EMOTIONS - Dictator or Indicator?

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Matthew 26:41

The world tells us, “Do what you feel!”  Contrary, the Bible says that our hearts are deceitful and that our flesh is weak.  Emotions are God given.  They help us to respond to life with happiness, sadness, fear, worry, excitement, joy, etc.  I vividly remember a time in my life when my emotions dictated all of my choices--the way I felt is how I would make my decisions.  If I felt like I wanted to purchase something I would do it.  If I was mad at someone I would react and let them know.  If I had a fear about something it would consume me and keep me from doing something or push me into doing something.  My emotions were an impulse to my actions.  What I didn’t realize is that my emotions were constantly changing—day to day and sometimes hour to hour.  So, after making an emotional decision I would often regret it or have wasted time and energy worrying.  

I am continuing to learn that our emotions have great purpose.  However, without God’s Truth and wisdom they can be futile. For every feeling there is God’s Truth to compare it to.  The Truth will set your emotions straight.  The Truth will validate or invalidate your feelings.  The Truth will bring you peace or discontentment.  Prayer and letting time pass will allow your emotions to be indicators and not dictators for your decisions.  

“Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.”

Ephesians 2:3

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Warmly,
Jill
 

Book News!

Three years ago Jill and I set out on a journey to write a devotional book specifically targeted at women who were pregnant. We are happy to tell you that it is in the pre-production phase of publishing!  We are praying it will be ready around the holidays. Here is a sneak peak at the cover. It is amazing and our sweet designer friend Michele exceeded our expectations! Check out her website at www.sonscapecommunications.com

Thank you for all your support. Great is His faithfulness and timing!

With JOY,
Jill and Leeanne

Michele's beautiful design work!

The Unlikely Idol

Friends,

I feel so honored that an article I wrote was published on Dayspring's website today called (in)courage. The link is below!  God turns bad into good.  I hope it blesses you!

Leeanne

http://www.incourage.me/

Contact Us

Would you like to contact us? We would love to hear from you! Please write us at: jill_proverbs2121@yahoo.com leeanne.burda@yahoo.com

Great Things He Has Done!

"Good morning!  As Fall is rolling in to September I have found my early mornings to be a precious time. We have a screened in back porch and I drink my coffee and study God's word as I hear the birds chirping and life beginning for the day. It is like an early morning refuge for me. I have a place I drive through the country that I call my "decompress" place. It is peaceful, relaxing, and allows me to be quiet and listen.

So many days all I hear is noise. Good noises - my children playing, music, friends chatting, my husband singing (he has a great voice but doesn't like it to be known), the birds, the school bus, the neighborhood kids playing hockey in the street.

Then, there are the noises that drown out everything. The constant battle in our mind of the truth of God's word verses Satan's lies. I have talked to several people this week alone that feel Satan is attacking them. He knows just what will get us in a downhill spiral too. Last week I had a tough week. This week I feel refreshed. What is the difference? I fought back last week with God's truth in His word.

One verse that comforted me last week was Exodus 20:6:

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations for those who love and obey my commands (NLT)

This verse brought me such peace. God is doing great things right now and I felt Satan attack every single one of them last week. What I realized is that God desires to lavish us and will keep pouring His love out to a thousand generations.  He is a covenant God.

Exciting things are happening at "Praying Through Life".  Jill and I wrote a devotional book three years ago called "Praying Through Pregnancy". The Lord has opened up doors for us and we are happy to say it is in the pre-production phase of publishing. Our goal is to have it ready before Christmas. We can barely wait to show you the cover!  Our incredible designer Michele is working on some final touches. She is amazing!


Also, I have an article being published tomorrow at http://www.incourage.me/. (In)courage is a website for women and is connected to DaySpring. God led me out of a trial a few years ago and I'm happy to share it with you. I pray He uses it.

To God be the Glory!  Great things He has done and will do for thousands of generations,
Leeanne

Source of Strength

I’m doing a Bible study right now called Stronger by Angela Thomas.  The premise behind it is we are only so strong on our own.  We are ever stronger with God’s strength.  It gives stories and practical application how to be strong in Him.  Below is a quote from the study.

The Bible promises that God is stronger than:

·       Your greatest weakness

·       Your deepest need

·       Your past mistakes

·       Your present stumbles

·       Sickness, physical sufferings, and death

·       Your doubts

·       Bad attitudes

·       Broken relationships

·       Leaders, authorities, kings, and nations

·       Loneliness and depression

·       Anxiety and worry

·       Sin

·       Unforgiveness

·       Anger, bitterness, and rage

·       (you fill in the blank)

God is stronger than everything!  “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” Deuteronomy 4:7.  Call on Him.  How?  Just start by talking to Him.  Ask Him to make himself real to you.  I promise He will if you pay attention. 

Without God in my own strength I was depressed, bulimic, in debt, lonely, anxious, over drank to downed my emotions and simply dramatic. 

When I started following Christ as my model and learning His ways my life slowly (and continues to) transformed into a life filled with joy, healthy eating, not excessively drinking and generally making wiser choices that honored God instead of giving me instant gratification with detrimental consequences.  Life with Christ is not without trials, life is full of them—but with Him as my source of strength I can persevere.  Talk to Him, He’s waiting to hear from you!  

Warmly,

Jill

Family and the Bride of Christ

"What's on your mind", my husband asked me the other day.
"Couple Mr. and Mrs. X think we are crazy. I'm sure of it", I said back to him.
"We are crazy. Our daughter wears the same dress everyday,our son just called the kids in his Sunday School class monkey butts, and our sweet baby has turned into a possessed demon".
"Yeah. I guess your right. Are we loud people"?  I asked.
"I think we qualify. Don't forget you come from the decesdants of Vikings so you definitely get loud when you are mad".
"Your Polish".
"What does my love of kielbasa and pieroges have to do with the fact that our family is crazy"?

-----------------

That my friends is my life right now. I was struggling last week with what "Couple Mr. and Mrs. X" thought of our family. Why?  Because there life seems nice and neat and us Burda's are not that. I like to think of our life as peaceful chaos. 3 children under 5 is wild enough but throw in a deaf dog and we are now on the crazy train. In 2012 I did not sleep. I got use to it. I adapted and told myself often this too shall pass. Now we finally get the baby on a good schedule and my son decides to start having nightmares. My daughter will only wear one dress and my son things every conversation should be sprinkled with potty talk.



My point? This is the family the Lord has given me. It is a wonderful, fun ride with a great extended family, amazing friends, and beautiful church. Just like my family, the Bride of Christ is not perfect but it is beautiful. It is a place to ask, seek, share, question, fall apart, build up, lean, hold up, disagree, agree, and hopefully it is all wrapped in the jewels of grace, love, and charity.

I love my church. I love Christ's church. But most of all I love what Christ is accomplishing through her. He uses all the broken people and gives us the honor to be His ambassador's (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Christ will use us if we let Him. A friend told me the other day to embrace it. So, in the same sense I embrace Christ's bride as well. Flaws and all. He loves her just like I love my family- crazy and all!

Rest in 1 Chronicles 29:11:
 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

Clothed in Grace,
Leeanne

Psalm 66

Friends,

It has been a long week - new schedules for the kids, doctor and dental appointments, Jill had work and a funeral, church responsibilities, and the day to day of life. Many blog posts came to mind but God's word was really a place of great refreshment this week for me so I thought perhaps that would be a great truth for all of us this weekend. Dwell in His presence and linger in His Holy Scripture. My two favorite men in the whole wide world have birthdays this weekend!  Should be a sweet time. 

May you rest in the sufficiency of God's Truth and Word this weekend.

Leeanne

--------------------------

Psalm 66

¹ Shout for joy to God, all the earth!^(A)
2     Sing the glory of his name;^(B)
    make his praise glorious.^(C)
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!^(D)
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe^(E) before you.
⁴ All the earth bows down^(F) to you;
    they sing praise^(G) to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”^[a]

⁵ Come and see what God has done,
    his awesome deeds^(H) for mankind!
⁶ He turned the sea into dry land,^(I)
    they passed through^(J) the waters on foot—
    come, let us rejoice^(K) in him.
⁷ He rules forever^(L) by his power,
    his eyes watch^(M) the nations—
    let not the rebellious^(N) rise up against him.

⁸ Praise^(O) our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
⁹ he has preserved our lives^(P)
    and kept our feet from slipping.^(Q)
10 For you, God, tested^(R) us;
    you refined us like silver.^(S)
11 You brought us into prison^(T)
    and laid burdens^(U) on our backs.
¹² You let people ride over our heads;^(V)
    we went through fire and water,
    but you brought us to a place of abundance.^(W)

¹³ I will come to your temple with burnt offerings^(X)
    and fulfill my vows^(Y) to you—
¹⁴ vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
    when I was in trouble.
¹⁵ I will sacrifice fat animals to you
    and an offering of rams;
    I will offer bulls and goats.^(Z)

¹⁶ Come and hear,^(AA) all you who fear God;
    let me tell^(AB) you what he has done for me.
¹⁷ I cried out to him with my mouth;
    his praise was on my tongue.
¹⁸ If I had cherished sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened;^(AC)
19 but God has surely listened
    and has heard^(AD) my prayer.
²⁰ Praise be to God,
    who has not rejected^(AE) my prayer
    or withheld his love from me!

A Defining Memory

Last week my grandmother passed away. While it was a sad time for our family it was also a sweet time of celebration. So many wonderful memories and experiences that have shaped and molded me in my adult life. I loved so many things about my grandmother but the one thing that always stood out to me was her love of family and hospitality. My grandmother was very relaxed in her style and always made you feel welcomed. When I was a kid we would go visit her regularly since we only lived 20 minutes away. Every time we would walk in her house she had fried chicken and a two-liter of Pepsi, ice cold of course, ready for us. 

One summer day, I was outside playing with my brother and cousins and we came inside and asked Grandma for some cups to pour some Pepsi. My grandmother replied, "you don't need any cups, just drink it and pass it around. It won't hurt nothin". And here I am 30 years later a changed woman because of that memory. To many it was probably just a passing thing. A bunch of cousins in the backyard sharing a 2-liter of soda. To me, it was the beginning foundation of what love and hospitality looked like. 

For me, that memory was the building block for realizing that true joy comes from simple things. We didn't need cups. We didn't need a plate to eat chicken. We didn't need napkins. We didn't need anything but our big backyard and each other. We did need others to pass the bottle around. We needed a nurturing loving person to care enough to cook us food and to point us to this simple truth:  you need to love each other well. Throw out the napkins, cups and plates. 

We all need each other and we all need someone to show us love and care. It is a universal need, isn't it? My memory, even though I didn't realize it, was wrapped up in Christ's greatest command - Love the Lord and then love others. 

We hear so much buzz these days about being authentic and real and not getting caught up in the "mommy wars", or what kid can do what better (another post on that later), or who has what, or who is better at this or that, or Pinterest, or FB, or even blogs. Comparison kills your joy. I personally think if we would quiet ourselves, pray, and truly wait and listen for the Lord's direction then we will see so many people around us who need love and care. And then, we need to invite them into our homes and share our lives with them, imperfections and all. No one has it all together. No one is great at everything. We wouldn't need each other or each others gifts if we could do it alone. Then, I think we would stop feeling inadequate and start feeling a part of God's great plan.

So, for me, the sweet memory of my Grandmother's hospitality lives on. It has defined so much of who I am. I will miss her but I'm grateful that eternity in Heaven is her reality now. I hope one day when you come into my home you will see a glimpse of her sweet life resonate through the way we live. Feel free to drink out of the soda bottles too. I might even like you more if you do.

Blessings,
Leeanne