O, Martha, Martha, where is your Mary heart? O, Martha, Martha, would you seek to have a Mary heart? My husband has whispered to me at different times in different seasons. I reflect on years gone by and all the many Christmases through the years. And quickly my mind is brought to the thought that it’s all going to be an avalanche of emotion for any number of us… all the Christmas wouldda, couldda, shouldda’s will bury us in anxiousness, disappointment, frustration, regret and, if we’re not careful, resentment — unless we determine to be rested in the fact that…
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I hope you’ll take time to listen to the following video clips — a three part series, foundational to both marriage and Christianity… about a God who is passionate and full of life. And the Bible: the greatest love story ever written… God created marriage and He is passionate… Unless we have this life and this passion, we’re not an accurate reflection of our God who created these emotions and marriage and romance and love. Sometimes we see Jesus as a great Saviour, but do we see Him as a great role model? Regarding your marriage… Francis Chan says, “…It’s…
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Hey… how’s your day going? Anybody ask you that yet today? What’s going on in the theater of your mind today? I hope you’ll be encouraged on many levels today. I can’t pinpoint the thing that drew me to remembering this today — to humming this song (The “Sunscreen” song… a piece attributed to Baz Luhrman that he used by permission, originally written by Mary Schmich). If it’s too loud, turn down your speakers… the intent here is not to blare some rappy tune but I hope a few of these life-experience tidbits of advice might be of some encouragement…
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I’ve been working through a workbook to a book I read a number of years ago — Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s Lies Women Believe and now, the corresponding workbook. I’ll be writing more on this. So, I’ve been rereading some things I read years ago and marveled that I’m still dealing with several of the same struggles. Interestingly, it’s part of what’s gotten me to work on habits, thought patterns and more. I’d been wanting to work through/eliminate the struggles, but it’s always too daunting to revisit painful areas of life or, realizing how little progress I’ve made and the why’s…
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It’s sure hard to change habits, isn’t it?!?! Habits are so engrained in us that sometimes probably often times we think we’re never ever going to change — our flesh is selfish!! We often think maybe we just need more will power or more self control. Have you thought this, too? I sure have… I’ve thought that after all this time, I sure ought to be____________, or I sure ought to have done__________; but I’m not and/or I haven’t. I know I have desire, I have ability, I have resources… and then I think on “will-power” – you know, the…
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For the month of October (and surely, I pray, beyond) I’m determined to love every day. Now, that could read: I’m determined to love every day or I’m determined to love every day. I’m conscious of this double meaning or double intent and, therefore, have decided to aim to graciously pass through/live in/focus on living each day of this month on purpose. I had come across an article, then a book and then a radio program (surely not be accident — and by the third time I could see this) keying in on the phrase: Love is a choice. For…
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You know that… you know it’s a new day and whether you’ve faced it with dread or with joy, the truth is that today’s a new day. Dear sister, dear friend, dear mama… today’s a new day and if you’re in the valley today, it’s been my prayer as I’ve prepared to write this note, that *you* will rest in the Lord today. No matter how the devil hounds us, especially in the valleys, we must determine today to quit looking for a way out of the valley or a way we could have, should have, would have done something…
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I’ve entitled today’s post: Be ♥ Ready because I think we often forget that that’s a calling we have — as believers, as mothers, as family to: be ready! The Lord has given us different mandates to be ready… to make ourselves ready. Readiness will bring gladness and rejoicing! “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” –Revelation 19.7 And though, we may not know when that day will come, we do know that it will come. We are commanded: “Be ye…
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If, in addition to my Bible, I could keep only one of my devotional books, I think A Diary of Private Prayer (John Baillie) would likely be the one I would keep. Through the years, this little volume has blessed me immensely, encouraged me tremendously, and has carried my thoughts to the Lord continually as each of the thirty-one morning and evening readings have seemed to me to be inspired each time by the Lord and has been used of Him to remind me of commitments dear to me. As life seems to move more swiftly than ever before and…
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I mull over this phrase from time to time as I consider the many opportunities I’ve had, the many opportunities I’ve botched and the many opportunities I’ve either missed or passed up through the years. The missed and passed up opportunities have probably hounded me as much or more than the opportunities I’ve botched. Usually, but not always, I’ve had or take a second opportunity to repair or at least attempt to make up for that botched opportunity and usually (but not always) things have turned out okay. But still, it’s those occasions I missed or passed up — those…