Are you a Clanging Cymbal?

September 2nd Reading

I want to tell you how this verse ended up on our weekly family chalkboard. This has glared and poked at me all week and it certainly smoothed my rough edges.

Alivia my youngest daughter, was anxiously waiting for us at the door of her classroom last week in church. She was waving her hand for me to hurry up. I was so excited to hear what she had to tell me.
After she began talking my heart began to sink to the bottom. She handed me the little yellow card that contains the verse they will memorize that week. She then said "Mom, will you please put this on the chalkboard this week and try hard to read it 5x's a day?" Now she was serious friends, very serious. She said it with love and compassion. She then went on to say "sometimes we all talk mean to each other and scream across the room, I think this will help us all out."

I felt like a failure that very moment. I also felt a prick in my heart that nudged me to make a change.
I grew up in a very loud family. We talked fast toward one another, screaming at times and never listened very well. Now we all got along and had fun growing up we just had some rough edges.
I see the same traits slipping into my family today. However we are striving daily to live for Christ and do whats right. But I will be honest, when you put 5 individuals under the roof of a home with 5 different personalities I promise that you will have tension in tense situations. My daughter Alivia is unique. She is our gift of sweetness and softness. She keeps us all on our toes when it gets tense. Now she is not always perfect, but she does have a gentle heart. I love that each of my children add character  to the family.

So guess what verse was on the door for the WEEK...

Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger"

When in a tense situation I often do not respond with a soft and gentle answer. I tend to blurt a harsh comment. Its not easy for me to be soft and gentle.

Bible study after bible study I have learned that what a person is on the inside will be an impact on his emotional state when circumstances of stress present themselves. I  truey love the Word of God and strive to read it daily. I see God in my life daily and He continues to use me in amazing ways. However, I have to be on guard with my quick crazy temper. When chaos and stress start brewing, I have to PAUSE and really ask God to help me. A gentle answer requires much self control, love  and patience. This fruit of this spirit has had a hard time growing on my branches.  Thankfully God keeps fertilizing me and putting disease control on my branches so I am able to yield healthy fruit.

My husband said "Yelling and talking loud is a learned trait"  We can easily teach and model this negative behavior to each other. We have made a commitment to God and each another that this is not acceptable for our family. Things have been changing and it will be a lifetime of commitment. The important thing is you have to be aware of the problem and then humble yourself to admit it's no longer right.

I came from a good family growing up, but we had problems!  Don't we all?  However we never worked on our problems. We just kept on living.  So as I desire to grow deeper in my personal relationship with God, the Holy Spirit my teacher patiently continues to  help me refine the rough edges.
I desire a family that is nourished in the Love of God. I hope to see a generation that does not settle for rough edges in tense situations. Our rough edges can be very damaging to the life of others if not taken seriously.

Today's reading in the Word went along side the verse my daughter received at church. I love the way God speaks to us and knows exactly what He wants us to know.

1 Corinthians 13:1 "Though I speak with tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal"

Have you ever heard a clanging symbol or the sound of brass? It does not sound gentle. It is very annoying and aggravating.

Have you ever been around someone that yells or screams all the time? That can be annoying and aggravating too?

God has given me several opportunities in ministry to lead, teach and now even pursue avenues of writing. This is all great but without love this profits nothing. We love through our responses. Love does not behave rudely.

When in a tense situation, with my kids I am often not soft and gentle, I can be rude. But I have decided that I will not become a clanging cymbal.

The family chalkboard has kept me in line this week.The chalkboard is located in a place that smacks you in your face all day long! You cannot miss it. But I love the reminder that without love I am pretty much bankrupt! I want to be a living and breathing example to my children and I will strive hard daily to commit to change.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER: How can you love today with a kingdom love? Will you choose to guard your responses in the heat of tension? Will you invite God in to help you and your family today?

I also suggests a Family Chalkboard. Place it in an area of the house in which all will see, you will be amazed at the results.

Blessings friends,

DUCT TAPE DREAMS

September 1st Reading

Duct Tape is a WONDERFUL thing. Now I am going to be real and let you know that I just discovered that you spell DUCK tape this way....DUCT tape. OK you can laugh but remember, I tell God daily He chose the wrong girl to write and speak!

I use duct tape on everything. If you looked behind the pictures and mirrors on my wall you will find rolled duct tape to keep them in place. If you look under my big area rugs you will find duct tape to hold the four corners from slipping. If you look in my lamps I have duct tape around the broken lamp shades. I use duct tape to hold everything together.

I was thinking today about several conversations I have had in the past week with people. Every story had something to do with a BROKEN reality. However, so many people settle for repairing their brokenness with a quick piece of duct tape to keep them from slipping day to day in the pain of their reality. God wants you to believe He has something better for you!
However we settle for the big thick ugly silver duct tape.

Remember Disappointment is the GAP that exists between expectation and reality. However, God has a way to get our attention and fill all the Gaps. All of us have encountered gaps. We have all had unexpected bad experiences. Have you had an expectation about someone and then they let you down? What about an expectation for your family name? How about a goal or dream in ministry that all of a sudden  begins to twist and fall?

 Disappointments can be highly damaging to us.The greatest gap between successful people and unsuccessful people is the "thinking gap". If you have ran into a detour PLEASE be careful and guard your mind. Keep trying, keep learning, keep moving and exploring forward. We need to be careful and get Gods wisdom out of the experience. Failure can bring us right to the doorway of Gods dreams for our lives. He has only one door that determines our destiny. However, we choose to go in the wrong door and shut the right doors several times in life. I pray you choose to allow the twists and turns in your life to draw you into Gods Grace.

Psalm 136:4 "To Him alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever"

He is enduring when you are broken. He has something better for your life!

Change your thinking, Change your perspective, Change your habits

"A CHAMPION IS ONE WHO GETS UP WHEN HE CAN'T"
                                  -Jack Dempsey

Do not keep duct tape Faith. Believe God to do something better with the broken situation. I know from experience that disappointment hurts. But I also know that having a passion to DISCOVER the real truth, embracing another journey and realizing God is always faithful and has not forgotten me. This attitude will lead me to Gods preferred dream for my life.I came to the reality of a new vision in my valley. I chose to think differently in that Gap.

How are you thinking in your gap today? Has expectations left you broken?
Are you settling for duct tape faith? Will you BELIEVE for more today?

Can we pray together?
Lord, Please bless every person that has invested time in reading this devo. You love them with an ENDURING love. Thank you for allowing me to be a channel of your Grace and Reality. I pray that you would help us remove the duct tape in the broken areas of our life. I know you will direct us to the right door. Lord put a passion in us today to begin to discover more then the reality of our gaps.
Thank you ahead of time for the wonders you will do!
In Jesus name,
We all say AMEN!

Love ya and I prayed for your destiny today,

Power of Unity

August 31st Reading

After attending the "She Speaks" conference this past July one very important thing was observed the entire weekend. This leadership team had UNITY. The sweetness and harmony was so strong that instantly Psalm 133 came to my mind "Behold, How good and pleasant it is for (sisters) to dwell together in unity"

The anointing in this place brought me to tears.

Now I am sure the southern hospitality had a little to do with the sweetness but I am convinced that the LOVE for one another was the glue that held and completed Gods work.

Colossians 3:14 "Above all things PUT ON LOVE which is the bond of perfection"

I observed such synergism in every detail of the conference. The synergism was such an energizing experience for me. The way they reacted toward one another left a strong impression in my heart. This unity has created the POWERFUL results of their ministry.

Now, I know firsthand and with experience that directing, leading and teaching in ministry is not easy. Especially with women. We are emotional creatures. Now if this does not add a little spice to the recipe of Unity I do not know what does.

However I do know that we are to not COMPETE but COMPLETE one another. Each woman on the"She Speaks" team has had a vision or certain calling brewing deep down inside her heart. It was so awesome to see their visions come to pass and God to be using them in amazing capacities! Many of the speakers and leaders gave the credit to God but then voiced the importance of their P31 family.

It was like each member of this team lived, breathed, and fought for the dreams and vision of each other. When they spoke they knew the hardships and battle it took to see the different dreams move forward. But they continued to encourage and stir the gifts in one another.

The book Colossians in the bible says to Put on Love. I witnessed the wardrobe of Love. Thoughtfulness toward one another, the delicate consideration of each detail planned by another, kindness, mercy and encouragement flowed throughout the embassy suites hotel.

Joel 2:7-8 "They run like mighty (sisters), They climb the walls like women of war, Every one marches in formation and they do not break ranks. They do not push one another, everyone marches in his own column

Yes, they marched in UNITY!

If you are serving in a ministry ask yourself... What am I  bringing to this team?

Do you bring your... deep dreams and desires, knowledge, experience, methods that may be applicable and needed, thoughtfulness, consideration of  God working a work in others and most important LOVE?

Leave behind past offences, hard nosed opinions(these can kill a dreamer), bad attitudes, jealousy and pride.

Remember not to compete but COMPLETE and pull each others DREAMS into the whole big picture!

Blessings and love,

Life's Path

August 30th Reading

So many times I have been told  I am rude, or maybe even abrasive.  Most times it does not change my view of myself.  It is hard to move past obstacles in your life, especially since new ones always make their way into your life.  It is never ending!

My childhood was of great stress and hardship, but it was not as bad as others, nor was it as good as some others.  There was no sexual abuse, for that I am blessed.  There was physical abuse and some emotional/verbal/mental abuse, for that I am not so grateful, but it has taught me to be humble.  We were not poor, we were not rich, but we were comfortable.  My own blood family was my biggest obstacle.  It always seemed that no matter what was done, it was never good enough.  In this family you can try as hard as you can and yet still fail in their eyes.  It can make you give up before you ever really get started.

 Psalm 129:2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me.

What was not typical was that at 16, I found out that my mother was raped and that is how I was conceived.  That was a deal breaker for me.  That was my way to become rebellious, and ultimately angry.  I had a personal relationship with God, but it really had no baring on how I acted in life.  I knew that my whole foundation had been completely knocked off of its rocker!  How could my Grandpa, as I was his little chickadee, be my birth father???  That was completely insane to me!  Again, my blood family had done nothing to help my mother and certainly had not done anything to help me. I carried this baggage through life.

You can only imagine the rebellion that took place when this information entered into my life.  I didn't become a drug addict, an alcoholic or nothing like that.  I stayed as far away from my family as possible. I ran far and made my own life this is how I coped.

Outside of Gods hope my life remained chaotic and I reacted rude, hateful, abrasive, and anything else mean you could think of.  It is very hard not to carry my baggage through life. The first step for me in returning back to the Lord was to understand..........

 Psalm 130:5 "Wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His WORD I find Hope."

My life was overwhelming and I felt like I was drowning. I needed God to give me HOPE and help me learn to Love and then allow that LOVE to flow through me. I had so much junk I was jammed with negative emotion.

You never know when a certain experience will help you deal with another one, but you have to be so careful of what you carry over in life. When I turned to God due to certain events that I have experienced He was able to give me true contentment and security. He weaned me from my struggles.

Psalm 131:2 "Surely I have quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."

A child that is weaned no longer struggles for for milk when held near the mothers breast, but is satisfied and content.

Is what your carry going to be helpful or be a hindrance?

Today ladies, try to find someone that really needs encouragement, maybe someone that you have put down either in your mind or to their face.  Try to make them realize that they are important to God and that they have value.  You never really know the path someone has come down in their life.  They may be holding it all together with one little string that is starting to fray.  I believe it is so important to encourage other ladies.  Those of us that have been brought up with easy lives, PRAISE GOD!  However, not all of us have had that luxury.  We all have to humble and know that God is working on ALL of us.  Just because you don't think someone else is worthy means nothing, our worthiness is determined by God!  I am forever grateful for that, who knows where I would be without Him!  I am so thankful that God can use a wretch like me.  See if you can be a blessing to someone else, you don't have to spend money on them, shower them with a few nice words.  Do this for someone that you have never done this for before.  It will be pleasing to the Lord. 

I am honored and thankful to share weekly bits and pieces of my story through Gods word. My testimony is ongoing and I have so much to share on what God has done. I have real struggles and have made many wrong turns but I found forgiveness in the Lord. Jesus always taught through parables (stories) I pray my story can be offered as a lesson of hope.

Remember to encourage and not discourage,
Kari

Drawing on God's Strength

August 28th Reading

Yesterday morning Benjamin,  my 13 year old son, and I headed over to his school for registration. We prayed in the car before we went in that God will put him in the path of new friends. We just moved this past year and Ben will be starting 8th grade in a new school. This can be tough on a teenager. Ben had so many friends in his last school and was very comfortable. However, he has learned at a young age that sometimes we have to adjust our life to move where God is at work. This is Ben's third move since the 1st grade! My husband and I promised he would graduate from this school. We have a deep peace that we will not be pulling up our tent stakes and moving again!

I love the sense of new adventure I am so glad that part of me rubbed off on Ben. He does well with adjusting and fitting right in! Plus he knows mom is praying for favor and friendships. We prayed that morning in our car that God would direct Ben into every friendship and we agreed God was on his side.

We entered the school office to sign some papers, and suddenly a lady appears on my right needing to speak to the main secretary. I went along filling out some paper work and could not help to over hear the conversation. My heart felt like it stopped beating and a lump swelled in my throat when I heard that she needed to change some paperwork because Cody's mom just passed away in July.

Ben was standing right with me and a silence fell in the room for a second. I know God did not put me next to that Aunt on mistake. I began to talk to her and ask how everything was going. Her world and Cody's life has changed drastically in the last month. I felt so hurt for them both and I know my son was pondering in his heart the piercing words that fell in that office.

Psalm 124:8 "Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."


Psalm 125:1 "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved."

I prayed for Cody's family this morning. I want them to experience the strength and assurance that God has for his people in difficult times. I pray if they do not already trust in the Lord, that God will seek to bring them to His side so that He may reveal himself as a STRONG and MIGHTY mountain.

Life will bring unexpected challenges. God created us from the beginning to draw our trust from Him. NOTHING ELSE WILL WORK.  Absolutely Nothing in the world can fill that void. Our strength will only come from the Lord.

Where are you finding strength today? Allow God to draw you to His side so that He may begin to reveal Himself to you.

Is God putting someone in your pathway today? Let them know Gods help is like a mighty mountain and He will provide them with the strength and assurance they need.

Trusting in Him,

Why me?

August 27th Reading

Hello again Ladies!  It is once again, the great Kari!  Ha, just kidding, it is just plain ole Kari!  I hope this Friday finds you in great condition.  This last week has been something else for me, one can only hope it wasn't that way for everyone.

Do you ever wonder, why me? That was me this week, as hard as I tried to do right and be right, the devil kept sticking me in the side with a board or tree trunk, not a simple stick.  I can be pretty sure that nothing has come easily in my life, my Grandma says it gives me character, Heather says it has given me humor, I say blah!  Seriously though, my life has taught me many things about my being stubborn and defiant.  It really gets you no where in life.

Why can we not just realize that God is there ALL THE TIME?  I seem to be pretty dense in knowing that if my mouth (trap) shuts, God will pick up the pieces and put it back together.  Psalm 121:2 says "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."  However, it is hard to get past the fact the most of my life has been dealing with people who dwell in chaos, confusion and anger.  My family is not the only one in the world that is dysfunctional, but this much is true, we have our own fair share of dysfunction.
Me, well I am a product of step family incest.  My mother was raped by her step father and I was the product of that incident.  Being raised in that situation was difficult to say the least.  My Grandmother had married this man and had 4 children with him and therefore my aunts are also my half sisters.  Psalms 120:6 "Too long have I lived among those who hate peace."  Much of my family bounced back and forth from hating my mother to hating my biological father, doesn't make much difference to a child caught in the middle of it all. I had no trust.

I have had to look for God's love, mercy and forgiveness many times in my life and I have learned to TRUST Him.  Life gets tough and we make rash decisions and they can be the wrong ones.  The hardest thing to remember at ALL times is  that God is with us ALL the time, all we have to do is ask Him to help us get through. Never forget that God is always at our side and that He will protect us night and day, regardless of the situation.  He will work it out for the good. He has a plan for us to help others that lack faith and trust in the same situation I have touched. The Lord loves us and will never forsake us.

Psalms 121:5-8 "The LORD watches over you the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

God puts us into various situations and strengthens our character if we allow Him, it also tests your faith.  We have all heard the verse, Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" and knowing that would it not be far wiser for us to sew good things?

 For a long time only anger and resentment were in my life, and because of that, it was all that my life consisted of.  I have learned the hard way, that in order to receive good things (blessings) you must plant good things.  That does not mean that life will always be great if we always do great things.  Life is a daily struggle, living for God is a daily struggle, actually a minute by minute struggle.  However, if we choose to do this, we will be blessed for it.  We must live by the law of Christ, and we must do His works, wherever He wants us too.  I realize that for right now, my biggest work is in my own family.  That does not mean I can not help out elsewhere, but my main focus must be making sure my family is adequately equipped to handle life.  Once that task is achieved, I won't be asking why me?  I will be saying the Lord has blessed me.

Try to think of something that you could turn over to God to let him handle.  Something that you need help on, but you really do not know how to handle.  It could be a troubled child, a troubled marriage, friendship needing repair, financial help, a loved one that is sick, a huge loss that keeps you feeling sick at heart.  When you turn it over to God to handle, you must have faith, real faith that He is going to handle it.
I have had to turn something over to Him this week, it has worn me down greatly this week.  Just like Heather stated yesterday, God will help you adjust your life.  He is right next to you waiting for you to ask.

Why me, yes me,
Kari

Two Girls and a Truck

August 26th Reading

This past July was quite the adventure.  I was given an opportunity to attend a women's conference "She Speaks" in North Carolina. I had this great idea stirring in me that a road trip with my girlfriend would be more exciting then sitting in a plane for a couple short hours!  I guess that's my adventurous spirit. However, I do not do well sitting for long periods of time. 13 hours of travel seemed impossible but I was willing because I wanted  to explore the little off the wall towns,  view the mountains,  stop in odd restaurants and eat a Baltimore crab cake on the Inner Harbor which Jeana wanted no part of. We stopped off to visit my sweet Aunt Ruthi, checked out the rest areas and met people along the way. We even ate at the CHEESECAKE factory in Baltimore but we took our cheesecake to go for a snack on the road.

 My girlfriend Jeana and I both like to talk...so we exchanged a lot of words in that 13 hours! We even played a game called "chat pack" it contains a 156 questions guaranteed to get creative juices flowing and fun conversation going. Here's a few snap shots of our road trip!

This road trip including all the stops that made this trip adventurous would not have been possible without the GPS! The Global Positioning System and Map Quest.  It provided at all times a reliable location, time and weather, traffic jams and specific navigation the entire way. Now unfortunately my phone navigation was not the best  we found that out when it had us heading toward a field of grass! So you must have an up to date dependable navigation system because they all do not work and may not be reliable. So we had back up plans that kept us re- routing when needed. We had a navigation system that helped us make the decision needed and directed every turn.

Today's daily reading was in Psalm 119. This is the longest chapter in the whole bible. The promise contained in the entire passage is about Gods word and how it will revive and bring your life back on track! Its a GPS system. Gods Positioning System.

Sometimes we end up down the wrong roads in life. I know I can admit to this. I remember spinning my tires down the same road making a huge sinful rut and I got stuck in my own tracks! Getting stuck caused me to cling to the dust in the road. The dust was the state of depression from all my wrong turns.

However I have such a strong, stubborn will that I felt adequate enough to deal with the problems I created. I made some costly decisions in life especially during my college years. Many that affected me in deep ways. I was perishing in my own affliction. I deeply wanted to get back on track but had no direction. I am now going to jump through about 15 years of life but I can relate my change to ONE thing....

Gods Positioning System. I had to make a decision to delight in His word, precepts, law and commands. I realized the God did not create His word to put me on a leash like a dog but it was to set me free and bring life and health into my life again.

The word of God is wise, full of judgement, knowledge and understanding. It provides sound, reliable directions. God is the only one that knows your specific curves in life. He through the word can notify you of traffic jams, wrong turns, the weather ahead and your best and shortest route.

God will accomplish more in 6 months through a person relying on His GPS then we could do in 60 years!

The key is you can no longer depend on a religion, culture or tradition, your past experiences or the experience of others to be accurate of Gods will and path for your life.

 1 Corinthians 8:1 "And if anyone thinks he knows anything, he knows nothing as he ought to know."

Be careful where you get your directions from in life. Psalm 119 tells you the only knowledge and intellect comes from Gods word! The word of God is the secret of successful living. You will be amazed at the benefits He promises to those who take time to read.

 The Curves in life are the struggling with loss of husband or child, the emotional trauma of a broken marriage, the rut of sin and temptation, the confusion of  why your child is suffering and sick, the anger at autism and other developmental disabilities, cancer, low self esteem and the disappointments of others that continue to let you down in life. All these curves will leave you broke down on the side of the road. I have witnessed all of these if not experienced them personally in my life and family.

God does not intend to have you broke down on the side of the road. He is saying RE ROUTING. He desires to lead you in your next turn and will be reliable the whole journey. Your destination will not be at all what you thought. I am amazed at the direction God has me heading. Let go and let God my sweet friends!

I challenge you to start today and read psalm 119. You can do it! Every time you see the word "I" insert your name and make it personal.I promise that God will come along and help you adjust your life. God is always working around you.

Remember your road trip was designed already by God to be adventurous  "a life of a different kind" You will not experience that life without Gods Positioning System!

Please leave a comment at the bottom of this post and let me know if you will take this challenge, I want to pray specifically for you.
You may also email me personally at hbaxterhiswow@aol.com
Trusting my GPS,

O wife, can you SAVE your husband?

August 25th Reading

Is your marriage struggling today? Is your husband running in the wrong direction? Do the words affair, pornography, abuse of a certain kind and loneliness leave you sitting in shock, anger and hurt?

I know that husbands not running with Christ can make a marriage miserable, but God is giving you an opportunity to learn how to love unconditionally. The key is to model Christ and love Him, this will do a supernatural work in your husband. God will bring a blessing due to your faithfulness.

I was drawn to Christs unconditional love for my personal life through our marriage struggles. His unconditional love for me and my wrongs motivated me to climb some mountains steep mountains.

Every time I see this picture of my husband Dan and I took on July 4th, I laugh because my hubby has his hand across his heart as if he is standing to honor the flag, but no flag was in site. Dan must have been feeling the desire to celebrate freedom at that time! This picture was perfect for today's post because Dan and I have discovered freedom together and stand today with our hands over our hearts saying "Thank you God for helping us."

About 2 years into our marriage everything began to fall apart. I began to really look at my life. I remember sitting on my bed weeping in Keego Harbor, Michigan and saying "This is not what I wanted for my life"  I had personal struggles and so did my husband. We both brought our baggage into the marriage. The burdens we both had individually weighed on each other and created pain and tension. The best way to avoid the pain was to run from it. We both ran in dangerous directions, hurting each other more.

My husbands mother was a strong Jesus lover! She pointed the direction out to where I needed to run.  My husband was pointed in the right direction from his mama when he was in high school. However he made a choice to run in the opposite direction when he left home after school.

I remember the year I ran into Jesus. Not a religion but a true, real, live friend. He heard my cries in that Keego Harbor bedroom and he brought people along my path to point me to places I would find Him even more!

I was then motivated to have a better marriage and not walk away from the marriage.It was not easy but that was my desire. I only had desire friends, everything else was shattered around me.

Proverbs 13:12 "HOPE deferred(shattered) makes the heart sick BUT when a DESIRE comes, it is a tree of life."

It starts with only a DESIRE of what should and could be. This desire was the key that lead my husband and I running into the right direction. A desire to find truth.

1 Corinthians 7: 13-16
Today's verses say "For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?"vs13

"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband."vs15-16

We may not see the impact on a daily basis what our witness has on others, especially those we live with since we see them everyday. But only through obedience and living a faithful testimony, will God work a wondrous work in your days.

Do you have the DESIRE to run in the right direction with God?  Your desire could be the beginning of a new marriage.

When your running in the right direction your attitude and emotions change.

God will use your conduct to convict(prick at your husbands heart) and your hubby will see his wrong far better than you POINTING IT OUT! Let God convict him and he will change.

I am so glad God did not wake me everyday and POINT out my wrongs. I would feel smothered.

Your conduct should be opposite of your old life. Your conduct needs to be Christ-like. You should handle the problem opposite of what he expects. Example: If your husband does something stupid and he expects you to react the way you always do by screaming at him, then give him grace and mercy (not getting what he deserves and favor).  These actions will convict and draw him to his senses.

Proverbs 12:14 "An EXCELLENT wife is a crown for her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones"

When the wrong is exposed and it crushes your heart, please through Christ ladies give support and love. I know this will be so hard but JUST DO IT!

The word NIKE in Greek means Victory or Conquering. So remember in your battle cry that with Christ you will have victory!  Some days the run will seem impossible but do not give up. (You may need additional support and life care) I know many woman that had to separate from their loved ones for some time during the battle cry. God knows how to direct you. In some cases the husband may never return to the Lord and God will lead you in your way. The importance is making the decision God wants. We tend to make our life long decisions based on the emotion of the moment.  If you are struggling in this area I want to pray for you. I understand the pain. I will pray for God to open doors for you so you can learn about the desire I have been talking about and then make the right decisions for you and your family! God has people positioned for you TODAY!  Do not stay on your PRIVATE ISLAND.

Like everything in life, marriage is a huge spiritual battle but in Christ and through Christ you will see amazing things!

REMEMBER TODAY:
                                       Avoid a foolish ignorant dispute it will only generate strife.
   
                                       Be gentle and patient to the opposition

                                       Believe big for your husband.
Believing Big,

Women to Women (have a SEX-cessful marriage)

August 24, 2010

OK I know this is an odd post! This post may not be for everyone but I feel it is very important and tends to be a touchy topic that needs to be brought to the surface so God can shine some light on it.  Remember women who seek God want to know Him and seek Him in every area of their lives, including sexual relations!

As I was doing today's reading in 1 Corinthians 7 Paul was teaching me about important principals in marriage and the Lords command in  keeping your marriage vows. Paul stresses over and over to satisfy and protect your spouse. I know this is a touchy subject so I am just sharing my failures and weaknesses. God reminded and encouraged me today.

In 1 Corinthians 7:5 it reads "Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time." The word deprive literally means do not rob one another. Yes Paul is referring to the romance area ladies!
                                                Satisfy and protect your spouse.
I fail here many times. I am always tired, busy and often not driven in the romance area at the end of a long day with kids and other activities. I still love my spouse to pieces but am I truly satisfying him? The answer is No. He is created with a different sex drive then me. I need to understand my spouses manhood! LOL

I would love to share a blog and article from bible.org (click here for the link) This article lays it all out ladies. I would also like to share a book that has been very helpful in my marriage in the area of sizzling romance.
 

Intimate Issues by Dillow and Pintus. This book is amazing and will bring the sizzle back into your marriage in many ways! It also will add new spice.

I like this book especially because many women have been a victim of sexual abuse and it seems impossible to get past the pain. This book has areas to help you see the truth and receive Gods healing. Dear friend, hold back no longer.. allow God to begin to heal you. God wants you to enjoy sex in your marriage bed.

I am grateful for Paul and his reminder today to SATISFY and PROTECT my husband.

Proverbs 5:15-19 "Drink from your own well, be faithful and true to your wife,....let your manhood be a blessing, rejoice in the wife of your youth. Let her charms and tender embrace, SATISFY you. Let her love alone fill you with delight."

Ask yourself how you are doing in this area? I am asking God today to help me become a Godly and more sensuous wife.

If you need more resources in this area please email me and I will help meet that need!
Thanks and blessings

Timeless Tragedy in Marriage(a recorded teaching from my heart to yours)

August 23, 2010

Happy Monday friends! The kids are still home on summer break and I love it. I will have to adjust very soon to my new schedule. So for now I am enjoying my mornings. The kids are all still sleeping. They had a late night of flashlight tag in the neighborhood! Flashlight tag has become the big hit this summer.
13 kids get together and run with great fun tagging each other in the darkness with their light!  My daughter Britt said last night on the way home from the lake, "Mom, I am so excited that it is getting darker earlier, that means longer periods of flashlight tag." I am not sure I agreed. I think about the SNOW coming when it gets dark earlier!

Flashlight tag reminded me of something this morning. When I was going through some DARK times in my life and marriage.... Light was the only ray of hope to dispel the darkness. I needed to be tagged with the light of truth. In the darkness, its easy to doubt God is at work. I felt trapped at times. I feared the death of my marriage. In Psalm 18:28"My God turns my darkness into light" I will testify today that the Lord was close to my broken heart. No person lives a perfect marriage or perfect relationship. I still need today to be tagged with the light of truth and hope or my marriage will fall into darkness.

Freedom to act as one pleases is not really freedom. It is a form of bondage for you and the others close to you. In the book of Corinthians in the bible Paul was being a light to the people of Corinth. Paul was providing guidelines for decision making and sternly pointing out that what they do with their bodies affects their spiritual state. He was tagging them with the light of truth in the darkness of their situations.

Yes, Paul was speaking to believers and followers of Christ that struggled with the battleground of sexual purity.

1 Corinthians 7:18 "FLEE sexual immorality." Make it your habit to FLEE. With the Light of Hope God helps us to flee and our bodies do not become the instruments of sin.

Sin hurts you and the ones closest to you.

I would love to share a video lesson that I wrote dealing with some hurts in my life and others close to me.  The book of proverbs shares much wisdom on this subject. I pray you are tagged by light in the darkness of a situation. I know what it feels like to hurt. But stand strong and allow God to work a good work in you and those around you! He is not finished yet! Once He gets your heart it just begins!

Love you,