I am in a few weddings this year and that combined with it being Valentines Day tomorrow has me thinking about LOVE! There is a BEAUTIFUL Francesca Battistelli Song called "Forever Love." The lyrics are simple:
"You are my Forever love (4x)... from the bottom of my heart I'll sing to you, from the depths of who I am I'll love you, with everything inside I'll run to you, cause all that I've become, I owe to you."
This song touches me because it reminds me of my one True Love. Jesus. He is my Forever Love. All I have become, I owe to Him. I run to Him in times of need, in times of joy, peace, and trial. My desire is to love Him from the depths of who I am.
What strikes me though, is how God, who IS LOVE....he gives us significant others, (and not just spouses...but friends, parents, siblings) who also help us become who we are in Christ...people who encourage us and challenge us in our spiritual journeys. Today I am thinking about and thankful for those people. In my life, God did bless me with a husband....and I believe that the relationship we share is meant to be a reflection of my relationship with Christ. Although this is not always the case (we are both very imperfect!) it is important to remind myself of what marriage is...what it's purpose is. I am certain that marriage is not simply two people living together, sharing a bed, groceries, money, the couch, and an odd night out together. Sadly, I think this is what many marriages become....and Kevin and I fall into bad habits also. Thankfully, God has designed us for MUCH more. Marriage is a lot of things... and really, it is a mystery to me. But so far in my journey as a married woman... this is what I believe the purpose of marriage is....at least a glimpse of what it CAN look like. Instead of two people merely living together, marriage is a union of two souls, spirits, hearts, minds, bodies.... it is the daily spurring on of one another, asking the hard questions "How are you really doing?". Ultimately in my marriage, I hope to help my husband become more holy, more CHRIST-like, and through this, help him bear fruit and do all of the good things God has planned for Him to do. And vice versa....As a wife, I hope that my husband will help me become more holy (not more happy and not more content- that is Christ's work alone)... but I believe as my husband He is to love me, uplift me, help me see the potential I have in Christ.... stick by my side when I mess up, forgive me, help me see my own sin and turn from it....and again, over and over, encourage me to turn towards the face of the Holy One. It is my GOD'S GRACE alone, that my marriage will become all that I believe it can be. That is why I believe prayer is so essential in marriage and I admit it can easily be neglected. And not just a quick, rushed prayer before dinner. Real, coming before the throne of JESUS, entering into His presence, seeking His will prayer. And then living out, in obedience, whatever He asks of us.
This February 14th, I am focusing on the One who IS love... and how through Him, my love with my husband and the other beautiful people in my life can become more pure, more the type of love that he desires from me. Thank you, Lord, for the blessings in my life...for all of the love and laughter and beauty that surrounds me. Help me to be intentional about creating a marriage that is pleasing to You!
Monday, 13 February 2012
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Character Building
It has been forever since I've blogged, but I am feeling the itch again to get back into it. Since starting my new job as a Kindergarten teacher, I feel like my job has somewhat taken over my life. For me, writing is an outlet, and right now I'm thinking some outlets would be helpful!
I hope to mostly post about my spiritual journey...what God is teaching me, how I am being challenged, what I am learning, etc.
Right now I am learning that God really cares about our character, and I know he is doing a mighty work on mine. On Sunday two of my youth girls got baptized. It was so inspiring to hear them talk about what God has done in their lives. Kevin got to baptize them which was so awesome. Our pastor talked about how if we want to do mighty things for God, we have to start with the small things. This is something I've been convicted about before, but I'm realizing the importance of it....the truth of it. God notices the small things....those little things we do... that we often think don't mean all that much. As a Kindergarten teacher, this is especially encouraging. It is easy to get discouraged and begin thinking that all those little things you do throughout the day go unnoticed...but God SEES. This summer I learned some of the Names of God (A Study by Kay Arthur)...one of His names is El Roi- The God Who Sees.
Lately I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed and pretty discouraged at times. What I've been sensing though is that God is trying to mold me and shape my character. I really feel that he is challenging me to be filled with the Spirit so I can bear the Fruit of the Spirit, especially that of PATIENCE and SELF-CONTROL. I can't imagine trying to do this on my own. God actually gives me the ability to display patience, self-control, and other fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. This is one of those verses you hear a lot if you grew up in a Christian home or going to church. But to be honest, I don't feel that it really hits you until you are challenged to bear these fruits in your daily life. God doesn't just want us to be patient when we're waiting in a line-up....He desires patience in the deepest part of our hearts...Patience for those things we feel we've been waiting years for...or patience in the smallest of things that we may feel it's okay to feel 'impatient' about.
I am working on focusing on what God is doing in my heart...what He is doing in me that counts for eternity, not just here and now. It's so easy to focus on our momentary troubles...but they are "achieving for us an eternal glory that FAR OUTWEIGHS them ALL!" 2 Corinthians 4:17. Praise God. I pray that I will be able to keep an eternal perspective, rather than a wordly, momentary one. Because greater things are yet to come...and He wants me to be ready!
Romans 5:3-5 "We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love."
I hope to mostly post about my spiritual journey...what God is teaching me, how I am being challenged, what I am learning, etc.
Right now I am learning that God really cares about our character, and I know he is doing a mighty work on mine. On Sunday two of my youth girls got baptized. It was so inspiring to hear them talk about what God has done in their lives. Kevin got to baptize them which was so awesome. Our pastor talked about how if we want to do mighty things for God, we have to start with the small things. This is something I've been convicted about before, but I'm realizing the importance of it....the truth of it. God notices the small things....those little things we do... that we often think don't mean all that much. As a Kindergarten teacher, this is especially encouraging. It is easy to get discouraged and begin thinking that all those little things you do throughout the day go unnoticed...but God SEES. This summer I learned some of the Names of God (A Study by Kay Arthur)...one of His names is El Roi- The God Who Sees.
Lately I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed and pretty discouraged at times. What I've been sensing though is that God is trying to mold me and shape my character. I really feel that he is challenging me to be filled with the Spirit so I can bear the Fruit of the Spirit, especially that of PATIENCE and SELF-CONTROL. I can't imagine trying to do this on my own. God actually gives me the ability to display patience, self-control, and other fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. This is one of those verses you hear a lot if you grew up in a Christian home or going to church. But to be honest, I don't feel that it really hits you until you are challenged to bear these fruits in your daily life. God doesn't just want us to be patient when we're waiting in a line-up....He desires patience in the deepest part of our hearts...Patience for those things we feel we've been waiting years for...or patience in the smallest of things that we may feel it's okay to feel 'impatient' about.
I am working on focusing on what God is doing in my heart...what He is doing in me that counts for eternity, not just here and now. It's so easy to focus on our momentary troubles...but they are "achieving for us an eternal glory that FAR OUTWEIGHS them ALL!" 2 Corinthians 4:17. Praise God. I pray that I will be able to keep an eternal perspective, rather than a wordly, momentary one. Because greater things are yet to come...and He wants me to be ready!
Romans 5:3-5 "We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love."
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
A Beautiful Picture...
Good Morning! I have been looking at this picture all week on my desktop background. I forget how I even came across it but the moment I saw it it resonated with me. It's by a woman named Esther Havens. The colours are gorgeous and the mystery of all of the women in the photo is captivating. But what I love the most is the beautiful woman riding the bike....
I love the fact that woman are complex. We are "fearfully and wonderfully made." I think it's important to pay attention to these kinds of questions when we're around other women, but also to remember to ask ourselves these questions. What makes me smile? What do I love and care about? How do I feel about myself? How am I using the time that has been given to me today? God has created us each so uniquely. As women, we tend to get jealous of one another or to wish we had 'this' or 'that'... then life would be better. I'm continually to seek to find my fulfillment and satisfaction in Christ. It is He who has made me the way that I am and it is also He who gives me the desires, hopes, and dreams that are planted deeply in my heart.
Beauty is a funny thing... we think we know what it is but have we let our Creator Himself define it for us? He tells us in His Word: "What matters is not your outer appearance....but your inner disposition." (I love this next part...) "Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in." -1 Peter 3:3-4. I think the reason this picture struck me as so unique and moving is because its as if I can see into this woman's inner beauty...her gentle and gracious spirit, which is so valuable to God.
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