Breaking the Ruts

I know that it has been quite dead around here recently, but I have a few posts in the workings of my mind, so be watching for more posts soon. I plan to share some of what God has been teaching me over this summer.

I was privileged to spend two weeks of my summer at a Worldview training camp, called Summit . In many ways those were the hardest, yet the best two weeks of my life. Through God's working, I feel like I grew so much because of my time there.

I was challenged beyond what I've ever been before! An appetite in me was awakened to study more, dig deeper in search of truth, and share the truth in love. I came to realize how passive I've become; not putting my whole energy into God's service.  God has not redeemed me to sit idly, "waiting for His leading," I have been called to FIGHT!

"Passivity is a plague among Christians. It's not that we don't do anything; it's that we feel spiritual for doing nothing." - Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something

Two of the lovely ladies, Katie and Katherine, who I went to Summit with, at Garden of the God's.

The Attributes of Love

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What is love? 


Is it a feeling? Is it an action? 
Our society equates love with romance/sex, but is the depth of love reached through sex?  Or is true love something deeper than the physical?

In studying the attributes of love described in the "love chapter" (I Corinthians 13),  a love that is deep, lasting, and strong is found. I found myself being challenged and convicted as I studied this.

Love is

More than just words

More than just actions

Patient and kind

Humble

Thoughtful of others

A bearer of burdens

Everlasting

Mature

Polite 

Rejoices in the truth

Trusting

Out lasts knowledge 

Love is not

Boastful

Envious

Arrogant

Rude 

Irritable

Resentful

Insistent on its own way

Joyful in wrongdoing 

Love is hard. Love is tiring. Love hurts. Love makes you vulnerable.  But love is also rewarding!

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that a person must be lovable before we show them love. It doesn't even say that they must act like they want to be shown love. So many people are hurting to be given true love. True love, loves the unlovely. 

We sinned against God. We spat in his face. We nailed him to a cross. We did not, nor do we ever deserve anything from him. Yet, he gave the ultimate gift of love - his own life. 

What about that person who has hurt you, or the person you find annoying, are you loving them as Christ loved us?

 

A Deeper Look: Emotional Purity

I have recently been challenged in considering the issue of emotional purity. Christians have often focused on physical purity, while neglecting the importance of emotional purity. Physical purity is very important, but there is much more to relationships than only the physical. Should we not strive for emotional purity as well as physical purity?

She does him good, and not harm, 

all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:12 

In that verse the phrase "all the days of her life" really stands out to me. There are many ways we can be honoring and doing our husbands good - even before we meet them! One of the ways is saving our emotional intimacy for him. God created men and women to not only fulfill each other physically but also emotionally. We can easily emotionally attach ourselves to someone, without there being a serious commitment in the relationship. This results in us giving away a part of us that really belongs to our future husband, thus not truly doing him good.  

I think we all know that girls are easily triggered by emotion, and are also major dreamers. Admit it girls; when you meet an amazing Christian guy who you could see yourself with, it's not long before your last name has mentally morphed into his, and you are living "happily ever after." This is not something we should be doing, but rather should be fighting against.

Something to consider when evaluating a close friendship with someone of the opposite sex, is whether it's encouraging us in our walk with the Lord, or if it's causing us to become anxiousness for things that are not ours to have yet. Whether we are single or married, our fulfillment ultimately needs to come from the Lord, not from our spouse or other person/people.

We need to be guarding our mind, and not allow it to wander wherever it wants to take us.
I did not really touch on it much today, but another area we need to be striving for purity is mentally. Maybe that will be the topic for another post.


A book that I highly recommend which goes deeper into the subject is: Emotional Purity An Affair of the Heart by, Heather Arnel Paulsen

If you have any thoughts or comments on the subject, I would love to hear them!

The Words of My Mouth

Recently the Lord has been speaking to me about the words that I speak.

All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;

Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. Pro. 8:8

This verse really challenged and convicted me to consider if it could be said of my speech. Are the words I speak, words of righteousness? 

God has shown me that I have been lacking in this area.
Sometimes I may wish it was not true, but people will be affected by my words. It will either be a positive affect, or to my regret, a negative affect.When I am careless in my speech, I end up hurting my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Rather than hurtful and impure words, I desire my speech to be words of love, purity, humility, and grace. 
I want people to leave their conversations with me feeling blessed and encouraged in the Lord - not hurt and confused.

What has God been teaching you recently?


Blessings!
Marie

"I Have a Dream"

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day: 

Do not be silent, but let your voice be heard for what truly matters!

Let God give you a dream, and let Him work that dream out, through your life!

New Year, New Challenge

Many times at the beginning of a New Year, I ask God to give me a special verse for that year.
This year I feel like God has laid on my heart the following passage:

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. Col. 3:1&2




My prayer and desire is that through this year, God will continue to teach to apply these verses to my life. I want to keep them at the front of my mind, as a reminder of what I truly should be setting my heart on.

As things in life press in, and try to distract me from my relationship with Christ, I pray that God will remind my of these verses again.


Has God given any of you a special verse for this year?

Day of Thankfulness: Week 4

This is a little late, but better late than never, right?


This week I am thankful for Christmas music! There is nothing more cheery that helps drive away the blues on those dreary days, then a good Christmas song! :)


Here are some of my favorites this year:
How Many Kings

Wizards in Winter

Christmas Canon

And pretty much all the songs in Micheal Buble's new Christmas album!
But it looks like they have killed most of the videos for it on Youtube. :(

May you all have a blessed weekend!

Stepping Out

I'm really excited about how God has been leading me recently, so I wanted to share it with you all! God has been working in me and leading me, which has brought about a change in my plans - surprise right? Through different circumstances, I've been feeling that God has been leading me to get involved in the ministry of Biblical Counseling - specifically ministering to girls and young women.

For awhile I've thought about volunteering at my local crisis pregnancy center. And because God has been leading me to get involved in counseling, I figured that would be somewhere I would be able to get some more experience. So, several weeks ago I submitted  a volunteer application; with the prayer that if volunteering there was the Lord's will, that He would open the door for me. Several weeks went by without hearing anything - until two days ago.

Basically, I was told, that once my references get their paperwork in, I will have an interview scheduled. If the interview goes well, then I can begin training in January.

While I have met with some challenges, it has been a huge blessing that I have received much encouragement as I follow God's leading. I am excited about how God has been leading me, but I also feel like He is stretching me. While they may be baby-steps, I feel like I am beginning to step out of my "comfort zone" and follow Christ.

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Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to follow Christ's leading!

Blessings!
Marie

Message for Christians

I found the message of this video to be very challenging and convicting. I was convicted to be thinking/acting more seriously about some of the things I say, watch, do, etc. Please watch and allow God to move and work in your life.