The Bigger Picture...

Writing a post on marriage, love and relationships is just a little daunting for this single girl. I'm not an expert or a seasoned wife writing from years of experience. However, God has been pressing this very thing on my heart for the last little while. I want to share with you what HE has been and is currently teaching me.

 

I think I'm like most  girls- from the time I was little I always dreamed about the day when I would fall in love, plan a wedding, get married, have babies and live "happily ever after." When I was a little girl, I had a beautiful white lace dress that I used to play dress up in. I practically lived in that dress for most of my childhood until I grew out of it. That little dress, made me feel like a princess. I would dance and spin around in it. I even pranced around the house pretending I was walking down the aisle to meet my "imaginary groom." :)
 

The thing that I have realized since those days as a little girl is that marriage goes beyond just falling in love, weddings, honeymoons and white picket fences. Yes, the romance is a vital thing in the life of a couple. But marriage as God intended it to be- can be a beautiful picture of Christ and His Bride.

 

God has made us a people who desire communion, fellowship and intimacy with God and each other... which is a very good thing! When He made the world, there was perfect communion between God and man... yet, "it was not good that man be alone."  Thus, God made a helper for Adam- a woman fit for him who was there to encourage and support him and fill the earth through procreation. As Voddie Baucham says, "Have babies. Have lots of em."

 

But sin entered the world and today, marriages and relationships look far differently from what they did in the beginning and what God intended them to be. There's pain, rejection, hurt, heartbreak, unfaithfulness and divorce.

 

But as Christians, God has first given us the privilege of being called His sons and daughters...bearing His name and then commissioned to be His Hands and Feet in this broken world. But do we realize the weight of what a Christian marriage represents? When we see the big picture of what marriage is, what it can be when Christ is at the center and what it calls us to be- we won't settle for just anybody. God has given us the responsibility and opportunity to be a living, breathing demonstrating and representation of Christ and His love for His Bride-the church.

So love and marriage must be more than just Cupid striking, a feeling, a charmer, a handsome face or saying all the right things.  So if our lives, relationships and marriages are to be patterned after Christ- we must look to Him- the Author of Love, in order to know what love truly is. It is He who created and ordained it for He is Love itself. So we must look through His eyes to know how we are to love each other. If Christ is going to be glorified in a marriage it must be first and foremost made up of a man and a woman who have individually set their sights on the King of Kings and have lost sight of all beside. They must look to Him first as their satisfaction, joy, and hope. Then together they are able to give God glory in their lives individually and together as a couple. It starts with beholding Christ. Looking to Him and as we gaze upon Him- we are made like Him.

 

In Scripture over and over again, God declares His love and faithfulness to His children. They weren't  perfect, obedient children but most of them were unfaithful, unbelieving, distracted, and faithless people. I think we can be a lot like that too sometimes, don't you think?

Yet, God declares,

"I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I will continue my faithfulness to you."

(Jeremiah 31:3)

 

 God pursues His people and loves them regardless of whether they love Him back. Even while we were still sinners- enemies of God- Christ died for us. It was His pursuit of our hearts that drove Him to the cross and caused His blood to be shed on our behalf. His love for us was not because of anything we could do or feeling we could give God but solely because He deeply, passionately loves us.

Voddie Baucham in his sermon series entitled "Love and Marriage" (which I highly recommend) says it better than I ever could.

"Biblical love is an act ( a choice) of the will, accompanied by emotion (not led by emotion but not void of emotion) that leads to action on behalf of its object. Jesus is our model for biblical love. He didn't feel like going to the cross- but He chose to love the church. It was accompanied by emotion so intense that He sweat drops of blood and it led to action on behalf of its object. Jesus didn't need the cross- You and I did. He didn't do it because it made Him feel good about Himself. He did it because it was the only way for His Bride to be redeemed. That is biblical love. This is a love that will last- a love that is stable and it is a foundation for a godly marriage to be built upon."

 -Voddie Baucham

So what does this look like practically? I can't give you a map and say, "follow X, Y and Z and it will turn out perfectly into happily ever after.  But I can tell you is...Look to Jesus. It's only His power through the work of the Holy Spirit that enable us to be the men and women, single people, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers that God calls us to be.

I know this is kind of scattered thoughts but I hope this encourages and challenges you as it has me to be what God has designed us to be.  I'm working on digging deeper into this and will probably write more about it. You'll just have to wait and see! Hopefully it won't be another 6 months before I post again. Promise... I won't.  :)

 

Only. Ever. Always. Jesus.

Hello, hello!! First of all, I am sorry I have not posted anything in the last few months. Life has been absolutely crazy for the most part. There have been lots of high points and some difficult things too as well. However, God has been so good through it all. He is definitely moving and working. The Lord has done some amazing things in my life these last few months... I can't give details at the moment but I hope in the future I will be able to share in full all that God has done. :)

In this season of my life, which is somewhat uncertain when it comes to what is next for me or what my future holds, I want to share with you what the Lord continues to press upon my heart.

I am called to Him.

My heart is passionate about many things:  Orphans and the fatherless, Innocent children and vulnerable women, the poor, inner city ministry, missions work, eliminating sex trafficking, passionate worship, and becoming a wife and a mother (someday).  As much as these things are a part of my heart, they are not my first calling.

My first calling is to Jesus; to be like Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, to love Him, and to tell the world (both near and far) about Him.  Oh to serve and love just like Jesus.  HE is what defines me.  Neither my ministry nor my passions but my one true passion, Jesus, is what defines my life.

I know that the Lord has given me specific burdens that I am very passionate about.  However, I am being reminded that those burdens do not define my life, but Jesus defines me.  He is the reason I carry a burden for the orphans, those enslaved in human trafficking.  He is the reason I desire to be a wife and a mother…to glorify Jesus in my marriage, selflessly serve my husband and raise my children in the ways of the Lord so that they may love Him too.

So whatever or wherever the Lord calls me to go or do... I know that it is for Him, because of Him and only Him and His Spirit within my chest that can do it in and through me. Whether Jesus calls me to be a single, married or widowed woman- that does not define me either. Jesus does. Whether Jesus calls me to have plenty or be in want- rich or poor. My financial status does not define me. He does.

Wherever Jesus places me, I am called to be faithful to Him there-putting all of my strength and energy into it. Shining Jesus to whoever He puts in my life to pour and sow into.

I in no way have mastered this. Honestly, it is a daily choice to believe this and stand in this reality: Jesus defines me. How easy it is to look at our surroundings and think that we would be more valuable if we did this or had this or that. Or "If I was married and had a family... that's when I would finally feel like I will be fulfilled and have purpose." Or maybe it is this, "If I could just go to a foreign country and be a missionary... that is when I will feel like I am doing something for God."

 Believe me, I don't want to be a nanny and hostess for the rest of my life... but it is the choice to find joy, peace in Jesus and purpose in this season of my life.... even though it isn't where I'd exactly choose to be if I had it my way. 

The question isn't  "Where or what am I called to?" but the real question we must ask ourselves is "To WHO am I called?"

 JESUS. JESUS. JESUS.

It's all because of Him.

For Him.

Through Him.

To Him.

May this be the testimony of the saints. The state of the church. The desire of our lives and goal of our families. Our hearts and lives being fixed ever, only and always on Jesus!! 

Pray Until Revival Comes!

I had a thought the other day,"What would it look like if this generation of men in our country were radically changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ?"

What would the effects be? Crime rates would go down significantly. The prison system would have less occupants. Foster Care would have no more children. The number of teen pregnancies and single mothers would drop. Abortions would become less and less common and Planned Parenthood would have no more business. Divorce rates would go down. Sex trafficking and the porn industries would have no more customers. Today's church pulpits would be filled with men who preach the true powerful Gospel. We would have more missionaries. More Evangelists. More A.W. Tozers. Leonard Ravenhills. Jim Elliots, John "Praying" Hydes. Hudson Taylors. C.T. Studds. William Wilberforces. Major Ian Thomas'. Keith Greens. Reese Howells.

It is time that we fall on our knees before God and pray until revival comes.

"But have we Holy Spirit power - power that restricts the devil's power, pulls down strongholds and obtains promises? Daring delinquents will be damned if they are not delivered from the devil's dominion. What has hell to fear other than a God-anointed, prayer-powered church?"
-Leonard Ravenhill

God cannot lie. His Word is Truth. He is faithful to do what He promises. God has promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14- "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

We must pray. Pray for revival in our land. Pray for revival in our men today. Revival in our fathers. In our brothers. Husbands. Sons. Pray for Almighty God to revive dead hearts and awaken them to the power and victory in Jesus Christ.

Paul Washer says, "The mark of a Man of God is God upon the Man." Pray that the mark of God would be upon every soul in this generation.

"Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago." -Isaiah 51:9

To My Big Brother....

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY!!!!

Aaron, you are such an amazing man of God. Your love for the Lord and His Truth inspires me. You are strong yet tender-hearted. You are hilarious and love to make me laugh. Your faith and trust in the Lord as He directs your life is amazing to watch. You lean contunually on Him. You are steadfast. You are a good listener. You are so wise. I love your hugs. I love how you cheer me up on a hard day with a simple text or phone call. I love your passion for music and your bass playing (the house is too quiet when you're not around. :) I love your smile.

Aaron, you are the best brother that God could have given me. I am so thankful for the years we spent together growing up and I look forward to the years to come as adults!

I love you, best friend!! :)

Praying for this Generation of Men...

I don't know about you but when I see godly womanhood and manhood in practice it excites me. When I see a guy who is pursuing godliness and Christ-likeness it encourages me. I am so blessed to have the two closest guys in my life- my dad and older brother-Aaron, be excellent examples of godly manhood.

When we look at our current generation of men (and the generation to come) it doesn't look that great. The lost art of chivalry and manliness is fleeting and what is left is a mamby-pamby guy. Ok, I know I'm being a bit harsh.... I know not all men are like this but that's where it's headed.

I know as a girl, I sometimes ask myself, 'Are there any good guys out there?':)

I'm not alone am I???

Instead of thinking about how bad guys are or what we want to change about them.... how about we go to the Source- Jesus. What if we committed to lift up this generation of men to Him? What if we started praying for change? What if we prayed that the Lord would raise up generation of chivalrous,brave-hearted men who will fight for what is right,pure and godly? What would be the results?

As single girls, this can be our role.... praying for our brothers in Christ.

Here are some areas that we can be praying for our brothers....

1.) Pray that our brothers would be in love with Jesus. That their delight would be in the Lord.

2.) Pray that they would be living and walking by the power of the Holy Spirit. That they would continually yield themselves to the Lord Jesus.

3.) Pray that they would be the godly, strong and courageous leaders they are called to be. That they would be the men that God desires.

4.) Pray that they would be filled with wisdom, discernment and understanding. That they would be pursuing Christ-likeness and be filled with His attributes.

5.) Pray that the Lord would guard their hearts, eyes and minds from anything immoral and impure. That Jesus would give them the strength to fight victoriously over the temptations and lures that this would constantly throws at them.

6.) Pray for for an generation of men that will speak truth and do what is right in a generation of social and political correctness.

7.) Pray that the Lord would raise up men who will who carry out the Great Commission. Rescuing the hopeless,fatherless, poor and needy.

I know I have missed several areas but this will get you started.

Maybe devote this next week to spend an extra amount of time in prayer for our brothers in Christ around the world.
Just think about the impact we can have on this generation and the generations to come if we start praying for men- as leaders, pastors, husbands, fathers, singles, missionaries etc.... I think the impact could be incredible!!