Teach Us to Pray

Luke 11:1 Lord, teach us to pray.

This weekend at church I was challenged and asked if my prayers were more for my own comfort, safety and current events in my life or were they more heavenly-minded, gospel-centered and mission minded? 

During our nightly devotions as a family, we all take turns praying.  My six year old likes to go first and his prayers are sweet, but do not vary much.  He thanks God for the roof over our head, food on the table and whatever he had fun doing that day.  He may occasionally pray for someone or something else but he is growing. My middle one who is seven is my prayer warrior.  She prays for everything and everyone.  She has a tree in the front yard she calls her, "praying tree".  She climbs it and prays.  She prays without thinking about it.  Such an example.  My oldest prays from her heart and is deep and serious.  I remember one night listening to her on the monitor when she was five years old.  She was praying to Jesus and said, "I asked you into my heart Jesus and I will never ask you out.  I will never say to come in and go out."  I laughed and cried at the same time.

My prayers vary.  The more tired I am and the less time I spend with God and in his Word, the weaker and more temporal are my prayers.  I thank Him for the day, where I saw His hand at work and pray for the next day.  As I write this, I am coming off a two week break from school.  I've had lots of rest, relaxation, play time, getting caught up on life and mostly had an abundance of time with Him and in His Word.  I feel close to my  Heavenly Father and my prayers are so much more potent.  I am reminded that we were created for Heaven.  Heaven is my home and ultimate destination. Do my daily prayers reflect that?  Sadly, not always.  But today, I'm so thankful for this time of renewal.  

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for saving me from myself.  Thank you for choosing me to be part of your Kingdom.  You have transformed my life and heart and I'm forever grateful.  Lord, I pray that you continue to grow me and mold me into your Son's image.  Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  Strengthen and protect my marriage from the demands of a busy life. Help me to be an example for my children, to rear them in such a way that their foundation is unshakeable when they leave our house because You are their rock.  I pray that others come to know  You and Your saving grace through the way we live and the choices we make.  Give my children the boldness to stand firm in their faith and not be wooed by the temptations in this world.  Teach us to love like You love.  In Christ's name, Amen.

Testimony Part Two

Welcome back to Part Two of Becca's testimony!  Becca, thank you for blessing us with your story and for the end where you show How much He loves us!  

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On January 11, 2013, my first week of classes, I met a girl named Kaitlyn. I was lead to ask her about the cross bracelet she was wearing, and after class we spent hours just talking. I told her all about my life, and the guy I had been dating, and how just depressed I felt. And she listened. She didn’t judge me or condemn me for all the sins I kept committing. She told me all about her life, and how unpleasant it had been at moments. But the JOY she had just radiated off her, and it really got me thinking. If somebody who has been through some pretty rough stuff in her life as well could feel this joyful because of this Jesus guy, well I want what she has.

Kaitlyn asked for my number, and over the next few weeks she texted me and kept inviting me to church. Finally, after the 3rd time of asking, I went with her. I will never forget the sermon preached that Sunday. The preacher talked about how we all have “thorns” in our life, crosses we have to bear, but we are given these in order to bring us closer to God. We are all so self-indulged, that unless we felt a need to have Christ in our life, we wouldn’t even try.

Wow. What a powerful sermon it was. So I started reading my Bible every night like I did in high school, going through the motions again, thinking that would make me a true Christian. But it just wasn’t working.

Fast forward to February 13th, 2013. I started feel depressed again. I was hopeless, lonely and felt like nothing would ever get better. The walls felt like they were closing in and I was crying so hard I couldn’t breathe. I picked up my phone and texted Kaitlyn. She didn’t even hesitate, she told me to come over. I spent a few hours over at Kaitlyn’s that night telling her how frustrated I was and that I just couldn’t do it alone anymore. So we prayed together and then she prayed over me. I gave my life to Christ that night. I still wasn’t sure what that meant, but I was willing to find out.

It has been about a year since I accepted Christ into my life. My life definitely isn’t perfect – but through all the pain and the trials, I have a HOPE that I NEVER had before. Depression is a battle that I fight everyday – but now I can fight it with the Truth of God’s Word. He has blessed me with so many Christian friends that are such an encouragement to me. He has healed my relationship with my mom – we finally have the relationship that I have always wanted with her. I am doing my best to live for Christ’s will for my life, and not my own. I know now that I am never alone, because God is always there for me even when the whole world walks out.

Because Christ loves me and you SO MUCH,  He gave HIS ONLY SON, to DIE FOR US. What the crap y’all… there is no love greater than that. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.

We are all here for a purpose, GOD’S PURPOSE. Give up your life to Christ. He loves you and just wants to adopt you as His Child. If you have any questions after reading this, please don’t hesitate to ask !

In Christ, Becca

Testimony Tuesday Part One

Friends,
Today continues our new series where we have a guest blogger who shares their testimony with us!  Becca Simmons is a friend to us and she is a junior at NC State University. She is currently majoring in Animal Science. Her testimony is a blessing and you will be captivated by her transparency and story! Part Two is coming tomorrow so stay tuned!

With great JOY in His salvation,
Leeanne
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I grew up in a big family with 4 siblings and both my parents. I didn’t exactly grow up in a Christian family but we did attend the important holidays and maybe some other Sundays if we all felt like getting up. I wasn’t taught the Word, and never really understood what it meant to be a Christian.

Around the time I was 16 my family had stopped going to church, but I kept going most Sundays. I went to youth group and even attended mission trips every summer. I thought I was doing what I was SUPPOSED to be doing as a Christian. Right? Wrong.

I can’t put my fingers on the first time I really felt depressed but it was probably around the time I was in 8th grade and had just switched schools. In high school, as the years went on, I got more depressed and withdrew more and more from my friends and family. I started going from guy to guy, hoping that something would fill the hole that I felt was growing bigger. By the time I was a senior in high school, I had lost pretty much all my friends because I was just never in the mood to hang out. I started partying and drinking and doing all sorts of drugs, just because I WANTED to fit in so bad. I was dating a guy at the time, and did all sorts of physical things with him just to feel wanted.

Then college came around. I was so pumped to FINALLY make some friends, and then maybe my depression would just disappear. Right? Wrong again my friend. Freshmen year of college was one of the roughest years. I started hanging out with all these different people, joined a sorority, slept around, partying it up, I started doing cocaine pretty heavily, hoping that something would finally make me feel whole and happy. Unfortunately, everything I did just made my depression worse.

My sophomore year came around, and I was back ‘friendless.’ The only person I really had in my life was the guy I was dating, but that was purely a physical relationship. I didn’t know where to go or who I could turn to that would just listen. I started cutting myself to ease the pain, started planning how I would kill myself. One night, during winter break of my sophomore year, I had just gotten into a huge fight with my mom. She told me she hated me, and I finally decided that enough was enough. If my mom hated me, then I must really be unlovable. I got into my car, and started driving like a maniac. I told myself that if I drove fast enough into a tree, then maybe, just MAYBE, it would kill me instantly and all this pain would be over.

Now I know that it was all the Holy Spirit, but at the time I couldn’t have told you what stopped me from crashing my car that night. When I went back to school after break in January, I was lifeless. I would literally crawl out of bed, only looking forward to the next time I would be able to get back into bed. I didn’t want to live anymore, but I was too afraid to kill myself because what if death was worse. So I just existed, and man it was horrible.

Announcement and Burdens of Today

Dear Friends,

We are excited to announce that our blog will be moving over to Wordpress in a couple of weeks. We feel that Wordpress best meets our needs for hosting our blog and all the big dreams we have for the future! The Lord has been so very kind to Jill and me and when our writing adventures began several years ago we never thought we would see it come as far as it has. He has given us vision and goals for the years ahead and we are eager to obey and walk in faith. We will continue to post here and on our new blog for the next two weeks then we will turn off our blogspot blog. You can go ahead and check out our new spot at Wordpress. It will match the current content we post here as well.

http://prayingthroughlife.com

Grateful to walk through life with you all!
Leeanne and Jill

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Burdens of Today

"Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."   Matthew 6:34

I am type A personality.  I joke and often say OCD, although that is nothing to joke about, but I definitely have tendencies.  My tasks and responsibilities often become my burdens.  Why is it on a Friday after teaching school I can go outside and play with my children in the driveway, play a board game and watch a movie with my husband feeling fine about it all?  Monday-Thursday after school I am a different person.  I am focused on chores, tasks and the responsibility of making sure it's all done.  

This winter we have had several snow days (as most people!).  As soon as the next day is called off, I am back to the me I get along with best (and the one everyone else gets along with best).  I have often looked around me so accusatory.  If she would just make her lunch, if he would finish his homework, if she would just take her shower and get ready for bed, if I could just finish folding this laundry, etc.....then I would be able to relax and get along with people better.  

The truth of the matter is, it's me- it's my issues that I am projecting on everyone else.  Yes, if they would just do their task (s) then I would be able to relax more.  But, like weekends and snow days, if I would just relax, things might get done with more peace for all.  Do you have anything that is more your issue than others, but you keep blaming the others for your issue?

God has started to work on this with me.  Taking the unnecessary, stressful emotions out of the day to day routine.  If I can do it on a snow day, weekends, and track outs than I can certainly do it otherwise.  In the meantime, I'll be working on making small changes and trying to not be anxious about getting ready for tomorrow.  

Warmly,

Jill

Testimony Part II

Be ready to be blessed by Part II of Sherri's testimony! 

Walk in Faith,

Leeanne

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We prayed for wisdom to know undeniable peace, and wisdom to discern good from God’s best. We prayed that the Lord would clearly open doors and then we would be faithful to walk through them, whatever they are. My husband’s accountability partner said too him, “why don’t you go back to school and get another degree.” What? That same week my old boss was moving and the new person called me to interview for the same position, except he was looking for someone part time.

“Part time”, I said. You mean I could work and also pick my kids up from school? It was perfect and the Lord had provided. Just as a side note, this was a position I had worked at ten yeasr earlier and I had kept my small retirement account there open. Never thinking I would ever work there again, but the Lord knew, didn’t He? Meanwhile my husband applied for schoo,l got in, got his old transcripts, things transferred over, classes were open, school grants were given,  everything happened so smoothly and quickly. We were amazed. This was how the Lord worked and He alone opened these doors. So my husband started school and I started work, and our lifestyle changed drastically. For the first time ever, my husband was home in the mornings, got the kids ready for school, many times brought them to school, picked them up, helped with homework, we were a team and it was wonderful. For the past ten years, he had always been out the door on the morning at 5:15 to head to the kitchen. Now, having him around and invested in this way was life changing. He started attending a Tuesday Morning Men’s breakfast, and it was life changing. It challenged in him in many ways, he loved it so much he started bringing our son and they bonded. I watched their relationship grow and transform from father and son to two brothers in Christ. Then he started bringing both our boys. You talk about a blessing, there are no words to adequately explain the blessing of having your children and husband start their week with a men’s breakfast and accountability and bible study. I watched the Lord at work in their lives and I watched my boys relationships with men at our church transform them. They learned to serve and learned to speak up in front of others, they learned to speak with adults and find scripture to shape their thoughts, it was life changing. 

As a result of going back to work, comes the blessing of the people I work with. The Lord put into my life an amazing boss and his sweet family and a remarkable coworker.  This coworker loves the Lord and openly shared her family and experiences with me. We’ve laughed so hard we’ve cried, we’ve finished each other’s sentences, she’s challenged me to think more openly, that life isn’t always black and white. I sometimes have “gray troubles”.  She has given my family vacations, her husband has been a wonderful friend too my husband. I have watched her children arise and call her blessed and seen what that actually looks like. There are too many stories to share how rich my life is because of her.  

All of these blessings came because my husband lost his job. These are blessings worth more than rubies and diamonds.  Our family and friends have challenged us, and loved us deeply with gifts, vacations, time and encouragement and most of all prayer. Truth be told, I would much rather give than receive but we had to receive. We had to say, “thank you, this means more than you know and I cannot repay you, literally I cannot repay you.” And I learned that these people God put in our lives wanted to love us that deeply, they wanted to give too us and I was robbing them of a blessing if I received these gifts poorly. I learned to receive these gifts well and to share openly about what the Lord was doing in our life and our marriage. That means sharing personal things, oh I tell you what, I did NOT like doing that. But I shared, later rather than sooner, but no worries, the Lord and dear friends didn’t give up on me. 

So now finally, two years after my husband started school he is on the last leg. Our journey however is not. His graduation is coming soon. He has only one class left so last Fall he started interviewing for positions in his new field of work, positions that people told him would be plentiful. The positions are not there. Should we now in this darkness, darkness of him finally finishing school,  studying his nights away and now finding that there are no jobs available, stop trusting the Lord? No, it is now in this darkness that we trust even more that His ways are much better and higher than ours. It’s easier to trust in the light, you can see pretty well but in the darkness we’ve learned to reflect on His goodness, remember His faithfulness and look with expectation and what HE has already prepared in advance for us. 

The interviews dwindled and there was nothing in this new field that my husband had been preparing for. Then his old boss, from the kitchen, calls. They talk and catch up. I hear my husband pray, “Lord I am excited about what you have in store for me, even if it means I’m back in the kitchen.” Those were precious words to hear.  I’ve been able to watch my great and wonderful Savior transform my husband and draw him closer to Himself, having a front seat to that is indeed the best place to be.

Are you wondering about the bank account? Well almost three years later from when this journey started, my husband is back in the kitchen. The bank account was brought down to almost nothing. The Lord really stretched me in that way. But during this time we had to purchase a new vehicle. The Lord provided. He was not going to allow me to place my trust in that $ amount, I had to learn and continue to learn that He provides in ways I cannot imagine.  Ways like some precious girlfriends bringing over BAGS of amazing clothes one night just for fun (when I had said to myself earlier that week, no I will not spend $3.89 at the thrift store). 

My husband took this job, only about one month after a Godly accountability partner said to me,   ” I am going to pray that he is in his job and well-adjusted by the end of winter” ! He started the last day of February. We are tremendously thankful for this journey. The Lord has given my husband and sons so many sweet moments of memorable time together that they will probably never have again. I often said to my husband, “other than this whole no-paycheck thing, I really LOVE our lifestyle of you being home.”  The journey continues and we have received blessings from His hand that we couldn’t have imagined. The verse in John about Him wanting us to live life abundantly has struck home as He is a lavish God who genuinely wants us to feel the joy that He alone can give. Thank you for allowing me to share my journey.

With Joy,

Sherri ~ 919-802-2962      http://GreenFlash-Productions.com 

GreenFlash Productions Photography - is your photo session booked?

Guest Post Tuesday Testimony

Dear Friends,

Jill and I are excited to announce that on Tuesday's we will have guest posts from friends sharing their testimonies on how Jesus changed their life. Today, our dear friend, Sherri Ferguson, shares part of her testimony on how God used her husband's job loss to radically change their lives and their faith. Today, is Part I of her story!  You WILL be blessed!

Walk in Faith,

Leeanne

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Part One

Testimony of the 4 past years (2010-2014)

God is good all the time and provides in ways I wouldn’t imagine. Isaiah 55 tells me that His ways and His thoughts are higher than mine and really His thoughts and ways are not my ways, they are much better. This story deals with my husband’s job, job loss and life after that.

My husband received word about 18 months before the job loss happened that there was some chance their contract would not be renewed. However, we had no idea when and really we thought it probably wouldn’t happen because the relationship between the two companies was great. However, the Lord laid it on our hearts and minds to prepare.

The Lord, in His infinite goodness, had prepared us four years earlier when we bought our home, although we didn’t know it then. We were looking at many properties, some priced much higher (and of course nicer) and yet no peace came. We settled on our current home, with a tiny mortgage and the Lord has given us much joy. Psalm 16 says that He will fill me with joy in His presence, with eternal pleasures at His right hand.  So now we started saving, cutting back by saying no to even spending $4 with a friend at a coffee shop and putting money away for the “lean years” that could possibly come. Little did we know there would be 2 ½ lean years! Almost 3, but who’s counting J

In June of 2011 my husband, and many of his colleagues, lost their jobs. He received a severance package which was a blessing we don’t deserve and it was s t r e t c h e d mightily… but alas it was gone. The Lord’s very first tangible gift He gave us was from friends who were moving away. They received word that they had to leave 6 weeks earlier than they planned and so she asked me to come over with laundry baskets (plural) and she literally loaded them up with food for us. WOW! I came home with a month of groceries for my family. The Lord is so good to take this event and mold me. He knew my heart and inside my heart I wanted cash in the bank, I wanted to look and see a certain $ number but He was not going to give me that. He was going to provide food that my family needed to live, not cash in the bank. During this time the Lord continued to cultivate relationships with people, new friends and old friends. He refined my husband and I by taking away some friends and bringing in new ones for specific reasons and with specific purposes to pour into our lives. Friends that boldly challenged us in our marriage and personally in our walks with Christ.

My husband applied for countless jobs, went on interviews and second interviews and the Lord closed every door. Then there would be an interview with another company, closer to home, better hours and we thought surely Lord this is what we were waiting for, and again a closed door.  So a dear friend, actually his accountability partner said too my husband, “why don’t you start thinking outside the box, do you have to cook?” My husband had been in the kitchen for 25 years, of course he had to cook … or did he. In the meantime, my old boss from a previous job, called me to interview again, we met and it was wonderful, but he wanted a full time position and with 2 young children, I couldn’t work full time, besides, my husband is going back to work soon. This is what I told him. 

Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow!

Shop Hungry?

Luke 10:41-42
"But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Do you ever go shopping hungry?  You come home only to realize that you spent a lot more money than usual and you have many more items that would not have ended up in your cart if you just ate a snack before you left.  Our physical appetite is much like our spiritual appetite.  When we leave the house spiritually hungry (or empty) we will fill that emptiness with something.  Unfortunately, it is usually the world.

This is just food for thought (pun intended).  They say that your day is often defined by the first five things you do.  That made me think.  Here are two scenarios of how my day could start off...let's say on a weekend with less structure, since my weekdays are more scripted.  Look at the cause and possible effects.  

Scenario 1:  I wake up, grab my iPad and check the weather.  This makes me think about what I will wear for the day.  Then I decide to quickly check Facebook and see what comments or likes other people have made.  I then see a couple interesting posts, watch a cool video someone shared and then that reminds me I need to research something.  I quickly research.  Then I mine as well check my email.  I decide to save a few that can wait, but respond to several that I've been putting off.  Over 45 minutes just passed.  Then one of my children come in and tell me how hungry they are and that they already had a banana and two handfuls of cereal.  So, I get out of bed and go make breakfast.  Clean the kitchen.  Start some laundry.  Walk the dogs.  By now two hours have passed.  I'm still in my pajamas and realize that I have not spent one minute with The Lord.  By now, I'm frustrated by the egg I dropped on the floor, disgruntled that two of my kids keep arguing and mad that I wasted all that time in bed "checking up on the world."

Scenario 2:  I wake up, grab my iPad and read the next two chapters in  Matthew.  I pause and reread verses that speak to me.  I ask The Lord to reveal to me what He is trying to speak to me through His Word and how I can apply it to my life.  Then I click on a church app that I like to hear their sermons.  I listen, take notes and laugh at his jokes.  Then I decide to finish a blog post that I started last week.  For me, this is a great time of reflection on how God has worked in my life and how His Word is ever-present and applicable to my life.  Then Titus walks in and says that he already ate a banana and had two handfuls of cereal and is hungry.  I get out of bed and cheerfully go make the family a healthy breakfast.  I continue to reflect on God's goodness in my life and what He has in store for me that day.  

Both scenarios have happened often. The way I start my day truly makes a difference in the outcome of my mood, choices, the way I treat people and activities.  When I am spiritually filled up and sured up I do not feel hungry or deprived.  I do not feel a need to reach out to the world in a needy way filling it with junk food.  This post is a great reminder to myself and how I want to start my days.  

Warmly,

Jill

Miriam

Friends,
New things are coming to the blog next week! We are so excited to announce tons of fun, new changes.  Stay tuned!  Enjoy this devotional on Miriam.

His,
Leeanne

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Women of the Bible

Miriam
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Her name means: "Bitterness"

Her character: Even as a young girl, she showed fortitude and wisdom. A leader
of God's people at a crucial moment in history, she led the celebration after
crossing the Red Sea and spoke God's word to his people, sharing their
forty-year journey through the wilderness. / Her sorrow: That she was struck
with leprosy for her pride and insubordination and was denied entry into the
Promised Land. / Her joy: To have played an instrumental role in the
deliverance of God's people, a nation she loved. / Key Scriptures: Exodus
2:1-10; 15:20-21; Numbers 12:1-15

Her Story
=========
Seven days, I must stay outside the camp of my people, an old woman, fenced in
by memories of what has been.

How could I forget our years in Egypt, the cries of the mothers whose children
were murdered or the moans of our brothers as they worked themselves to death?
I have only to shut my eyes and see—the wall of water, the soldiers chasing us
through the sea, the sounds of their noisy drowning, and, finally, the silence
and the peace. How I miss the singing of the women I led that day, dancing at
the sea's edge, praising God for hurling our enemies into the deep waters,
certain we would never see them again.

But we did see them again—our enemies, though not the Egyptians. We let
ingratitude stalk and rob us of our blessings. We preferred the garlic and
leeks of Egypt, the food of our slavery, to the manna the good God gave us.
Enslaved to fear, we refused to enter the land of promise.

Time and again Moses and Aaron and I exhorted the people to stand firm, to
have faith, to obey God. But there came a day when Aaron and I could stand
with our brother no longer. Instead we spoke against him and his Cushite wife.
What part did she, a foreigner to our suffering, have in the promise? So we
challenged Moses. Had the Lord spoken only through him? All Israel knew
better. We deserved an equal share in his authority, an equal say in how to
lead the people.

But the Lord who speaks also heard our complaint and summoned the three of us
to stand before him at the Tent of Meeting. He addressed Aaron and me with
terrible words.

When the cloud of his presence finally lifted, I was a leper. I could see the
horror on every face turned toward me. Aaron begged Moses to forgive us both.
And Moses cried out to the Lord to heal me.

The Lord replied, "If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been
in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after
that she can be brought back." Then at least I knew my banishment was
temporary; my disease would be healed.

Now I see that my enemies were not merely buried in the sea but in my own
heart as well. Still, God has let me live, and I believe he will heal me.
Though he brings grief, he will yet show compassion. One thing I know, he has
hurled my pride into the sea and for that I will also sing his praises.

...Though Scripture doesn't reveal Miriam's thoughts or the attitude of her
heart after she was chastened for complaining about Moses, it is not
unreasonable to think she repented during the seven days of her banishment.

After all, it's not easy for a person of faith, however flawed, to hear God
speaking as though he were spitting on her and still to hold fast to her
error.

Perhaps Miriam, and the nation itself, needed a shocking rebuke in order to
recognize the seriousness of a sin that threatened the unity of God's people.

Why, you might ask, wasn't Aaron similarly afflicted for his sin? Perhaps
because Miriam seemed to be the ringleader. Perhaps, also, because God didn't
want the worship of the tabernacle to be disrupted by Aaron's absence as high
priest.

The last we hear of Miriam is that she died and was buried in Kadesh Barnea,
not all that far from where Hagar, another slave woman, had encountered an
angel in the wilderness so many years earlier. Like her brothers Moses and
Aaron, Miriam died shortly before the Israelites ended their forty-year
sojourn in the desert. She, too, was prevented from entering the Promised
Land.

Still, like them, Miriam is one of the great heroes of our faith. As a young
girl, she helped save the infant Moses, Israel's future deliverer. Herself a
prophetess, she exhorted and encouraged God's people and led the singing of
the first psalm ever recorded in Scripture. Yet, strong though she was, she,
like all of us, sinned against God and suffered a punishment designed to bring
her to repentance.

Her Promise
===========
Miriam's story offers an extraordinary example of God's willingness to forgive
those who sin. Though she had to pay the consequences for her actions—seven
days of exclusion from the camp and from all those who loved her—she reentered
the camp a forgiven woman. Hundreds of years later, she is remembered by the
prophet Micah as a leader of Israel with Moses and Aaron (Micah 6:4).

Such liberating forgiveness is available to us as well as to Miriam. God looks
with judgment at our sin, waits patiently for our repentance, and then eagerly
offers his forgiveness and acceptance. We reenter fellowship with him renewed
and clean and forgiven. Our repentance turns a legacy of judgment and
punishment into a legacy of forgiveness and worthiness before God.

Today's reading taken from" Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture" by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Print copies are available at the Bible Gateway store: http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=5&ms=NDUzMDkwNjYS1&r=Mjc0NTIzMzM4MjUS1&b=2&j=NDAxMTcyMTEyS0&mt=1&rt=0 

Our Boy

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 When I found out I was pregnant with my third child and it was a boy, I was a little nervous.  I was used to girls and not really sure how I would handle raising a boy.  Many of my friends warned me that boys are wide open, full of energy and untamable at times.  Then came along Titus.

He was nothing like I had prepared myself for.  He was sweet, tender, well-behaved and wanted to do what his big sisters were doing.  At first, this was cute...especially when they would put dresses on him.  It quickly became obvious to my husband and I that he was choosing to play with "girl" things more than "boy" things.  The world would say, let him be who he is.  Give into his desires to play with girl things.  My husband, being a guy's guy, was having a fit when he would want to play with barbies or other girlie things.  We made a conscious decision to train him to be a boy, point out the differences between boys and girls (besides the obvious), encourage boy activities, have regular wrestle time with daddy and we started cultivating boy friendships and having boy play dates.

My boy, Titus, is still sweet, tender, and (mostly) well-behaved.  The difference now, he desires to play boy things including creative play, toys, wrestling, etc. more than girl things. The other day one of the girls was aggravating him and he turned and burped and blew it in her face.  She was, of course, appalled.  I, secretly, cheered and pulled my closed fist to my hip in victory- only a boy would do that to his sister, right?

God says to not conform to the patterns of this world.  He says he made us in his image and the likeness of man, not the likeness of a woman.  It is my job as his mama to steer him in the right direction to being a godly man.

Warmly,

Jill

Jesus, Our Friend

Abraham Lincoln wrote to a friend during his presidency and said, “"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships”. If you think about friendship there are so many emotions that can come to your mind. Hopefully, most are wonderful feelings, but sometimes they can bring emotions of sadness, heartache, desire for more, and loneliness. Friendships drive so much of our life and God’s word has so much to say on this topic.

We have the great example of David and Jonathan and how in I Samuel 23:16 it says, “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. Many years of David’s life was spent hiding in a cave, terrified, lonely, and anxious and Jonathan went and ministered to him". It is a beautiful example of how a friend can hold you up when you need help and encourage you when you are down. I love how this scripture focuses on “strength in the Lord”.  Jonathan knew the only way David’s soul would rest from the anxiousness of his circumstances was in speaking the truth of who God is over him. I am certain Jonathan reminded him of the attributes and promises of God.

Sadly, there are other examples in scripture of friends that had significant conflict and had to dissolve their relationship. Paul and Barnabas were close friends and they had a quarrel (Acts 15:36-42). The disagreement was so intense that they parted ways and we don’t have any biblical knowledge that they ever saw each other again.

While these are two contrasts in friendship in scripture, ultimately, we look to Jesus Christ as our model of a loyal and loving friend. John 11:5 shows He had a close relationship with Martha, Mary and Lazarus. It says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus”. When Mary and Martha were grieving over the death of Lazarus it says that Jesus was moved with compassion and he wept.

Beyond the earthly example of His friendship, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross shows us the ultimate display of love for our eternal security.  Romans 5:7-9 states, “For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him”.

Jesus Christ is the greatest friend we can have. He was a friend to all - prostitutes, tax collectors, liars, adulterers, murderers, and ALL sinners. Do you know Him?  Do you know the depth of His love?  If you do, praise Him today and worship Him for His sacrifice on the cross so that we may live!

In His great love,

Leeanne

Relationships and the Son of God

My Friday night was a much needed "catch up" night with a girlfriend.  After a long winter, some cabin fever, and desire to catch up, we went to our favorite restaurant (Bella Monica) and to see the new movie, Son of God.  Hence, killing two birds with one stone.  

It's so easy to let weeks and months pass without being intentional with your friendships.  I'll be the first to admit that it's hard.  After each child my circle of intimate friendships got smaller.   And then I went back to work.  I didn't think my social life could shrink anymore, but it did.  What I have realized is that it comes down to prioritizing what's most important.  These are my life priorities:  God, husband, children, work, friends and family, house and hobbies.  As I type this, I am quickly reminded at all the ways I fail and mix things up on a regular basis.  I am also reminded of God's grace in all of this. 

The movie, Son of God, is the latest depiction of Jesus and His life.  This one is more broad and tells his story from conception, birth, teachings, torture, death and resurrection.  What I enjoyed most was how accurate it was.  Mark Burnett and Roma Downey's History Channel mini-series, The Bible, was put together to make this movie.  There is less room for controversy than other Jesus films, in my opinion.  For a full movie review, go to http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/son-of-god.aspxutm_source=nl_focusenews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=200605&refcd=200605.

The movie was a great reminder of the sacrifice Jesus endured for me and you.  The gospel is real.  As my pastor said at church yesterday, "I'm a bigger sinner than I thought, but He gives me more grace than I could have ever hoped for."  

Warmly,

Jill