Refuge for a Single Mom
Every Single Mom Needs a Refuge. This is Mine. In the Natural Atleast!* A Blog Dedicated to Struggling & Hurting Moms of Every Walk of Life.
As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
Saturday, June 30, 2007
8 Random Things
I don’t do a lot of memes, but this one sounded like fun and I was just so darned thrilled that Melly tagged me, I couldn’t resist it! *wink*
The rules are simple:
1. You need to know the rules before the game begins.
2. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
Okay, so here are 8 random things that I don’t think I’ve told you girls before:
Off hand, I don’t know of 8 people to tag, so I will leave it open to all of my readers. If you’re reading this and you haven’t done this particular meme, please feel free to do so.
Don’t forget to leave a comment here so that we can all stop by and read ‘8 Random Things’ about you! Have fun! (((hugs)))
Labels: Just for Fun, MeMe
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Struggling + Suffering = Strength
Psalm 5:11-12
11 But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.
12 For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield.
As I’ve mentioned, once or twice, my girl Becki and I have been talking about some deep issues lately. Among them is struggling and suffering. (We have some really good conversations and I don’t know about her, but I always learn a lot and walk away thinking!) *wink*
I have a lot of friends that are constantly struggling, constantly suffering through one ordeal or another and they just can’t seem to see the light. (This isn’t to say that my family and I don’t endure our share of burdens, but it seems like we get a break now and again.) Then, on the other hand, I have friends who never seem to struggle, life is good, family is good, finances are good, work is good, etc. One might ask why this happens. Why do honest-to-goodness, God fearing Christians seem to struggle every day while others appear to be skating down easy street?
Honestly, I have no idea why one person seems to deal with more than the other. But I truly do not believe that God wishes for us to constantly struggle and suffer – even here on Earth. He wishes for his children to be happy and blessed with His favor so that we can effectively sing His praises and minister to others. Who is going to want what we have if we are miserable all the time?
In contrast, He did NOT promise us a ‘peaches & cream’ existence on this is Earth! He did NOT promise that life would be easy - it is ruled by the enemy and will obviously be full of trials and heartache. But He DID promise to bring us through whatever we face if we choose to believe in Him and fully rely on Him!
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. I Peter 4:19
If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us. II Timothy 2:12
So, perhaps, my conclusion is this… We cannot possibly change the world we live in or reduce the number of times or ways the enemy attacks us. We CAN live by God’s word, trust in it and choose to be beautiful, happy Christians full of light to share with others! The key to this new way of thinking is to fully rely on God and His promises and to immerse ourselves in His word!
This whole concept is something that rests very heavy on my heart and soul. It is something that I have been personally developing for about 5 years now. I was one of those people that always claimed, “If it weren’t for bad luck…I’d have not luck at all!” (Gloom, despair, and agony on me!) Sorry - “Hee Haw” flashback there! *wink*
Seriously, one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned, was to change my thinking, change my perspective and quit relying on ‘luck’, but rather, to rely on God, His word and His wonderful promises!
Basically, here are some of the conclusions I’ve come to:
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. Philippians 1:6
[And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain. I Timothy 6:6
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16
2 That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. II Timothy 2:1
Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord! Psalm 31:24
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Romans 12:10-11
So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:16
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,
13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.
14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:10-14
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10
Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. II Timothy 2:7
Labels: Strength, Way of Thinking
Monday, June 25, 2007
Let Your Light Shine
Last week, my girl Becki and I were discussing some things. (And by the way, I just want to publicly say what a wonderful friend, listener and encouragement she’s been to me lately! Thank you sweetie – you rock!) In particular, we were talking about relationships, witnessing to others and spreading God’s Word, when finally, she simply says to me, “just let your light shine through”. How simple – right?
1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,
2 as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. I Peter 3:1-4
Yeah, I realize that this refers to wives in particular, and no, I’m not getting at anything…but I think it is sound advice for anyone – especially single moms thrown back out into the dating world of today.
For some of us, we’ve been Christians a long time and it all comes through very naturally, no matter what the social circumstances.
For others of us, we became dedicated Christians during a ‘down time’ (in an incubator of sorts) when we were only concerned with ourselves and our children. We didn’t have to deal with the mindset of a boyfriend, fiancé, spouse, or any other type of significant other.
But now, all of the sudden we find that we are not only faced with the difficulties of dating in general, but we are inundated by the effects of the sinful world we live in. Betrayal, lies, deceit, and lust are commonplace.
Love doesn’t always discern. We may fall in love with someone that believes differently or follows a different doctrine, or worst case scenario, he may not believe at all.
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? II Corinthians 6:14
What do we do?
The last thing you want to do is to give in to lust and fleshly desires - even if it feels right. You can’t let persuasion or intimidation control your decisions. You also can’t be so afraid of being alone that you will do anything (including betray God) to “keep a man”!
I can tell you this, someone who really loves you and respects you, will be considerate of your morals, ideals, principles, opinions, habits, idiosyncrasies, AND your beliefs and faith! When they choose to be a part of your life, they must realize that your children, your home, your work, your family, your friends and most importantly, your God were there first!
This may sound a little brutal, but my honest opinion is this - - God first! Everything else that we are blessed with in this life is simply the ‘cherry on top’ (so to speak). You wouldn’t have your children, home, job, family, friends or any man if weren’t for the grace of God. Your eternal life depends on your comprehension of that!
There will always be someone in your life, children, family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc., that relies on your ‘light’ for direction. As single Moms, hopefully we will all find someone very special to spend the rest of our lives with, but in the meantime, we will come in contact with many people, struggling people, and they won’t always be Christians, they may not even be believers! We should recognize this as one more way to spread the good news of God’s promises!
I Peter 3:4 says: but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. In other words, “let your light shine through” – in every situation!!!
Labels: Choices, Friendship, Godliness, Righteousness, Way of Thinking
Saturday, June 23, 2007
My Best Friend
There are some times, some instances when I end up feeling so very alone. It’s the craziest thing too. I have my mom and kids, I’ve got some rockin’ girlfriends and I even have a boyfriend these days. But the fact remains, that sometimes, I still feel very alone, very misunderstood and very sad.
Things happen in our lives and we find it very hard to discuss them with anyone. Sometimes, even if we can talk with people we are close to, they just don’t seem to understand or care. Most of the time, we can’t tell everyone, everything.
Right now, I’m going through something very confusing, very frustrating and very painful.
Thank goodness, that no matter what impressions people have, what conclusions they draw or what their intentions are, we always have one true friend in God. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He alone, knows the desires of our hearts and the dreams of our minds.
In Hebrews 13:5, the Lord says, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
When we are facing something difficult, the turning points in life or relationships, He alone can guide us. We must pray to Him with our whole heart for His will to be done and then completely trust in Him - even if we don’t necessarily understand.
“And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11
For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
As human beings, I think we all too often seek the approval of other humans. We want people to like us, love us and understand us. But that isn’t always the case. People don’t always have the ability to forgive or forget the past and sometimes that can ruin something good.
I encourage you gals to always remember who your one TRUE best friend is. Always go to Him. Share your excitement, discouragement, frustration, concerns, fears – everything. Whatever it is He will always listen, always care and best of all, He can always bring good from any situation if we let Him.
Labels: Way of Thinking
Monday, June 18, 2007
Pursue Wisdom
It is SO important that we don’t become complacent with our religion, but rather, to continually seek the knowledge that God has provided for us in His Word.
The Word provides answers to questions and challenges. You are sure to find guidance and inspiration in every area of life.
When you truly read and study the Word of God, with an open heart and mind, you will better understand God, His promises, His expectations, and you will know His will for yourself.
The contentment, joy, peace and comfort you will find is unmatchable. You will truly know what God expects from you on a daily basis.
The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security (Proverbs 2:1-22)
1 My son, if you will receive my words, And treasure my commandments within you,
2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding;
3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, And discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice, And equity and every good course.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart, And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things;
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness, To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who delight in doing evil, And rejoice in the perversity of evil;
15 Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways;
16 To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words;
17 That leaves the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God;
18 For her house sinks down to death, And her tracks lead to the dead;
19 None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life.
20 So you will walk in the way of good men, And keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land, And the blameless will remain in it;
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land, And the treacherous will be uprooted from it.
Labels: Way of Thinking, Wisdom
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Armor of God: Salvation & the Spirit
The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:17)
17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Helmet:
Helmets are so important in a lot of activities. Bicycling, skateboarding, roller skating/blading, climbing, motorcycling…actually, if you think about it, a lot of those activities ‘get’ you somewhere. Kind of coincidental?
You wear a helmet when you are ‘moving’, ‘going somewhere’ – wouldn’t it make sense to wear the ‘HELMET OF SALVATION’ when you are moving along in life – ‘going somewhere’? The enemy is going to attempt to stop this and throw out roadblocks and obstacles. (Did you ever watch that movie “Big Daddy” with Adam Sandler, where he throws sticks into the trail to make the roller bladders crash?)
We know that there will be trials and tribulations, we know that there will be debris in our path and obstacles to overcome - we want to protect our head/brain and not become injured!
Sword:
”The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” – that actually gives me cold chills! The sword, the ‘weapon’ or ‘protection’ IS the Word of God! No words could be more honest, true and powerful!
When you protect yourself with the Word, with the knowledge and the power, nothing can really harm you! Sure, there will be attempts, but when you truly know the power and promises of our God, no weapon formed against you will prosper!
No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 54:17
II Corinthians 6:1-18
1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 for He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
13 Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
Labels: Armor of God, Courageous, Salvation, Way of Thinking
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Armor of God: The Shield of Faith
The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:16)
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Shield:
Faith:
In other words if we carry our shield of faith, believing in God and His promises, we are well able to extinguish the “flaming arrows of the evil one”!
What a promise!
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:3
God doesn’t tell us that the “arrows” or trials won’t come, but He promises to equip us with the armor that will protect us from them. We have to believe in Him, His word and His promises!
Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I Timothy 6:12
He also promises that if we persevere and endure the trials, holding tight to the Word of God, wielding our shield of faith, He will bring us through it “perfect and complete”, “lacking in NOTHING”! Praise God!
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5
Labels: Armor of God, Faith, Perseverance, Way of Thinking
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
The Armor of God: The Gospel of Peace
The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:15)
15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
Shod:
Peace:
Freedom from strife or dissension…freedom of the mind…tranquility…serenity…
That is music to Momma’s ears! This peace thing sounds like an awesome thing. Where on Earth can we get some of that?
Unfortunately, the answer to that one is nowhere!
True peace, deep down, honest-to-goodness PEACE is something only available through the blood of Jesus Christ!
Only when we truly give our spirit, mind, heart and body up to God can we experience this indescribable peace, joy and love that God has promised to us.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Galatians 5:22
The fruit of the spirit IS love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. When you truly (and I can’t express this enough), TRULY repent of your sins, with complete and sincere submission, you will know the fruit of the spirit. There will be no doubt in your mind that you are destined for heaven and that you have a precious relationship with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You will find yourself at prayer all the time. You will have a true relationship with Him like no other that you can imagine! You will feel His love deep down inside.
I tried living, getting by, whatever you want to call it, many, many ways. I shrugged God off for the better part of my life. A few years ago, when I found out that I was pregnant with my 2nd son, I knew that it was time. No more wandering or floundering around taking everything He’d given me for granted. IT WAS TIME!
I have never regretted one single moment. Sure, I don’t drink myself to oblivion anymore, gamble away my pay check or spend my time with people that only took what they needed from me - it is a worthy sacrifice!
I DO spend my time with my family, I drink Pepsi, Iced Tea and occasionally force myself to drink water (it’s healthy you know), I DO pay my bills, I DO take pride in myself and feel fantastic about who I am and what the Lord is doing in and with my life! So many changes have taken place and my life has become so full of excitement, satisfaction, accomplishment, love, joy and PEACE!!! I have been heard saying “Holy Cow!!!!!” quite often lately! These are things that can only be explained by the divine and supernatural favor and blessings of my Father!
Sisters, I won’t sit here and claim that it is all peaches and cream 24/7! I’d be lying through my teeth! There are tests and trials! BUT…listen closely…you are not alone anymore! You have your Heavenly Father right there beside you. Closer than any friend! He is with you always, everywhere, every time! He promises to get you through each and every struggle! He promises PEACE!
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Labels: Armor of God, Peace, Righteousness
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Armor of God: Truth & Righteousness
The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:14)
14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The first ‘pieces’ of “The Armor of God” consist of ‘having girded your loins with truth’ and ‘the breastplate of righteousness’ …
Gird:
Loins:
Wow, the loins are regarded as the seat of physical strength! Wouldn’t it make sense to protect this area with TRUTH?
Well, there is so much junk in the world, how on Earth can we sort through it all and find the truth?
The Word!
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29 Yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34
Everything you will ever need to know, every answer you’ve ever sought, is found in the Word of God.
He knew what this world would come to. He knew how confused and tempted His children would become. That is why He left us the Bible as a handbook for life!
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
5 Does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6 Does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love DOES NOT rejoice in unrighteousness, but with the TRUTH.
The unconditional love of God caused Him to allow His only son to die for our sins, to pay the ultimate sacrifice so that we wouldn’t have to.
All He asks in return is for repentance of sins, for our love and that we follow Him with all of our heart, mind, body and soul.
When you gird your loins with truth and protect your chest with the breastplate of righteousness, you are well equipped and well able!
9 That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED Romans 10:9-11
Labels: Armor of God, Righteousness, Way of Thinking
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Armor of God
Sometimes, the weight of the world can be very overwhelming. There seem to be constant struggles and obstacles. There’s always something to worry about.
Thing is, as we learn to fully rely on the strength and protection of the Lord, as we learn to trust His plan, His timing, His wisdom and His love, we will be better equipped to live happier, healthier, more joyful and peaceful lives.
I have been learning this lesson for a very long time. I am one of the most impatient, paranoid, speculative people you will meet. In fact, I remember my mom coming home from 6th grade parent conference. The teacher told her that although Christina was an excellent student, she worried more than any other 6th grader he had ever met.
Over the years, my heavenly Father has been teaching me to be a bit different. Although I am still struggling with these things, I’ve learned to catch myself. When I feel the anxiety hit, I just stop and pray. I give it up to God and quit with the worry. I know, deep in my soul, beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will take care of whatever it is. I know that He cares more about my family and me than I can even grasp. He will bring to pass the best scenario possible!
When we look to the Word for guidance, we see that there is something called “The Armor of God”. Obviously, this is spiritual armor, but as you can see, our Almighty Father has all the bases covered.
As time and circumstances allow this week, I’d like to explore each part of the armor. I think it is so important to fully understand the protection that God has to offer – if we’ll only let Him!
The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-24)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
Labels: Adversity, Anxiety, Armor of God, Diligence, Perseverance, Positive Thinking, Strength, Way of Thinking
Friday, June 8, 2007
I’m Famous!
A huge THANK YOU to Susan over at 5 minutes for mom for giving me “5 Minutes” of fame!!!
Be sure to check out a new site that Susan and her sister Janice have put together: Caboose Trailer Bike
Labels: Blessings
Monday, June 4, 2007
Me, Myself and God
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. I Timothy 6:6
As a new Christian, I’ve learned a lot of very important lessons. One of them has been to be happy with myself, to be content with who I am and where I am and to enjoy spending time with “me”!
I know so many people that can’t stand to be alone - they aren’t alone without being lonely. They constantly crave the company and attention of other people or being in public places.
Not me! No way! When I finally get a few moments to myself, I immerse myself in the tranquility and serenity of being ALONE! This is something that God has taught me and it has been an invaluable lesson to learn.
I can remember when my husband and I first separated. My son would go on visitation with him and it drove me crazy to sit here alone. I was needy and dependant on other people for everything. I had to get on the phone, get out with friends – anything! The only thing that mattered was that I was NOT alone!
So many people are like this. I see guys and gals who would spend their time on people and relationships that are obviously going nowhere or are even lethal. They impose themselves on others and all around are just lost and lonely. I want so badly to tell them to find God and find themselves! It’s the best thing you can do for yourself. I have so much newfound contentment in who I am in Christ. I truly enjoy spending time in the Word and cultivating the new me. It has been the most significant makeover I will ever experience!
As single moms, I think it weighs heavy on us as to whether or not we will find someone else to share our lives with. A lot of us may even obsess over it. –I used to.
21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand.
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. Proverbs 19:21 & 23
Once I found my way back to the Lord and spent my time and efforts on growing closer to Him and learning more about who He wanted me to be, who He expected me to be, I realized that I could relax and trust Him with the details. I enjoy myself, my life, my kids and all of the other blessings that God has so graciously bestowed upon me. Now, I am more independent and I am better able to truly trust God with the fate of my “love life”!
10 “He opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they return from evil.
11 “If they hear and serve Him, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures.
12 “But if they do not hear, they shall perish by the sword and they will die without knowledge. Job 36:10-12
I often joke that if it is God’s will for me to meet someone or even to remarry, that He will drop this man from the heavens right into my lap. Gone is the day that I am in search of this person or longing for his arrival. I now know, deep in my heart that God can handle this. He has a perfect plan for my life and it is up to me to trust Him with it. That may even mean that I spend the rest of my life alone. That is okay too! Life on this Earth is very short it is also very corrupt and distracting. We have to focus ourselves on the bigger picture and live our lives accordingly. Live as the Word of God instructs us to. Live for what you have and be appreciative of your blessings. Don’t spend your life aching, needing, searching and longing for the things and people that you don’t have!
Labels: Blessings, Choices, Lonliness, Trust, Way of Thinking
Friday, June 1, 2007
A Balancing Act
Something was mentioned in an e-mail the other day that got me thinking about balance…
So many of us are out of balance – what can we do? Is it possible to balance ALL of our responsibilities?
I am so out of balance right now. Not enough sleep, not enough to eat, not enough ‘me’ time, and surely not enough ‘God’ time.
I’ve got a teen that seems to think staying put is a crime, because he is on the move constantly. I’ve got a pre-schooler that has a selective hearing disorder. Business is just slow enough to cause financial strain while gaining just enough momentum to create havoc. My father fell and hurt himself which requires me to help him out and run him to various doctor and orthopedic appointments. Youth group has begun at church and requires my attention, as do some redecorating issues. We’re still looking for a house and trying to sell another piece of property. It’s that season when grass must be mowed and vehicles need washed and vacuumed. Most frustrating of all, my neighbors will never learn to park, but continue to buy countless vehicles!!! Oh the joys! Oh, and did I mention…I just might start dating again…yup…you heard that one right! (Could it be? Has the cynical, bitter, ex-wife found herself a man? We shall see! *wink*)
There are so many issues, worries, obligations and responsibilities pulling on me right now and I know that it is a time to prune! I must, must, must prune away the responsibilities and obligations that are fruitless (so to speak). Someone I love and respect very much talks a lot about this. (Feel free to visit her at Small Business Moms’ Blog “…for tips, resources and encouragement...especially for newer work at home moms that wish to run their business from a biblical perspective…”)
Anyway, I won’t get into the particulars, but the point is this, we must balance our lives. None of the things I’ve mentioned can be allowed to overcome or overwhelm us. When things are out of whack or out of balance, that creates frustration, exhaustion and many other ‘gaps’ for the enemy. When we are tired or hungry, lonely, harboring hurt feelings, all of these instances create vulnerability and allow the enemy to brutally attack us.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
If a branch is not bearing fruit – it is taken away. I always have a very hard time with this. I feel like I need to be everywhere I can, doing everything I can to glorify God. It isn’t necessarily working out that way. I thought that even if I wasn’t gaining anything that it was my responsibility to ‘give’. The thing is, the vine is fruitless.
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:11
“…so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Not ‘sort of’ or ‘kind of’ or ‘somewhat’ – but FULL!
We are all just roaming around aimlessly, bogged down by all these wayward, crazy branches. The other branches are trying to produce fruit, but desperately need pruned back so that they can grow healthier and fuller!
Limit yourselves sisters! As Moms, we are all so used to doing everything ourselves. We fix everything and nurture everything. But the fact remains that we are human and can only do so much – even with God’s help. Quit trying to be everything to everyone! Instead, balance, prune and be FULL of His joy!
Labels: Anxiety, Choices, Restoration, Way of Thinking
