A blog where women are inspired and encouraged to grow in their relationship with Christ.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Joy In The Middle Of The Mess



Mary @ Woman to WomanI love this quote.  I’ve been asking God to soak my soul with its truth... Asking Him to show me how to have His joy in the midst of sorrow and pain. Because sometimes life is very hard, and pain very intense.  How in the world is it possible to endure the sorrows, challenges, disappointments, and pain of this life, and yet walk drenched with His joy? 

His joy is a God-created, divine gift.  It was paid for by the blood of our Savior and provided to us by the Holy Spirit.  (Galatians 5:22)  It can’t be self-manufactured or whipped into an excited frenzy. We must open wide our arms and choose to receive it. 

And there’s a process in the choosing.

It requires faith. 
Faith... 
That His word is true.
That His words and character never change.
That He really does have a plan and a purpose for our lives.
That His love for us is real and He 
wants us to know Him intimately.

It requires making a choice.
A choice... 
To walk confidently as His daughter. 
To seek Him out and talk with Him all day long.
To praise Him in the middle of the mess and pain.
To place our thoughts on His goodness and His truths.
To be intentional about an intimate relationship with Him. 
To love the hope-filled truth of His word and allow the testing of
our faith to work perseverance and maturity in us.

Consider it pure joy, 
my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, 
because you know that the testing of your faith produces 
perseverance.  Let  perseverance finish its work so that 
you may be mature and complete, 
not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 


Do you find it difficult or easy to walk with His joy?
When life's difficulties, monotonies, challenges, 
and sorrows invade your days... what do 
you do to embrace His joy?
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Please leave a comment! 

 
Living in His grace,
  Mary
I'd like to ask you for two quick favors.
1.  Please go to the block of Friends over in the right column and click Join this Site. This doesn't subscribe you or obligate you to anything. It's just a way to let me know that you visited Woman to Woman. If you're reading this by email, you'll need to click Here to sign in.

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Each woman who stops by(I'm talking about you!) is so precious to our Lord and to me.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments, emails, and FB messages. 
  It's always so good to hear from you!

Monday, October 7, 2013

Are We A Little Too Phoney?


I have a confession to make.  I love my iPhone.  I really do.  I carry it with me where ever I go.  

I love receiving a daily picture or video sent cross-country of my sweet grand-daughter.

I love that throughout the day my husband can text me a little love message… Who wouldn’t love that?!  I love that I can take a picture while going for an evening walk.  I love not missing that call from my mom. (Or anyone else!) I love my Kindle app, my Fitness Pal app, my Weather app., my FB app, my Instagram app...  You get the idea.

Now this is the thing…  The other day I was standing in the grocery line.  (It seems I'm always in a grocery line!) There was an elderly lady in front of me and an elderly gentleman behind me.  The line was long and I was a little bored, so I whipped out my trusty phone and began to check my emails.  I wasn’t expecting anything vital… I was just bored.  And then it hit me.  What if God had ordained this time to engage this man or woman in conversation?  Perhaps they needed a kind or encouraging word.  Perhaps they needed to have someone actually make eye contact, to notice them, to show a small kindness. 

It made me wonder how many other opportunities to share the love of Jesus I’ve missed...  The doctor's office, the hair salon, sitting at Starbucks?  As I thought back over my week, I became painfully aware of so many wasted opportunities.  
Would Jesus have ignored that mom and child 
standing next to Him at Target while He played FreeCell?

A while ago, friends of ours had some acquaintances over for dinner who spent an inordinate amount of time on their phones.  While one was Facebooking about how much fun they were having, the other was Instagramming pictures of our friend's dinner table and posting about the great meal.  She said she was tempted to invite them to stash the phones and just be present sans social media. 

I’m just wondering... In this age of uber-technology, do we sometimes allow our phones/tablets to steal God-ordained moments with those standing or sitting right next to us? 

So, Mary… Note To Self:
Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. 
Be aware of those around you.
Be careful not to use your phone to avoid making one-on-one connections.
If you’re visiting/working/engaging with someone, stay focused on them.  Stay present!
Remember that it’s sometimes those few kind and caring words, a random shared pleasantry, or eye-to-eye conversation that can lift a heavy heart, relieve loneliness, and give someone a glimpse of the sweet love of Jesus.   
 
Don’t get me wrong, I still love my phone!  It’s just that I’m going to try to be a little less 'connected' and a little more engaged with those around me.
 
Living in His grace,
  Mary  
How about you?  
Do you miss opportunities to engage with those around you?
Do you ever find yourself distracted by your phone
 and forfeit present-relationship?
Have you ever just wished someone would put down
 their phone, look you in the eyes and talk with you?
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Please leave a comment! 
 
I'd like to ask you for two quick favors.

1.  Please go to the block of Friends over in the right column and click Join this Site. This doesn't subscribe you or obligate you to anything. It's just a way to let me know that you visited Woman to Woman. If you're reading this by email, you'll need to click Here to sign in.


2.  Please click the Facebook Like button in the right column. (I love seeing your beautiful faces!)


Each woman who stops by(I'm talking about you!) is so precious to our Lord and to me.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments, emails, and FB messages. 
  It's always so good to hear from you!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Something To Shout About

My joy is here. It's just that lately I've allowed the hard things of life  to push it just below the surface... hovering just out of reach.

Thankfully, nothing is beyond the loving hand of our Abba Father. He has graciously reminded me that my joy is not rooted 
in the things of this world, or how I'm feeling
but in His precious unfailing promises. 

After reading this verse, I tried to remember when I last allowed the Lord to inspire me to really shout with joy... Oh yes, there's a reason He brought this verse to mind.  It's been a while.

When was the last time you shouted?  Was it while cheering at a ball game,  seeing a long-lost friend, getting a great buy?  Was it shouting out of frustration at your kids or your husband?  

When was the last time you really shouted with joy for the Lord?

I'd like to encourage you to stop and take a minute to meditate upon the goodness, holiness, character, and saving grace of our precious Savior.  Have you thought about it?  

Now, I'd like to encourage you to humble yourself before Him and be bold enough to stop and shout with joy for who He is and what He's done in your life!  Shouting to the Lord does something inside of us... Try it.  You'll see what I mean!

Our joy is in Him.  
And He is ever-present! 

And so...

We will shout with joy!  
We will exalt His name!  
We will rejoice in the God of our salvation!

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; 
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the 
flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! 
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!'
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NLT)

How about you?
Have you allowed the hard things 
of life to overshadow your joy?
Or, is your heart full-to-overflowing?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Leave a comment!
Living in His grace,
  Mary  
I'd like to ask you for two quick favors.

1.  Please go to the block of Google Friends over in the right column and click Join this Site. This doesn't subscribe you or obligate you to anything. It's just a way to let me know that you visited Woman to Woman. If you're reading this by email, you'll need to click Here to sign in.


2.  Please click the Facebook Like button in the right column. (I love seeing your beautiful faces!)

Each woman who stops by(I'm talking about you!) is so precious to our Lord and to me. 
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments, emails, and FB messages. 
It's always so good to hear from you!


Monday, July 8, 2013

When Flip-Flops Meet Shame


It was time for this excited, flip-flop clad little girl to jump out of the old black station wagon, dash through the pouring rain and barrel through the front door of my grandparent's house.  Yes!  After an eight hour car ride, my summer vacation could officially begin!  

I was almost to the front door when my older sister elbowed me off the sidewalk. She'd already called 'first-through-the-door' and wasn't about to forfeit her first-dibs status.  That's when IT happened.  One foot remained solidly planted on the rough concrete sidewalk while my other foot was sucked and slurped deep into a seemingly bottomless pit of mud. 

Fortunately my grandmother heard my full-of-fear yell.  She turned around, grabbed my hand, and pulled me from the deep abyss.  First my goo covered calve appeared, then my ankle, and finally my foot was reluctantly released from the brown ooze.  

My bare foot.  A bare foot that once proudly wore a brand new, pink flip-flop.  That's right!  My brand new, pink flip-flop was sitting at the bottom of a pit of mud.  And like any four -year old little girl, who's just lost her favorite, new, pink flip-flop, I began to cry. 

That's when my grandmother became my hero.  She slowly knelt onto the concrete sidewalk, and did the unthinkable.  She bravely reached down, down, down, into the shoe-sucking goo and then slowly began the assent, holding onto my muddy mess of a flip-flop.  Oh, but she wasn't done being heroic.  No, she then took my ooze-covered flip-flop over to the hose and 
sprayed until my brand new, pink flip-flop once again emerged!

Shame can be like that muddy pit.  And I can be so like that flip-flop!  I have a boat-load of repented sin that our Dear Lord has miraculously forgiven and forgotten.  He washes me off; I once again look brand-new and pink and then I plunge right back into the mire of shame and regret.  Yes, God has already reached down and pulled me out of the mud, forgiven my repented sin, but sometimes I jump right back in to that pit of shame... And remember.

"Shame says because I am flawed I am unacceptable."

Shame wants me to remember:

Things I wish I had done differently when raising our children.
Words I wish I had never spoken to my husband.
Words left unsaid to my dad, who's now with our Abba Father.
Unkind thoughts I've had about people.

Most things I can easily let go of, but there are some things that are just harder...

"Grace says that though I am flawed I am cherished."

Notes to Mary {And perhaps to you too}:

Do NOT diminish the beautiful gift of grace by holding on to repented sin.  
As long as we feel shame and guilt over repented sin, we allow satan to indict us. 
Remember that holding on to shame and regret is self-centered and self-serving = sin.
Take those thoughts captive.
Replace them with life-giving thoughts and words.
Pray and ask our Abba Father for His grace-filled help.
Determine, with His help, to remain a mud-free, brand-new, pink flip-flop!  
Shame free; full of grace!
Do you ever jump back into the 
muddy pit of shame, guilt and regret?
How do you combat those memories?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Leave a comment! 
Living in His grace,
  Mary  
I'd like to ask you for two quick favors.
1.  Please go to the block of Google Friends over in the right column and click Join this Site. This doesn't subscribe you or obligate you to anything. It's just a way to let me know that you visited Woman to Woman. If you're reading this by email, you'll need to click Here to sign in.

2.  Please click the Facebook Like button in the right column. (I love seeing your beautiful faces!)


Each woman who stops by(I'm talking about you!) is so precious to our Lord and to me.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments, emails, and FB messages.  
It's always so good to hear from you!

Monday, July 1, 2013

A Gift For My Husband ♥


This week is my husband's birthday!  Yay!  I see it as an opportunity to buy this fabulous man a much needed, new robe!  Now, the robe I'm about to replace is an ancient, {I'm talking ooold} thread-bare, holey, frayed, almost transparent, falling apart, ready-for-the-rag-bag mess.  Yep, that's how I see it.

Of course, my husband thinks his robe is the coziest, softest, most comfy, closest thing to perfection our Lord's ever created.  Unfortunately, I really don't think it will last through another wash. {darn!}  

The other night I stopped myself from doing a happy dance when he held up his tattered, beloved robe and bemoaned that even he thinks it's time for the rag-bag.  {Oh yes, I'm doing a happy dance in my head!}

Well, after a lot of looking and praying, I finally found a robe I know he'll like!  It's the same color, same material and the same style as his old robe!  It's going to be so fun to see him tear through the wrapping paper and open the box!

Now, here's where my ADD mind made the jump to today's topic.  As I was thinking of how  super-pleased my guy's going to be when he's enveloped in this snazzy, perfect, like-old, new robe... my thoughts hopped to... what he'd really love is to be enveloped by the gift of your admiration!  {OK Lord, I hear you!}

Yes, I admit that lately I've caught myself saying things to my husband {for his own good, of course!} that could be construed as critical.  OK, I admit it; there's nothing construed about it!  I've been a little naggy lately... And I know better!  And I hate it! 

So, I'm definitely writing this to myself.  Yes, I've written about it before, but I obviously need to hear it again.   And perhaps you need to hear it too. :)

In Ephesians 5:33, we’re told to respect our husbands.  The Greek word for respect is phobeo.  It means… wait for it… to be in awe of, to revere. We’re supposed to put a high value on our men.  When was the last time you made your man feel you were in awe of him?!  {She asks herself!}
One way to place a high value on our men is
 to pursue them through admiration. 

Our men have a huge need to be admired.  
 They’ll probably never say, “Honey, I need your admiration.”   
But we may hear them say, “Stop being so critical.”  {Hhmm, Mary?}
 
If our guys feel unappreciated, we may find that they're
easily angered or they pull away and are emotionally removed.

They need to know that we're their 
biggest cheerleader  not their biggest critic.
 
Some things we can do:

1.  Pray and ask God to help you develop a deep reverence for your husband.  And then, as you revere him, ask our Abba Father to help you find ways to pursue him through admiration. 

2.  Sincerely compliment him in front of others: your children, his/your parents, friends, and other men.

3.   When he’s with a group of men at church, pass by and say, “Hi handsome”...  and keep on walking.  Trust me, the other men will wonder what your husband’s got that they don’t ‘got’!  And your man will stand a little straighter with a twinkle in his eye… for you!  {I talked about this in an earlier post, but I really think it bears repeating!}
 
4. Tell him you appreciate all his hard work.  When your man’s on the job, chances are good that he gets very little affirmation.  He’ll usually hear when he's done something wrong, but rarely when he’s done something right. {Just like at home?!}

5. If your husband’s out of work or refuses to work, think of a quality that he has that would be an asset in a career, and admire him for it.  {good with people, tactful, organizational skills etc.}

6.  Don't be critical!   Just. don't. do. it! {Mary, I'm talking to you!}

7. Tell him he’s handsome.  Not that he looks handsome in that shirt… That he’s handsome!  How it's said makes a difference!

8. When you walk by, feel his biceps.  Chances are good he’ll automatically flex.  

9. Tell him you appreciate the size and strength of his hands.

10. Tell him he’s a hunk.

11. Yes, compliment his mind, creativity, and intellect... But don't forget to admire his physical assets. :)  Really.

12Don't make a joke out of him.  You know what I mean.

13.  Don't contradict him in front of others. {including especially in front of your children} You don't like it, why would he?  Wait until you're alone to discuss 'it'.

If because of past hurts it’s difficult to show your husband admiration, or it’s difficult to think of any qualities to admire; start small.  Today, right now, think of one small thing that you like about your husband.  Do you like the color of his eyes?  Then start there.  Do you like his smile?  Then begin there.  Do you like the way he maneuvers the car in traffic?  There you go.  Really. Don’t move on until you’ve thought of something.  Now, ask God to soften your heart and to give you the courage to tell him


Life can get crazy busy.  Pursue him anyway.

Life can be frustrating and disappointing.  Pursue him 
through it.

The feeling of love may be withering.  Pursue him like crazy.

The children are wearing you out.  Pursue him in little ways.

Let your fountain be blessed,
 and rejoice with the wife of your youth. 
As a loving deer and a graceful doe, 
let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
and always be enraptured with her love.  
Proverbs 5:18,19

Let's be the kind of women that our husbands delight in.
Let's be the wives that enrapture them with our love!

What do you admire about your husband?
How do you show him admiration?
When was the last time you told him how much you appreciate him?
Are you having trouble thinking of anything to admire?  
Right now, think of just one small thing that you like about your husband. 
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Leave a comment!
Living in His grace,
  Mary  
I'd like to ask you for two quick favors.


1.  Please go to the block of Google Friends over in the right column and click Join this Site. This doesn't subscribe you or obligate you to anything. It's just a way to let me know that you visited Woman to Woman. If you're reading this by email, you'll need to click Here to sign in.


2.  Please click the Facebook Like button in the right column. (I love seeing your beautiful faces!)


Each woman who stops by(I'm talking about you!) is so precious to our Lord and to me. 
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments, emails, and FB messages. 
It's always so good to hear from you!