Open Up

Open up
By Amy Gentry

I can remember the doctor standing over me with a long set of forceps in his hand and they had a huge wad of gauze at the end.  He began trying to pry apart my jaws so that he could shove this set of forceps down my throat to apply pressure to the rip in the back of my esophagus to control the bleeding long enough to get me into the operating room.  I would not budge.  I could not be persuaded.  I would not open my mouth.  As a matter of fact, I was quite irritated at the thought that the doctor might break my braces by the way we was pulling and tugging trying to get my mouth open.  The nurse called my parents into the room to help hold me down.  My dad held down my legs and my mom held my arms.  It was then that my mom looked deep into my eyes and said, “Open your mouth or you are going to die.”

In the operating room, I crashed.  I guess I died.  I remember two things: brightness and warmth.  Some think that this is the bodies natural reaction to extreme blood loss, but I KNOW that I was approaching Heaven.  Heaven is where I ultimately want to be one day, but that was not God’s plan for me on that day.  As I got older, I wondered how was it that I could get to Heaven one day, then the words of my mom came back to me.  “Open your mouth or you are going to die.”  I knew I had to open my mouth and pray.

Ÿ  First, you must pray and admit to God that you have sinned, that you have done things that you are ashamed of or things that you know were wrong.

Ÿ  You have to believe that Jesus was God’s Son and that he was crucified.  And during the crucifixion he took on all of the worlds sins past, present and future to make you clean of all unrighteousness.  Ask Jesus to be the Lord and Ruler of your life.

Ÿ  Finally, pray and confess, tell God about how you have sinned against Him and that you do not want to do those things anymore. 

After you have opened your mouth and prayed, then you need to tell someone about your prayer, a friend or a local Pastor of a church.  Get connected into a local church and seek God through reading the Bible.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NLT

 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

Warning, Will Robinson!

Warning, Will Robinson!

By Amy Gentry

Do you remember being a small child sitting on the floor in front of your television (that did not have a remote control or a DVR by the way) and watching reruns of Lost in Space?  It was cool when Will Robinson was in jeopardy and his robot and best friend would call out to him, “WARNING, Will Robinson!” When I wander away from seeking the Lord’s face every day, and I try to take the journey of life on my own, I fall into jeopardy too.  I know that I should be listening for the Holy Spirit, but unfortunately my busyness and distraction can muffle the voice of the Holy Spirit when He is calling out a warning to me.  I wish I had someone shouting out to me when I am in jeopardy or even tempted to explore a wrong path.  I need my sisters-in-Christ, my Jesus Girls to help me!!! “So watch your step, friends. Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul.” Hebrews 3:12-14 MSG (emphasis mine).  As sisters-in-Christ, we should be praying and seeking God’s direction for each other every day.  Hebrews 3:13 in the NIV uses the wording “encourage one another daily” and in the NLT “warn each other every day.”  I have a friend who petitions the Lord on my behalf , encouraging me through God’s Word (when she is prompted by the Holy Spirit) and even warning me if I am walking outside of God’s Will (also when she is prompted by the Holy Spirit).  In this amazing way, she is offering her service to the Lord and I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT  The bible instructs us to pray for one another, defend one another, bear one another’s burdens, strengthen one another, sharpen one another, and lovingly confront one another when it’s called for. It is time for us Jesus Girls to get serious and real with each other.

CHALLENGE:  Are you serving the Lord in your friendships?   Be bold and courageous with those in your circle of influence.  When you are prompted by the Holy Spirit, daily encourage and warn them so they will stay on their toes and sin will not slow down their reflexes.

Garden of your Life

Garden of your Life

By Suzie

“Post this at all the intersections.  Dear friends:  Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.  God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger.  So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage.  In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.”  James 1:19-23 Message

There is nothing like a home grown tomato!  Thinking of a BLT sandwich makes my mouth water.

This is my fourth year to have a vegetable garden in my backyard.  Each spring we spend two full weekends working in our gardens and preparing the soil to plant my tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro, bell peppers and squash.  Preparing a garden is back-breaking work.

We is turn the soil over, weed, add nutrients to the soil, and finally, we plant.

The work is only the beginning.  Every day you have to water, weed, inspect for certain insects, make sure your crops are protected from the harsh climate, and then there will be a harvest.

After all this hard work, you finally taste and see the fruits of your labor!  Is it ripe or rotten?

Our Christian walk is much like a garden.  We do all the right things like go to church, pray, have a quiet time, and serve in ministry.   However, like any garden, we have weeds.

Anger is a weed that multiplies.  James tells us we are “to be slow to speak and quick to listen.”  Oh, how I struggle with this.  Anger is one of those sins not everyone sees.

We may appear to have it all together, but we can still be deeply rooted in sin.  Anger keeps our hearts impure and it is our heart that directs how we speak. Luke 6:45

I can “lose my Jesus” with my family much easier than with my friends.   My husband and mom and even my precious girls have all been victims of my tongue thrashing.

I can let the words of others fester in my mind and get all worked up over nothing.

The next time I see that person I may be just a bit cold and disinterested.

The weed is now spreading.  And if I let it, it will choke and kill any good fruit that’s within me.

Our daily walk is filled with distractions, temptations, and tests.   We must plant God’s word in our hearts to guard against such things.

Righteousness should be our desire.  Righteousness is my desire.

We are God’s garden.  God is our gardener.  He spends countless hours preparing our hearts to receive His Word and His love.

Then he lovingly plants his Word in our hearts.  Daily he waters us with his love, grace, and mercy.

And like any good gardener who wants a bountiful harvest, daily he takes care to get rid of the weeds and insects that will destroy his fruit.

Challenge:  Daily read and ponder on God’s Word.  It is the nutrition you need every day.  If anger is a problem for you, lay it at the feet of Jesus.  Get rid of it so it does not destroy you or your relationships.  Desire God’s righteousness; that is His will for your life.   Respond to conviction immediately and confess your sin.

Pray with me:  Heavenly Father, please forgive me for my anger.  Forgive me for blowing up at my husband, children and others.  Thank you for your grace and mercy which are new each day.  Help me to guard my heart and mind by reading your word each day.  Make me slow to speak and quick to listen.  Put a filter over my mouth so nothing escapes my lips that is not of you.  Help me make my life fruitful for your Glory.  In Jesus’ name Amen.

Summer Book Club

Summer Book Club

AHH!  The lazy days of summer have just begun.  Rewind!  There will be no laziness in our home!  We have Vacation, VBS, Camps, Weekly Movies, NRH2O (waterpark), and lounging by the pool.  In between play dates, house cleaning, hanging out with friends and preparing for another school year.  Although, it would not be summertime for me if I wasn’t catching up on some reading.

With that said Titus 2 Women will be launching our Summer Book Club on June 1!  As you might know by now we enjoy books written by Sally Clarkson and love sitting at her feet gleaning godly wisdom.

We will be reading her book titled Dancing with my Father .   Order your copy now online or run to your nearest bookstore.  We will read a chapter a week and then discuss the chapter here on our blog.  Each of the six of us will contribute what spoke to us through each chapter and we want to encourage you to also contribute through either our Facebook  page or leaving a comment on the blog.

We are so excited to be reading a book together as a community!  All of us on Titus 2 Women love to read and we could probably open up our own library with all our books.

So get ready, get your book and a big glass of sweet tea.  June 1^st we will have a kick off on the blog then check in every Friday with that week’s comments. 

Let Your Soul Dance with Delight in God

Do you sometimes feel victimized by circumstances? Are you overwhelmed by weariness, fear, or discouragement? Do you wonder, Where can I go to claim the promise of Jesus that my joy could be made full?

When trusted author and mentor Sally Clarkson noticed a lack of joy in her own life, she realized how easy it can be, especially for women with overloaded to-do lists, to feel weighed down by drudgery and disappointment. But rather than slogging through her days, Sally wanted to know the delight of God's presence. She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons.

Menu Monday

Week 3 (click to open pdf) - Amy G.
Monday: Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers with angel hair pasta
Tuesday: Crockpot Pork Roast, mashed potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday: Hamburger Steaks, baked potato, green beans
Thursday: Southwest Grilled Chicken, Mac and cheese, salad with cucumbers
Friday: Taco Salad with queso

Week 4 (click to open pdf) - Amy G.
Monday: Bubble Up Pizza and Salad
Tuesday: Marinated flank steak, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Wednesday: Taco Skillet and Salad
Thursday: Tilapia and Shrimp
Friday: Homemade Hamburgers

Fear of The Lord

Q and A

By Amy Gentry

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10 NIV

Q: What is the “fear of the Lord?”

A: The “fear of the Lord” is best defined and understood as reverence, awe.  We begin to gain wisdom when we understand just how minuscule we are in comparison to the Lord and all of His ways, to the point of our utter humility.  I think that the Aramaic Bible in Plain English states Proverbs 9:10 the best, “The beginning of wisdom is the awe of Lord Jehovah and the knowledge of the Righteous Ones is understanding;” (emphasis mine)

To be crystal clear – “fear of the Lord” is NOT being scared, anxious, frightened, dreadful, or timid.

To go deeper:

Read, pray, and meditate on these parallel versions of Deuteronomy 10:12-13:

NIV “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to (1) fear the Lord your God, (2) to walk in all his ways, (3) to love him, (4) to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, (5) and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (emphasis mine)

MSG “So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: (1) Live in his presence in holy reverence, (2) follow the road he sets out for you, (3) love him, (4) serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, (5) obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a good life.” (emphasis mine)

Intentional Decorating

Intentional Decorating

by Stephanie Heady

Deuteronomy 6:7-9 (NLT) “Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 11:20-21 (NLT) “Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.”

I don’t know about you, but memorizing scripture has never been easy for me nor does it come naturally.  I remember in the house where I grew up, my mom had a cross-stitch on the wall that said, “This House Serves the Lord” and I looked at it every day because of where it was hanging.  One day, I was thinking about that cross-stitch and how intentional we should be with what decorations we put in our homes and where we put them.  I have tried to put scripture all over our house so that I can learn it.  The more we learn God’s word, the more we can apply it to our lives and lean on His word for hope.  The best teaching moments occur as life happens as we walk around the house, as we cook dinner, as we wash dishes and as we put kids to bed.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” sits by the sink and I read it as I wash dishes.  One day I received a phone call from a good friend who was struggling with seeing the truth of a situation and I quoted that scripture and she started crying, she told me how much she had needed to hear that scripture.  I do not say this to toot my own horn.  I say it because if I would not have had this verse memorized, I probably could not have been used by God at that moment to turn her to His word.  I shared with her that I knew God had just spoken through me, because I typically am not good at remembering scripture, but since it was there, God could use it to speak through me.  We are just a vessel and I want to be a usable vessel filled with His word.

Challenge:  Print scriptures and place them around your home.  You can frame them, write them on mirrors, write them on post it notes, etc…

Here are some resources to some great scripture cards and printable scripture art.  If you do not want to use these, search online for a certain scripture reference that you want and click images.

http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/09/free-printable-scripture-cards/

http://madabella.typepad.com/blog/2010/12/gifted-day-10-.html

http://spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com/

A Glimpse into the Heart of God

A Glimpse into the Heart of God

By Christie Crispin

 The Father has taken our family on an incredible journey the past two years.  We were a normal family with 2 little boys and a brand new baby girl when God rocked our world.  One Sunday morning in March of 2010, God clearly spoke to me while watching a short video about a new ministry to orphans that our church would be partnering with.  “You will be going there.”  In the coming weeks, everywhere I looked, every song on the radio, every blog post someone linked to Facebook seemed to speak of adoption.  I finally decided to broach the subject with my husband, thinking that he would quickly tell me that we had 3 small children, I was nuts, and maybe we could sponsor another child or something.  When I called him to see if we could meet for lunch because I had something I wanted to talk to him about, he asked (before I mentioned anything!) “Is it adoption?”  I almost dropped the phone.  It is still amazing to think back to how God laid the same thing on both our hearts at the exact same time.  It was clearly from Him, and we weren’t going to ignore it.

In the coming months, we jumped into the adoption process.  God directed our steps as we chose an agency and a country program.  He knew that our son was waiting for us in Ethiopia.  We watched as God orchestrated the details of the timeline (even when it made no sense to us at the time) and stood in amazement as The Provider brought in every penny that was needed, exactly when it was needed.  Every.  Single.  Penny.  Shortly after we received our referral (were matched with our son), my husband lost his job.  It was during this time that God provided the bulk of the funds, showing that He was in complete control of this process, and didn’t need our help, only our obedience.

On March 27, 2012, our son, Eli, was placed in our arms.  He is no longer an orphan.  He has a mommy and daddy to love him, brothers and a sister to play with him, and grandparents and great grandparents to spoil him.  He also has a Heavenly Father that has known him since he was knit together in his birthmother’s womb, and knew that he would need a family.  He is the “Father to the fatherless.”  (Psalm 68:5) 

Throughout this process, I believe we have gotten a glimpse into the heart of God.  He loves orphans deeply.  The Bible mentions countless times just how much He loves them.  He is their Father and Defender. (Deuteronomy 10:18)  Adoption is also an amazing picture of the Gospel.  We were helpless and trapped in our sin (much like our son could do nothing on his own to escape life as an orphan) when God adopted us.  “You have received a spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry ‘Abba, Father!’  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”  (Romans 8:15-16)

God has also shown us very clearly that the global orphan crisis is not an issue that He will allow us to overlook.  By some estimates, there are over 163 million orphans in our world.  God calls us to “defend the cause of the fatherless.”  (Isaiah 1:17)  As believers, we can’t pretend that we don’t know or that it doesn’t effect us.  “Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do.  God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, know that we know, and holds us responsible to act.”  (Proverbs 24:12)  If we love Jesus, then what matters to Him should matter to us.  God may not call every family to adopt, but we can’t sit idly by and do nothing any longer. Have you prayed about what your family’s roll is in caring for orphans? 

In light of Mother’s Day, I will close with something a friend of mine pointed out to me.  If God is the Father to the fatherless, and we are the bride of Christ, then wouldn’t that make us the mother?  Church, it is time for us to start taking care of our kids.

Parenting with Purpose

Parenting with Purpose
by Carri P.

I love being a mom.  I actually never had the desire to delve into motherhood.  However, at one of my lowest points ever, God reached into my hopeless and meaningless life and pointed me in an entirely new direction.  Jesus was waiting for me right on the other side of the birth of my first son.

I had never experienced such complete and total joy along with such gut-wrenching frustration – sometimes all at the same time!  Soon after Austin was born I began taking him to church and was finally, truly saved.  I rededicated my life to Christ and my journey began.  I felt hope in my life.  Soon after my son’s first birthday, I began to notice some difficult behavior emerging.  I believe many would call him a “strong willed child” and I was moving toward hopeless once again.

We were politely asked to leave his first mother’s day out program.  He was also removed from the kids club on our cruise.  He was the difficult child in his second mother’s day out class.  He was tested and placed in a PPCD program.  This was finally a glimmer of hope. (It is a wonderful, and free, program sponsored by the public school system that I would highly recommend.)    He did really well.  Since that time we have struggled with his behavior.  He has been tested several times and each time the verdict is, “he is just a strong willed child”

I still needed some hope. So where does one go when they need some hope?  I went to the library.  There I found a huge selection of parenting books.  There are literally hundreds of professionals telling us how we are to handle our children.  After checking-out about a dozen books and skimming over them, I realized that God had given some of these men and women some Godly wisdom and insight to assist us in our plight, however, the bottom line is that, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” Psalm 118:8 NIV

The book of Proverbs was written to give us Godly wisdom.  There are so many great verses in Proverbs to show us the way in our  parenting.  One of my favorites is, “Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.” Proverbs 19:18.  This is a clear command from our Father God for us to help our children to grow in Godly wisdom, strength and to have discipline in their lives.  How do we do this?  We do this by having Godly wisdom, strength and discipline in our own lives.

This kind of wisdom is found in the scriptures, Bible principles, and using God’s word as the level that everything is compared to.  We have to walk-the-walk and model the behavior for them.  It is about changing us, so that God can change them.  So am I spending enough quality “God time” with my children?  Am I sharing with them what God expects from them?

My children have a verse memorized and we say it often, “Children obey your parents for this is pleasing to the Lord.” Colossians 3:20  So it is also about speaking God’s word over them.  Helping them get it into their heart so that they can understand where their hope comes from.  This comes with a great reward promised by God Himself in that, “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it”. Proverbs22:6

Finally, it is about praying for them.  Praying that God will do a mighty work in their lives.  Praying that they will be strong willed for the Lord.  Praying that God has a plan for their lives.  Praying for godly friends to come alongside them.  Praying for their future spouse.  Pray, Pray, Pray!  Pray over them when they wake up, when they go out, and when they lay down their heads.  They need to see their parents faith in God expressed through prayer.

We should always be reminded, “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your word.” Psalm 119:114 NIV There is great hope for every family that trusts in the Lord.

Challenge:  Take a look at your parenting strategies, are you parenting with purpose?

The Mom Song!

To all the moms out there, enjoy!

Mother's Day Breakfast Recipe

What an easy Mother's Day breakfast in bed.
 
Twas the night before Mother's Day and all through the house, every creature was snoring - even the pet mouse.  Mom was up late preparing what was to bake.  So dad and kids could boast she whipped up a casserole of Overnight French Toast.....

Overnight French Toast Casserole - Stephanie H.

Ingredients:

1 loaf French bread, sliced in large cubes
8 eggs
3 cups whipping cream
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 can of cream cheese icing
Powdered Sugar
Fresh Strawberries (optional)

Directions:
Arrange half of the cubes bread in the bottom of 9x13 (pack it in to make it fit). Spoon "globs" of cream cheese icing on top of cubed bread (don't worry about spreading it). Arrange the remaining half of cubed bread on top of icing layer, pressing down. Mix eggs, whipping cream, sugar, salt and vanilla and pour over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate over-night. Next morning, remove foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Before serving top with sliced strawberries and powdered sugar - Yum! (No need for syrup).

Marriage, it's not for the Faint of Heart

Marriage, it’s not for the Faint of Heart

by Jenn V.

Yes, this video is a funny and a light-hearted look at marriage, but so many couples are seriously struggling to get through the day with each other.  It seems hopeless.  But there is ALWAYS hope.  Hope in the same God that parted the Red Sea, sent his son to heal the sick, suffer for us, die on a cross and then rise again.  That same God can heal your marriage.  God can turn around any marriage, no matter how bruised or damaged or distraught.  God can change anyone’s heart, no matter how hard.  My husband and I see it all the time in Marriage Encounter.  “Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again – my savior and my God.”  Psalm 43:1-5 (NLT) God believes in families and he has set up our lives to work that way or else he wouldn’t have created Eve and then tell them both to be fruitful and multiply.      

Marriage can be chaotic!  Like cleaning up after a huge mess of broken raw eggs, it’s hard to know where to start!  Try going back to the beginning of your marriage.  Look at your wedding pictures with your husband and remember how you felt about him when you said your “I Do’s.”  Together remember and reminisce about some of your first dates you had, the big moments in your life and even the bad things you went through together.  Look at how you survived all of that and got through it with each other.  Find a godly couple to double-date with and let them disciple you in your marriage.  Know that you did not and cannot get through this alone.  Christ must be the center of your marriage.  When we do that, he gives us the intentional determination to be content and happy in all our different circumstances.  “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  PHIL. 1:6 (NIV)

CHALLENGE:  If you are struggling in your marriage today, plan a date-night.  Talk with your husband and agree on what steps you can take together to ask God for the hope to help you heal your marriage.

Menu Monday

Week 1 (click to open pdf) - Stephanie H.
Monday: Cheesy Enchilada Casserole, Mexican rice
Tuesday: Easy Crockpot Potato Soup
Wednesday: Baked Club Pinwheels and fruit
Thursday: Chicken Enchiladas, chips and salsa
Friday: Crispy Shrimp Pasta, Pillsbury French Bread
Week 2 (click to open pdf) - Suzie M.
Monday: BBQ Meatballs, baked potatoes and veggies
Tuesday: Good Eats Tilapia, brown rice and broccoli
Wednesday: Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Chicken in Wine Sauce, new potatoes, veggies
Friday: Lime Chicken Tacos, Spanish Rice, Beans

Feel free to email us at thetitus2women@gmail.com, if you need us to email you any of the menus.

Book Corner

A Mother’s Heart by Jean Fleming is an amazing book to help each mother figure out their role and God’s role in raising children.  She explains how to take a spiritual inventory of your child’s life, and teach you to pray effectively for your child.  She’ll also help you be thankful for your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

I hope you are blessed by this book as much as I was.  It’s a book you will always want to keep on your bookshelf and someday pass on to your child as she becomes a mother. 

The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson is one of my most favorite books of all time.  This book will forever be on your bookshelf and you will want to read it every year for inspiration and insight.  Sally is an amazing mom of four children and has written several books.  She is a godly woman with so much wisdom.  This book shows you how to get to the heart of your children.  “How to make life’s mundane and nitty-gritty moments work for you and not against you.”  Most chapters have sweet prayers at the end and other have some thoughtful questions for you to ponder and take action.

Embrace a Life of Love

Embrace a Life of Love

Biblical Priority #1

Kim H

Love is patient, love is kind, It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

Love unconditionally: This is vital and the most Christ-like thing you can do. This is something that should not be a problem for a grown-up, right? When we are rude, impatient, unforgiving, selfish, and the like at others it really just says that we are the shallow one. Proving that we have not grown up at all, still behaving like a child. Throwing tantrums or fits of anger to “teach” someone something is NEVER the answer. That kind of response will only put a distance between us and them and eventually dissolve the relationship. If this reaction is taken out on our child the only thing it teaches them is how to react in anger when they have those same emotions. Love is not proud. Most things are caught not taught.

Assume Goodwill: Learning this small nugget of wisdom set me free! Most of the time, a difficult situation with another is never as bad as we perceive it to be in our minds. Thoughts can spiral out of control in no time if we are not focused on truth. The best place for truth is in God’s word. When we dwell on a lie, it will start to come alive and take on a life of its own. Surrender that situation to the Lord; let him be your defender. When you assume goodwill, you will keep a clean heart and remain blameless. Grace and mercy living is so beautiful. What a legacy you will leave!!!

Put yourself in their shoes: This changes perspective. Recently, a store clerk was very rude, short and impatient while helping me. After a while, I simply told her that if she was having a bad day that I could come back later. She said no and perked up enough to finish what we were doing. I have bad days, I have definitely acted that way before, just ask my family!

So instead of being rude back or thinking terrible thoughts in my head (both would be sinful on my part), simply putting myself in her shoes let me remain blameless.

Challenge: Let us pray: Father, Our best example is Jesus. We ask for him to fill us with his love so we can live a life of love. We cannot do this without Him! We pray that we are led by The Holy Spirit to love with a pure heart. In Jesus name, Amen

May Bible Verse