We Don't Have To Be In Sync

My husband has been struggling with a spiritually issue. Not a sin mind you, just the realization (or maybe not being able to recognize) of one of God's promises in his life. The day before yesterday he told me he tried, but just could not do a section in our devotional because of this stumbling block that is before him.

I naturally have a tendency to take things personally. But I took this particular issue deeply personal. He has been struggling for quite some time and I have been praying my heart out for him. When he told me this the other day I just cried. For me, it is something that is at the heart...the foundation of what my what my faith is built is on. For him, it was something he could just skip over in our devotional and move on. And that hurt. Yes, I took it personally.

My heart hurt that we could not share in this spiritual truth together. My heart hurt that it seemed to be so unimportant to him (something that is so important to me) he wouldn't even do that section of our devotional with me. I was pretty sure this was going to create a stumbling block for me... if we weren't going to be able to our devotions every time this particular subject came up we were going to be in trouble.

I was in serious distress. I don't know how long I was on my knees crying and crying out in prayer for him and yes, myself too, (funny how self pity creeps in during those moments - but that's a musing for another time) when it just happened to occur to me that I needed to not take it so personally. Okay, so maybe it was the Holy Spirit calming my hysteria and nudging me back to reality.

"...'No eye has seen, 

no ear has heard, 

no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' 

- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit..."  

I Corinthians 2:10

Yes, I need to be praying for my husband in this matter. It is important. He does need to know the presence of God in this area of his life. But it is not something I can give him or just will it into being in his life. It is part of his spiritual journey he will have to come to terms with (learn to recognize) on his own.

As a husband and wife there were many things in life we discovered together (and hopefully many more to come). But there were many things we still had to discover on our own. This is one of those things he has to discover on his own. When God reveals it to him in His perfect timing - not mine or my husband's.

For me, I need to learn how to not take these kinds of things personally. I would love to be able to help my husband on his journey! He has been such a blessing to me throughout our years together. He has helped me understand so many things and helped me in so many ways I couldn't even begin to list them. I would consider it an honor to help him navigate his journey through life occasionally. But I will not be available for God to use me if I am caught up in self pity, always taking things personally and not looking for the leading of the Holy Spirit in my own life.

I am thankful for the reminder I was given that I don't have to do it under my own power. I have the Holy Spirit. My husband has the Holy Spirit. When the time is right, God will give him the understanding he needs. I don't have to try to convince him. Just love him and pray for him and move on to the next section in our devotional.

And as much as I would like our journey to be totally in sync - it's not going to be. And that's okay. We are still headed in the same direction, doing life together and in the end, we'll wind up at the same the place. For now, that's good enough. I'm trusting through time, prayer and prompting of the Holy Spirit we will eventually get a little more in step with one another.

He is not here; he has risen!

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? 

He is not here; he has risen!"  

Luke 24:5-6

He is risen indeed! Today is the day we celebrate Easter. Without the empty tomb, the cross and the manger would have no meaning. It is this conquering of death that gives us all hope. 

If you read a little farther in this chapter you'll notice as soon as they hear the good news that Jesus was raised from the dead, the women ran off to tell Jesus' disciples. 

All I want to do today is share this story with someone. 

Jesus was born as God's perfect sacrifice. He died a cruel death on the cross to pay a debt we owed, but we could ever pay. Then on the third day he was raised from the dead! He gave us proof there is something more to come.

I am thankful and excited to look forward to a home in Heaven.  

What will you be doing?

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping...3 times. (Matthew 26:36-46) 


As we approach the weekend we celebrate Jesus' Resurrection let me ask you a question  - give you something to think about. 


What will you be doing when He returns, looking for you?

Irresponsible News Reporting Should Have Consequences

It's bad enough that news entities get exclusive rights to stories and tell you only what they want you to hear. It is pure sensationalism, that they will only play clips of 911 tapes that seem most damaging to the party whom they choose. Now NBC news purposefully, maliciously edits a tape together to make George Zimmerman look guilty of chasing after Trayvon Martin solely based on race in order to sell their news or incite a race riot to continue selling news...who knows for sure? Will there be any penalty for their breach of trust or misuse of power?


NBC intentionally took something Zimmerman said out of context. The 911 operator asked if he could tell the race of the suspicious person. He was only answering the operator's question. NBC news pasted his answer to that question into another part of the call to make it sound as if he was suspicious only because he was black. (Drawing the inevitable conclusion the shooting was racially motivated.) Irresponsible at best, continuing to fuel racial tensions at worse. 


NBC news has admitted to the 'mistake' and apologized. Is that enough? I do not think it is. Americans in general just accept what ever main stream media tells them as fact, whether it is or not. We the people need to stand up and ask more questions for ourselves, not just accept what we are told. 


No news is truly "fair and balance". Why? We don't expect them to be and then hold them accountable to such standards.


Main stream media outlets need to be held to a higher standard. They should not be allowed to intentionally sensationalize a situation, especially in such a despicable manor as purposefully fueling racial tensions.

Just 'Horsing' Around

My girls and I spent the weekend camping with the Girl Scouts. Gotta love Girl Scouts! It teaches the girls life skills, leadership and self confidence along with having a little fun.

This particular camp was all about horse back riding. It was actually the third one in a series of three. They have completed the series and have learned a lot through practical hands on experience on and around the horses. Now, we probably won't ever own a horse, but both of my girls are very comfortable around them. Now they know how to care for them, what to look for in a healthy horse or more aptly - when to call the vet - how to ride the horse and even what to look for when purchasing one.

It was a lot of fun to spend the weekend with them and the other girls in the troop. I loved seeing how much they have learned and how confident they are now when they get in the saddle.

Grand Mufti Declares It Necessary To Destroy Churches

Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah is the President of the Supreme Council of Ulema (Islamic scholars) and Chairman of the Standing Committee for Scientific Research and Issuing of Fatwas. (Fatwa: an Islamic religious ruling, a scholarly opinion on a matter of Islamic law.) He is the supreme Saudi Arabian religious leader, the Grand Mufti. When it comes to the teachings of Islam, his followers consider his words as good as law. (Not just in the Middle East - but world wide)

A delegation from Kuwait queried as to whether or not they could be allowed to prohibit new construction of churches in the region. After careful consideration on March 12, the Grand Mufti declared it, "necessary to destroy all the churches of the region."

There has never been a time when religious freedom or choice has been accepted in Saudi Arabia. Churches have always been banned. The mufti based his decision on a story that on Muhammad's death bed he declared there should not be two religions in Saudi Arabia. Consider the words of a hadith relating to the words of Muhammad, "I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and I will not leave any but Muslim." (Sahih Muslim 19.4366) This hadith is considered sacred and is also used justify religious intolerance.

What would happen if the Pope, a counterpart to the Grand Mufti were to declare that all mosques in a certain region must be destroyed? There would be a world wide up roar. (No doubt within minutes of said declaration.) Yet, there has hardly been a word spoken on this matter.

I first heard about this on a segment of Fox News Channel's, The Five. When I went in search of more information I had to dig. Main stream media didn't seem to find the mufti's decree newsworthy. I wonder why, given the uproar over the controversial burning of the Koran's in Afghanistan last month, wouldn't the main stream media take this man seriously and report something that should stir up those who believe in the freedom to worship the god of their choosing?

Remind Me Who I Am

"Tell me once again me who I am to you..."

                                                       

"That I belong to you..."

"If I'm your beloved, can you help me believe it?"

"...I'm the one you love and that will be enough"

Those are some of my favorite lines from this song. This song is one of my favorites. These same words are ones I have said myself. I know who I am in Christ and yet, I too have needed reassuring.

It all boils down to God's merciful love for us. We cannot earn it and we do not deserve it. ( Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 5:8 )  Sometimes when I find myself distracted from God's plan or think I've lost my way, I have stop and pray. I am reminded that I have been saved by grace. I am a child of the King. ( Romans 8:16 ) That is when the last line is especially important to me, "...I'm the one you love and that will be enough."  And it is enough for me. Jesus is enough for me. I remember He has never let me down!

We have all been lost. Some of us still lose our way from time to time. 

We all want to feel like we belong. We all need assurance.


Jesus is enough - His love is unconditional and it is forever.

No matter where you are in life...
He will meet you where you are and...
He will take you back or take you in.