"Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer...It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868..."
Many willingly, lovingly and proudly gave up the their lives, their hopes and dreams,
so that you and your family can live out theirs.
Many willingly, lovingly and proudly gave up their family members,
so that you wouldn't have to give up yours.
So, when you celebrate today; when you and your children enjoy this 3-day weekend, don't forget to remind yourself and everyone you're celebrating with, why you have the freedom and joy of celebrating this day together. Don't forget to remind yourself and those you're with why you're all able to safely pray, worship, read your Bibles, laugh and eat together. Don't forget those men and women who gave up their lives so that you could. Don't forget those men and women who gave up their family members so that you could. Don't forget that while you're celebrating today, some are weeping.
Don't forget...
the example that was set for us to sacrifice our lives for the sake of others, was established for us almost 2,000 years ago, when the most awesome and perfect sacrifice was made.
When you celebrate today, don't forget...
That without Jesus Christ, you will never have true freedom.
The freedom to worship the LORD God Almighty because you are no longer considered His enemy.
The freedom to no longer be enslaved to your sin nature and the power of Satan, because Jesus crucified your sins in His body on the Cross at Calvary and defeated the devil and his power over us.
The freedom from suffering the second death, which is eternal damnation in Hell for all those who have not repented and trusted in Christ; the one and only Savior for all mankind.
Don't forget to thank God for the greatest sacrifice known in all the earth. Don't forget to thank God for every sacrifice made in the past and even today, so that you may enjoy your freedom.
And don't forget to pray for all the men, women and their families who are missing one another today, because another war has separated them so they can not enjoy what you are enjoying today...
peace and rest.
I'm so thankful to the LORD for providing me with my second love -- my darling husband!
After listening to many women throughout my life, hearing from many of you here and also from the precious sisters from My Second Love: A Proverbs 31 Study Bible study, I have come to realize how very rare my husband is. And I don't mean compared to men of this world, as I don't compare my husband to any of them. For what does light have to do with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:15, Galatians 6:4)? But really, I don't compare my husband with anyone else's either, as this too, is not pleasing in the sight of the Lord . I do, however, compare my husband with what God's word says about a husband and what he ought to be like:
"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
~ Ephesians 5:25-27
My husband is a God-revering, God-pleasing, single-hearted and minded man who rebukes and reproves me regularly because he loves Jesus more than he loves me. My Honey Pie is passionate about diligently cleansing me with the word of God so that I might not be ashamed before the sight of our Master and Lord (2 Timothy 2:15, 1 John 2:28).
Why is my husband so faithful about "cleansing" me with the Word of God? The answer is simple: not only is he my second love, but I am his second love too. And I am so proud to be such to him! I'm so proud to be a wife of a man who loves Jesus more than me. I'm so proud to be a wife who has a husband who prefers God's desires and His pleasure over my own! I'm so proud to be the wife of a man who doesn't allow my unstable emotions to alter His sight on Christ Jesus alone. I am proud to be a wife of a man who is not afraid to tell me God's truth, with great love and tenderness; always remembering that I am truly the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7) -- prone to be easily deceived by Satan, the world and even my own feelings and thoughts that are not in line with Scripture. With great wisdom, humility and fervor for the LORD, my darling is faithful to regularly spur me on toward love and good deeds; not for his gain, but for my good.
And how does my Honey Pie do all this? By trusting in the love and power of our Savior rather than trusting in me to provide him happiness, wholeness or acceptance. And this is important because I am not always in my right mind and I do not always feel so thankful that he rebukes or reproves me. Sometimes I lash out at him, sometimes I ignore him and sometimes I tell him that he is being unkind, insensitive and is hurting my feelings. But because my darling is wise and his source of strength and truth is in Christ and not me, he is able to withstand my attacks and attempts to stay in my sin until I feel like crawling out of the pit I'm wallowing in at the time.
What an incredibly blessed woman I am! To have a husband who is more concerned about my holiness rather than my temporal happiness! What an incredibly blessed woman I am to have a husband who has been given the great gift from God that usually only single men get -- an undivided heart, abandoned to Christ alone!
"I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided."
~ 1 Corinthians 7:32-34a
So what am I going to do with my thankful heart today? I've already thanked God (and will continue to) for making my husband the way he is. I'm also determined to stay in fervent prayer about receiving my husband's words of wisdom (his rebuke and reproof) from the Lord as a gift; because that's what it truly is...a gift from God. I am also resolved to not only thank God, but also my husband for not being afraid to give me what is good according to what God says is good and not what I say is good.
Wives:
Do you have a husband like this? If so, will you join me in giving much thanks to God for such godly men and resolve to bless him and not burden him?
If you don't have a husband like this because he is either an unbeliever or is a believer, but is afraid to lead you because you are such an unsubmissive, nagging, over-bearing, loud wife who is always much more quick to air her own opinions rather than quietly and reverently listen to her husband; will you repent and pray for God to help you live out 1 Peter 3:1-6?
Husbands:
If you are not leading your wife this way because you desire her approval and acceptance of you more than you desire God's, will you repent of this sin of idolatry, apologize to your wife and commit to God and her that you will, from this day forward, be more concerned about God's pleasure rather than your wife's -- with an undivided heart?
Will you commit this day, to love your wives enough to rightly and biblically judge her actions in accordance with Scripture (1 Corinthians 5:12) and not lord your authority over her, but correct her when she is in sin, and exhort her to live abandoned to Christ alone, die to self and abide only in Jesus?
I'm praying for and thanking God for all of you. I pray that the Lord will bless you and spur all of you on toward love and good deeds, just as He has me.
For many of us, the phrase, "Love the unlovable" is not new. It's noble, it's Christ-like and it is extremely difficult for most of us to faithfully and diligently do.
"For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers [and sisters], what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
~ Matthew 5:46-48
Like most people, I suffer from the great battle that wars within me to do what my Lord and Savior Jesus commands me to do—love the unlovable. I find myself struggling to extend love or kindness to someone who basically smacks me in the face with every opportunity they get.
These are not the kind of people I naturally inclined to love, share God's kindness with or really, desire to be around...at all. These are usually the type of people I try to keep at least a 1-mile radiance between them and me, so they can't hurt me and well, so I can't inadvertently hurt them. Do you know what I'm talking about?
I'm talking about the people whom I mostdesire to share God's love and kindness with, those whom (because of Christ's Spirit in me) I want so much to please, love and be in intimate fellowship with; I'm talking about those who are in the Body of Christ. You know, our brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus, who never lovingly and truthfully discuss any ill feelings their having about you, but you can feel it; you sense the distance. And while they use no words to let you know what upsets them so that you can work things out, you can't miss the loud, ear bursting sounds of the walls they are building; high and wide, between you and them. This is one of the things that grieve me the most, because I so love my Savior and all those who are members of His beautiful and holy Body.
It sickens me to admit, but I am a notorious people pleaser. Really I am. Because I'm so strong-willed, most people would find this hard to believe, but this fact is true—my greatest idol is my desire to have those within the Body of Christ love me, accept me and be well pleased with me. But you know, I haven't read anywhere in the Bible that desiring to please anyone, including those in the Body, over pleasing God is a good thing.
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."
~ Galatians 1:10
Even in the above Scripture, I don't see an "if" there. You know, all those "if's" most of us wish God included in His word (e.g., if your husband loves you like Christ loves the church, then submit to him; if your parents don't exasperate you and are worthy, then obey, honor and respect them; if the people you love greater than God are members of your blood or spiritual family, then it's okay to put their desires before Gods, etc.).
Where does this people pleasing sin nature come from? According to God's word, the main root of all sin is pride, and its branches are these (1 John 2:16):
desires of the flesh (physical comfort and fulfillment),
desires of the eyes (emotional and mental comfort and fulfillment),
and pride in possessions (both tangible [monetary wealth, number of children, etc.] and intangible possessions [reputation; position at work, school, community or church, etc.])
So what is the branch I am hanging on that tempts me to sin against my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? The branch I am tempted to swing on, to get where I want to be...is all three.
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as your share in Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."
~ 1 Peter 4:12-14
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
"As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my Help and my Deliverer; do not delay, O my God!"
~ Psalm 40:17
Growing up with much strife has instilled in me a deep desire for God's peace and love to dwell richly within me, and also within the Body of my good and awesome Savior. But sometimes, my good, God-given desire for God's peace and love to reign amongst my spiritual Family grieves my Lord when I put their desires, their pleasure, their acceptance and thoughts about me, above my heavenly Father's.
How will I love the unlovable? Specifically those in the Body of Christ who are imperfect like me and have hang-ups from their past like me, that cause them to be difficult and painful to be around at times?
I will refuse to think too much on why they are building those walls.
I will refuse to consider any evil of them or allow my imagination to get the best of me.
I will refuse to see them any differently than God sees me; a sinner saved by grace alone, by God alone
I will willingly step away (if God so leads me), with love and understanding if my presence in their life is harmful to them, no matter how much I desire peace, unity and intimacy within the Body of Christ.
I will protect them if others malign their character in any way.
And I will wait with fervent prayers on their behalf and open, loving arms should God desire to bless us with joyful fellowship one day; if not, I will be satisfied to love them through my prayers and any other means God provides me.
I will take my tears and heartache to my LORD alone, and suffer joyfully for Christ's name, for the sake of His Body, "until we attain to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ..." (Ephesians 4:13).
So, today, I am resigned. I am resigned to stop swinging on those unstable branches of pride and cling more tightly to the Vine of my life and bear much fruit as His branch.
This is the song and prayer of my heart today and for the rest of my life. I truly pray that it will be yours as well.
Meredith Andrews Only to Be Yours from her album, As Long As It Takes.
Please listen and be exhorted to remain faithful to the Good Shepherd of our souls.
These were the exact words of my Cardiologist today, "I don't have good news about your heart today. I have GREAT news!"
Thank you all for your prayers! ♥
I had my follow-up appointment with my Cardiologist today to discuss the results of my stress echo and echo I had undergone within the past few weeks.
All glory and praise be to God my Father who gives us all good things according to His will! Whether the news was good or seemingly "bad" (meaning, it wasn't what I wanted to hear); I trust what the LORD my God has said - He alone is good, therefore everything He does is good, regardless of how I may feel about it, or how others may view it. The truth is the truth. And God is Truth.
"O LORD, what is man that You regard him,
or the son of man that you think of him?"
~ Psalm 144:3
"As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my Help and my Deliverer; do not delay O my God!"
~ Psalm 40:17
In the past few days, the Lord has so kindly reminded me of how ungrateful I can be and how often I grumble rather than give Him praise and thanksgiving. Instead of keeping in the forethought of my mind all that I know I deserve (God's full wrath), yet receive all that I do not deserve (God's abounding grace and mercy in Christ), I too often get greedy, and self-righteous and allow my sinful flesh to deceive me into believing that I ought not be grateful for any good, but ask for more and more.
But today, I am resigned to have my heart (my strong and healthy heart) to be near my Lord, and my lips full of praise and thanksgiving to Him. For my God is good! My God is sovereign! And my God loves me! Therefore everything in my life is good, no matter my circumstances.
So even though everything else in my body may be falling apart, I have a very healthy and strong heart and excellent eye sight! A heart for God and eyes only for Jesus! What more can a girl want?
"Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain -
He washed it white as snow."
by Elvina M. Hall
Will you join me today in giving our Great and Awesome God praise, glory and adoration? Let us worship our Lord Jesus together! ♥