True love....

 

 Where does this deep, ever lasting love come from? The kind of love that can weather the storm. It maybe scarred love, or sometimes weary love, but it's forever love..

Life has a way of trying love, testing it, to see if it is still strong, can this love still make it? Does it have what it takes to last another 10, 15, 20 yrs? YES! 100 TIMES YES!! Why? Because it's the love that God put together, and no man can tear asunder.. 

I know, I know, you are thinking "Wow, this is sounding so dismal and desolate. Where is this coming from?" Lol, don't worry.. my husband and I are fine.. I had a dream last night, a very vivid dream.

In my dream, my husband and I, were dressed in formal attire, in a huge ballroom type setting. People were walking and standing around talking to each other laughing and enjoying each others company. It seemed everyone was "catching up". A man, approached us, and said "Wow, you two, look amazing! You look so in love, still, after all these years!" That's it, I woke up... 

I don't have any idea if it has any significant meaning, or if it is because I had Mucinex and Nestle Quik before bed. What I do know, is I woke thinking about this kind of love, everlasting love...love that last a lifetime and beyond. It is said that God has an everlasting love for us, but can we have an everlasting love for each other?  What is the difference between God's love for us, and our love for each other?

Mr Webster defines love this way,

Love: Noun: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties Verb: to hold dear, to cherish.

God defines love differently.. not as a feeling, but as instruction, as a way to minister, as a guide for life.

 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

I Corinthians 13:4-7

It's these principles outlined in the word of God that show us how to have a strong, lasting marriage. I often ask myself, how do marriages last without God as the center, without His instruction.

It is no secret marriage can be a challenge, even in the best of circumstances. There are times, when life is great! You couldn't ask for a better season, then out of nowhere, comes the worst... illness, death, finances, problems with your children, extended family, intimacy, bitterness, job situation, time management, the list goes on and on... some days you may just want to throw your hands up in frustration and yell " God, why did you take my bowl of cherries and leave me with rotten tomatoes?"

But God... we hold fast to what we know is true, that God has shared with us an everlasting love, and that is our example. We are to love the way He has instructed us to ...

About that dream...

What about my husband and I looked "in love"? In the dream, we were standing a normal distance apart, not touching, we were not even holding hands.. So what does "in love" look like? Well, I suppose there would be a sparkle in the eyes, a glow to the cheeks, a telling smile that we would normally expect... and YES, 100 TIMES YES, love can look like that in a new relationship or a 33yr old relationship, or a 60 yr old relationship. 

But what I am asking is what does a life long love that is God centered "look like"? 

Sometimes this kind of love looks like, caring for each other in illness, let's make it real girls, who holding your hair back when your sicker than a dog? Sometimes, it's navigating financial stress, and realizing we have to rely on two incomes. Real love, starts to look different, when our bodies change because we have had our bitty babies.. Long lasting love, loves more than ever through those changes, because its about more than the outside. "In love" looks different after we have cared for a passing parent. In love, loves more than ever when the spouse cares as much for the mother in law as the daughter does. Lasting love, knows all the insecurities, frailties, fears, and covers them. "Looking in Love" makes the invisible feel visible.

Even now, as I am writing, I am realizing that "in love" look, is knowledge. It is knowledge shared between husband and wife, that says "I know everything about you, and you know everything about me, and all that we have been through. All that we have struggled with, and all that we have overcome. I know everything you are feeling, and my love is covering, protecting you. You know my weaknesses and you have my back. I am your person in this room and you are mine!"

THAT is what "in love" looks like!

 

 

Every marriage needs the I Cor 13:4-7 standard. Apply it today!

I hope this has blessed you,

love always, 

J 

 

 

 

In a World of Fakes...Be The Real Thing Baby!

 Hello friends, I am settling in with a cup, I want to share something with you today...

 It seems everywhere we look these days, there is fake-ness... ( I know, that's not a word). Fake eyelashes, fake nails, fake cheeks, both kinds..lol, blown up lips, smoothed out foreheads, fake purses, fake diamonds, the list goes on and on....

But what if we go a bit deeper? Our world is spinning on fake news, fake agendas, fake politicians. Its scary.. Wait, there's more! What about our places of worship? We have fake praise, fake worship, fake relationship with the Lord?! 

Maybe we look the part, we act the part while in the church house, we say the right things there, but behind closed doors... what about then?! Are we tearing down our Pastor? Leadership? Saints? Friends? Are WE spreading fake news? Do we have a fake or a hidden agenda? Are we making meals out of people? Slandering and gossiping?

In 2 Timothy, Paul warns Timothy of the dangers of this type of person. What we know today as a narcissistic personality. 

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! ⁶ They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of^[a] vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. ⁷ (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) ⁸ These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. ⁹ But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.

2 Timothy 3:1-9

 Here we read that Paul is very concerned about this type of person destroying the church. In verse 5, it is evident these are people who are regular church goers.. This is the alarming part! We as Godly women have to be vigilant, about who we let into our lives. Who are we entertaining? What are we silently accepting? Remember, even the listener of gossip is a gossip!

 I am certain, that everyone reading this blog, has known someone like this person described in the word, at some point and time in their life. We have all been talked about in a ugly way, gossiped about. I've heard some gossip about myself just this week, and by this time next week, I'll hear some more..lol

The lovely news is, we have a choice about the way we react. How should we react to fake people? I am glad you asked! Lets read on...

But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. ¹¹ You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. ¹² Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. ¹⁴ But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. ¹⁵ You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3:10-17 

So here is the encouragement from a very wise Paul to Timothy. Sound biblical wisdom. It doesn't make it hurt any less, or make it any easier to be kind to those who are friendly to you while being deceptive.

How do we apply this wisdom to our everyday life?

First, we ask God to forgive and cleanse us, give us a pure heart. Without a pure heart, how can we love the ones who seek to wound us with the love of Christ? Christ wont dwell in us, advocate for us, fight for us, if there is darkness in our hearts.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth ^[a]through the Spirit in ^[b]sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of ^[c]corruptible seed but ^[d]incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides ^[e]forever, ²⁴ because“ All flesh is as grass,
And all ^[f]the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, And its flower falls away, ²⁵ But the ^[g]word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

Secondly, stay in the word. Gods word is given to us as a comfort.

  I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Stay in prayer!! The bible says pray for our enemies. Don't pray destruction, crippling diarrhea, hair loss, or a third eye to appear in the middle of their forehead!!! although...... hhaahah jk. The bible says pray peace, blessings, and good things on your enemies. God has our backs. He will fight our battles. We are not to be vengeful people. God is in control. It is promised that all done in the dark will be revealed in the light. All we need to do is STAY IN THE LIGHT!!

 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Luke 6: 27-28 

Lastly, we MUST keep on worshiping! Think about it ladies, fakes are created to replace the real thing! Fakes are manufactured because the authentic product is too expensive so the world needs a cheaper alternative! The authentic product takes too much effort, commitment, too much transparency. TOO MUCH REALNESS!

Satan wanted to be God. He couldn't just worship the purest deity. He wanted to be the the highest authority. Unfortunately, he didn't last in Heaven. So he was cast out, and he has been trying to manufacture a fake product ever since. Fake holiness, fake worship, fake praise, fake peace, fake image, fake friendships.

And so, the enemy sees your praise, your worship, your relationship with God, and he knows he cant have that, so the next best thing is to destroy yours. How? I'll use this sister over here, to gossip, to wound, to belittle, to intimidate, until it shuts that worship down. 

And the minute we stop, the enemy wins!

So we keep worshiping! We keep praising! We keep reaching others, bible studying as much as possible, spreading the good news, SMILING!

I want to leave you with one last portion of scripture...

 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace^[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ 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.⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Romans 5:1-6

Ladies, when the world around us fails us, when humanity acts like humanity, we have a never ending love and hope in God! I hope this encouraged you today

 

Love,

J

 

 

God, I am waiting!

 Hello Ladies ~Do you have a minute to chat? Get your coffee, I have something to talk with you about...

                            

 Have you ever just felt disappointed? I mean, regardless of your age, or how long you have been serving God, are there things you want to do or accomplish, and you haven't ? Do you feel like you are lacking in some way ?

I was recently speaking with someone, and I made the statement "I have hopes and desires for ministry that I have not accomplished yet". After I said it out loud, I thought to myself, "wow, there is so much you want to do with your life still". It really caught me off guard I think..lol

Do you find yourself in the same place ? Are there personal goals you have set for yourself, and maybe you haven't reached them yet ? Do you have desires for ministry, and something is holding you back ? Are you holding you back ? Let's see what the word of God says.. 

Jeremiah 29: 11  says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope".  

This is one of the most quoted scriptures regarding our present and future. And since God stands outside of time, He is present in our past, present and future, so we can confidently go as far as to say, this scripture refers to plans that were predetermined from the beginning of our conception ! 

Girl! this means, your past does not determine your future ! God will not withhold calling and desires based on the dumb stuff we did ! We are truly blessed to be one of Gods chosen. Do you know any human that is capable of this kind of unconditional love ?

Many times, and definitely in my case, the issue is that we are not patient with God. We have to trust that God is orchestrating everything for our good... God's word is very clear about this season of waiting.

 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established Proverbs 16:3 

In the waiting season, we continue being faithful to God, and our commitments to our church. We continue teaching kids church, participating on worship teams, greeting, cleaning, etc, with a glad heart. We continue with excellence, because He is an excellent God and deserves nothing less. I know that sometimes the wait can seem endless, like maybe the door to your desires will never open. What if our desire is teaching, but God see's something different for your life, something far greater than you can imagine ? Isn't that kinda how God usually does things ? God sees the faithful and when He can trust us with little, He can trust us with the next big thing as well. 

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4 

Lastly, if we feel a calling in our lives, we have to be prepared for that. The bible describes us as a temple of God. A place that should be holy. Because He is holy. Very often when we are feeling that we will never fulfill our calling, or desired ministry its because we are holding on to things that are taking up space... "temple space". Remember, light and darkness can not dwell together. It is possible that we have some cleaning up to do. What does this mean ? Well, let's ask the hard questions. What does our lifestyle look like ? Have we come to Go, but we're still going to the same places? Church on Sunday, the club on Friday? Are we praising Him with our mouth one minute, but cursing the next? What do our social media accounts look like? Are our pages showing more skin than scripture(we have to be careful about leaving the old us on our pages, that it doesn't bring glory to our sinful past)? How about music, movies, books, are these edifying God, or things that are contrary to the word ? This is a conversation to be had between you and Him..

But, if we know we need to clean up, we clean up, and we carry on with what we know is right and pleasing to Him. God loves us, He has called us, He has purpose for us, and He is willing to give us the desires of our heart..

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28

 

I hope this has encouraged you today... Let's chat again soon,

Love, J