Losing relationship with people is one of the most heart wrenching things we can go through as women. It could be rejection from someone that you considered to be a friend, or a friend abruptly ceasing communication with no explanation. For me, it was someone who I was close to my entire life. I trusted her only to find out she had been gossiping about me behind my back. When I asked her about it, it was even more painful, because she said some things that were un-true and indicative of her true feelings toward me.
Why am I sharing this with you? As women, relationships are important to us. Having a safe place to fall and to be real is crucial to our emotional well-being. Times like these really put our prayers and our belief in the power of prayer to the test. We are called to be prayer warriors praying without ceasing for ourselves, our families, and on behalf of others so that we may be transformed and forged into a stronger weapon for Christ. Warriors have a calling and see beyond the task at hand to the bigger picture.
David was a prayer warrior, and he cried out to God many times in desperation. Like in Psalm 79:8 he said, “Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.” Or in Psalm 142:6, “Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.” Do you allow yourself to cry out to God in these ways?
The Bible is full of compelling reasons and ways to pray.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Eph. 6:18
Then I read scripture like the Sermon on the Mount:
“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’” Matt. 5:1-12
Are there any of these, “Blessed are those who ‘_____,’” that you can relate to? It seems contradictory to say it’s blessed to be insulted, persecuted, or spoken falsely of. However, the word of God states it to be the truth. I believe the whole Bible. Not sections or portions, but the entire living word of God and I am choosing to believe these words spoken by Jesus about how is blessed.
All I knew that my heart was torn into pieces as I lost every ounce of what I thought I had in that friendship. If you feel like you are mourning, poor in spirit, meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure of heart, a peacemaker, or persecuted because of righteousness, you are blessed. If you are persecuted by people who persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you, you are blessed. This is what the Bible says. Read your promises. Hold onto those promises. Believe in those promises. Sometimes a promise is all we have.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” Heb. 11:1
Thankfully, I found a scripture that Jesus was praying for me as the great intercessor. Jesus said, “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.” John 17:9
I had to face the hard truth that this person was no longer safe for me, and mourn the loss of what we had, or what I thought we had. The pain that followed was excruciating, and learning to trust again was almost impossible, as I was so afraid to be vulnerable enough to put my heart out there again. What’s great about prayer is that God accepts a great big “HELP!”
Trusting again began with Jesus. If I could trust him, I could entrust him with my heart, and ask him to put people in my path that were friends that I longed for. True friends, even just one!
I want to encourage you, that as I spent years getting to know Jesus as my friend, he taught me how to be a friend, one that I would want. He began to bring people into my life, and it felt like Christmas morning! If you are feeling alone, or if you’ve been betrayed, look to Jesus. He’s where our help comes from. Here is a great song to listen to and allow it to become your heart’s cry….”Help!” - Jennifer G.
God I look to You, I won’t be overwhelmed
Give me vision to see things like You do
God I look to You, You’re where my help comes from
Go with me here for a moment and imagine what David’s
life would’ve been like without God. In his best moments David was good; a talented musical shepherd with respectable aim.Maybe he would’ve eventually been a marksman
in the Israelite army and earned prestige through his efforts.Those are all good things, right?In the eyes of the world they can be very
honorable things, but David didn’t want the world’s prestige and that’s why God
made him King. God saw that in David’s
heart of hearts his first love was not for the approval and appetite of
this world, but for God’s glory and that made all the difference.
In God, David was… Chosen, anointed, a king, called, obedient, saved, a
conqueror, a repentant sinner, a mighty warrior, submissive, forgiven, loved,
purposeful, honored, covenantal, sanctified, and redeemed.
What is the story of your life? Is there something in you
that God wants to move from good to glorious? What has God been revealing to
you over the past several weeks about who you are in Him?Maybe it’s a new revelation or maybe you’ve
been walking with Him for years and He’s reminding you of who you are all over
again?God longs for us to live with a
holy confidence that we are His children; chosen, forgiven, and saved into
eternity; none of which this world can offer us. It’s not about what we’re not
and where we fail, but about to whom we belong. His grace saves, not our
ability or inability to earn it. So how does your story read? I don’t know
about you but I much prefer glorious endings to good ones.
A father to the fatherless . . . is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families.
Psalm 68:5–6 (NIV)
The first Sunday in November has become known as Orphan Sunday. Taking it a step further, the month of November is becoming known as Defend the Orphan month. As my family has been walking the path toward adoption over the last two years, this cause has become increasingly important to me and the plight of the orphan more poignant. However, when I sat down to write this post I still had no idea of the force with which God implores us to rally behind the orphans in our world. The Bible is full of God's heart for the orphan, beginning with us.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Ephesians 1:4–6 (NIV)
We come to Him orphans with the destiny of heirs to the throne of the almighty God. He doesn't look at us and see a broken, destitute people for someone else to care for. He looks at us as his children, "adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ." We have been given much with this legacy from the King and thus much is expected of us.
“Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8b (NIV)
“We care for orphans not because we are rescuers. We care for orphans because we are the rescued.” – David Platt (Author of Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream)
We see in the Bible God's heart for the orphan time and time again. He holds the trust of the helpless, listens to their cries, comforts them, brings them justice, speaks for them and he calls us to do the same.
The helpless put their trust in you. You are the defender of
orphans . . . . Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely
you will listen to their cries and comfort them. You will bring
justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so people can no longer
terrify them.
Psalm 10:14, 17–18 (NLT)
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure
justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and
helpless, and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31:8–9 (NLT)
Do not deprive . . . the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:17–18 (NIV)
His heart for us is that we will see his heart for the orphan and be convicted of our role in caring for, defending, advocating for, and advancing the plight of those in need of a home and a family to love them.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep
oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27 (NIV)
Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause
of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.
Isaiah 1:17 (NLT)
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the
alien, giving him food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 10:18 (NIV)
Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the
oppressed and the destitute.
Psalm 82:3 (NLT)
In a perfect world there would be no orphans or couples/families left yearning, but we live in a broken world and there is work to be done. So he uses us, in little ways and big, to do that work. He gives people hearts for adoption, fostering, and orphan care. He blesses some childless couples with an open heart for another way to create a family. Our very own Sally Pattee wrote about her journey to adoption here. He blesses some families with the desire to give kids a safe place to land for a season or a lifetime. We have adoptive and foster families in our midst that take many shapes and sizes. He calls us ALL to help in some way. Adoption and foster care may not be in God's plan for you, but contributing in some way is.
Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this
year of the special tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites,
foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they will have enough to
eat in your towns.
Deuteronomy 26:12 (NLT)
In the book of Matthew Jesus tells his disciples about the destruction of the temple and the signs of the end times. He uses parables to illustrate what the Kingdom of God will be like and what will happen on the day of judgment, indicating that those blessed by the Father with inheritance of the Kingdom will be singled out for this because, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me." Matthew 25:35–36 (NLT) The disciples, confused, asked "when." Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
He tells us, plain as day, that when you care for those who cannot care for themselves you are caring for Him. Ignoring the plight of those who need our help is turning our back on Jesus. So do something! Donate diapers for the Heartland Diaper Drive - the response this year was a fraction of the response last year - it isn't too late, just talk to Amy Ames. Head over to The Forgotten Initiative to find out how to help "Bring Joy and Purpose to the Foster Care Community." Contribute to a friend's adoption fund or help them find ways to raise the money. Learn more about places like Lifesong for Orphans or Covenant Children's Homes and find a way to help them reach those children left behind.
I don't know about you, but I struggle with the influx of candy and treats that comes with many of our major holidays - especially Halloween. We try to limit processed foods in general, making halloween candy a nightmare. A couple of years ago I started getting healthier candy alternatives to pass out to trick-or-treaters, but I am still left with extra if the demand didn't deplete my supply. Add to that the candy haul from three excited kiddos and we could have a mountain of sugary excess that would make King Candy jealous.
So, what do you do with all of that (after you have squirreled away a few choice treats for yourself of course...or is that just me...)? Typically we have allowed the kids to choose a couple of pieces, then the remainder is put away and usually forgotten, then months later thrown away. However, I was curious as to what others did so I Googled it!
There is one post on about.com listing several Uses for Leftover Halloween Candy. Some of my favorite ideas include: bake/reinvent it (with links to recipes), play/learn/craft with it, trade it (with a link for a dentist buy-back program), donate it (to food pantries, shelters, etc.), and...my favorite by far...EXPERIMENT with it!
If you are cool eating/using the sugary stuff, there is a post on about.com that lists 12 Ways to Use Up Halloween Candy. Some ideas are repeats of the first post, others - like buying the candy from your kids - are different. The comments/responses to the post have some ideas too.
What do you do with all of that yummy sugar?
- Katrina K.
Functional dysfunction.It’s a term I learned from Pastor Dr. Eric Mason. He says, “Functional
dysfunction is when we create and live in a normal and don’t know how messy it
really is.”Months after hearing Dr.
Mason’s term for the way we get comfortable living with our sins, the term
functional dysfunction has stayed with me.Why?Because I see the reality of
it in my own life.In ways that I parent,
how I interact in relationships, ways that I spend money, my every day thoughts,
and ways that I spend my time all have elements of functional dysfunction.The Bible has another word for functional dysfunction:
stronghold.You know you have a stronghold
in your life when you can’t imagine life beyond the mess you’re living in.We might read of God’s promises and hear of His peace and
joy, but we’ve been knee deep in our dysfunction for so long we forget what walking on solid ground even feels like.
I’m bringing up the topic of strongholds
because it’s just downright hard to surrender them. Here’s the good news, though; God wants to
come into your stronghold.He wants to
have an encounter with you right in the middle of your functional dysfunction.When you surrender your circumstances,
attitudes, beliefs, emotions, relationships, and life to Him you start to see
your functional dysfunction as an obstacle to the true freedom God is offering
you through a relationship with Jesus.Surrendering to God isn’t about finally
getting it “right”, it’s about finally letting it go and handing it over to the
One who promises,
“... Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover
your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with
me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything
heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live
freely and lightly.”(Matthew 28:11 MSG, emphasis added)
Heavenly Father, I want to have the faith and courage to say, take it. Take it, it's all yours and I trust you with everything and anything. Surrendering those areas of my life that seem to work in the temporary is hard. They can appear so good for a while, but good apart from you is worthless. Recover my life from where I function in dysfunction. Be my constant companion, Jesus, and teach me how to live freely and lightly. Amen. Jena M.
It happens when it’s time to the leave park. Or when it’s nap time. Or, really, it happens whenever a toddler does not want something to end. As a result, it becomes the moment when parents decide it’s time to just pick their child up and go.
At this point, my question is: How does my toddler know how to make himself heavier than he really is? My son weighs just shy of 30 pounds, but when he does not want to be picked up, he easily weighs in close to 50. That’s not an exaggeration. He clearly must have some sort of super power.
In these moments, I ask myself, “Why are you fighting this?” as I pant and carry a wiggling, heavy load to the car or up the stairs. And I think, “Relax and just wait until we get to your crib…” or “The minute you get into the air conditioning with your Nemo sippy cup of cold water, you’ll feel much better.” My thoughts continue, “Listen little one, don’t you get it? I have an easier way. Things are going to be better. Just trust me."
Upon reflection, I can’t help but wonder if this is how I sometimes act with my Heavenly Father? I wonder if, at times, when God is trying to talk to me, I turn myself into a toddler who wants to continue playing at the park or building my Lego house. I wonder, in my moments of resistance, am I acting as if my plans are better than His?
Instead of my voice saying, “trust me” to my child; rather, God is saying, “trust me” to His child. And His child is me. His children are all of us who believe. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
On top of all of this, I love my children with every ounce of my being. And, if I love them more than they can comprehend, I imagine I am only catching a glimpse into the Father’s love for me. He loved us so much that He sent His son to die for us. Jesus is speaking to his disciples in John 10:11 and says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays his life down for the sheep.”
Just how I long to guide my children, I am reminded that the Lord wants to guide me. Jesus promises that He has a better story for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.”
Through this reflection I am encouraged to, “Trust in His unfailing love; and to rejoice in His salvation.” Ps 13:5. I imagine that He’s telling me, “I have an easier way. Things are going to get better. Just trust me.”
This scenario is in the forefront of my mind because lately, I keep thinking about the word trust. I can’t help but feel as though God is asking me to trust Him more in certain areas of my life. This is challenging, because it certainly isn’t easy to hand the reigns over to God and let Him take control. But at the same time, it blows my mind that sometimes I feel like my plans may be better than His. But then He reminds me. He reminds me through the small details of my life, like my child not wanting to leave the park, that I can trust Him. And if I do, I will realize that He has a better story for me and in fact, His ways are better than mine. I just need to trust Him. - Rebekah H.
My two youngest daughters are ages seven and nine. They love to play, with anything itsy-bitsy. Squeakies, pocket tablets, miniature pens, pumpkins…anything small-scale! Last weekend, I bought a little mailbox for them; the flag actually goes up and down just like a real mailbox.
Immediately, the girls began to use it to write each other letters, raising the flag when the next note was ready. Every note was a communication of their love toward one another. One of my favorites was from Aleya (age 9), to Brooke (age 7), saying, “Dear Brooke, I love you. You are fire burning on the dance floor.” Obviously, this was written in their own love language toward one another.
In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, “And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
I believe prayer is as simple as that little mailbox. It can be fun, and in our own love language. In John 10:27 Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
We all have different ways of communication, and with those ways, we grow our relationships with one another. Perhaps there’s a misconception that we need to pray in a way that is hard or exhausting.
There are many passages where Jesus goes away to pray. One of the passages, Luke 5:16, reads “But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.” (See also Mark 1:35, Mark 6:45-46, Luke 4:42, and Luke 6:12.)
I know that as a mother, I find time to slip away. Sometimes, I slip away to browse purses online, or shoes. Other times, I will use that time to spend with God, and those are truly the only times that fulfill and refuel me.
What’s great about it is that I talk to him in my own way, and he speaks to me in the way I hear him. We are each unique, and God is a good Father. He will show up where we invite him. If it’s with a cup of coffee, He’s there. If it’s in the word, He’s there. If it is laying down in silence telling him that you’re here and listening, He’s there. If God’s word is living and active, just like Hebrews 4:12 tells us, and there’s no “formula” to prayer, or spending time with God, couldn’t it be through a little red mailbox?
