Sunday, August 10, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Terminating this blog
Well, it's been a few days since my last post. There were not comments confiming that anyone is reading this blog, so I've decided to terminate this blog and focus on my other two blogs.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Again, considering deleting this blog...
It's alot of work keeping this blog up to date, which at this time it is not. I am once again considering deleting this blog. It was my hope that other would and could be blessed by the devotionals posted here. But I still don't think anyone reads it. I could continue to do my devotions as I'd been doing before. But why am I hesitant to stop posting here?
If you read this blog on a regualar/semi-regular basis, would you please leave a comment to let me know. This could help me determine whether I should continue or delete it. Thanks.
If you read this blog on a regualar/semi-regular basis, would you please leave a comment to let me know. This could help me determine whether I should continue or delete it. Thanks.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Daily Devotional - What's Love Go to Do With It?
Love..."And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13
In the beginning of marriage, husbands and wives can't seem to get enough of each other. There's plenty of hugging and kissing and cuddling. Being in each other's arms is like breathing air. During the first year of marriage the couple starts to notice the flaws in each other that were hidden during their courtship. He is critical and picky and snores. She is disorganized mentally and domestically. They start a family and during the pregnancy he gains weight with her. Neither of them get back to their pre-pregnancy weight. She is fine with it, but he starts to nag her about not being the sexy woman that he married. Arguments begin and it seems as if the thrill is gone. She starts to question whether she can live the rest of her life with him if it doesn't come back soon.
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"1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter, has been read at many weddings to describe the endurance of marital love. The truth is that it describes the endurance of God's love. We cannot begin to understand the depth of God's love until we meet him face to face. On that day, all other things will be gone and probably forgotten. But God, who is love, will be left, along with the faith and hope we will see in him.
We are only poor imitators of God's love, but we must always strive to be more like him. We must live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us (Ephesians 5:1, 2). Some of us have to go back and learn what love is because the love we learned from our families didn't come close to God's. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 does not describe a feeling but a relationship built upon God's word. If your marriage is built on this kind of love, God's love, it will endure when all else fails."
APPLICATION: Each day make sure that you commit an act of love toward your husband. The act of making love doesn't count. It can just be to listen to him without speaking, give him a card, a hug, a touch, or maybe just a nice look. How about a foot massage? You mught be someone who is having a hard time smiling at your husband. Then do that. It's a start.
Prayer: Lord, I want to be more like you. Help me truly love my husband. Convict me when I judge him. Hel us to be best friends, lovers, and admirers of each other. Lord, I know that no matter how far my marriage is from that now, you Word promises me blessings if I am obedient to you. Lord, I ask for your blessings upon my marriage, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
I started trying to do small acts of love toward my husband a while ago. What a difference it makes. I can see how good it makes him feel and I can tell he misses it when I forget. I love making my husband feel good. I am committing to doing more of these small things.
In the beginning of marriage, husbands and wives can't seem to get enough of each other. There's plenty of hugging and kissing and cuddling. Being in each other's arms is like breathing air. During the first year of marriage the couple starts to notice the flaws in each other that were hidden during their courtship. He is critical and picky and snores. She is disorganized mentally and domestically. They start a family and during the pregnancy he gains weight with her. Neither of them get back to their pre-pregnancy weight. She is fine with it, but he starts to nag her about not being the sexy woman that he married. Arguments begin and it seems as if the thrill is gone. She starts to question whether she can live the rest of her life with him if it doesn't come back soon.
--------------------------------------------------------------
"1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter, has been read at many weddings to describe the endurance of marital love. The truth is that it describes the endurance of God's love. We cannot begin to understand the depth of God's love until we meet him face to face. On that day, all other things will be gone and probably forgotten. But God, who is love, will be left, along with the faith and hope we will see in him.
We are only poor imitators of God's love, but we must always strive to be more like him. We must live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us (Ephesians 5:1, 2). Some of us have to go back and learn what love is because the love we learned from our families didn't come close to God's. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 does not describe a feeling but a relationship built upon God's word. If your marriage is built on this kind of love, God's love, it will endure when all else fails."
APPLICATION: Each day make sure that you commit an act of love toward your husband. The act of making love doesn't count. It can just be to listen to him without speaking, give him a card, a hug, a touch, or maybe just a nice look. How about a foot massage? You mught be someone who is having a hard time smiling at your husband. Then do that. It's a start.
Prayer: Lord, I want to be more like you. Help me truly love my husband. Convict me when I judge him. Hel us to be best friends, lovers, and admirers of each other. Lord, I know that no matter how far my marriage is from that now, you Word promises me blessings if I am obedient to you. Lord, I ask for your blessings upon my marriage, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
I started trying to do small acts of love toward my husband a while ago. What a difference it makes. I can see how good it makes him feel and I can tell he misses it when I forget. I love making my husband feel good. I am committing to doing more of these small things.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Daily Devotional - I Wish, I Wish, I Wish
Happiness..."Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:3-5
"A woman and her husband were approaching their tenth wedding anniversary. It had been a hard ten years. Soft, loving words were long absent from their conversation. Their intimate times were few and far between and were mechanical. Neither really knew if the other was being faithful, and if the truth be tol, neither really cared. They avoided talking about important things like feelings and dreams because each of them regularyly invalidated what the other was thinking and feeling. Mostly, their conversations led to degrading remarks, name-calling, accusations, and arguments that were sometimes physical.
They both professed to love teh Lord and were outspoken in Bible studies and the like. But, neither knew the depth of faith the other had because they never shared their faith on an intimate level. They'd tried going to a marriage counselor but it didn't work and just gave them more ammunition.
She'd gottn to the point where she couldn't watch another couple walk down the street holding hands or looking lovingly at each other, let alone watch a romantic movie, without crying. A happy marriage was no longer a hope or prayer. Now she would settle for a civil relationship with her material needs met. But when she was alone with God, she wondered (but dared not ask), God, is this all that you have for me?"
"We all want to be happy. But we have to differentiate between fleeting moments of feeling happy and true, lasting happiness. The feelign can be deceptive and can change quickly. The difference between maturity and immaturity is the difference between acting on what we know instead of acting on what we feel.
True, lasting happiness is joy that comes from teh peace of the Lord. When we have that, we are like mighty oaks whose roots go deep (Isaiah 61:3). We do not sway in the wind from one emotion to the next. Instead, we can have joy, no matter what, because we look beyond the circumstances. We know that each of us is a work in progress and that, just as labor pains, whatever we are going through will birth us anew, greater adn mightier, stronger and happier than before. The Lord invites us to partake in this kind of joy in him. We can have it whenever we choose. Today, right this moment, enter into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21, 23)."
APPLICATION: Try spreading joy. It's infectious. Try going through a whole day saying nothing but words of encouragement to other people and with nothing but a pleasant expression. No negative body language. Respond to negativism around you with love and positive statements. Find the positive in every situation and express it to those around you. It doesn't matter if you feel it. Just do it. By the end of the day you will be energized, at peace, and truly smiling from the inside out.
Prayer: Lord, in you I can find true joy and happiness. You came to teach me that. If I am filled with your joy, I will fill my home with joy also. Lord, give me your joy to renew my marriage and restore the places in it that have been devastated. I pray. Amen.
I posted this devotion in its entirity because the wording was perfect. Paraphrasing would have taken away from it. That being said, my husband and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary this year. And just as the devotion stated, it has been a hard road to travel. We've gone through so many trials that I truly didn't think we'd make it through. But yet, here we are. It's remarkable what faith in God and prayer can do. In so many ways I was like the woman in the story. Honestly, I was that woman to an extent. I allowed myself to faith in man, which led to many letdowns and heartaches. When I finally let it all go and give it to God is when changes started to happen.
If you've read my personal blog, you are fully aware of the struggle I dealt with in my marriage. I will not attempt to make anyone believe that our marriage is perfect, but we are working on it and we are happier. Our family is happier. We both had to realize that God had to be first in our marriage and that we had to do some things to make our marriage work. First and foremost, my husband had to realize that he is the head of our household and his job is to lead. I had to understand this and take my place beside him. I had to submit. This was a hard pill for me to swallow because I've always been so independent and headstrong.
Events in my life have led to me being the pessimistic person that I am. I had to recognize that my glass half-empty personality played a big role in our problems. It's not my husband's J.O.B. to make me happy. My happiness has to come from within. I have to love myself before anyone else can love me. These are some lessons that I'm still learning. It's sometimes hard and I do fall back on my old ways at times. Those are the times when I know I must stay in prayer. I can say that I am much happier now than I've ever been in my marriage. What a difference a change in attitude, perspective, and a merciful, unfailing God can make.
"A woman and her husband were approaching their tenth wedding anniversary. It had been a hard ten years. Soft, loving words were long absent from their conversation. Their intimate times were few and far between and were mechanical. Neither really knew if the other was being faithful, and if the truth be tol, neither really cared. They avoided talking about important things like feelings and dreams because each of them regularyly invalidated what the other was thinking and feeling. Mostly, their conversations led to degrading remarks, name-calling, accusations, and arguments that were sometimes physical.
They both professed to love teh Lord and were outspoken in Bible studies and the like. But, neither knew the depth of faith the other had because they never shared their faith on an intimate level. They'd tried going to a marriage counselor but it didn't work and just gave them more ammunition.
She'd gottn to the point where she couldn't watch another couple walk down the street holding hands or looking lovingly at each other, let alone watch a romantic movie, without crying. A happy marriage was no longer a hope or prayer. Now she would settle for a civil relationship with her material needs met. But when she was alone with God, she wondered (but dared not ask), God, is this all that you have for me?"
"We all want to be happy. But we have to differentiate between fleeting moments of feeling happy and true, lasting happiness. The feelign can be deceptive and can change quickly. The difference between maturity and immaturity is the difference between acting on what we know instead of acting on what we feel.
True, lasting happiness is joy that comes from teh peace of the Lord. When we have that, we are like mighty oaks whose roots go deep (Isaiah 61:3). We do not sway in the wind from one emotion to the next. Instead, we can have joy, no matter what, because we look beyond the circumstances. We know that each of us is a work in progress and that, just as labor pains, whatever we are going through will birth us anew, greater adn mightier, stronger and happier than before. The Lord invites us to partake in this kind of joy in him. We can have it whenever we choose. Today, right this moment, enter into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21, 23)."
APPLICATION: Try spreading joy. It's infectious. Try going through a whole day saying nothing but words of encouragement to other people and with nothing but a pleasant expression. No negative body language. Respond to negativism around you with love and positive statements. Find the positive in every situation and express it to those around you. It doesn't matter if you feel it. Just do it. By the end of the day you will be energized, at peace, and truly smiling from the inside out.
Prayer: Lord, in you I can find true joy and happiness. You came to teach me that. If I am filled with your joy, I will fill my home with joy also. Lord, give me your joy to renew my marriage and restore the places in it that have been devastated. I pray. Amen.
I posted this devotion in its entirity because the wording was perfect. Paraphrasing would have taken away from it. That being said, my husband and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary this year. And just as the devotion stated, it has been a hard road to travel. We've gone through so many trials that I truly didn't think we'd make it through. But yet, here we are. It's remarkable what faith in God and prayer can do. In so many ways I was like the woman in the story. Honestly, I was that woman to an extent. I allowed myself to faith in man, which led to many letdowns and heartaches. When I finally let it all go and give it to God is when changes started to happen.
If you've read my personal blog, you are fully aware of the struggle I dealt with in my marriage. I will not attempt to make anyone believe that our marriage is perfect, but we are working on it and we are happier. Our family is happier. We both had to realize that God had to be first in our marriage and that we had to do some things to make our marriage work. First and foremost, my husband had to realize that he is the head of our household and his job is to lead. I had to understand this and take my place beside him. I had to submit. This was a hard pill for me to swallow because I've always been so independent and headstrong.
Events in my life have led to me being the pessimistic person that I am. I had to recognize that my glass half-empty personality played a big role in our problems. It's not my husband's J.O.B. to make me happy. My happiness has to come from within. I have to love myself before anyone else can love me. These are some lessons that I'm still learning. It's sometimes hard and I do fall back on my old ways at times. Those are the times when I know I must stay in prayer. I can say that I am much happier now than I've ever been in my marriage. What a difference a change in attitude, perspective, and a merciful, unfailing God can make.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
And into June we go
Another month is here. May seems to have come and gone like the blink of an eye. With the end of May also came the end of the Being A Woman Is Special devotions. But the upcoming devotions on Discussing More Than I Do, for the month of June, should be just as stimulating. Be blessed!
Devotions for the month of June are:
Week 1 - Marriage
Week 2 - Husbands
Week 3 - Divorce
Week 4 - Covenant
Devotions for the month of June are:
Week 1 - Marriage
Week 2 - Husbands
Week 3 - Divorce
Week 4 - Covenant
Friday, May 30, 2008
Daily Devotional - Ya Got Played
Deliverance..."Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22
"When we are going through adversities in our lives, patience is essential. We must trust God and know that he has a plan. Although it may seem that we are victims, we have teh assurance from Christ that we are not victims. That is why we pray for our enemies.
Esther the queen kept her cool and invited teh king and Haman to a banquet. The king again offered Esther anything that she wanted, even up to half of his kingdom (Esther 7:1-2). As Esther finally broke her silence, Haman got played. "If I have found favor in they sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request" (Esther 7:3). The tables wer turned. Haman got played. He lost his life; hung from the same gallows he had built to hang Mordecai.
APPLICATION: Today take some time to think about the following:
1. Focus on the inner woman of strength.
2. Know your history and make peace with your past.
3. Prepare yourself before approaching the unique challenges in your life.
4. Keep your cool; trust in God. Pray, fast, believe, and respond.
5. Ask God for unshakable courage.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the modern-day Esthers. Thank you for the women who can take time out for inner beauty and develop the spiritual woman. We thank you for your relationship with us. Amen.
"When we are going through adversities in our lives, patience is essential. We must trust God and know that he has a plan. Although it may seem that we are victims, we have teh assurance from Christ that we are not victims. That is why we pray for our enemies.
Esther the queen kept her cool and invited teh king and Haman to a banquet. The king again offered Esther anything that she wanted, even up to half of his kingdom (Esther 7:1-2). As Esther finally broke her silence, Haman got played. "If I have found favor in they sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request" (Esther 7:3). The tables wer turned. Haman got played. He lost his life; hung from the same gallows he had built to hang Mordecai.
APPLICATION: Today take some time to think about the following:
1. Focus on the inner woman of strength.
2. Know your history and make peace with your past.
3. Prepare yourself before approaching the unique challenges in your life.
4. Keep your cool; trust in God. Pray, fast, believe, and respond.
5. Ask God for unshakable courage.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the modern-day Esthers. Thank you for the women who can take time out for inner beauty and develop the spiritual woman. We thank you for your relationship with us. Amen.
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