Posted in Growing in the Lord
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Sunday morning I decided to weight myself. See, I knew I had gained some weight over the last several weeks. But, when I stepped on those scales and finally got up the courage to look at what I didn't really want to see, I was crushed! That's all it too for me to fall on the bed weeping. Seriously. It wasn't a pretty sight at all! I'm glad God and my husband were the only one's to see my pathetic self! (Thank the Lord I hadn't put my mascara on! LOL!) Anyway, my husband came over and lovingly encouraged me to get ready for church, but I wailed that I couldn't because all of my clothes were too tight! No joke. I really wailed.
Later on I realized that there are so many other women in this world with far greater problems than mine. I have to much to be thankful for, but my struggle with my weight has been a burden to me for so many years. I knew that crying over this wasn't going to help me out. God cares for me and He understands my struggles. So, I knew I had to take this to Him in prayer.
Then I really started to question my motives for wanting to be thinner. I didn't think I liked the answer I. It wasn't what I wanted to hear from my little inside voice.
Okay, so here I am in my tiny voice admitting that, YES! I want to look good in my clothes. I want people to notice me. I want to have a nice figure. I think being pretty is about being skinny. I think being valued and looked upon favorably is about lookin' good outwardly! Shhhhh . . . don't tell anybody! I don't want them to know my secrets!
All my reasons for wanting to loose weight didn't (and still don't) seem very godly to me. 'Cause, guess what??? He reminded me that He has told us in His word how we can be beautiful.
It's not how we look, it's not our outer appearance that makes us worthy and valuable to Him! Praise the Lord, He looks on my heart!
1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
If I'm not the prettiest woman, if I'm not the slimmest woman, if I don't have the best hair, who cares! As long as I possess that one quality that truly makes me valuable to God, that's all that matters. 1 Peter 3:3 says that my outward adorning should not be the most important thing! Literally, adorning means that thing I tend to, the thing I take care of, that thing I groom . . . it should NOT be my outward appearance. What I need to concentrate on most is my heart, that part of me that nobody but God sees.
God says that my hidden man should be adorned a meek and quiet spirit. Unlike my looks, this adorning is incorruptible. This is important because, Lord knows, that I do NOT look like I did when I was first married. Wheather that's changed for the better or not is questionnable! LOL . . . but what God has done in my heart, well, I'm priceless to Him now! That part of me has definitely improved!
Well, I've been chatty enough tonight. Tomorrow I want to share a little more with you about these two verses and what some of the words mean.
'Night!
Julia
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Posted in Growing in the Lord
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Did you roll out of bed this morning not really thinking that Monday is something to smile about? Did it seem impossible that it should be Monday already? That your weekend, your time of rest and respite from work, school, and too many obligations, has already passed? Rest assured, you are not alone. If nothing else, just know that this girl feels your pain! I was telling my husband this morning that the weekend needs to be longer for all the stress I have during the rest of the week.
As I was pondering the 'dilemma' of Monday, it came to me that, as much as we dread it, it is a gift from God. He tells us in Psalm 118 that this is the day which the Lord hath made. This means that every dreaded Monday is a day made by the Lord, just like the beloved Saturday or Sunday.
Just think, Monday is a day full of opportunity from a loving God:
Another day to live and breath and enjoy God's creation Hug your kids Kiss your husband Call your mom to say 'I love you!' Take a walk (well, if it's not raining!) Read your Bible Smile at a stranger Call a friend to encourage her Visit a sick friend or elderly person Be a good Samaritan Share the gospel! And who knows what else!
A day is only as good as your attitude! When you think of this day as being made by the Lord, what else can you do but rejoice in it!
Enjoy your Monday! Julia
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Posted in Growing in the Lord
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I think most people want nothing more in this life than to be happy, satisfied, and content. They want a life filled with joy. And, really, I don't think there is anything wrong with that. It's probably God-given, which means it will take God to fulfill those desires.
I'd liken life to sitting down to a meal at your favoritie restaurant, only to be disappointed. It goes something like this. We have certain expectations when we decide that we'd like to dine at our favorite dining establishment. In our minds, we most likely have decided ahead of time what we'd like to eat. Our taste buds begin to water in anticipation. Our tummies, growling already from hunger, can't wait for that first bite to be chewed, then swallowed. We have, esstentially, set up this desire in our minds that extends to other parts of our bodies, and we expect to satisfy it with our favorite selection from the menu. Then, the disaster strikes! Maybe that selection is not available today. Then again, maybe we do get what we order but it is not as satisfying as we thought it would be because it wasn't cooked right. Or maybe we put too high of an expectation on what we hoped to experience. We are confronted with feelings of anger (so we refuse to even eat!), disappointment, frustration, or even resentment towards the wait staff or the restaurant itself. We are let down and vow to never eat there again.
Unfortunately, we set ourselves up like this everyday, and not for want of a good meal at our favored restaurant. We tend to put expectations on our husbands, our kids, our church, and who knows what else. The thought is that if the people in our lives meet our expectations for them, then we'll be happy. We can feel as if all is right in our lives. If all goes as we plan for it to, then we can be joyful. It's our way of thinking that life is good only when things are going our way and turn out according to our own plans.
The truth is we anticipate from others and situations in our lives that which only Jesus can provide. That is, contentment and joy. Anticipation is simply the visualization of a future event or state. Ask yourself this question: how many times have I visualized a situation in my mind and worked out how it should turn out?
I have had a hard time learning that joy, happiness, and contentment do not come from the attitudes and actions of people, nor do I receive these things from the when my life turns out right. This is where I am having to learn to let Jesus be enough. Just because my husband doesn't meet my expectations, just because school isn't going like I think it should doesn't mean that I have to be unhappy. I can have joy, no matter what is happening!
Just what does it mean for Jesus to be enough? Webster's says to be enough is to be sufficient. In other words, to meet the needs of a situation or a proposed end. What is the situation and the proposed end? For most of us, I think the situation would our lives and the proposed end would be for said lives to be satisfying, joyful, peaceful, & contented. But, there is only one source for that. Jesus.
Jesus is enough to meet our needs. He can and He will! He is sufficient. He is fitted for a given purpose, which was to come to this earth to die for our sins in order that He might fill that void left by sin. Colossians 2:10 says that we are complete in Him. This means we were once only a shell. Now we are not only filled up with Him, but fulfilled in Him. We are full where once we were empty. We are now perfect. There is nothing we lack in life to be satisfied, content, and full of joy.
Not only that, but He came to give life and to give it abundantly (John 10:10). Before He was crucified, He promised to send another comforter to dwell with us and in us (John 14:16). The most wonderful thing about that promise is that He said He would not leave us comfortless. This literally means He would not leave us parentless or fatherless. The word comfortless comes from the word orphan! That is comforting in itself, don't you think? If we really, really took God's at His word, shouldn't we be content just knowing He is always there for us, no matter what?
The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11 that he had learned to be content in whatever state he found himself to be in. He knew that no matter the situation, whether it was hunger, want, fullness, or need, he could be satisfied. But that's not the end of it. It also means to limit (oneself) in requirements, desires, or actions. Though this definition comes from Webster's, I don't think it out of the question to apply it to what Paul says. If Paul was content in hunger, do you think he sought to find food? If God supplied his every need, do you think Paul worried about having too much? I don' think so. I believe he was satisfied and gratified with his situation. Contentment required that he put an end to any doubt or uncertainty that might tend to rise in his heart and mind.
Hebrews 13:5 admonishes us to let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have. Why? Because he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Furthermore, the Lord is my helper. How comforting to know that we can be content with what we have and where we are because God is always with us. He never leaves us to our own devises when trouble comes. He is our helper! We do not have to go it alone. Whatever we need to make it through, He is there to meet that need.
Dear reader, no matter your life circumstances, no matter your need, Jesus is enough. But it is up to you to live that out. When life isn't going how you think it should, don't take your eyes off the Saviour. He is your helper. Be content with Him and in Him.
Until next time,
Julia |
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It's my new motto and I cried last Sunday morning as I sat teaching it to my teen girls Sunday School class. However, I have to admit that it's not something I came up with all on my own. It's part of our study on purity and comes from a book by Dannah Gresh called And the Bride Wore White. I think maybe I scared the girls a bit; I mean, I've never cried while teaching Sunday School before. But, then, I've never taught on something like Jesus being enough, either.
Honestly, I can't even tell you why I cried. Maybe I realized that no matter what we try to fill our lives with, there is nothing that can satisfy us the way our loving Saviour does. Maybe I cried because my life seems so out of control right now, my feelings were very tender, and it was just comforting just to know that He is enough. I don't need more of anything else in this life. I just need Him.
I don't have much time to write today. Wednesday is a really long day for us since we have choir, art, and church. But I want to talk to you more about Jesus being enough and what that can really mean in your life and mine. I want to offer you some practical ways that Jesus can be enough for us all!
Until then,
Julia |