What you respect you will protect. What you respect will guide your actions. Do you respect marriage? I respect marriage, and I’m finding that because of that my actions follow suit. Prior to marriage, your thinking is different, and that is understandable because you haven’t yet entered into the covenant of marriage. However, after you say I do, your actions should change. Although we don’t always anticipate and easily accept the changes that marriage brings, we must respect it and understand it’s a part of the process. We can’t get married and think that everything will remain the same. We must respect marriage and enjoy relationships with others who…
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LIFE & RELATIONSHIPS: Beware of Dividers
Dividers are out to divide, separate, and destroy. Dividers can’t always be easily identified, though they are all around us- even close to us. Dividers are good at suppressing their true motives. Though they won’t say it, it’s in their hearts. As we go through life, we must beware of dividers. Dividers suppress a lot in their heart. Actually, it’s those undealt with issues that cause them to divide. Don’t hate dividers and take their behavior personally; but rather spot them, love them, and protect your relationships. It requires wisdom & discernment from God in order to spot dividers. Have you ever had an issue with someone even though that…
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Don’t Be So Easily Entangled: 5 TIPS.
If you are going to be all that Christ created you to be, you must stop being so easily entangled in the issues of this world. If you are going to make lasting progress in life, you can’t be so easily entangled in worthless issues- distracted by problems that aren’t your own. Don’t Be So Easily Entangled: 5 TIPS. 1. Know your priorities. This is first and foremost. If you don’t know your priorities then take some time to identify them. Take some time to get to know yourself, assess your life, decide what needs to change, and then structure your priorities. Some things aren’t up for discussion. Christians must…
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5 Ways to Learn From Life
As we live life, we are constantly learning. Often, we become frustrated when we fail to see the lesson at hand. Read on for 5 ways to learn from life! Often, our mindset causes us problems. We tend to think we should know everything, but the truth is that we should constantly be learning. If we go through life without learning, it may be because we’re not open to it. Sometimes we unintentionally prevent ourselves from learning & growing. We think that our success in life depends on knowing, but rather it depends more on growing. No one knows everything. Regardless of what it looks like, no one has it all together. We’re…
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CHRISTIANS: Free to do what?
All throughout the Christian world, Christians scream: I’m free! Some focus on freedom from sin, while others emphasize freedom from the law. Both perspectives are accurate, but why are we free? In Christ we are free, but free to do what? We want to be saved with our sins, not saved from our sins. Or, we want Christ to free us from our sin but we’re really not interested in serving him. This is wrong. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…
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MARRIAGE: 7 Reasons Why I Love My Husband
I thank God for marriage. It’s such a beautiful thing. I thank God for the man that He has blessed me with. There is no other man that I adore the way I adore him. Next to Jesus, he is it. Why do I love my husband the way I do? 7 Reasons Why I Love My Husband 1. I know without a doubt that God blessed me with him. I encourage women desiring a husband to diligently seek the Lord for His confirmation before saying “I do“. I sought the Lord, I said I do, and I have experienced the blessing of the Lord over our marriage from day…
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Can You Diplomatically Disagree? 3 TIPS!
As I watch the inauguration events, I’m humbled and encouraged by the diplomatic engagement between former President Obama and current President Trump. I’m forced to look within and ask myself: Am I capable of diplomatically disagreeing? Can you diplomatically disagree? I believe that this is a question that all of us should ask ourselves. So many marriages dissolve because of the inability to diplomatically disagree. Friendships end, violence erupts, people hate and even kill all because of an inability to disagree. This shouldn’t be so. The ability to disagree diplomatically displays a high level of maturity. It also displays a high level of emotional intelligence and self-control. It takes intention, and…
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JEALOUSY: Fight against it
All of us have our vulnerabilities. We all have those weaknesses that we will constantly have to battle against: pride, insecurity, anger, and the list goes on. We shouldn’t downplay any of them because they all have the potential to limit us in life, but this morning my heart is on jealousy: “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? – Proverbs 27:4 Jealousy left unattended is dangerous. If jealousy is not an issue for you, be grateful but be compassionate towards those that do struggle with it. Who decides what our vulnerabilities will be? We all come into this world with our…
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Marriage is Not Merely About Happiness
People desire marriage for various reasons. While happiness is certainly an aspect of marriage, keep in mind it is only a part. No doubt you should marry someone who makes you happy, but you do so realizing that they won’t always make you happy. How could they? No one is perfect. This leads us to the realization that: Marriage is not merely about happiness. Marriage is about so much more than happiness, but so often we have in our minds that marriage itself should make us happy. Or, we have the fantasy, Disney story mindset that marriage is ALL about happiness. Both of these are unrealistic expectations to have in…
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16 Lessons from 2016: Living & Learning
Another year is coming to a close. Before I enter into the new, I must reflect on the lessons I’ve learned this past year. 16 Lessons from 2016 1. Take care of yourself. There is always something to do but we can only offer what we have to give. Replenish, refresh, rest and restore yourself. 2. Don’t lose yourself. Before you are anything else, you are you. Always remember that. 3. It’s all about the heart. We must get deep and pay attention to the heart issues. The heart, not our actions or appearances, will tell us everything we need to know. 4. Just apologize. No explanations or counter-arguments. Just…
