ChristianMilitaryWives

Being military spouses, we hear the word hero thrown around often.  We are referred to as hero's wives or as heroic families.  In many ways, it's flattering.  I love walking through an airport or other crowded place with my husband while he is in uniform, provided he's not boarding a plane to leave again.  I can't help but smile when people stop him to shake his hand and tell him how thankful they are for what he is doing with his life.  I feel that little surge of pride just like other wives in my position do.  However, as wonderful as i think my husband is and as proud of him as I am, he's just a man.  Peter said in Acts 26 "I'm a man and only a man, no different from you."  He was so right.  My husband , and yours, is just a man.  I think mine is fantastic, but I won't be washing his dirty feet and drying them with my hair any time soon.  Nor will I be sitting at those feet hanging on every word he says.  There is only one set of feet I want to be sitting at and paying that much attention to, Jesus.   He is our only hero.  It's so easy in this day and age to "worship" other "hero's" and celebrities.  We buy their movies, go to their games, watch them on tv, flip out when we meet them.  (if we are so fortunate) We put these mere mortals on pedastals.  In Hebrews 3, God reminds us that Jesus is greater than any man.  He was sent here as a man on this earth to live a perfect flawless life and then to die a horrendous death for US.  He counts us as his children, part of his house, the house that HE built.  He reminds us that while we are PART of his house, we are not the BUILDER of his house.  HE is the builder.  We are to worship HIM and only him.  The next time I am with my husband and I feel that surge of pride when he is called a hero, I'm going to do my best to remind myself that he's only a man, and God is the ONLY hero.   

We all know that Lent is the beginning of the Easter season.  Lent is the 40 day period of preparation for Easter and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Ash Wednesday starts the season of Lent. During Lent many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline.  Not all Christians observe Lent the same way.  I felt this year a great need to revisit Lent and what it means to me.  In past years I have gone through the motions, not really observing a period of anything. 

Let’s start with some soul searching reflection.  I was raised Catholic.  This meant that Lent was a big big deal, full of ritual in my parental home.  We always attended mass on Ash Wednesday to receive our ashes and wore them as a tattoo on our foreheads the rest of the day, often getting some in our eyes, when scratching our foreheads, forgetting the ashes were there.  Every Friday we abstained from eating any meat, this often meant having pizza because my mother was allergic to fish.  We were also expected to give up something for the season of lent.  Many of us went to the old stand-bys of not swearing, or giving up candy or getting along with our siblings and not disrespecting or talking back to our parents. 

Now, I really need to be honest, while growing up I truly believed in God and knew that he was there for me, but, the rituals of the Catholic Church were just things that I said and did, I didn’t really “feel” it.  As a teenager, after making my confirmation, I rebelled against the Church.  I still believed in God, but…well that’s a whole other subject to get into.  To make a long story short, after meeting my husband I began attending his church, which was Methodist, and finally felt like I was “home.”  The services were familiar enough to me, but also different enough for me to feel the freedom of my relationship with God.  However, the church we were attending did not have a strong Lenten season.  Now, by this I mean, they did not openly talk about abstaining and fasting in the way that I grew up hearing and seeing.  This did not make it wrong, but for my new relationship with God, I ended up ignoring that fasting and abstaining, when in reality I really needed it.  I don’t know how I figured this out, but recently it struck me that I need to go back to my “roots” in some ways to strengthen my relationship with God.  One of those ways is to more fully embrace the Lenten Season, to appreciate what was given up for me, the sacrifices made for me, and the love that is constantly there for me from God.

There are several instances in the Bible that tell us that fasting is a way to worship God.  There are also instances in the Bible that tell us to do something that glorifies God.  Matthew 3: 8 says, “Do something to show that you have really given up your sins.”  This can mean abstaining, fasting, tithing, whatever you feel is necessary and right to glorify God and show that you have given up your sins.  We are challenged today by God, as people have always been, to substitute empty religion for true spirituality.  This is something that we should be constantly working on and growing in.  Attendance at church, reading your Bible, praying and sharing our faith need to be joined with a way of life that consists of integrity and Christ-like character, otherwise, they are just empty rituals that can lead us down the wrong path, away from God.

The days leading up to Jesus being crucified were painful days for him.  He was forsaken by His disciples, He was taunted by non-believers, He was beaten and mocked, and crucified.  During Lent, isn’t it wise for us to show Him how thankful we are that He died for us?  To save us?  Romans 8: 16-17 says; “God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are His children.  His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised.  We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with Him.” 

Our suffering is nothing compared to what Jesus suffered for us, but can’t we fast on occasion to glorify him, or abstain from our worldly obsessions and dalliances?  In the scope of things, 40 days is not a long period of time, but we can use these days to show God that we are repentant for our sins, and that we are thankful for Him giving us His son to suffer for all of our sins.  The Christians of the world were saved from our sins when Jesus died for us, it was a new beginning for us. 

This Lenten season, I am going to abstain and fast so that I can begin the “new year”, free from my sins, glorifying God for the gift that was given to us when Jesus was crucified, died and was resurrected. I am looking forward to becoming closer to God in my walk, and I am looking forward to using Lent to show God how thankful I am for the sacrifices that were made for me, and how sorry I am for my sins. 

I urge you to take sometime and reflect on what the Lenten Season means to you.  Are you glorifying God?  Are you showing Him that you are truly repentant for your sins?  Did His only Son die in vain, or are you thankful for the sacrifice that was made for you so that you may also rise to Heaven?  Lent begins on February 17^th, what can Lent do for you?  Will you rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus and cleanse your sins to begin anew?

    Recently I heard a sermon about how we are to give thanks in all things. Yes, all things.  The key is ''in'' all things, not ''for'' all things.
   When our car breaks down, our Dr. tells us we have cancer, or a close friend dies, We are not expected to jump up and down and praise God for that particular situation.  What God does want is for us to find something ''in'' that situation to be thankful for.
    One of the most recent examples I saw of having thankfulness ''in'' all things, I saw by watching my older sister.  She was 12 weeks along in her pregnancy; and  she was going in for her first checkup.  She had been anticipating this appointment for some time.  What she did not anticipate was that there would be no heart beat coming from the little one inside her.  Her baby had passed away before it was born.
    How devastating!  This is what she had wanted... to get pregnant!  She had so badly wanted this baby inside of her, to hold this baby in her arms.  That however, was not to be.
    Thankfully, my sister is a Christian.  She is also close to the Lord.  So, while this was painful;and she is still grieving, her response was, ''The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. '' Blessed be the name of the Lord!''  
     That was her conclusion regarding her miscarriage.  How did she get to that conclusion?  Did that kind of response just come naturally?   No, it came from a thankful heart, and one that trusted God.  She found things ''in'' the situation to be thankful for.
    First of all, she was thankful her baby would not have to live in a sinful world and endure pain.  She realized and trusted that God knew what was best for her baby.   She also was thankful that God had already blessed her with one living son.  She was very comforted with the fact that Jesus was the first face her baby got to see.  Now that is pretty amazing!  
In spite of her loss, pain and grief, She was thankful!
     God loves and hears a grateful heart!  When we are thankful, God will bless us.
    So, your car breaks down.  Hey, you have a car.  You can be thankful that God has given you that car. I know people who don't even own a car!
Also, you can be thankful in advance for how God is going to work the situation out.
     You have been told you have cancer.  Be thankful for the life God has given you.  Thankful that you have a God who will never leave or forsake you.  Thankful that through this, you may be brought closer to him.
    Though you feel loss when a friend dies; if they were a believer you will see them again one day.  You can be thankful that you had that person in your life, thankful for all the wonderful memories.  You can be thankful you have a God who understands and will be your comfort.
    Are you beginning to understand thankfulness ''in'' all situations?  The more you practice being thankful, the easier it will become!
     The last example  I have is one we all know well,when your spouse is deployed.  True it is easy to find much to grumble about, but don't miss the opportunity to be thankful!  Be thankful you have a husband who is providing for you, that he even has a job.  Be thankful that you now have more time to draw closer to God and study on how to be a better wife!  Be thankful that your faith is about to increase!  Be thankful that you have a God who you can turn to for everything.  Yes, everything!  No problem you face will be too hard for your God to handle.   God has so many lessons to teach you at this time.  Are you willing to learn?  Can you show gratitude to God, even in this?
    Are you willing to be thankful ''in'' all things, in every situation?  I urge you to do just that.  See how the Lord will bless you as you continue to come before God with a grateful heart!    
   

 Making a Difference this Holiday Season

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

1 John 3:17-18

Charitable giving fell last year by the largest percentage in five decades, according to a new study by the Giving USA Foundation.

Now I am aware that most of us can’t spare hundreds of dollars, but there are “cheap” or free ways to make a difference. I think it is very important for us as parents to teach our children to show kindness and grow a charitable heart. Also, we need to teach our children that charity and kindness should be done privately without the want to be recognized or praised, that contradicts the act of charity.

 

“Do all the good  you can and make as little as fuss about it as possible.”  Charles Dickens

 

 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-4

 

 I think it is wrong to force children to do charitable work, instead find something that the whole family can enjoy and feel proud of.

 

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  

2 Corinthians 9:7

 

Sit together with your family and discuss ways to make a difference this Holiday Season, make a list, print and put on the fridge,

I will post several tips over the next few weeks.

Many Blessings,

Melanie

I am in a strange place that I have never been in before.  I am in a place where I am not exactly sure what the Lord has in mind for me to do.

Do? you ask...

Yes, DO.  All of us have things the Lord wants us to DO.  He does not want us to become stagnet.

I have always known pretty quickly what God has wanted me to do and when He has wanted me to do it.  It doesn't mean that I have always done exactly what the Lord has told me to.  I think we all have our "Jonah" days where we question what God tells us to do. 

But now, I can honestly say... I sit, and I wait upon the Lord to speak.

I ask myself, "what should I do while I wait?"

Well, I know I need to continue to do Gods will.  His will for me is to continue to teach others about Christ.  To spread His word, to mentor and to help others.

I have a few different ideas on what I think God has planned next... and I'm praying about these things, along with my husband and our children.

Are you making plans for your life as you want them, or as God wants them?

If you are in the same position I am now in, I urge you to dive into the Bible - pray without ceasing and seek Godly council.

Also my sisters, let us remember to ... be still and know that I am God.  Ps 46:10

It is so easy to let every day life take control of the wheel, give it over to God and listen to see what Christ has planned for your life.

I just recently began a Bible Study called, “What Happens When Women Walk In Faith”, written by Lysa Terkeurst. As I read through the introduction and first chapter of the book, I found myself saying, “That’s me!” I felt elated, yet unsure, as I continued to read, trying to process everything I was taking in. Things that were a “secret” part of me; things I had not even talked to God about were right there in front of me in black and white, jumping off the page, and there was God, telling me “It’s time to confront this. It’s time to stop pretending. It’s time to step up and start living for Me. It’s time for you to start carrying out the plans I have for you.”

That feeling of elation kicked in again, along with that of excitement, followed closely by fear. I have pulled away from God for so long; not intentionally, but through various choices I had made, actions I had taken, bad habits and harmful temptations I had allowed myself to fall into. It had been a long, dark, winding road to the place I found myself currently in, and I had no idea how to find my way back… But, then, there was God. I’d thought for sure I had wandered too far from Him. They always say that if you feel like you’re far from God, He’s never the one who moved, and you can always find Him right where you left Him, but I figured out today that that statement isn’t entirely true. Yes, I was the one who moved, but God didn’t stay where I’d left Him, allowing me to walk away and get lost. Instead, He stayed right there with me… He was there through it all… All the bad choices, the temptations, the hurts, the anger, the sadness… He was there, arms wide open, just waiting for me to LET Him catch me every time I fell. But I, unfortunately, kept choosing to let myself just fall to the ground. I kept dodging His outstretched arms, choosing not to see – choosing to not acknowledge His presence. Out of guilt, out of shame… I knew I was the one who had walked away. I knew I was the one who stopped allowing Him to be a part of my life. But He never left. He spent all this time waiting quietly on the sidelines for me to grab hold of His hand and say “get in the game! I want You on my team!”

Why has it taken me so long to say that? Why did I allow myself to be fooled into believing that I had done too many things wrong; made too many wrong choices; walked too far away; etc… for Him to still want me and love me? Why did I fool myself into thinking that I was too far gone for Him to ever be able to use me? I’d convinced myself that I was a failure, so I’d better just keep going to try to make the best of the mess I’d made of my life. But, God said “No. I want better for you. I have better for you, and I want to show you that I am sufficient; I can pull you through – I can lift you out of this darkness and I can use you to glorify Me, if you will only take My hand and say, ‘Yes, Lord’. I have been waiting for you for too long. It’s time.”

There is a song called, “From Nowhere To Now – Here” by The Kin. It’s not a Christian song, but I happened to hear it playing softly in the background as I was reading through my Bible study and I heard God’s voice in the lyrics of the chorus…

“Take this love
Calls your name
No need to walk alone
From nowhere to now here
Change has come
Well come in
No need to walk alone
From nowhere to now here”

I listened to those words over and over again. I kept replaying the song, and I realized that it described my relationship with God. God is offering His love to me – still. I got Saved over 9 years ago, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am His, but as I explained previously, somewhere along the way, I got lost and pulled away, distancing myself from Him – or so I thought. But here He is, right beside me, offering His unconditional love, despite all I have done, and all I have not done. He is calling my name, and telling me He is with me, willing to walk with me from this place – my “nowhere” – to get me to His “now here”.  He wants to take me to where He wants me to be. He wants to walk with me and pull me out of this dark void, the middle of nowhere, and show me the specific “here” where He wants me to be; the place I can be nourished by Him, by His Word and grow. The place He can use me for His glory.

So, here I am, Lord. I am ready to take Your hand. I am ready for You to lead me out of this place I find myself. Ready for you to guide me forward – not back. I am ready to walk with you. Guide me, Lord. Nourish my heart, my mind… Teach me what I need to know, so that you may use me to honor You. Hold me tightly, Lord, so that I may not wander from You again. I need You, Father, because in all my wandering I have learned that I cannot make it alone….. Thank You for not letting me go… In Jesus’ name… In Jesus’ name… yes, Lord…

 

Tonight as I finished watching Pride and Prejudice something deep within my heart was awakened -- a full consuming hunger to be romanticized. My heart is overwhelmed, not by a sadness as most women as well as myself in the past would see it when thinking of romance and the lack thereof. But with a full burning desire of love -- no, passion. I believe we too often search for this romance or love within a man, when in fact this is short lived. This is not to the discredit of our men and the wonderful strides they make to please us. This is not what I am talking about at all. I believe if they tried with all their might, there would still be this longing for more. I'm not saying they should stop, because I do love the effort of my husband very much.

This longing is more than a worldly passion; it is a hunger I believe that was placed within our feminine hearts to draw us ever closer to our Lord -- the lover of our soul. I believe He created this spot just for Himself and He address this area in Scripture, Isaiah 43. If you looked in my Bible, you would see that I’ve drawn hearts all around several of the Scripture verses in Isaiah 43, much like a school girl infatuated with her first love. These verses reach deep into a hidden place that I so often try to keep buried, in an effort to protect my heart from hurt, which in fact still hurts. God draws me to Himself within these Scriptures as if He is holding me close to Himself, whispering sweet nothings in my ear… “Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you” (Isaiah 43:4). Wow! I love this; it is exciting to know that my God loved me (and you) enough that He spoke these words of endearment.

I encourage you to go and read Isaiah 43; let the Lord romance your heart once more. Open you heart to love again whether you are disappointed, hurt, weary, lonely, anxious, or just scared. There is a God who longs to love you in a way no man could ever fulfill. He waits for you, His love, so open your heart to be loved again.

Completely and Utterly His,

Carmen

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I am not good enough.  I have too many flaws.  There is no way anyone could ever really love me.  I know my husband does, flaws and all.  We've been through too much together and come out on top of the world.  But my husband is also a flawed human.  Of course, I love him flaws and all too.  How could anyone bigger than humanity and completely flawless love me though?  It's astounding to me, but God does.  He loves me (and you) completely and totally unconditionally!  There is NOTHING I could EVER do to make him not love me.  Amazing isnt it?  God made us in His image.  He made us to be His children.  He knew we would never be perfect.  He sent his son to die for us because He knew we would need it.  God knew when he created that his son would have to die to cover our imperfections.  You know what the kicker is...all we have to do is believe in Him and accept his son as our savior.  That's ALL!  Can you truly wrap your head around that?  I can't.  Makes me feel even more unworthy.  But when  we are in those bad places, living in our bad habits, all we have to do is ask our LORD for his help.  Just go before him and ask for forgiveness, ask him to mold us to be the people we were meant to be, to guide us in a way that glorifies him.  That IS our calling after all, to do all things in a way to glorify him.  So the next time you are feeling not good enough, hopelss, rited, unworthy...GO TO HIM.  Let Him chip away the bad, heal your wounds, and make you the person He wants you to be.  Just don't be opposed to the guidance you may receive in return.  He has a plan for you!  Go on, go to Him, He's waiting. 

Speak to me Lord in the turning of the pages of my bible.

"I am truth. I never change."

Speak to me Lord in the whisper of the warm breeze.

"I am loving, king, I am with you."

Speak to me Lord in the thunder, the roaring of the mighty rain.

"I am strong, powerful, might to save."

Speak to me Lord through your servants: the peacher, minister, bible teacher, friend who loves you.

"I am good, I am here for you, I am near. I am an arm to lift when you are down, a shoulder to cry on, a friendly hug, a smile."

Speak to me in the bird's song, the butterflies flight.

"I am beauty, lovely, with you in the small things of life. I feed you, clothe you, meet all your needs."

Jeremiah 29:12-13
"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with ALL your heart."

How does God speak to you today? Have you look for Him all around you? Do you feel His presence, see it all around you?

Seek God! You will find Him. He will speak to you, when you seek Him with your whole heart.

Dear Lord,
I love you! I know you are God and you are waiting for me to seek you with my whole heart. You want to make yourself know to me. Lord here I am. I am all yours.
Amen.

Don't ya just love when God sends you a message that is so completely obvious you can't possibly miss it?  Like when you are in church and the pastor says EXACTLY what you were needing to hear at that very moment.  Or when you are talking to friends and just out of the blue one of them says something that is perfect for a situation you may be dealing with and your friend didn't even know.  This has happened to me several times recently.  One of those things happened just today.  Ironically, it's completely related to this subject too!   I know it's great when God gives us these obvious answers to what is plaguing us...but what about when God gives us the answers we don't want to hear.  You know the ones where we ask and ask and then tell him what WE want and in return we get the same answer over and over and it was NOT the answer we were wanting.  God just keeps giving it to us again and again.  We fight it and fight it.  We try every other possible solution, only to end up right back where we started.  It's a lot like when our own kids are wanting something from us and we tell them "sure, after you do your chores".  They do everything they can think of to get what they want EXCEPT their chores.  It's not really getting them anywhere.  Just like it doesn't get us anywhere.  Of course, just like we expect nothing else from our kids, God expects nothing else from us.  We are his children after all.  We do the same stuff relating to him that our children do when relating to us.  We always wonder why our kids don't just do it right the first time.  Why don't they just do what they are asked the first time?  Why don't we?  We are all human.  We all have our flaws and problems.  At the same time, though, we need to remember He is our Father.  He wants us to listen to him just as we want our kids to listen to us.  He tells us the same thing over and over because He is the Lord of ALL!  He knows FAR more than we know.  He's our Lord and our savior and our ever present help in times of trouble.  He is right there with us where ever we go.  He wants us to be still and know that HE is God.  He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth.  Psalm 46 tells us over and over how he takes care of us and assures us that the God of Jacob is our God and is with us.  All we need to do is listen to Him.