In Other Words for Valentine's Day 2012

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
New International Version (NIV)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.


Love.

It can be a noun, as in
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, asfor a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person;sweetheart.

And it can be a verb
5. to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.
6. to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).
7. to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.
8. to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.
9. to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.
10.to have love or affection for another person; be in love.

But the worldly "love" of today doesn’t take into account the Biblical standards for LOVE. Infidelity and divorce rates are at an all time high, even among Christians...or those who believe themselves to be. The world has subscribed to the Nike philosophy "Just do it".

"If it feels good, do it"
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"
"Look out for number one"

And so forth and so on, are the mantras of today. To the world it's all about hedonism and taking care of yourself first instead of taking care of the one you chose to cleave to.

It's not easy these days in the hustle and bustle of the RUSH and technology laden crowd to be PATIENT with people. Our expectations have been sorely distorted. Technology is supposed to make our lives "easier", but in reality, it has only made our lives busier with less time and attention for the relationships that are supposed to matter.

In losing that patience for those we love, for paying attention to other things instead of our relationships, we tend to be less KIND. Our words can be harsher instead of soft and gracious when we are frustrated by our loved ones actions. We can say cutting words when we are upset instead of gently explaining why we are having a tough day. We need to check our words and our actions when we are having a bad day and season them with grace instead of griping.

When we love someone we are not to be ENVIOUS, meaning, we are not to be jealous. If you have a relationship grounded in God and in trust, there is no reason to be jealous. In past relationships, I admit, we were not grounded in God and therefore there was not complete trust and over time the relationships deteriorated due to the breaking of that bond between us. Thankfully, I have a man in my life who believes that a cord of three strands is not easily broken and knows that doing things GOD'S way will only make our relationship stronger and bring God's blessings to it.

I often tease my boyfriend that I don't get dressed up to go out for him because he thinks I look better without the makeup and the fancy hair, I get dressed up to show the other women out there that they don't stand a chance with my man. Let's be honest. There are women out there who see a man they're interested in and will go after them, no matter what...unless they see that the relationship is strong and not going to be worth their time. I call the makeup and hair my "war paint", but in reality, the loving glances, affection and laughter between my boyfriend and I do more to keep those wolves at bay than anything else.

The envy and jealousy goes both ways though. Don't seek to make your significant other jealous of other people. It only brings strife and harm to the relationship in the end and creates the opposite effect of what you were looking for.

Hand in hand with the envy and jealousy is the BOASTing and PRIDE. One of the most famous sayings is "pride goeth before a fall". For the same reason you don't seek to make your loved one jealous, you don't boast to others about the perfect relationship you have and give all the details. People will want what you have and will try and take it from you. Create within that relationship a safe haven where you find comfort and peace after a tough, wearying day. A place where they will feel safe in knowing that what the two of you have is sacred and isn't broadcast for the world to hear.

When you love someone you do not DISHONOR them by airing their faults or by talking down about them or to them. You do not flirt with others, doesn't matter if your loved one is there or not. That is going outside the bounds of a Godly relationship and sows seeds of disharmony and allows the third party to think that they just might have a chance with you, even if they don't. It creates that "what if" scenario..."man, I'm having such a great time with so-and-so...what if I were single?" That is huge, to me anyway, in the area of dishonoring your partner and your relationship.

These days, we tend to think of ourselves first instead of putting others in front of us. We've conditioned ourself to "look out for number one" and be SELF-SEEKING. "What can YOU do for ME" becomes the mindset instead of "What can I do for YOU". In work and at home that is my theme...what can I do for YOU?...and I do it without regard for them "doing" in return for me. After all, that is not what love is about. Love is about putting the other person first. The Bible says, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Trust me, it makes things so much easier in the give and take of a relationship.

Love does not get ANGRY at the slightest misstep or error. Yes, people will say or do things in error, many times unintentionally, without thinking. Grace...always grace. There have been times where my boyfriend has said some things that I was kind of hurt or offended by, but, being that I am the first real relationship he's had in about ten years, I realized that he was speaking out of inexperience. That allowed me to put the brakes on my tongue and gently explain my view of the situation, which, in turn, defered what would have been an inevitable fight. All because I would have taken affront in error to something that was said out of lack of understanding.

Alongside the anger is the issue of KEEPING A RECORD OF WRONGS. If it happened in the past and has been apologized for...leave it in the past. How simple is that? So many friends that I have have told me that their spouses or significant others have fought dirty by bringing up their past. Some have been things that they did even before they met their loved one or things that they did when they first started dating their loved one, etc., things that are not fair bringing up in the present because they have changed the and are no longer that person. God fogives us our transgressions as far as the East is from the West, who are we to do less for those who have asked our forgiveness and have changed? It's dirty pool to bring up the past when the past is...the past.

Love should not DELIGHT IN EVIL, it shouldn't want to do the wrong things. If you love someone you are TRUTHful and honest with them. You want the best for them. You want them to be happy. You want the relationship to last forever. Well, let me tell you, that doesn't happen overnight. Anything worth having is worth working hard for. Right? Love will not be smooth sailing. You will not always be in love with your significant other or your spouse. Chuck Swindoll has a brilliant quote about marriage. A successful marriage involves falling in love many times...but always with the same person.

There WILL be hard times.

There WILL be hurts.

There WILL be times when you just want to throw in the towel and walk away because y'all just can't see eye to eye.

Yes, to all that and more...BUT...

Love ALWAYS PROTECTS...hold your vows, your relationship as sacred. Protect it from outside influences. Protect it from the wolves trying to tear it apart. Protect it from your own angers and misunderstandings.

Love ALWAYS TRUSTS...believe the best about your partner. Trust that their actions are truthful and honest. Trust in God's plan for your relationship and especially TRUST in GOD, that He is faithful and true. Remember, a cord of THREE strands is not easily broken. Keep God at the center of your relationship and you will weather the storms of life much, much better.

Love ALWAYS HOPES...instead of losing that hope when things don't look so good, keep your faith that God knows what He's doing. “Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, to those who still love even though they've been hurt before.” To still have hope means that we haven't given up through the trenches and valleys and will be rewarded with the views from the peaks.

Love ALWAYS PERSEVERES...To quote Winston Churchill...Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up! Love goes the extra mile...love gives you the strength to endure what you never thought you could. Love allows you to see your significant other through God's eyes and not through the weary, materialistic, world-viewed eyes that has been shoved in our direction and fed to us day in and day out.

On this Valentine's Day, I pray that you get to see your loved ones through God's eyes and that you see that same vision reflected in their eyes back to you.

The greatest of these is LOVE...

To view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Heart Choices.

In Other Words for November 30

This week's quote:
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way”.
~ C.S. Lewis
Which one are you?

Honestly, I've been both. I've struggled to be the person who says "Thy will be done". I WANT to be that person. I yearn to be able to just turn everything over to God without hesitation or reservation, without conditions or stipulations.

In reality I find myself saying, "Ok, God, but only if..." or "Thy will be done, Lord, as long as it's..." and I've clung so tightly to the problem I've been trying to hand over to God, like a kid with a piece of candy that's fallen in the dirt, but they still don't want to give it up. How pleasing is that to God? It's like I'm telling Him, "Ok, God, I'm going to let You have this...welllll, maybe not...ummmm, I know I can't handle this on my own and I need Your help, but I don't trust You to do what's best for me – or at least what I think is best for me."

I have to laugh at that! Not trusting God to give us what WE think is best for us...how arrogant and ungrateful is that? God wants nothing more than to give us THE best – HIS best, but we so often spit in His eye and turn our backs like a petulant little child, so He often gives us what we want at that moment in order to teach us a lesson.

We find out sooner or later that what we thought we wanted is the worst thing for us. It turns out to be like a child getting a bad stomach ache after eating too much candy. We wail and moan and cry out in agony, "WHY did You let this happen, God?" and then we're reminded that it's because it's what WE wanted, and suddenly what WE wanted isn't so sweet any more. Often times, God gives us what we WANT in order to see that it's nowhere near what we need.

God teaches us through our hubris and folly and selfish desires that what WE want is not always what is best for us, especially if it falls outside of the realm of God's blessings and the path that God has set before us. Stray just a little and get caught in the powerful snares, brambles and sticker patches of the not so pleasant aspects of the world. You think that you can find something else outside of God to fulfill you and that just isn't the case. It's far from the case, in fact. You usually end up hollow, empty, looking for purpose and meaning and wondering where the life is that you wanted and how you can feel successful, be successful, have everything you thought you wanted and still end up being the most unfulfilled you have ever been.

I've been on the receiving end of "All right, then, have it your way" far too often and I found out that I don't like to be there. It's never what I thought it would be, kind of a letdown really. A major letdown.

So why go looking for a "letdown" when you can have everything amazing that God wants to give to you?

All you have to do is just say "Thy will be done" to God and MEAN it! No half measures. No "ifs, ands or buts" when it comes to God. Just let go...and let God take care of it all.

Thy will be done, Lord...

I'm trying...

I still have a ways to go, but I'm working hard to get there.

THY will, Lord...NOT my will...

To view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Esthermay @ The Heart of a Pastor's Wife.

In Other Words for June 22

It's been a few weeks since I've done one of these, but I'm back! Good early morning everyone!


 
“One of Eve’s biggest mistakes was she stopped and started to think about what Satan was saying and it made sense to her. Not everything God tells us makes sense but that’s where faith comes in. We need to learn to be lead by our hearts and not our heads.”
by Joyce Meyers
How many times have you felt God's leading to do something and you hesitate because it just doesn't make sense and you can't understand for the life of you why God would tell you to do that? How many times have you listened to the "other" voice in your head whispering with craft and cunning something that sounds sooooo right, even though it seems a little off? I for sure have. And I'll tell you that story as it is part of my testimony.

Back when I was in my mid-20's I was, let's face it, a party girl. I had accepted Christ at an early age and was very strong in my faith, but once I hit public school in 10th grade, I started drifting away. Seeking the approval of my peers rather than walking the path that God had set before me. I enjoyed the attention, enjoyed the acceptance, reveled in the popularity. Oh, I still had a fairly naïve and innocent, unaffected personality, but I craved the approval of others.

Once I hit my mid-20's I was in a relationship with the guy who would become my first husband and my daughter's father. It was not the most stable relationship but it was one that I was determined to have. Did you notice that? "That I was determined to have" . . . not the relationship that God had in mind for me. We had moved in together and as things started to go sour, my life also started to sour and I just couldn't find the meaning in my life I was SURE I was supposed to have.

Slowly, subtly the voice in my mind started whispering that surely there was something "more" out there. Surely there was something I could find that would fill the emptiness I had inside. The more I listened to that "other" voice, the further away from God I found myself, until it was almost like I was running full steam in reverse. I still loved God, but I was disillusioned and felt lonely and like I had no control over my life.

I started searching for things that would make me feel fulfilled as my relationship started deteriorating to the point where we were pretty much broken up but still sharing a bed. My search started leading me to "women's empowerment" and how I was a "goddess", etc. and so forth and so on until I finally landed on the spot in the feminism game called Wicca. For those of you who may not be aware of the term, it is a whitewashed word for witchcraft.

Do you know how much of a struggle it is to have two parts of yourself that are completely at odds fighting for dominance over your mind and body? Notice I didn't say soul because I knew that Jesus had my soul and had for years, but I felt that certainly there must be some sort of way for both parts to co-exist. Of course, there wasn't.

As I got further into the occult I realized that I was progressing at a speed that was vastly different (greatly increased) than other people I knew who were into the same stuff until it scared me so much that I could do these things with ease after just a few weeks or even days of practice that I stopped cold turkey. I threw away the "book of shadows" that I had created for myself and I met with my pastor and divulged to him what I had been involved in. Thankfully, he is a true man of God and faithful to His leadings. After a lengthy discussion and prayer session I came out of there with a different outlook on life and started my own fledgling journey back to the path that God had for me.

Of course, as is usual, that "other" voice crept in again, one more time in a different manner – I guess it had decided that since I could no longer be drawn by witchcraft again that it would try partying once more. After all, that's how it got me back in high school and my mid-20's, and, for a while I followed it again, ignoring the faint voice in the back of my mind that said this is wrong.

Thank God that His love is stronger than any glamour of the devil! When God decides He wants someone He will not give up until He has them. I am stronger in my faith today than I have ever been – with the exception of the absolute faith that I had as a child, and what I would give to have that depth of faith again!

If I had only listened to my heart from the start instead of my head. I've learned that God will always speak through the heart, and only sometimes in our minds. And the voice in our minds is a quiet, still, soft, gentle voice, full of love and perfect peace. Have you heard it?

The wily one, the enemy, the trickster, the devil, Satan will always speak through your head and your negative emotions, because if your heart and soul belong to God, there's no way that Satan can actually touch them. That "other" voice is vastly different. It beguiles, it seduces, it lures and carries with it a sense of "because I owe it to myself". Have you heard that voice?

I've, hopefully, learned the distinction between the two now, believe me, I've had enough practice, and I certainly know which one to listen to. So even when God doesn't seem to make sense in what He is telling us, that doesn't matter because we can and will never go wrong by obeying Him. We may not see now the understanding behind the reason why God wants us to do something, and maybe we will never understand this side of heaven, but rest assured it is all for the glory of God and when God is in our corner and on our side and we are obedient to Him, there is no greater feeling than to know that we are doing what is right and that we are pleasing God.

The One who created us.

The One who watches over us and holds us in His hand.

The One who has prepared a place for us with Him for all eternity.

The One who gives us perfect peace and rest when we abide in Him.

I'd rather have that any day than the faux "feel good" feelings that listening to the "other" voice and doing the wrong thing can produce in the moment but leave behind a lifetime of regret and sorrow once that moment is gone.

For more perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our wonderful hostess this week, Karen @ In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus.

IOW for May 25

I must admit, I got carried away on this one. I just kept writing until I was done. LOL!

“Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small.
The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church,
but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us.
It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives
that will change the church.”
by Francis Chan
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Ah. There it is. Finally. Someone said it.

"Spirit-filled lives".

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. If believers are not following the leading of the Holy Spirit then the inverse of Romans 8:14 applies. Them who are not following the leading of the Holy Spirit are not the sons of God.

Everything these days seems to be a "Purpose Driven" factor. So much so that the Spirit has been taken out of it.

Derek Prince once said, “Anything that drives us is demonic.”

By teaching people to follow the leading of anything other than the Spirit of God, many church services are led by the man-made program. Many charismatic churches are now under the control of the spirit of entertainment. Instead of being Spirit friendly, most churches are “seeker friendly”. They are the ear tickling churches.

The unsaved person has basic control over most churches while the Holy Spirit is hardly even invited to attend. It has become increasingly common in Charismatic Churches for the service to begin without even a word of prayer, and quenching the move of the Spirit for the sake of the schedule is the norm. This shift away from the being Spirit-led to program-led has caused the churches to become full of goats, unbelievers, those who are not the children of God. This opened the door for the devil to begin to drive these churches like a herd of goats.

Thousands of churches across the U.S. have now participated in the 40 Days of Purpose. This program by the author of The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, actually encourages churches to become driven by the motive of numerical growth, rather than obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Just one of the many problems that I have with "Purpose Driven" is that people have been taught that it is PEOPLE who change things. People who move the world. People who change people. People who change the church.

Not true.

Well, ok, actually it is true, but not in the way they want it to be true. When people try and create this grand design and change on their own, without the involvement of the Holy Spirit, the change that they affect is a cheap imitation. It's costume jewelry compared to a rare and precious gem.

Purpose Driven. Your Best Life Now. So forth and so on. It's the illusion of Christianity. God is a kind God. God doesn't want anything bad to happen to you. God wants you to succeed and prosper. Well, again, all true.

But God is a just God. A jealous God. A God that, while He wants to give us HIS best, will not always give us what we want. Instead, He will give us what we need. But, he expects us to follow Him. To obey Him. To live the kind of life He has laid out for us, according to the precepts of His Word. He will not share with the world.

Choose this day whom you will serve. Joshua 24:15 (excerpt)

The problem with these "friendly faiths" is that the need for repentance, the need to acknowledge you're a sinner, the need to realize that you must do more than just believe that there's a Jesus and that He is THE ONLY way to heaven (I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life and NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER APART FROM ME John 14:6), that's all thrown by the wayside.

What "ear tickling" churches promote is a man-centered-felt-needs, find a purpose for your life, God is love and has a wonderful plan for everyone's life theology.

They seek the culture instead of preaching the Gospel. Instead of having a Spirit-filled church filled with individuals indwelt by the Holy Spirit, seeking to tell the others the Truth that there IS a hell and without coming to Christ and acknowledging your sins and need for a Savior, they tell them, "oh, don't worry. With God everything is a-ok."

What about when tough times befall them and they suddenly find themselves thinking, "I don't understand. I was told that if I prayed this prayer that everything would be fine. I wouldn't have any more troubles. I guess I'm not such a good Christian and need to try harder." Or even this, "They lied to me! They told me it would all be just fine. All my problems would disappear. This stuff is nothing but a hoax!"

The Christian who has heard the Gospel and has a Spirit-filled life knows that hard times will come and learns to lean on the promises and provisions of God and trusts God to see them through.

Not so with the "Purpose Driven", "Your Best Life Now" Christians. With them it's more of a "power of positive thinking" personality. "If you think it, God will do it". Wonder how they feel when God says, "No" or "Not Yet", as He has definitely done to me.

Ear tickling churches, such as those, focus on a "man can do it" religion instead of a "God will do as He purposes" relationship.

I doubt very many of them have a "Spirit-filled" life because those churches avoid any mention of "the bad stuff". They avoid the subjects of Repentance, Sin, Guilt, Judgment, Hellfire, and Damnation. There are no words that cross the pulpit like hell, sin, "repent and be saved, sinner". GASP! I said the word "sinner".

Well, face it. We are ALL sinners.

For ALL have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. Romans 3:23

Ear tickling churches don't like to make people feel uncomfortable. Sprit-filled churches WILL make sinners feel uncomfortable. With the ear tickling churches it's about numbers and money and prestige. With the Spirit-filled churches it's about saving souls.

Meanwhile, pastors who have been trained in our seminaries on how to successfully manage the business of the church will take the large crowds as a sign of success. Nevermind the crowd is made up nearly entirely of unbelievers who have no intention of accepting Christ because they're not hearing anything of the Spirit in the sermons at those churches. The deception will be that as long as the money is pouring in to fund the “ministry” the church must be doing something right.

Ear tickling churches may be large and "do their part" to do social justice work (social justice is another term for socialism), but they don't go about doing the work of nourishing a soul, changing a life for Christ, saving a sinner from the fires of hell. No methodology, or level of religious commitment, can substitute for repentance towards God (Acts 20:21)

Salvation is more than a mere prayer, and all the prayer in the world cannot save a person who hasn't repented. Salvation is of God, NOT man. The Biblical Gospel excludes all forms of self-righteousness.

I view the ear tickling churches as the Pharisees of old, standing on a street corner, praying out loud about all the things THEY have done for God so that they receive the praise of man. Oh, look at all the stuff this person has done. They're so "spiritual". They are much like the Pharisees in the story below from Luke 7:36-50.

The Spirit-filled churches are like the unknown woman (not to be confused with Mary washing Jesus' feet in a similar manner in John 12:1-10) in Luke 7:36-50, washing Jesus' feet with her hair and tears and pouring out the precious oil, displaying devoted and affectionate humility to one she loved deeply and sincerely.

It is a love story, pure and simple.

It is also a story of contrasts -- the self-righteous Pharisee vs. a sinful woman, formal hospitality vs. overflowing love, self-worth through righteous living vs. self-worth through forgiveness.

The woman inwardly, she is broken and bleeding. Her spirit is wounded. But the sinful woman has heard of Jesus. She has probably heard his teaching. She has heard his gracious words of God's love and forgiveness and healing and restoration. She has heard him speak of his Father's Kingdom in words so plain and compelling that she can see herself as a child of God once more, a full citizen in this Kingdom of Love. Yes, she is still broken, but now she can see light and hope beyond.

THIS is what the Spirit instills inside each and every one of us who live a Spirit-filled life.

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:47

The Spirit-filled person has realized the need to repent of ALL of their sins and because they have been forgiven much, the love much and delight in showing that love of God to others. They have a burden, given by the Spirit, to gather the Harvest, to find the lost, to minister to them out of love, out of compassion, out of concern for their eternity because God, through Jesus, has saved them from that same eternity apart from God in the tormenting fires of hell, and therefore, we want to lead others from that same fate. That is what the Spirit-filled individual does.

When we have more Spirit-filled individuals changing the churches for Glory of God, instead of for the praise of man, then they can truly change the world for the better because they are changing it for Christ and doing it in the manner and for the reason of the love shown by the sinful woman of Luke 7.

By the way, if you have never heard Jonathan Edwards' famous sermon – perhaps the most famous sermon ever given since the time of Jesus – you are missing out. Edwards was on FIRE and filled with a zeal and passion for saving souls. His burden given to him by the indwelled Spirit. That sermon, given by a Spirit-filled man, changed the lives of countless tens of thousands, who then went out and changed the world. You can read it here.

For more perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our wonderful hostess this week, Tami @ The Next Step.

In Other Words for May 11

"A sentence from Psalm 101 has been both challenging and convicting for me: 'I will walk in my house with blameless heart' (Psalm 101:2, NIV). When God speaks to me about being more loving, this verse reminds me to make application in my family first -- and then to others. It forces me to ask, 'Am I more spiritual, more loving, or more fun somewhere else? Who gets my best -- my family or others?"
~Jean Fleming
from "A Mother's Heart: A Look at Values, vision and Character for the Christian Mother"
I don't know if I can get the same thought from that verse, in all honesty. When I read Psalm 101 in its full context I receive a much different interpretation of that sentence. And while I know this is supposed to be from the quote, I can't help but read the chapter and come up with something entirely different, but perhaps, in a more expanded view along a similar line.

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
when will you come to me?
I will walk in my house
with blameless heart.
3 I will set before my eyes
no vile thing.
The deeds of faithless men I hate;
they will not cling to me.
4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with evil.
5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
him will I not endure.
6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.
8 Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the LORD.

So, my interpretation is this:

1 I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.
I will rejoice, God, in Your love and in Your righteousness. I will praise You because you are always fair, always just and never with malice or unfairness – even though we cannot understand at the time.

2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—
when will you come to me?
I will walk in my house
with blameless heart.

I will do my very best to live a life where nobody can blame me for wrong doing, for behaving apart from what Your commands are. I will try my very hardest, with Your help, to not carry in my house anything that could cause strife or anger or hurt to the relationships of spouse to spouse and mother to children. I will try my very best to be a Proverbs 31 woman , not only in my house, but outside of it so that I can bring honor to my house. Will You be there, where I can feel You when I need help with this? Will I be able to know You are with me?

3 I will set before my eyes
no vile thing.
The deeds of faithless men I hate;
they will not cling to me.

I will not look at anything or allow anything to settle into my mind that might bring discord or dishonor to my life, my family, my relationships or my walk. I will not abide by the actions of the hypocrites who claim one thing but do another. I will not follow in their footsteps nor will I allow them to attach themselves to me.

4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with evil.

People who deliberately do wrong, who constantly exhibit a lifestyle with which I am not comfortable being around, people who look to the profane and the wicked and let it run their life, I will turn from them, I will not allow them to color my life, my outlook or my world as it is so contrary to what I should be exhibiting when I follow Your leadings.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
him will I not endure.

When someone speaks unjustly about someone else and backstabs I will not stand for it. When someone is two-faced, I will not partake of the same for who can trust one who talks bad about others but is sweet as honey to their face? Whoever is greedy, vain, arrogant, proud, elevates themselves above others, treats others as beneath them, I will not spend even an ounce of time around them for that behavior is wrong and it is behavior that You hate.

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.

I will keep those who keep Your word and commandments, those who truly love You with all their heart, in my company, for they are few and far between these days. I will seek them out so that I may fellowship with them. Those who are walking rightly and who are walking on Your path and keeping their eyes on You I will look to them to shepherd me, counsel me, comfort me, advise me.

7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.

I will not allow false people to stay in my house. I will not allow liars, cheaters or those who seek personal gain through manipulating the goodwill of others to be part of my household or friends. I abhor lying as You do, so therefore I will not allow anyone who cannot be trusted to tell the truth or be honest to be around me or my family.

8 Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the LORD.

Every morning I will pray for Your judgment to be upon the wicked, to be upon those who seek to destroy the nation who follows You, I will defend You and Your Word to those who seek to destroy either one in word and deed. I will not let those who intentionally do wrong and evil to inhabit and infiltrate Your church (since the City of the Lord is Jerusalem and that is an ocean away) and I will support and defend the city of the Lord (and its nation – Israel) against those who would seek to corrupt and destroy it.

Anyway, I hope that you were able to follow along with the method to my madness. I actually got quite a bit from going through this chapter verse by verse, a lot more than I would have with just one part of it and that's what In Other Word's Tuesday's are about is each individual interpretation, even though some (mine for today) are kind of off the beaten track. LOL!

For more perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week, Loni.

In Other Words for April 20

“If monotony tries me,
and I cannot stand drudgery;
if stupid people fret me and
little ruffles set me on edge;
if I make much of the trifles of life,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If: What Do I Know of Calvary Love?
by Amy Carmichael
Ah, patience. It is a virtue. So they say.

Some days I don't feel very virtuous. Do you?

I know it is hard to be patient when the phone is ringing, one kid is running around the house screaming, one kid is incessantly trying to talk your ear off and the baby is crying and meanwhile, hubby is watching TV, seemingly oblivious to it all.

Those are the Calgon moments. Remember those commercials? Woman comes home after a stressful day. Wants nothing more than to escape. She fills the bathtub, puts in Calgon bubble bath and as she slips under the water she pleads, "Calgon! Take me away!" and suddenly she is whisked into this peaceful presence and place of serenity.

Don't you wish it worked that way in real life? I know I do sometimes.

Or what about the day to day tedium. Same routine. Day in. Day out. Ad nauseum. Do you ever wish for some exciting adventure to come along and whisk you away from the doldrums in which you find yourself?

How about the stupid drivers in rush hour traffic? Come on, you know the ones. I know that you have one incident in your mind. What about that driver who doesn't want to wait for the line of traffic and drives on the shoulder or in the turn lane and then tries to weasel their way in (RIGHT. IN. FRONT. OF YOU!) at the light? Or the teen (or adult) illegally texting or talking on the phone and almost causing several wrecks by virtue of not paying attention? Aren't there times you just pray for a cop to be around to catch them in the act?

I know I have. I must confess. One of my biggest pet peeves is stupid, slow, inattentive drivers! I have precious cargo. I AM precious cargo. In traffic, almost nothing pushes my hot button faster than bad drivers.

What about running late for a meeting, or dinner, or movie, or anything that you have scheduled that is important to you because of someone else? Doesn't that just irk you no end? I'm sometimes a minute or two late to things because of my own interruptions and reasons, but when someone else makes me late to something I want to do, I find myself sometimes biting my tongue to keep from snapping and saying something I'll regret.

What do we do when the stress is too much to bear and the patience is running thin and we just can't seem to find any respite from it? What do we do when we are so bored in our lives and seek diversion in some way? (A true trap to fall in to as Satan lies in wait to snare us due to boredom!) How do we react to the outside influence of others in our lives that rub us the wrong way or make us late, or say the wrong thing or make a fool out of themselves when they're with us?

How are we supposed to act?

John 13:34-35 states "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

And Mark 12:31 says that the second greatest commandment is to 'Love your neighbor as yourself. 'There is no commandment greater than [these]."

What? You mean I have to love others even when they have pushed me to my limit? Even when they have wronged me? Even when I am the one doing the right thing and they're doing all the wrong things? Even when I am stressed BEYOND my limits and nobody is helping me to do anything? Even if I don't know them and they don't know me and they're acting like a jerk?

God says YES! Even then.

Let me tell you a story. One of my co-workers, who goes to my church, was talking about how they were on their way to one of the Sunday services and this other driver starts acting like a real jerk. Traffic for this Sunday was kind of heavy – I think it was like a Capitol 10K run or something like that – and this driver was speeding and cutting people off, honking and ended up flipping someone else off as they cut in front of my co-worker. Imagine my co-worker's great surprise to see that very car turn into the church parking lot in front of him! How in the world were others supposed to "know that this person was Jesus' disciple" through their witness? If anything, their actions said otherwise!

What about the boredom? When we find ourselves bored in our lives, we haven't been spending enough time with God. God will certainly give us peace, contentment, fulfillment, etc. When we get bored, we tend to hedge over into doing the wrong things as Satan puts them out there before us. Life with God is never a dull moment. There are moments of rest and respite and peace, but they're never truly "dull". Being bored is a great way for Satan to sneak in under our radar and infiltrate our lives in such a manner that we have no clue that it's even happening until it's too late.

Calvary love. What is it? By my definition, it is loving others as God has loved us. It is loving ourselves as God has loved us. If we truly love each other and ourselves as God has loved us then we will truly value the other person and see them as God sees them.

If we love others as God loves them, it is harder to get angry and frustrated and use words that are not seasoned with grace when we speak to them. If we love others as God loves them, we won't spoil our witness for Christ. Instead we will have a more pleasant home, a more harmonious relationship with our family and spouse, with our friends. We will be the living example of the kind of person God desires us to be and with that witness, draw others to Him.

If we love ourselves as God loves us, then we will find it hard pressed to be bored in our day to day routines as we discover new lessons that God is teaching us daily in order to grow us in Him. We will not find ourselves even tempted by the snares the devil tries to throw in our path to keep us or steer us from what God's plans for us are.

With Calvary love, we see the world in a whole new light. And when we see things as God sees them, we find ourselves more inclined to act and behave as servants, disciples and followers of God and we can change the world for Christ. One Calvary love encounter at a time.

For more perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Patricia @ Typing One-Handed.

In Other Words for April 13

“God can use small ingredients to make big miracles happen:
fabric and thread to lift hope in the sick,
five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand hungry people,
and faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain.
Shouldn’t we give all that we have to God
just to see what He might do with it?”
What I Learned from God While Quilting
by Ruth McHaney Danner & Cristine Bolley
So many people think that God cannot use them to reach others for one reason or another. How silly is that!?Let's forget the "things" that God uses and instead think about people as the ingredients. Let me give you a list of the unlikely people that God used to bring about His will.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Adam and Eve brought sin into the world
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old and a liar
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar and a thief
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem and was a murderer
Gideon was a coward
Samson was a womanizer and a covenant breaker
Rahab was a prostitute who committed treason when she protected the Jewish spies against her government
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Solomon was the result of an affair
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Mary was a teenager who got pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to Jesus, Savior of the world
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ, was quick tempered and had a "potty" mouth
Matthew was a tax collector
The Disciples were uneducated fishermen, crooked tax collectors, anarchists, dishonest, stiff necked, unbelieving and fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious (and, As Saul, he killed Christians before he became one)
Timothy had an ulcer...AND
Lazarus was dead!

And yet they all were used by God to accomplish great things. So really, what excuse do you have? God can use you to your full potential if you turn yourself over to Him fully and TRUST Him to know that what He is doing, what He is using you for is what is best. So many times we try and second guess God and where He is leading us. Once again, read the list. He used some of the worst people to bring about His will and look at the amazing results! How much more can He do with you and your small faith? What gifts has He given you that you can use to further His kingdom and reach others for Christ?

God's will always gets accomplished. The question is, "Are you in? Do you want to be used by God to bring about His purposes?"

I do.

I'm really happy to know that I'm qualified to start now, just as I am.

Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

To view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Mama's Little Treasures.

In Other Words for April 6

wretch
n.
1. A miserable, unfortunate, or unhappy person.
2. A person regarded as base, mean, or despicable
3. a despicable person
4. a person pitied for his misfortune

Wretch, what an awful sounding word and an even more horrible description. Who wants to be pitied? Who wants to be regarded as a miserable, unfortunate, unhappy or despicable person? Not me!

And, yet, that is exactly what we all are. If we could see ourselves draped in the mire, muck and slime of our sins, that is exactly the kind of person we would see. We may think that, "oh, just because I don't have that kind of sin that he does, I'm not as bad of a person."

WRONG!

The Bible says in Romans 3:23, "for ALL have sinned and (ALL) fall short of the Glory of God". None of us are "good enough" to get to heaven on our own. Not one of us is "better than" the sinner beside us. Sure, we may not have committed adultery, or killed someone, but we all have lied and put something or someone else before God. And, the Bible says that whosoever looks at another person with lust in their hearts has already fornicated/committed adultery with them. The Bible also says that whosoever has hatred in their heart for their fellow [man], it is as if they have committed murder in their hearts.

Ouch! That doesn't sound so good does it? So, according to the Word of God, even if we haven't physically committed adultery or murdered, if we have those thoughts and feelings in our hearts, it's like we have done it anyway.

How can we expect God to forgive us if we do not forgive those who have wronged us? How can we, with a clear conscience, go before God and ask Him to forgive our sins if we do not forgive those against whom we have been holding a grudge.

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

It's SO IMPORTANT that it is in the Lord's Prayer. It is in the model of the prayer that we are to emulate when we pray, yet, very few churches are teaching that these days. Forget being a wretch in those churches! You can FEEL GOOD about yourself and your sins. Who needs to repent in order to stop being that wretch the song talks about? God's here to give you what you need, what you want, what you desire. He's not here to condemn you, He's here to love you and make everything ok! He's the new "Dr. Feelgood"!

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

The message of the Gospel is that WE ALL ARE SINNERS. Nobody is better than the other. In the eyes of God we all are wallowing in our sins, much like pigs wallow in their own filth.

The difficult thing is when the churches teach in error what Salvation is about. So many people go down the wrong road and are led there purposely by those who are supposed to be leading the flock.

Wonder why we don't have any huge revivals anymore? Why there are not people on fire for the Lord like they were in the time of Jonathan Edwards, Charles and John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon and Dwight L. Moody? Because most churches these days are not willing to talk about SIN or the need to REPENT or the dangers of HELL. Those are such . . . uncomfortable words to those who are lost and they're supposed to be! For unless we know just how lost we are, how can we know what we must do to find our way to God? He, who is the compass by which we should be directing our lives by.

My dear blogfriend, Esthermay, who is our hostess this week, has the most outstanding perspective on the dangers of the "seeker" churches in regard to this quote. I highly encourage you to head over to her and read her post!

The best part is though, that it is God's GRACE that saves us all, if we but repent and believe that God will save us, that He sent His Son to die for ALL of us. The thief, liar, adulterer, murderer, cheater beside us; the thief, liar, adulterer, murderer, cheater inside of us.

Without His grace, we would continue to wallow in our own filth. Without His grace, we would forever be that wretch the song refers to with no hope in life or death for all eternity.

Grace
n.
1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity
a. the free and unmerited favour of God shown towards man
b. the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification
c. the condition of being favoured or sanctified by God
d. an unmerited gift, favour, etc., granted by God

Grace is giving us what we do not deserve. Mercy is not giving us what we do deserve.

Grace, Grace, God's Grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, Grace, God's Grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin

AMAZING GRACE how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost,
But now I'm found.
Was blind
But now
I SEE!

To view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Esthermay @ The Heart of a Pastor's Wife.

In Other Words for March 30

This is such a hard quote for a lot of people to understand. When the trials come, when the tests of life, the losses, the difficulties, the hardships, it goes against human nature to say "God sent this, so it must be good for me". Our human minds can not comprehend that the loss of a job with a baby on the way is a good thing. Or the loss of a loved one, especially a child. The struggles that married couples go through emotionally from time to time. The loss of everything and having to start from scratch. In our frail little minds we do not see that when God sends these trials our way that He is doing it to draw us closer to Him. To teach us to completely depend on Him. To draw our strength from Him. To depend on our literal daily bread from Him.

If we think we are going through tough times, pause a moment and consider Job. The man lost his business, his children, his home, his reputation, his "friends", the respect of his wife, his vast wealth and not once did he curse God. Sure, he had questions. He wanted to know why but he never lost his faith in God. God rewarded him by returning everything to him that had been taken away and then some!

When we lose what's important to us, what we love, what we need, we may not understand why, but all we need to remember is that if God brings us to it, He WILL bring us through it. This is a lesson that I've had to learn over the past year.

I was pregnant with our son and my husband lost his job about 6 weeks before our son was born. Talk about a freak out! At least I still had my job and insurance that covered everyone. While I didn't understand at the time, I see now that it was so that Oscar could be here for me at the end of a difficult pregnancy. That he could be there at the hospital for the birth of our son and for the Christmas holidays. The job that he was in was one where he could have had to go cross country at any given time for several weeks at a time and he wouldn't have been able to take any time off to be with the family for Christmas.

God has provided for our needs every step of the way and I know that He will continue to do so. You see, My husband still hasn't found a job, though he has been looking everywhere, and I found out last week that I'm pregnant again...our son is 4 ½ months old. YIPES! Completely unexpected and a big shocker but I can see God's hand in it every step of the way. To go from being told after I had my daughter that basically the chances of me having any more children was slim to none and 8 ½ years of barrenness, to now appearing that I'm going to have two babies less than a year to a year apart in age, WHEW! God has truly blessed me abundantly with love and the children I always dreamed of having. I may not understand the timing, but it's clear that He does and He has a purpose for it.

So while, right now, I may not know how we are going to pay tuition for the kids that's due on Thursday, along with rent, etc. I know that God has a plan and He will provide as He has every step of the way so far. God just wants for us to trust Him until the very end. God's faithfulness to His children is a beautiful thing! God sent this to me so I KNOW it is good for me. It has helped increase my faith in the promises of God and His mercies and grace and has also forced me to entrust my circumstances, my life, my family, my everything into His keeping. God's faithfulness is abundant and His blessings pour down like rain on a daily basis, even though we may not see it at the time. We just have to learn to open our eyes, our hearts and our minds to what God has in store and be willing to accept whatever it is that He has planned for us.

Isaiah 55:8: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Amen? AMEN!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

TO view other perspectives on this In Other Words quote, please visit our hostess this week Kathryn @ Expectant Hearts.

In Other Words for March 23

Oh how this quote has been my life for so long. I've always had a problem with wanting others to accept me and be my friend, instead of just being myself and instead of just wanting God to accept me as I was.

I thought I had to be skinnier, prettier, more agile, more fun, the life of the party, a better dancer, witty, tell stories to make others laugh, be louder so everyone would notice me. Instead of noticing God in me.

I've always had an inferiority complex and it has led me down some really rocky roads and into some sticky situations. I'm not proud of my youth. Heck, I'm not proud of some of my adulthood either, if I'm being honest.

I never really thought about using my God-given gift to help others. I didn't think it was sparkly enough. I'm a crow, I like sparkles and bling and flash. But as I've matured spiritually, I realize that my God-given gift is one that better serves me and everyone around me instead of trying to force myself to have a non-God-given gift fill that place in my life.

For those of you who know me from blogging, you'll know that I tend to leave comments that are very encouraging and uplifting. I've been told by several "real life" Christian friends that I'm an encourager and have natural empathy because I'm the person who can literally FEEL the emotions of others and that helps me to better be able to use that gift of encouragement. I'm the one to whom my friends go to when they need a friendly shoulder, ear, advice or to just get a verbal pick me up.

Two of my other wonderful blog friends also have the gift of encouragement and they have freely bestowed it on me when I have really needed it. Thank you dear MiPa and Graham .

Have you ever complimented a complete stranger and seen their demeanor change? I love doing that! I enjoy brightening someone's day with my words of kindness. Thing is, I never say something I don't mean, especially in regards to compliments. If I don't feel it, I don't say it. I'd rather stay silent than be insincere.

I'd LOVE to be a wonderful prayer warrior like my sweet blog friend Peggy. Have you SEEN her prayers? They are astounding in their beauty and power and fervent righteousness. Unfortunately, I rarely have the concentration needed for that kind of prayer – one of the detriments of having ADD. Even in a quiet room I'm easily distracted. That's why I'm so glad to have the gift that I have. It fits me. It for sure fits my personality. I love trying to take care of everyone and make sure they're ok, that they have what they need, that they're happy and feel welcome in my world.

My God-given gift of encouragement doesn't only make others feel better, it makes ME feel better. I love making someone feel better by encouraging them in the words that God gives me. Those times are especially special to me because it's like I'm voicing God's encouragement through my mouth and I get an extra super huge warm fuzzy at those times, like a hug from God. That's God's gift to me for using His gift given to me.

Please visit our hostess this week Deborah for more perspectives on this week's In Other Word's quote.

In Other Words for March 2

In a book that I just finished by Christian fiction author Lisa Wingate, there is a scene where the oldest of three young boys takes care of his drunken grandfather so that he doesn't blow the opportunity for their sister who is in the running to be the next "American Megastar". The older woman whose house they're at watches this, and having had uncharitable thoughts about the grandfather, feels herself shrinking smaller and smaller while the boy helps his grandfather inside, gently "with the kind of love that bears all things and keeps no account of wrongs". She goes on to think that "sometimes it ain't the drunk or the sinner who needs a shovel across the rear, it's the ones who could quote you chapter and verse about grace, but don't hand it out."

How many of us fall into the later category? How many of us can quote chapter and verse about grace but yet, when it's needed, fail to give it because we're disappointed in the person who needs it or so angry we can hardly see straight?

The old hymn says, "Grace, grace, God's grace. Grace that can pardon and cleanse within. Grace, grace God's grace. Grace that is greater than all our sin!" What is the definition of grace, of God's grace, I mean? Grace is giving us what we don't deserve. Since we are to emulate our savior shouldn't we give others what they don't deserve? Gentleness for a harsh word, kindness for spite, love for hate and so forth and so on. Nobody but God knows what is going on in their lives and why they are reacting or acting the way they do. Only God knew what was going on in our lives when He offered His grace to us. God's grace reaches down and pulls us from the mire and muck. Grace extends a hand and wipes away the wrongdoings, the transgressions, the past and sees others as God sees them.

Shouldn't we do the same to others that we see who do not have the same faith or the same opportunities as us? Jesus didn't see class division, didn't see the poor or the rich, didn't see cleanliness or health or stature. He saw people who needed to be loved and in need of a savior, regardless of race, gender, class, etc. We should do the same and follow in the footsteps of our savior and extend that same grace to everyone that God has extended to us. Because He loves us. Because we are His. Because of His grace. God sees everyone with the same eye. As recipients of His grace, so should we.

1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Refrain:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!

2. Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
threaten the soul with infinite loss;
grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

(Refrain)

3. Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
brighter than snow you may be today.

(Refrain)

4. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?

(Refrain)

Please visit Patricia @ Typing One-Handed for more perspectives on this week's In Other Word's quote.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This is the day that I ask for questions for the HDQ. I will be posting the HDQ answers again on Wednesday. What is the HDQ, you ask? The HDQ is the Hump Day Question. Basically, I answer YOUR questions that you pose to me. Anything you want to know about me, my life, my family, beliefs, opinions, humor, hobbies, etc. Please submit your questions in the comments and I'll have them answered on Wednesday. I had a couple of great ones last week that I enjoyed answering!

In Other Words for February 23

So with a painted grin, I play the part again,
So everyone will see me the way that I see them…
Are we happy plastic people, under shiny plastic steeples,
with walls around our weakness and smiles to hide our pain,
but if the invitation’s open,
to every heart that has been broken, maybe then we close the curtain,
on our stained glass masquerade….
Casting Crowns in Stained Glass Masquerade
Casting Crowns has a lot of songs that speak to my heart and to my life as you will see.

I could not believe what I was reading for this week's quote. This was my life a few years back. Back when I was going through the pain of a divorce from my unfaithful husband, a divorce which was the product of an affair that left his (just out of the teen years) mistress pregnant, while I was trying to raise our 4 year old daughter practically alone at the age of 32.

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong ~ Stained Glass Masquerade

This quote was my life after the divorce as I struggled to figure out who I was as a single mother, one who had been stuffed in a box during my marriage ("You're not welcome or wanted to go out with me and my friends. Stay home with the baby."), pushed aside in the care taking of my daughter ("She's MY child, I'll take care of it/her, go away") and fearing to fight him because it would have resulted in so much pain, even more so than I'd already been in emotionally, mentally, spiritually and, yes, physically. And, I didn't want our daughter to be subject to the name calling, the yelling, the shoving and pushing that her dad would do to me in front of her ("She's two, she'll never remember it, so therefore it doesn't matter what I do to you in front of her.").

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart ~ Stained Glass Masquerade

So I pasted the smile on my face and kept trudging on. Weary, disillusioned, angry, humiliated, hurt, numb, but always with a smile plastered on, hiding the pain, until I was alone. Until night fell. Until the lights went off and I was alone, no longer needing my façade, my masquerade. Then I could just sink into the chair, the couch, my bed, and stare. Wondering what I did wrong, wondering what happened in my life to bring me to this place of desolation, desperation and disillusionment, wondering if it would ever change.

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be ~ Stained Glass Masquerade

I struggled to take care of my daughter the way I KNEW she needed to be taken care of. In all honesty I didn't do such a good job for a couple of years because of the road I was walking and that's painful to admit. In spite of those shortcomings at the time, really, it was because of her that I kept plugging on, going about the day to day as if by rote, one foot in front of the other, one breath after another. It was because of her that I didn't have the breakdown so many thought I was entitled to, even my own counselor/psychologist. If I wasn't strong for my daughter, then I couldn't do what needed to be done on a daily basis and I could not afford to fall apart. Ever. I would most likely lose her to her daddy if I did. But even then, even though she (literally) was what I was living for, working for, going through the motions for, I was brittle, on the verge of breaking.

Jesus, hold me now
I need to feel You in this place
To know You’re by my side
And hear Your voice tonight
Jesus, hold me now
I long for Your embrace
I’m beat and broken down
I can’t find my way out
Jesus, hold me now ~ Jesus, Hold Me Now

Several of my long time blog friends were with me through this time of depression and hurt and questioning. Some as far away as England, but always just as close as my heart because they became those "grown up" glimmers of encouragement, those lights in the darkness of my spirit. I knew God was there, but I couldn't feel Him and at that point I really needed to feel something other than lost. I tried to figure out who I was again after all the pain and after a while in trying to figure it out I made a wrong turn somewhere and got even more lost than I had been. I was just so tired of being alone without a corporeal human to lean on.

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying
But the canyon's ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart ~ Does Anybody Hear Her

Rather than try and struggle through happy lies and fragile fronts I dropped the blog altogether. I just couldn't face in the light of day, and under the scrutiny of friends, what I was doing, what I was becoming so I stopped coming around and sorting through my disjointed and fractured thoughts because it was just too painful to be put under a microscope and criticized by everyone. I'd already been unfairly and wrongly criticized enough in my own marriage because he had been trying to shift his faults, sins and responsibilities on me so he didn't have to look at himself and what he'd done to his family. I just couldn't deal with the pain, the sympathy, the advice so I walked away from a part of myself that had been important to me. The path I trod kept me from where I needed to be going.

Curse this morning sun, drags me into one more day
Of reaping what I’ve sown, living with my shame
Welcome to my world, and the life that I have made
One day you’re a prince, and the next day you’re a slave

Lord, I just looked up today
And realized how far away I am from where You are
I don’t know what else to pray
Broken at Your feet I lay
The life I’ve torn apart ~ Jesus, Hold Me Now

I didn't want to face how I'd lost so much time out of the life of my beautiful and precious daughter by being selfish and wanting to "live" again. It's one thing to find oneself, but it is another entirely to try and find oneself by losing oneself in the wrong things because in doing so, so much is lost in every other part of one's lives. In the most important parts and with the most important people.

So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She's another two years older
And she's three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even knows she's going down today . . . ~ Does Anybody Hear Her

Eventually, after I got tired of looking at myself in the mirror in the mornings, after I got tired of the guilt of my mom taking the bulk of the care of my beloved daughter, after I couldn't stand the loneliness of a different kind that I found myself mired in, eventually I started to get it right and to do what I should, instead of being what I shouldn't. It was baby steps though. But it was baby steps forward with God's help. And that's what mattered. Abba. Father. Friend. Healer. Confidant. Savior.

Daddy, here I am again
Will You take me back tonight
I went and made the world my friend
And it left me high and dry
I drag Your name back through the mud
That You first found me in
Not worthy to be called Your son
Is this to be my end
Daddy, here I am
Here I am again ~ Prodigal

However, when I stopped doing what I shouldn't and started being who I should, I didn't know how to come back. Didn't know how to face the questions that might be waiting – for anyone who might still be out there. After almost 1½ years after I started to get my life back in order, I felt the overwhelming urge to blog again. It was so very heartening to hear from my two very dearest Brits (one an ex-Pat), thank you Graham and MiPa, after my first blog post in about 2½ years, except for an update in January of 2009. That, in itself gave me the courage to continue to start blogging again and bring me back to where I can write what's on my heart, instead of turning away and wearing the mask to hide the plastic smile and disjointed movements of someone who was just going through the motions. Presenting to the world what I wanted it to see instead of what was really going on inside.

Your mercy saved me
Mercy made me whole
Your mercy found me
Called me as Your own

Here I stand a child of Yours
Broken and in need of You
Break these chains and wash my guilt away
Healer of my brokenness
My weary soul will find its rest
You are my strength, the lifter of my head
You're greater than my yesterdays
You hold me close today
You're the Lord of my tomorrows
My heart will always say
You're greater than my yesterdays . . . ~ Mercy

Only through God's help, grace and mercy am I here today, do I have a truly wonderful bond and relationship with my (now) 8 year old daughter, a job I completely enjoy and take pride in, a new husband I love, a 3 month old son who is a true miracle and an 11 year old high functioning special needs step-daughter who is a great challenge but whom I do love regardless of the difficulties right now and a closer, more trusting relationship with my God, the lover of my soul. I've closed the curtain on the masquerade, the one that included broken glass as well as stained glass. I no longer need it anymore. I can be who I am and I am on the path to who God wants me to be. Still baby steps, but they're bigger baby steps and they're still going forward. Now when I smile, that smile is no longer in danger of cracking, but is instead bright, genuine and full of hope and promise.

. . . And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side . . . ~ Praise You In This Storm

and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age ~ Matthew 28:20b

Please visit Loni @ Writing Canvas for more perspectives on this week's In Other Word's quote.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
And, now I am going to implement something that I used to do back in my earlier blogging days before I stopped for a couple of years to take a break. I will be posting the HDQ answers again on Wednesday. What is the HDQ, you ask? The HDQ is the Hump Day Question. Basically, I answer YOUR questions that you pose to me. Anything you want to know about me, my life, my family, beliefs, opinions, humor, hobbies, etc. Please submit your questions in the comments and I'll have them answered on Wednesday.

In Other Words for February 16

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

freedom
n
1. personal liberty, as from slavery, bondage, serfdom, etc.
2. liberation or deliverance, as from confinement or bondage
3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the quality or state of being free, esp to enjoy political and civil liberties
4. (usually foll by from) the state of being without something unpleasant or bad; exemption or immunity freedom from taxation
5. the right or privilege of unrestricted use or access the freedom of a city
6. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) autonomy, self-government, or independence
7. the power or liberty to order one's own actions
8. (Philosophy) Philosophy the quality, esp of the will or the individual, of not being totally constrained; able to choose between alternative actions in identical circumstances
9. ease or frankness of manner; candour she talked with complete freedom
10. excessive familiarity of manner; boldness
11. ease and grace, as of movement; lack of effort

resign
v. re•signed, re•sign•ing, re•signs
v.tr.
1. To submit (oneself) passively; accept as inevitable: I resigned myself to a long wait in line.
2. To give up (a position, for example), especially by formal notification.
3. To relinquish (a privilege, right, or claim).


In Hebrews 13:5 God tells us not to love money because God will never leave nor forsake us. "But to get through life one needs money", you say. Have you ever stopped to consider the attitudes of those who are poor, and yet trust in God against the attitudes of those who are rich and only have a passing acquaintance with God? From the outside looking in, one would surmise that the poor would be scared of where their next meal came from or how they would keep a roof over their head. And one would assume that those with money would not have a worry in the world.

However, what we find is that those with money and without God usually are constantly concerned with losing it or how to get more and never truly find peace, whereas those tending to have less in life, who rely on God fully and completely, tend to have a more relaxed and peaceful demeanor because they KNOW that God will never let them down, that God will always provide.

Let's look at a prime example from history regarding one who solely relied on God to get him through.

George Mueller was born less than a decade before Charles Dickens in 1805; so he was certainly aware of all the horrors of society that the famed novelist describes in his works and in 1834 he decided to do something about it. He and his best friend, Henry Craik, founded the Scriptural Knowledge Institution (SKI) in Bristol, England, with one of their prime objectives being to establish Orphan Homes for the many homeless children in Great Britain.

But Mueller and Craik had no money, nor did they intend to ask anyone for it: they believed that God would provide everything they needed - without patronage, without requests for contributions and without debts. All they had to do was pray, and God would provide. For 64 years, that was how George Mueller operated. SIXTY FOUR YEARS!!! Relying solely on God's provision by TRUSTING their lives and the lives of those they cared for into God's hands.

Here are some of the ways he prayed. First, he never shared a need with anyone but God. Second, when he had a need, he opened his Bible, searched for a promise that fit that need, and then meditated on that scripture. Mueller believed in the power of thinking through scripture as much as he believed in the power of prayer. Third, he pleaded for that promise before God. And he didn't just pray for money: he prayed for individuals as well. Sometimes Mueller prayed for someone for as long as fifty years. He didn't stop praying for anyone or anything until he got his request. That's how convinced he was that God would answer his prayers. Through his prayers, Mueller obtained the modern-day equivalent of $150 M for his charities; he led tens if not hundreds of thousands to the Lord; and he lived to be 93 years old. That was the power of his faith and life.

Once, when there was no food to give the children and it was almost lunch time, one of Mueller's assistants came to him, worried. Mueller said, "It's not twelve o'clock yet." Just then, a truck pulled up to the orphanage loaded with food from an unsolicited donor. Often, Mueller had no idea where their next meal was coming from: he just trusted God's promises. Another time, when Mueller was onboard a ship that was lost in fog, he comforted the anxious captain by saying, "My eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God, who controls every circumstance of my life." They came out of the fog, and that captain later gave his life to Christ.

Part of Mueller's success was due to his attitude. Someone once asked him the secret of his service, and he said, "There was a day when I died, utterly died: died to George Mueller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends. And since then, I have studied only to show myself 'approved unto God.'" Being dead to self, the world, approval and blame freed Mueller of the cares of life that hold so many of us back, freed him to be alive only to Christ, freed him to serve.

It freed him from the fear that so many face when threatened with the unknown. Well, the unknown may be unknown to us, but it isn't to God. So why don't we just, as the saying goes, "Let go and let God". Let go of our fears. Let go of our worries. Let go of our cares. Let go of our expectations. Instead let God become the focus of our lives. Give all of our burdens, concerns, worries, cares, needs, fears, etc. over to Him. He will not let us down. As Matthew 6:25-34 above states. Are we not worth more to God than the birds of the air or the lilies of the field? How much more will our Heavenly Father give to us as we put our Faith and Trust solely and completely in Him?

My family is one that is living this daily. My husband has been without a job now since October 9 – his birthday. I have given my fears and worries over making ends meet to God. I have placed myself in His hands. Place my family in His hands. Trusted Him with the Faith of a child that He would allow us to be able to make ends meet. To be able to pay all of our bills. I have the youngest daughter in a private school and a 12 week old in a preparatory school/daycare. There is rent, utilities, insurance, vehicles, groceries, etc. Certainly MUCH more than what my income could ever cover alone. God has covered it all and allowed us to have some extra as needed. God has been MUCH MORE than gracious.

Forget about being in good hands with Allstate. I'm in good hands with God! I have overcome that fear of tomorrow and what it might bring because I know that God will take care of us. He has proven Himself faithful always and in ALL ways so how could I do anything less than put my whole self into His keeping?

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

1. "Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Chorus:
"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Chorus

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Please visit Debbie @ Heart Choices for more perspectives on this week's In Other Word's quote.

In Other Words for February 9

*I have to say first off, before I get started, that I think that my blogfriend Esthermay, at The Heart of a Pastor's Wife, has an amazing perspective on this quote and I invite you to check her response out.

noun
n. Abbr. n.
1. The part of speech that is used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action and can function as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or an appositive.
2. Any of the words belonging to this part of speech, such as neighbor, window, happiness, or negotiation. I am a CHRISTIAN.

ad•jec•tive
n. Abbr. a. or adj.
1. The part of speech that modifies a noun or other substantive by limiting, qualifying, or specifying and distinguished in English morphologically by one of several suffixes, such as -able, -ous, -er, and -est, or syntactically by position directly preceding a noun or nominal phrase.
2. Any of the words belonging to this part of speech, such as white in the phrase a white house. We should exhibit Christian behavior.

These days it seems that everybody either wants to profess being a Christian (noun) or solidly profess AGAINST being one (due to the distinctive lack of the adjective Christian in the daily walk of most who profess to be one). There is no real "in between". Many people say that they're a Christian because it's expedient for them to do so in order to look better to man, depending on the audience. Much like the Pharisees of old, they "act" the right way to get the attention of man, but what do their actions say? Those who profess to have a saving knowledge of God, and yet, live a life clearly apart from God are what those who are vehemently against anything having to do with Christianity look at and call "hypocrite".

It's easy to give lip service to being a Christian, but what does the Bible say? James 2:20 states that Faith WITHOUT works is dead. But, the only way to heaven is through believing in Jesus as the son of God and accepting Him as your Savior, you say. Yes, that is true. You cannot "work" your way into heaven, however, what is meant in that verse is that Faith is proved genuine by good works coming forth as fruit in the Kingdom of God. That's where the adjective part comes in.

For those who claim to be the noun of Christian and MEAN IT, they will have the adjective of Christian in everything they do, from their rising to their resting and it will be clear that they are different from the rest of the world. God will show in them through their actions via the living adjective of Christian. It's easier to claim the noun of Christian than it is to live the adjective of Christian.

Most of those who claim the noun of Christian do it for approval, for attention, for acceptance. Much like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. Through their "pious" street corner prayers they didn't have the true love of God in their heart. They were saying, "Oh, look at me. Look at how great I am. Look at all that I have done. Look at all I have given." Instead we are to LIVE the adjective of Christian so that everyone will see Christ in us through our actions and love. Those who live the adjective of Christian do so without seeking the attention, without wanting recognition, they do it because they are being an example of what God wants ALL who claim the name of Christian to be like.

Are you merely giving lip service to the name and noun of Christian or are you living the adjective of Christian in everything that you do?

Please visit The Next Step for more perspectives on this In Other Word's quote.

In Other Words for January 26

Many people use this quote out of context and do not regard the rest of the passage this is in. People who utilize this quote utilize it in such a way that they say, "See, Jesus advocates violence! Here's proof!" Far from it.

To be fair, one must read it in its entirety in context with the other verses. "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:34-39

The first important observation is to recognize that Jesus does not speak about "the sword", but about "a sword". Jesus is not a "prophet of the sword" as is taught in Islam. The sword of violence, force and war has no place in His message. What kind of sword is He talking about?

It is the sword of division that God's word brings. It is the division of truth from error, and the reaction of the darkness against the light. It is also the sword of the gospel and the sword of truth. The sword that Jesus brings, is the sword that his followers have to suffer, a sword that is applied to them, not a sword that they wield against others.

This verse in context shows that Jesus knew that His words would cause controversy, that Christianity would cause strife between family members and that in preaching the Gospel, those who preached it would not be warmly received for this is a sinful world filled with the sinful nature of man. It speaks about the consequence of being obedient to the command of Jesus that we are to preach His message, and for many, to hear the words of the Gospel, telling people to go against their sinful nature will cause them to reject it, make them angry and react with violence.

We will be hated for the message of repentance that we have to bring. We will be hated because we call people from evil to light and because this message exposes their evil deeds. The sword of the gospel cuts and divides, as the word of God does (Hebrews 4:12), "between eternally hostile principles, penetrating into and rending asunder the dearest ties" (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown). Though the ultimate end of the gospel is peace with God and with those who love Him, the immediate result of the gospel is frequently ideological and moral conflict with the world.

For many it will mean that even our own family will turn against us. Faith in Jesus requires total commitment from those who choose to follow Him (Mark 10:27), and love and allegiance toward Him and His word is contrary to the "natural man" and the world system, "for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor 6:14). Therefore conversion to Christ can result in strained or broken family relationships, persecution, and even martyrdom, due to rejection of the gospel. And exactly that happens in many countries. The fellowship of believers, while full of peace, incurs the wrath of the nonbelievers. Christians are gathering peacefully, yet are persecuted.

Richard Lenski offered insight into the implications of the “turmoil” brought by Christ:

The idea is this: if Christ had not come, the earth would have gone on undisturbed in its sin and its guilt until the day of its doom. Now Christ came to take away that sin and that guilt. At once war resulted, for in their perversion men clung to their sin, fought Christ and the gospel, and thus produced two hostile camps. Christ foresaw this effect and willed it. Emphatically He declared that He came to throw a sword on the earth. Better the war and the division, saving as many as possible, than to let all perish in their sin (1943, p. 415).

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword," is a wonderfully honest statement about the need for the sword of truth, Christ's Sword of Truth, which heals the wounds it inflicts. Only by becoming a Christian and by being indwelt with the Holy Spirit can we understand the Truth that Jesus brings and can that healing begin. The Truth renders those still in the dark stiff with anger and indignation over their sins and sinful lifestyles being brought into full exposure to the light. Once we are brought into that light, we no longer need fear the Sword of Truth, and instead will find the peace that passes all understanding.

To view more "In Other Words" participants this week check out The Heart of a Pastor's Wife. Thanks to Esthermay for hosting this week!

In Other Words for January 19

It's not easy being the sole bread winner in the family in this economy. Trust me, I know. My husband and I had a healthy combined income, was in the final stages of buying a house, had a baby on the way and two daughters already – one each from previous marriages, we really just seemed to be doing more than ok. Then, out of the blue, my husband called me in July, letting me know that he'd gone in to work that morning and was told his crew was laid off, along with a couple of other crews.

We lost the house. The house we had our hearts set on that would have been built on a couple of acres in the country on land that was perfect for gardening. It was quiet, peaceful, had lots of fruit trees already on it. Had all of the hook-ups already on there. We would have had our room, the girls could have had their own rooms, there would have been a guest room and a little nursery attached to the master bedroom.

Instead, we were stuck in a small two bedroom apartment with not enough space for even what we had then, not to mention the baby that was coming.

My husband has been looking for a job ever since in his line of work and has not yet been able to come up with one that wouldn't require him to be away from home 95% of the time. I'm not saying that it hasn't been stressful, living on my income. In fact, we lost more than 50% of our income when he lost his job. But somehow, only through the Grace and Mercy of God, we have been able to make ends meet.

I've gotten a refund check from my insurance for over charging on some visits to my diabetic perinatal doctor when I was pregnant with our son. Have you EVER heard of such a thing from an insurance company? An anonymous person at my work gave me the $600 needed to do my ultrasound and testing that I otherwise would not have been able to do, but that was crucially needed due to my being a Type 2 diabetic and having gestational hypertension. We received over $1,100 from my wonderful co-workers to purchase needed nursery items for our son. Items we did not have, being that his daughter is 11 and mine is 8, and we didn't think we would have another child so baby items were a thing of the past. My husband reconnected with his mom, through the death of his grandfather and she has been more than willing to help pay some of the bills until he finds a job. MORE than a blessing!

While one would think that the happenstance of not having a job would have a detrimental economic impact on a (now) family of five, God has provided for us beyond anything we ever could have imagined. We're still in the small two bedroom apartment, but this circumstance of our lives also has allowed my husband to be able to be there for our son's traumatic birth – he was, for all intents and purposes stillborn as the cord had been wrapped so tightly around his neck they couldn't get him out all the way without cutting it first, but, again, by the Grace of God was revived and took his first breath several minutes after birth – and to take an extended visit with his family several hours away during my maternity leave.

It has allowed my husband and I to really grow together and show that we have what it takes to stick out the difficult times. It has allowed me to more fully and deeply trust God and know that we ARE in His hands. That His promises in the Bible to never leave nor forsake us, to care for those and meet the needs of those who love Him even moreso than He does the birds of the air or the lily's of the field, are not issued in vain or void.

The world says, "blame God for your troubles, for the loss of your job, income, marriage, loved one, etc." God says, "Trust Me. I WILL take care of you for ALL things work together for good to those who love Me." All things. Good and bad. Big and small. Everything that happens to us is a chance to just trust God. If God has brought you to it, then He is going to bring you through it.

We can choose to make a Monet from a Picasso by trusting God to carry us through the rough spots or we can choose to make a Picasso turn into an Edvard Munch by trying to do it on our own and listen to what the world has to say. Which one will you choose?

Monet:

Picasso:

Munch:


To view more "In Other Words" participants this week check out Expectant Hearts. Thanks to Kathryn for hosting this week! This is my first time back doing the IOW in a couple of years. :-)