Power In Praying Wives!

Do you pray for your husband everyday? Do you ask God to bless him? Do you ask God to hold him, give you strength to encourage him? Do you ask God to anoint him? Do you ask God to give you a love for him beyond compare? If you don't You Should. Why? I know as a woman you are thinking... "Wait a minute, just hold on here, you don't know nothing about me, you don't know how things are in our home. I am not the one that needs changing!" then through prayer you may find out that the Holy Spirit has been working on You or both of you for quite some time. In this one simple prayer for your husband may be the key to changing things for the better. You are thinking, "Yes, I will pray for my husband, I will ask God to change him. He is the one that makes mistakes, he is hateful, he says he loves me and he loves God, but I just don't know where his head or heart is anymore. I am not the problem, it can't possibly be me."

I can tell you from experience, and this is not easy for me to say because I was a HUGE proponent of female independence, doing things on my own and being in complete control of everything, but ONLY GOD, can put together, keep, and save any marriage. I didn't believe that marriage was all they said it was, the husband first, the wife in submission to Him and to God, and sitting around waiting for him to make the decisions, to hear from God and wait to see how things would work out between the two of them. I wanted to be the one in control, I would be the one to fix everything. If God couldn't do it through me, I would do it for my family without them both! He can be here if he wants, but NO ONE is going to control what happens to me and my kids. That was me, that was my attitude, and unfortunately we paid a terrible price for my disobedience and unsubmissiveness to GOD, not just my husband, but I threw God in under the bus too.

To be honest and totally frank with you, I have never seen a marriage that took only one person to manage and was completely perfect in the relationship. Marriage takes three, to be successful, it takes You and Your spouse of course, it takes WORK, and it takes God, our father, to give you and your spouse a love and desire to serve, love, protect, communicate, and submit to one another on a daily basis.

God put you two together for a reason, for His purpose and calling and He is the ONLY way you can keep your marriage pure, holy, separated for His service and for your marriage to be renewed everyday. From personal experience, I am saying this from my heart. God can give you a love for your husband that you cannot ever imagine. He can put a fire in your heart and mind renewing it everyday, when you allow Him to be apart of your marriage.

Praying for your spouse is your way of loving your spouse into the Kingdom of God if he is not a child yet. If he is, than this is a way to ask God to be with him, strengthen him, comfort and keep him when he is away from your home, away from you and in God's care. It is a way for you to show God how you love your spouse above and beyond yourself and it will show you that you are not your own anymore. I know that this is the way that God comes in and changes your heart and life, renewing a love in you that you would not ever believe would be possible for your husband, and for God Himself. This will also show you more secrets into a Kingdom Marriage than you will ever imagine. Then you'll find the deeper you fall for your Husband, it will give you a renewed heart, mind, and love for God that you have never known. It will change you, and in changing you it will change your spouse, your marriage, your family, and your life! 

This is a sample of the Prayer I Pray each day…  

Bless Robert Lord, as He is concentrating on your service and ministry. He loves you and wants nothing more than to be your child, your servant, and bring others to know you more. He is a wonderful husband, father and leader to our home, and a strong example to others he sees and knows. Bless and Anoint Robert in everything he touches, All his works for you, in ALL he says and does in worship and praise to you. I pray you bless and keep Him close to Your Heart, remember Him in every way. Not just today, but everyday. Thank you for this man you have put into my life, this one you have given me to pray for, to care for, to encourage and to love.
AMEN

Where Are You Going?

Most of us have plans through out the day, I have this to do, that to do, a house to clean, dinner to cook, and oh, yes, I forgot, some sport or activity for the kids tonight. We rush around, here, there, and everywhere. We take time to make sure everyone else's needs are met, we make sure that the hardest parts of the day are met with a little more ease, and hopefully bring some joy into someone's life as we go.

Then there is the one that is left out of that time, left alone in the harriedness of the day, in the craziness and the business of the day, that we neglect the one that keeps the wheels turning. We forget that we need to recharge batteries too. God gave women the innate ability to run around, like chickens with heads cut off, keep going on high moments of lack of sleep, rest and very little time to just sit down and put our feet up for even a second.

In all the business of our lives, in the crazy days ahead, you need to realize and LEARN, as a mother, wife, business person, entrepreneur, teacher, and all other hats we wear, that you MUST take time for yourself. You NEED to take time to rest. I know, you look at the pictures you took of everyone the other day, you noticed, you are either always behind the camera, snapping all the pictures, to have a great record of the day, or you are in the background, running around, making sure that everyone else has been taken care of, the last one to sit and eat, the last one to finish cleaning up, the last one to get to go to the bathroom, and even the last one to say goodbye.

You can't continue in this fashion. Not like this, and still plan on being an intrigal part of everyone's lives, or being any good to yourself by day's end, or even week's end. Many people say, "I'll rest when I'm dead," I was one of them. But now, with having a ministry, preaching every other Sunday, running the worship service every week, still finding time to raise my children, take care of my husband, be there for people who have seen or heard about the many things you can do and want you to be an effective leader in the community, volunteer in the schools, nursing home, or even just lend a helping hand to an organization when needed.

I am the type of person that keeps going and going until everyone that needs me, doesn't need me anymore. If I hear of something that needs to be done, no matter how big or small the task is, I want to help, I put all my needs aside, take care of all I have to take care of for my family, then push forward to help where needed everywhere I am asked. I just thought, I will have plenty of time to rest later, when life settles down.

Then when I became ill, I didn't know what to do... I knew what the prognosis was for the illness, it has been around for a long time, they just didn't know what it was, and I never let it bother me before. I knew something was different, I knew I wasn't quite right, but what was I going to do? Who was I going to talk to about what I needed, how to take care of myself, and why it was happening to me? My first husband didn't believe in the illness, it was too new to the public, there was no blood test for it, I was getting so tired, from lack of sleep, pushing my self so hard, that I was getting weaker and weaker, but he just saw it as me being  lazy, and became an excuse for him not to help me anymore, neither did he take the symptoms seriously either, not with any real concern at all.

I found a doctor, who not only understood more about the disease/disorder, and told me what I needed to do to take care of the situation, and how I needed to take care of myself, so that I could still be effective in business, in ministry, and for my family and community. Getting sleep is still hard for me, even last night I only got 1 1/2 hrs of sleep, if that much at all. I have found a wonderful husband who not only has taken the time to learn about my disorder, but has also found ways to help me, support me, and to even help take some of the load off my shoulders. Thank God He sent me Bob when He did. I still want to do all I can for the Lord, for my family and community, but I now am learning my limits, I am learning to take time for myself, as a wife and mother, so that I can be effective for all situations, so that I can be fresh and ready for anything that comes my way, and not so run down that I am no good to anyone. I am also thankful that Bob has learned so much of what I do and how I do it, so that there is always back up support when I need it. A true sign of a life partner, that is for sure.

God has many plans for my life, I know where I am going. I know what my vision is and am working on how to get there. I don't let frustration and tiredness get me down, wear me out, and keep me from what has to be done. YOU can't let it get to you either. God says He gives rest to the weary. He also gives strength to the weak and encouragement to the broken hearted. He sends angels in disguise to assist you, to minister to you, and to be there when you need them, sometimes they come in the form of family, friends, spouses, or even a stranger, but they will come, when you least expect it. Open your heart, open your eyes. Find your vision, find out where you are going, then get on your way. There are people out there that need you and need what only you can provide. God will show you what that is, just open your heart and mind to Him today.

Not What I Was

You know, growing up in a Christian home, we had drilled into us over and over again how important it is, every day to be very careful and conscious of our actions and testimony before others and God. I remember hearing over and over again that my testimony is so important before our fellow man, because once you ruin it with someone you can not ever get it back with that person.

I remember thinking, really? That is so not fair, what about second chances? What about the fact that no matter what we do wrong, God will forgive us when we ask for it and He will give us chance after chance to get it right. I also know the Bible says God "forgives your sins as far as east is from the west to remember them no more," so if God forgives and forgets, so should the people we know and even the ones we don't, right? Right... Well, I learned quickly, in the "real world" it doesn't work that way at all. People hold grudges, even people we don't know, will hold everything in your past against you. 

Is that really fair, no not really, but I know that we as human beings, we are the most judgmental bunch on the planet. We will constantly remind you over and over again of all your past transgressions, even when you think it is done and over with, just one day, out of the blue, usually YEARS LATER, they will say, "oh but that one time..." I just want to say, "oh really, you want to go there now? What about...?" I try so hard not to do that, I try with everything in me to not be like everyone else I know, but sometimes, when you are right in the middle of the most irritating conversation and immature attitudes, even I have found myself acting a bit "high schoolish" too. I am not proud of that part of me, but I have been known to be a bit immature once in a while.

Through the grace of God though, I have found myself through the more recent years, to be less back biting, and less childish when someone begins to throw my past in my face. I really had to face a time through my life, when God called me to a place of ministry and to a place of worth in my walk and in His will, that I have had to allow the Holy Spirit to lead an guide my walk and my talk when others begin to bring up things in my past that I am not necessarily proud of, but happened anyway. I know that God has forgiven me, I know God has called me out into the world to preach the Gospel, to teach and be a light to young women, teens, wives, their spouses, families, and even recently, God has shown my husband and I, there should never be a limit to our outreach. He wants all to come to salvation and repentance, so our ministry should not be limited to just a few. 

God has shown me my way through His will, am I there all the way yet? No, definitely not, He works on me, with me, and through me day after day, and I am learning each day how much more I need to grow and depend on Him, but that I must also be that beacon for anyone else who needs Him, needs to be pointed to the way to God. The Holy Spirit is living in me, working through me, and showing me and giving me more and more of the fruit of the spirit every day. No I am not the most patient, but God is building patience through all of our tests, trials, and through my daily growth in Him.

I am learning how to not just let the Holy Spirit live in me, but to consume me, so that I am filled to over flowing with God's love. Renewing my mind and sanctifying myself daily is a big part of it, but also, through reading the Bible, having real, meaningful conversations with my Lord, and thanking Him for sending Christ to die on the Cross for me to have eternal life, which causes me to spend more time in worship and praise with Him, which draws Him nearer, makes my day fuller and even more full of joy than you can imagine. 

The Bible says that "He inhabits the praises of His people..." which is what draws the Lord near, and I find the peace that I need to be still and listen to God, to know that no matter what the trial, no matter who reminds me of my past, "one more time..." God reminds me, with all His love, It is NOT what I was, but What and Who I am in Christ, NOW that is important, that is what qualifies me to be His Child and to work for Him now. That is what helps me to be the best I can be, to live my life in Christ without lies from Satan, without pain and heartache that Satan gives others to pass on to me, but to live my life IN CHRIST, as HIS CHILD, holy, righteous, and separated for His work, and His leading. 

You can to, just let God work in your life. Let Him change your heart, let Him change your mind and life. He can help you see what you can become through a life full of the Holy Spirit and through His love. You can see that you are worthy, you can see that you are loved. He says in Jeremiah, "before you were out of the womb, I knew you and called you..."  You have been called out, ordained to a higher calling in a life with Christ living in you, through you, and for you. Will you let Him be your guide and strength? 

No Turning Back!

Sometimes we wonder why we have to go through the things we go through in our lives. Is it God's test, Karma, Bad MOJO, or is it just plain bad luck? I know that many would say, "it is just the way life goes sometimes" I just don't believe that at all, I don't believe life could just happen to always go down hill for one person or another, and then another have nothing but Sunshine and Roses, for everything they touch, and it just "is that way." There has to be a reason, but what it is, I will never know. 

I have been raised that you just keep on, keeping on, through the good times, bad times, through strength and trials. That everything happens for "God's plan" and that "everything works together for good, to those who love the Lord, to them who are called, according to His purpose." No matter what, you don't question God's will, you just do what you have to do for God, You share God's love and grace to others, and God will take care of the rest.

I know this to be true, to be ready day in and day out for anything that comes our way, good, bad and the ugly. As a Child of God, I know beyond all doubt that He is always there, that He has promised to be your strength and guide and to always give you a way of escape. I know that with every trial there comes a victory. Satan will keep pouncing on you, and keep at you when you are walking with God, when you are doing the things that God wants you to do, the things and go the places that God has set your feet to go. Satan wants to see if there is a final breaking point. He wants to see you writhe in fear and torment. ONLY because he knows one day, he will spend an eternity in Hell doing the same with no relief in sight, ever, so he wants to see God's Children suffer as long and as much as he can before he gets there. 

I look at all we have went through this past couple of years, all we have lost and struggled with this past year, and somedays when I begin to wonder and question how much longer, I stop my self, I turn to God and pray. I look through the scriptures to see comfort and peace. I look at all God's Children have went through and all that have suffered for the cause of Christ. I think, wow, even with all that has been lost or all that is gone from my life, and I am still doing better than Job, David, Saul, and Solomon. I feel blessed that God has chosen me to serve Him, I feel humbled that for the choices I have made and the steps I walk with God every day, Satan has seen me, little ole' me, as a threat to his "master plan," for who am I? 

I find myself feeling blessed and humbled that God has CHOSEN me, for His cause. That God sees something inside of me, that has worth in His Kingdom. I am so amazed that God has seen something in me, that He looked beyond all my faults, my wandering and going astray, and called me to a life of service, to a life suitable for His Kingdom and His Glory. I am His Child. I am God's Child. I want to follow HIM everyday, no matter what the circumstances, no matter the trial or test that Satan puts in my way, I WILL SERVE and PRAISE GOD, NO MATTER WHAT, for He is my refuge and my strength. 

Everything, all tests, trials, ups and downs, the loss and gain, will all be worth it someday, when I see Him face to face, when my Children stand before God all together and say, our family is here because we stood, faithful and strong. We served you, we held on to each other and to your strong hand, to work for you, to love you, and to love others to the Kingdom of God. I know I can't wait to hear Him say, "Well Done, My Good and Faithful Servants, Come on in."

Hold Tight or Let Go?

You teach your children and family some boundaries, rules and when they are a little older the rules and boundaries should change some, a little longer bedtime, a longer curfew, allowed to do more on their own, and hold mommies hand less. But then as a mom, you have to learn to let those things happen and learn what things to let go of, to learn to just be there when they need you as opposed to hovering all the time to make sure they get it right.

You have to come to a day when you have to believe in yourself that maybe, just maybe, you didn't do such a bad job raising your kids, that maybe you have taught them right from wrong and that your words will ring LOUDLY in their ears when they are faced with a choice on their own and you are not there to tell them "no." Is it okay, to not want to let go? Is it okay to want to hold on, just a little while longer and just peek once in a while to see how you did in raising your kids? Is it wrong of a mother to want to shelter her children from EVERYTHING, all the hurt, disappointment and pain that you know they are going to face, even when they are trying so hard to get it right? 

No, it isn't wrong to feel those things. It isn't wrong to want only the best for your children, it isn't wrong at all to want your children to never fall down and get hurt, to never have someone hurt them intentionally or not intentionally, just because. It is never wrong to want to be the best mom possible and to want your children to only face the best things in life and never have to have a bad day. As long as you realize, that with all your heart, no matter how much you want those things for your children, you realize that it can never happen the way a mother plans for things to be in life. 

The best we can do and hope for, is that all the choices we have made for them up to a point in their lives, all the teaching, singing, hoping, praying, and guiding we did become a huge part of their heart and soul. That when they are faced with life's real challenges, they know in their hearts what is right and wrong and that they have the presence of mind to choose the right path that God has opened for them. 

How Far Do You Have to Go?

You know we live our lives, day to day. We don't take the time we need to speak to God, to allow God to speak to us. We make compromises day in and day out on our lives, love, children's education, and so much more, we compromise our stand with God to others, to ourselves, to our children, on a daily basis, then we wonder why we can't hear his voice. We wonder why when we reach out to him we feel as if he is not even there. Why do we do that to ourselves?

God says, "Be Still, and know that I am God!" He also says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Then we are so busy, so hurried in our lives that we don't have time nor the inkling to Be Still. We don't want to take the time to listen to what he has to say. Then when everything falls apart, when you are facing the trials and tribulations that seem to be the heaviest things to bare, we blame God. We say, "he is so far away, I don't think he can hear my prayer, he is just to far for me to reach, why did he leave me here all alone."

You know, in Proverbs 3:5 It says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on your own understandings, In all thy ways Acknowledge HIM and he shall direct your paths." If we took the time to acknowledge him, took time to just TRUST that he has made these promises to us, that he isn't walking away from us, but that we are too busy for him. We are the ones that quit "Seeking FIRST the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness." (Matthew 6:33a) and we wonder why the promise of... "All these things will be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33b) isn't happening in our lives.

How far do you have to go to see God? How far do you have to go to lean on him? How far do you have to go to allow this God and Savior in your life so he can give you the abundance and joy that he wants to give you?

How far did he go for you? Would you believe that he went ALL THE WAY TO THE CROSS for you? He took on the torment of beatings with the worst tool ever made to receive the 39 stripes on his back for you, He took being despised and shamed, being totally disrobed hanging on the cross naked, spat upon, beaten, with a crown of thorns on his head, FOR YOU. He took SPIKES, not picture nails, BUT SPIKES, in both his hands and his feet FOR YOU. He had spear thrust through his side, FOR YOU. He took on the weight of the world, he took on YOUR SINS even though you wasn't there, you were there in HIS MIND, IN HIS HEART. HE SAW YOU. He took on your sins, my sins, the entire worlds sins, so that we could have this ONE ON ONE relationship with HIM. So we could live eternally WITH HIM in HEAVEN.

How far is too far? How far are you willing to go for him now?

Which Way Do You Go?

I have been a mom for 19 years now, it seems that I am so confused sometimes and that I wonder if I am doing it right. I wonder if the words I say, the rules I laid down, and the teachings from God's word and praying them through without succumbing to the influences of society, if that will be enough. So many times they tell me they look up to me, that I am their best friend, but how long will that last? How long will they see me as an authority figure and a friend? Did they ever see me as both? Does it even matter anymore.

Then I think my goodness girl, LOOK at these kids, look at how amazing they are; they give their all to you, to please you, even when they don't always do it. Sometimes you just keep speaking, teaching, and praying, and you pray that you are the loudest voice they hear over and above all the outside influences in their lives. You have taught them to Be Still and Listen to the Lord. To know that He is God and Lord of all, but you also pray that they don't forsake the things you have taught them, that they won't forget the words you have said, and the example you tried to be for them.

I have never hid my past from my children. I am not ashamed of my past, I don't regret it either, I feel that my past, all the mistakes I made, all the troubles, and all the successes, they all make me who I am today. By the grace of God, I have found who I am, I have found the path that God has set for me. He has shown me which way to go, and I am not turning back.

I pray that in the days, weeks, months, and years to come, that my children will be able to remember all the things I have taught them, they will remember the things I have learned and have tried to show them how God has turned my life around and how He can be the LEADER and LORD of their lives, to show how God will show them the paths of righteousness and truth that God has for them. I tried to show them how to live Holy, Separated and how to walk in HIS light, in HIS truth, and HIS way for HIS children to go. I pray they won't get tired of hearing His voice, or grow weary of me speaking the things of God to them regularly.

I know in my heart, with everything in me, that my God, is the ONLY way for me. I have tried the others, they only lead to unhappiness, loneliness, despair, and shame. I have not always been so proud of the things I have done, but I am proud beyond all belief of my children, I am happy with my life and the love in my life. I am so glad that I found it before it was too late, and I am so happy that He has touched my life in so many ways.

Everyone has to find their own path, they have to make the decision on their own, whether to follow God or to follow the things of the world, they have to know what will make them happy and what will make them miserable. But in my on wanderings and going astray, I can truly tell you, that once I realized that in following the path of God, taking the step towards renewing my mind, creating the mindset that the Word of God was true and right, it gave me clarity, faith, hope, and so much peace beyond all belief. He gives me peace. No more anxiety of the future, of the past, or how I can be forgiven, live the life that God has for me. I know, that I know, that I know that I am on the path that God has set my feet to, that I am walking with the right man by my side, and that the teachings I am giving to my children are right and true. Thank you God for that peace, thank you God for that undeniable, unshakable faith and hope that is in my heart and my mind. I know it is all going to work out for the good of the Lord. Some how, some way, I don't know, be I am not the one in control. HE IS.