great responsibility and we all know that much more is "caught" than "taught." I can tell them to "be slow to get angry, be slow to speak, and quick to listen," until I am blue in the face, but unless I am DOING it, the words lose their power. That is why James tells us to be DOERS of the Word, not just hearers.

It is interesting because my 12 year old Andrew has noticed this idea of me "setting the tone" and has even "called me on it." I remember once, when we were having an awful morning and "Monster Mom" had reared her ugly head, Andrew said something like, "Gee Mom, if you would have been calm and 'laughed it off', everyone else would have, too." Ouch. It is very humbling when the Holy Spirit uses our children to convict us.

So, what are we to do? Well, the good news is that we already have the ability to be calm, gentle, joyful, and loving within us. We HAVE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT LIVING WITHIN US! Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we have the fruit in us, too. We have "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control" abiding in us already! We need to ask God to help us in the midst of our trial, when we are tempted to blow up. I can't do it in my strength, but I can do in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, I want with all of my heart to be a Light shining for my family. And, with all of my heart, I want my kids to remember our home as a place of joy, love, peace, and fun. I know God, You have raised me up to be the "mama" and to set the tone within our home. I can't do it without You, Lord, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" Lord, I pray that our home would be a place of refuge, a welcoming, safe place that always brings myd family joy. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Tuesday, April 29th
Visit Christin to read her take on the quote and to leave your link along with the other participants.

In Other Words...

"To be intimate with others is to reveal our innermost selves to them, including
our emotions, thoughts and desires. For such deep sharing of the soul and spirit
to occur, people must respect and trust each other. ... In a world controlled by
sin, however, to choose to be intimate is to choose to be hurt. Yet Jesus calls
us to this kind of intimacy with Him and with one another."~ Kenneth A. Schmidt
~

This kind of intimacy requires honesty. Honest is NOT something we are always willing to be....Sometimes we put on masks- our happy face. Our "everything is really OK face". "I really am not such a failure" face. "I am really not hurt" face.

Maybe it because we are embarrassed or ashamed of the deepest whispers of our hearts. I don't want anyone to see that ugliness- the jealousy, the envy, the critical spirit.

Maybe it is because we haven't even admitted our true feelings to ourselves.

Maybe it because I don't want to disappoint.....Shouldn't a Christian be "above" such pettiness?

Maybe it is because I am afraid of being hurt. I may be rejected if I share this.

The enemy loves for us to keep such things secret, in the darkness of our hearts. He encourages us to bury our feelings, our emotions, our ideas, our "mess ups." We begin to believe we are the only ones who fail, who have temptations....It is in the hidden places where we feel shame.

But, God who has created us to be relational (especially as women!), knows that we must share, encourage, and be honest with one another to flourish. There is risk involved, because, like Schmidt points out, we live in a fallen world, full of real people who will make mistakes- people who will hurt us either intentionally or unintentionally. But, this is what LOVE is all about. Love is not just a beautiful feeling from a Hallmark card, but a behavior that we choose to walk out.

"Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1Corin. 13) ...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against on another." (Col. 3:12-13) We need to extend to one another the same grace we have been given! We need to "bear with one another" and believe that as humans, we will make mistakes.

Why? Why take the risk that we will be hurt? Because this is what authentic relationships do! We need to be genuine and REAL with one another. This is how our friendships grow and bear fruit and flourish, but it is also how we grow and flourish and bear fruit. "As iron sharpens iron," friends sharpen one another. As Hebrews says, "we spur one another on." We encourage one another in faith. We grow together in our relationship with one another and our relationship with the Lord.

God calls us to this intimacy with one another, but more importantly with HIM! We need to be honest with God and with ourselves. God already knows the deepest whispers of our hearts (He doesn't NEED us to share them with Him), but we only grow in our walk with Him when we surrender them to Him.

But, the difference of being honest with God, being intimate with Him, is that He will NOT hurt us, like we risk people doing. God will never make fun us, reveal our secrets to anyone, or even be critical of our mistakes. ("Therefore, there is now NO condemnation in Christ Jesus). God says in James that He gives wisdom to anyone who asks, that He gives it generously and WITHOUT FINDING FAULT! We can completely trust God. The Bible says that God is trustworthy.

When we choose intimacy with God, we NEVER "choose to be hurt." God only has our best interests "at heart." God knows us better than we know ourselves and He knows our end from the beginning. He loves us more than we can even imagine. There are times that God leads us to deep honesty with Him and with ourselves, and this can be painful. But, He only does this so that He "can bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted" and so that He can heal us, set us free, and make us victorious!

Father, I want to have a deeper intimacy with you! I love you! Help me to be honest with you, sharing my deepest feelings with you- my hopes and dreams, my failures, and my hurts. Lord, I pray that you would bring trustworthy friends into my life that I can be intimate with. Lord, I thank you deeply for the dear sisters in Christ that I love and who I trust completely! Father, thank you for friendships. I praise you. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.