Monthly Archives: May 2018

Passion and Purpose

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“Marriage is an adventure, like going to war.” Gilbert Chesterton’s observation is more true than starry-eyed newlyweds would want to consider.  Ask any couple who has journeyed through some years together and they will admit that the dance of married life is not without a few battle scars.

Thirty one years… that’s how long our dance has been going!  What a joy it is to celebrate another milestone of marriage!  As I reflect on our journey, it’s not unlike most others… ups and downs, sickness and health, maybe a bit more poor than rich, some better, some worse.

However, it’s our own one-of-a-kind love story as well.

This dance of marriage has had moments of closeness and distance.  At times life has moved fast with the driving beat, at other times, slow with the cadence of grief.  We’ve had times of holding each other’s hands tightly and moments of drifting apart.

At our last ladies’ retreat, I posed this challenge:  State 3 words that make your marriage strong and lasting.  The answers were almost as varied as the women!  Communication, patience, forgiveness, grace, whoopie, laughter, compassion, wine!  Many of these are answers I’ve given when asked that same question.

Today while thinking about our (thankfully) thriving marriage, I felt fresh words whisper across my heart. 

Deep, lasting, authentic, rich marriages are established by passion and purpose.

 

Of course, physical passion is a valuable and desirable part of marriage and I hope you picked your spouse on purpose. 🙂  But I’m thinking of passion and purpose in a different light.

Passion is a strong or compelling desire for someone or something while purpose is a steely-eyed resolve to follow through on commitment.  Marriages are the joining of two individuals who have their own ideas, agendas, and protocols.  We all come into marriage with a boatload of “stuff” and along with our baggage, we bring expectations of married life that are typically unreasonable and unattainable for two fallible people.

So how do we manage to negotiate the minefields of marriage and come through on the other side somewhat intact?

Passion… that strong and compelling desire… is needed to establish the heart culture of God in our home. This heart culture is one where failure encounters forgiveness, weaknesses encounter grace, and love never fails.

The passionate pursuit of God’s love will establish a culture of Godly love in our marriage!  Ideally, both a husband and wife passionately pursing this life of love, will experience Kingdom culture in their home.  That’s not to say that one spouse cannot accomplish it alone!  God is faithful and will follow through on His part as we pursue His heart of love for our spouse (I Corinthians 13:4-8a).

Purpose… that steely-eyed commitment… is needed to stand strong when the storms of life batter our marriage.  God established you and your spouse as a single unit to work as one (Genesis 2:24). No, it’s not simple, or easy, or convenient.  Sometimes it’s painful, and confusing, and scary.

But set your eyes, not on your spouse, but on the Lover of your soul!  Link your arm in His and purpose to stand strong for your marriage.  Pursue God’s heart and seek His wisdom for you and your spouse.  Seeing God weave your marriage into a tapestry of love, healing, and restoration is worth the struggle!

There’s a plethora of marriage advice available out there if you feel yourself faltering in your journey together1.  That advice can be helpful; but one of the greatest blessings for Andy and I was when we sought the help and support of others who’d been through some battles themselves.  There is no perfect duet… get close enough to any thriving married couple and they may share some of their battle scars along with their victory stories.  Learn from others, grow in your relationship skills, be willing to find authentic people who will invest in you as you invest in your marriage.  Purpose and passion, passion and purpose.  “Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” I Corinthians 14:1 (MSG)

Live Loved,

           

P.S. My heart is to encourage others!  If this blog encouraged you, please share on social media. 🙂  If you would like me to pray for your marriage or that of another, please message me!  I would be honored to pray with you!

1Rejoice Marriage Ministries is a great resource: https://www.rejoiceministries.org/

Favorite Friday-Joy!

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Two of the greatest joys in my life are my two children! (I really like their Dad too!) As I engage with them on the adult level, I enjoy them even more!  The love of music is one of the things that Miranda and I share.  This week, we introduced each other to new songs we heard on the radio!

 

Miranda’s pick to share was for King and Country’s Joy.  I love the uniqueness of this song even while it incorporates a childhood favorite!  I choose JOY!

“Oh, hear my prayer tonight, I’m singing to the sky
Give me strength to raise my voice, let me testify
Oh, hear my prayer tonight, ’cause this is do or die
The time has come to make a choice
And I choose joy
Let it move you, let it move you, let it move you
Yeah, I choose joy
Let it move you, let it move, let it move you1″

My pick to share with Miranda this week was Skillet’s Brave!

No height, no depth, no fear can shake me

Held firm, Your hands will never fail me

I won’t lose strength, for Your strength is mine

You will be my light through the darkest night2

Great music!  Enjoy them this weekend! 

Live Loved,

1Lyrics from Joy by for King and Country

2Lyrics from Brave by Skillet

A Call to Rest

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Busyness

It’s the nature of our lives in the current culture.

Jobs, families, chores, meals, church, sports, clubs, school, hobbies, fitness…

None of it is bad, but it all requires time. And no matter how old we are, how rich we are, or how dedicated we are, we only get 24 hours each day.

 

Busyness can be physically and emotionally draining.  What’s more, it can drain your relationships too. The sense of being overwhelmed can lead to forgetfulness, frustration, and even physical discomfort.  That was my reality not long ago as chest pains, choking sensations, and tension headaches became nearly a daily occurrence.  As I looked at my responsibility “plate,” there was very little that I could abandon.  Yet, I wasn’t content to tolerate my “new normal.”

Let me first say that you cannot underestimate the power of partnership or the power of prayer!  I’m so thankful for family and friends that prayed and continue to pray with me and for me!  There are days I feel like Moses with a battle at my feet.  Yet, I’m blessed with people to hold me up through the “fight!” (Exodus 17)

In an effort to conquer my stress, I talked with the doctor, pursued natural methods, and took steps to lower my salt intake.*  But I also knew that my body was calling out for rest!  There’s a reason that Our Creator chose to rest on the 7th day.  He modeled rest for us, not because He needed it, but because He knew that we would!

On a side note**: Choosing to push ourselves beyond reason seems noble… but in reality, it is a symptom of pride.  Does any of this sound familiar? “If I want it done right, I have to do it myself.”  “It’s just easier to do it alone.”  “I don’t want to bother anyone with my needs.” “I don’t have time to show someone how to do this.”  While all of these might be true, there’s something humbling and heartening about asking for help and enjoying the reward of working alongside another to achieve a goal!  And in all truth… there are other people who can do what we do just as well if not better! (Check out Jethro’s wisdom for Moses in Exodus 18.)  **There is no extra charge for this challenge side note! 🙂

During this season I felt the Lord say, “I’m issuing a call to rest!  Come sit here with Me and rest!”  I knew this was not just a word for me, but for all of us who are expending loads of energy just to keep everything afloat.  In the book of Mark, the disciples were so busy with the people that they didn’t even have time to eat.  Jesus called to His friends, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Sit & Listen… Can you hear His call to you and me in the midst of life’s busyness? “Come to Me and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

breathe by Miranda Joy Designs

  • Soak your feet
  • Read a book
  • Take a walk
  • Paint a picture
  • Listen to music
  • Enjoy a power nap
  • Savor your coffee (or tea)
  • Embrace the sunset
  • Watch animals at play
  • Gaze at the stars

 

When we choose to rest in Our Father’s presence, it restores our mind’s focus, rejuvenates our body, and feeds our spirit. A day free of responsibility is fabulous, but rare.  So, be tenacious about finding mini-chunks of rest scattered through your busy days.  Listen as He whispers your name, calling you to rest with Him.

Just as a note of rest on a music sheet ushers in a sweeter tune, your time of rest will bring a sweeter, resounding sense of strength to complete what lies ahead.

 

Live Loved,

*God is so faithful!  Those symptoms are gone and I’m making wiser choices even in the midst of my still busy days!

Favorite Friday: tPt

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Sometimes a simple gift can create great impact.  Such was the case when I opened the elegantly wrapped gift given to each lady at our first Women of Freedom retreat.  Inside was a book titled, “The Psalms: Poetry on Fire.”  It was an illustrated journaling edition of The Passion Translation of Psalms.  I’d heard of this translation but was not overly familiar with it.

During our devotional time, as I began to read through one of my favorite Psalms, I was captivated by how this translation portrayed the heart of love the Father has for us!  Not only is the text rich, but the footnotes added so much to my understanding of the text!

 

Adding creativity to your soaking time enriches it more than you might think!  I appreciate the simplicity of the artwork and how it draws out Daddy’s Passion for us!  My pouch of colored pencils & pens is put to good use!

Brian Simmons, the primary translator of tPt says this on his website: “The Passion Translation‘s philosophy is that the meaning of God’s original message to the world has priority over its exact form, which is why our goal is to communicate the meaning of Scripture as clearly and naturally as possible in modern English. Brian and other reviewers have sought to remain faithful to the original biblical languages by preserving their literal meaning, yet flexible enough to convey God’s original message in a way modern English speakers can understand. It is a balanced translation that tries to hold both the Word’s literal meaning and original message in proper tension, resulting in an entirely new, fresh, fiery translation of God’s Word.”1

As I study the Word of God, I have a few preferred versions.  The Passion Translation was quickly added into the mix.  When I want to really soak or embrace the heart of my Dad on something, The Passion Translation is my go to!

My husband blessed me with the newly released New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs for Christmas.  The pages are thinner than the journaling one, but I’m still glad to have a hard copy in my hands!

 

Here’s a quick comparison of Ephesians 2:10 in two versions (both favorites, by the way!):

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” NIV

“We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!” tPt

The biblical books that have been translated to date are available on biblegateway.com as well.  Take a look!  You’ll be blessed too!

Live Loved,

1https://www.thepassiontranslation.com/faqs/

Abundant Redemption

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Have you ever gone to a restaurant where they are rather stingy with their condiments?  They give you one ketchup for your large fries or a little sauce cup for 10 nuggets.  At the bottom of your bag is a single napkin already touched with grease.  The “just enough” service is not for me.  I’m the kind of girl that likes a whole roll of paper towels on my table and the full bottle of dressing nearby!  I prefer the “more than enough” mentality!

I’m so thankful for a Heavenly Dad who gives us more than enough!  He is not stingy with His love, His comfort, or His healing.  He is the Redeemer who goes above and beyond to bring us restoration!  He gave His life for us so that we could spend eternity in fellowship with Him!

But He didn’t stop there!  Because Our Redeemer is a “more than enough” God!  He provides healing for our souls too (Psalm 34:22). Healing from difficult hurts often takes much longer than you and I would like.  Sometimes we feel like we should be able to slap a bandage on life’s pain and when we pull it off a few days or a week later, “Tada!” all signs of the wound are about gone.  However, emotional healing is a more lengthy and rather inglorious process.  Even years into my own healing process, I found that certain memories were tainted.  Something simple like a location or an innocent comment would trigger a painful memory.

So it was the other night when I drove past a particular road.  The enemy tried to blindside me with painful thoughts and I squashed them down as I’ve learned to do.  Just then, I felt a prompting to stop by a friend’s house in that same area to drop something off.  After that quick errand, I started to drive away and saw a lovely work of art in the sky!  I felt like the Lord said, “See, I am still redeeming what you thought you’d lost!”  Right then, He blessed me with a new memory!  It’s not the first time He’s done that and I know it won’t be the last.  He is the Abundant Redeemer!  He will fully restore all that the enemy has stolen!

“O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption (Psalm 130:7 NKJV).”  The Passion Translation of this verse says this: “O Israel, keep hoping, keep trusting, and keep waiting on the Lord, for He is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving. He has a thousand ways to set you free!”

My “more than enough” God has a thousand ways to set me free!  He has and will redeem painful memories, hurting relationships, and the bruises of a tender heart.  What He does for me, He will do for you too!  Do you need some things in your life redeemed?  Have you had memories stolen or dreams smashed?  Have you had relationships ripped apart or peace obliterated?

Praising YHVH Ga’al (the Lord my Redeemer)
Meghan Williams, Dyed4You Art

Then borrow some of my faith and latch onto these truths:

God restores the soul! (Psalm 23:2

He redeems our mind, will, and emotions (Psalm 69:18)

Our Dad heals the brokenhearted! (Psalm 147:3)

The King of kings creates beauty from ashes

He trades a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Our Lord will fill you with joy! (Psalm 16:11)

 

He is a good God and a good Dad!  He loves you and wants to abundantly redeem all the hurting places in your life!  How deeply I love my Heavenly Dad!  He continues to show Himself faithful!

Live Loved,

If I can agree with you in prayer for a healing in your life, please let me know!  I would be honored to pray for and with you!

Favorite Music Friday-Hello May!

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Happy May 4th! 

May is one of my favorite months!  (Though, it’s not nearly as terrific as July A.K.A. My birthday month!)  But May represents so many things to me:

  • The conclusion of a school year
  • Beach days
  • Family birthdays
  • Our ladies’ retreat
  • And Planning Vacation Bible School!
  • Our anniversary!

This year, our church, Freedom International Church, decided to develop our own VBS theme and curriculum!  What a wonderful opportunity for people to exercise their gifts in a creative way!  We are developing puppet blurbs, crafts, games, skits, and Bible points.  Additionally, we need amazing songs that our kids can dance to and that also reflect our theme and heart.

Enter our Favorite Music Friday song of the week (suggested by the Hubby and introduced to us by our daughter, Miranda)-WaveWalker by Citizen Way!  The lyrics are strong, the tune is fun, and the message is clear!  Enjoy!

“You will make a way
When it feels like there’s no way
So I will walk by faith
‘Cause You will make a way”1

So thankful for that Holy Ghost power that enables us to do the impossible!  Thank You, Lord!

Live Loved!

1 Lyrics from WaveWalker by Citizen Way