My Princess...WAIT ON ME

Wait on Me, My princess. My timing is always perfect. I know you're anxious about many things, and I see your passion for all the plans I have put in your heart. I know that you long to fly, and I see your enthusiasm. However, just as a vinedresser nurtures the vine and waits patiently for the right moment to harvest the grapes, so too am I working tirelessly to prepare you to bear much fruit. 

Don't run ahead of Me or try to fly before My plans are complete. Your strength will fail you, and your dreams will wither away. Trust Me that My dreams for you are far greater than you can dream on your own. You will run farther and soar higher if you will patiently wait for the season of My blessing. Draw close to Me now, and I promise that this season of waiting will bring you the sweetest of rewards.

Love,

Your King and Lord of perfect timings

What's The Right Way to Worship?

Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praise to the Lord! Praise the Lord! 

PSALM 150:5-6

We see nearly every type of worship represented in Scripture, it's like a worship bazaar in those pages.

Are hymns to traditional? No way! Colossians 3:16 says we are to "sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts" (emphasis added). Paul wasn't talking about three specific types of songs here, but about the tendency of the Holy Spirit to move in a variety of ways.

Is rock music too contemporary? Psalm 150 just may be the musician's psalm. It lists horns, lyre and harp, tambourine, dancing, strings, flutes, cymbals, and singing. Of course it doesn't mention rock music, rock wasn't invented for another 2,500 years. But the word praise occurs in little Psalm 150 thirteen times. It was a psalm traditionally used in raucous celebrations during festival times, indicating the usefulness of many kinds of songs in worship.

And what is the proper person during worship? Should we stand, sit, kneel, lie down, or raise our hands? All are mentioned specifically in God's Word. None are right or wrong. Though more public displays of worship such as the raising of hands may feel awkward at first, some of its origins are pretty cool. One image for the raising of hands is that of remembering our position as God's child. A child will raise her arms in asking her daddy, her abba, to hold her.

Raising hands is also a way to hold up our "standard" in battle. The standard is an army's banner, identifying just whom the army belongs to. When Joshua fought the Amalekites, Moses held his hands up to God (sometimes with the help of two other men) for an entire day. As long as Moses' hands were raised, Joshua was winning (see Exodus 17:8-16). We raise our hands to indicate the battle is God's and he is victorious.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Worship is really one way to say thank you to a God who created and loves you. Be involved in worship this week. Do not merely observe. Sing, dance, praise, raise holy hands. 

Wuv, Twue Wuv

I am my lover's, he claims me as his own. Come, my love, let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers. Let us get up early and go to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates have opened, and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. (Song Of Songs 7:10-12)

Those are some steamy love words from Solomon. They may be easy to swallow if you are one who has been steeped in romance novels or movies, eager to find your own "Farm Boy" (remember The Princess Bride) who can be revived from "mostly dead" by the mere thought of a lifetime spent with you. Or maybe you are among  the more jaded, wondering if true love even exist. (You may be considering settling as Buttercup almost did for "wuv, twue wuv" with a guy she didn't even like.)

As great as romantic movies are, the picture they paint of "falling" in love is both dangerous and unrealistic. Here, then, is a list of realistic rules from a couple of happily married girls:

1. Do not make warm fuzzies the number one indicator light on your dashboard of love. when we are crushing on a guy, our brains literally work overtime to convince us the emotions we are experiencing are the real final deal. it's not all pussycats and rainbows  this love thing. The rain is going to fall, and the wind is going to howl...even in the midst of true love.
2. Avoid the term "falling in love." If you really fall in, you can really fall back out. When we fall, it's not planned. That's why falls are typically called accidents. Love is a decision we make, and the wedding vows paint a decent picture of the requirements of love: in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, till death parts us.
3. No thrill rides. Done correctly, feelings richer and deeper than can ever be imagined emerge from the ashes of a slow-cooked love. It is not a zero-to-sixty-in-three-seconds thrill ride.

Action Step

Don't even think about loving a guy until you and Jesus are seriously in love! if you're already in a relationship, would you be willing to take a step back, slow down, and work on the Jesus part first?

Let's Do This Thing!

How would ya'll like to write a post and have it featured on my blog? I thought I would change it up and have some fun! I would love to see your guys encouraging word.

Rules

• Think and pray about what you want to write.
• Start writing!
• When your writing up your encouraging word make sure to have picture with it. And have your encouraging word ready to be copy and pasted to my blog.
• Please keep it clean (I don't think I need to give an example)
• I will put your name on the bottom of the post with a copyright sign so no one can steal it. Make sure your name is in the email. 
• BIG thing here...have it already proof read! 

When you are done with your encouraging word please go to my blog post and on the right hand side you will see a Contact Form (you may have to scroll down a little bit) and copy and past it into that form and hit send! This starts Tuesday the 8th of April to the 17th. If you have any questions please comment or go to the contact form and send me an email with your question. :) 

*Disclaimer: I can't promise to post everyone's encouraging word*  

Prayer

Many people use the fact that God already knows the desires of our hearts as an excuse not to pray. Although, he does know them, he still commands us to, “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6. In the book of Mark, a blind man had his friends take him to Jesus to be healed for his eyesight. Yet when he got in front of Jesus, even though it was obvious what the blind man wanted, Jesus still asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Therefore, even if you have a vision or idea of what your future husband will be like, it is important that you define the specific traits in your life partner. I was in a bible study where we were required to make a “husband list” for homework. It couldn’t just be a short list of the basics. We had to be specific. An example would be, “A man who has a calm temperament and handles stress well.” This may sound silly, but the reason it is important to put the important qualities you desire into writing is to hold you accountable. It also gives you heightened discernment in dating situations.

Let’s be honest ladies, it can be easy to let something slide or dismiss a red flag when a cute guy tells us yummy, fluttery words we want to hear. But is it an ugly situation when we let our hearts get too wrapped up into someone who ultimately doesn’t take care of it. The list keeps your standards in check and can help you quickly discern whether or not that guy gets a second date. It protects your heart against unnecessary wear and tear. In fact, your heart is so important to God that He says, “Above all else, guard your heart for from it flows the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

I encourage each of you to make a husband list too. “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20.

Now, each one of your lists is going to have unique things according to who you are, your quirks, likes and dislikes. But there are some fundamental traits that God wants to be non-negotiables. Choosing who you will partner the rest of your life with is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. Too many young women are settling for less than God’s best because they don’t know exactly how He expects His daughters to be treated. Based on scripture, here is a list of non-negotiables for you so you don’t have to second guess anymore.

1. He is a practicing believer. 
“Do not be yoked together with an unbeliever…For what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. Issues and conflict are bound to rise in marriage, so it is crucial that there is a common foundation on which to hold the marriage accountable. The last thing you want to be fighting about is your faith, whether or not to pray and your viewpoints on religion. Believe me, I’ve been there before. It is exhausting.

2. God is the center of his life. 
He seeks God’s wisdom in all the decisions he makes.
“With wisdom are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.” Proverbs 8:18-19

3. He has integrity and does not put himself in tempting situations.
He guards you against harm and protects the relationship. “Keep to a path far from evil, do not go near the door of that house, lest you give your best strength to others.” Proverbs 5:8-9

4. Seeks mentorship and counsel.
It is important that your man is wise in realizing he can’t carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. When he is surrounded by men who are older than him who can offer advice, prayer and mentorship, he can be a better husband to you. “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” Proverbs 12:15

5. He is slow to anger. 
There is peace in knowing your man holds an even temperament even when he is provoked. A man who allows his feelings, emotions and anger to determine his actions typically has tarnished relationships and is not a healthy place for you or a family. “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.” Proverbs 15:18

6. He holds strong conviction on the sacredness of fidelity.
A man is wise when he understand that infidelity and looking for pleasure outside of the marriage only brings strife. God actually calls him to rejoice over you all of his days. “May your fountain be blessed and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth…May you be ever captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress?” Proverbs 5:18-20.

7. He is honorable of your heart and emotional well-being. 
I hated when a guy I was dating exposed my embarrassing moments or the private matters of our relationship with his friends. Picking on you may seem cute and funny at first, but it will get old after a while. You should feel honored and safe knowing you can always trust your husband to cover and speak well of you. “Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers,” Proverbs 5:17.
“Love each other deeply because love covers all wrongs.” 1 Peter 4:8.

8. He is disciplined in living a life of integrity.
Watch how he handles temptation or sticky situations that test his character. Does he choose to do what’s right even when no one is watching? It is imperative to observe these things because it will indicate if you can trust his decision making. When you’re married, almost all of his decisions impact you. “He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.” Proverbs 5:23

9. Has solid work ethic. 
“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come upon you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Proverbs 6:10-11.

10. He pursues and loves you passionately.
The man you marry should make you feel loved like you’ve never felt before. Safe, accepted, desired, nurtured, protected and comforted. Jesus loves us deeply, he loves us so fiercely, that he willingly gave up his life to save us.
Pursues: “So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.” Genesis 29:20.
Loves: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25.

11. Romances you. 
I know women who feel guilty or wrong for desiring romance in their relationship, as if they don’t deserve it. But God desires for your heart to be romanced, just as He longs to romance us. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine.” Song of Solomon 1:2
“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.” Song of Solomon 8:6.

12. He is humble and can admit when he is wrong.
There is nothing worse than a petty conflict blowing out of porportion because your partner refuses to admit they were wrong. Taking responsibility for his actions and apologizing for his mistakes is the sign of a real man. “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

No person will be perfect and grace is a beautiful thing that makes relationships flourish. That being said, this list for single ladies is to give a basic framework of character traits to look for or recognize whether or not there is desire for growth. Of course, use common sense when someone amazing walks in to your life but wasn’t exactly what you dreamed up. God surprises us, but always gives us what we need.

“For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband…” 2 Corinthians 11:2.

Ultimately, your divine Father wants you to be treated in a way that it is compared with how Christ cares for us. It is up to us though to believe we are worthy, set the standard, and have the faith that God works in perfect timing to introduce you to your husband.

The Impact Of Words

Never in the history of the world have words been so cheap, quick, irrevocable, and viral. Through cell phones and the Internet, we now have texting, email, instant messaging, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. In addition, we have radio, television, and printed media. Words are flying around in the atmosphere like never before. As of June 2010, 77.2 percent of all Americans use the Internet (267 million people). One quarter of the world's population is online. Forty-one percent of all Americans actively maintain a profile page on Facebook, which generates one billion pieces content every single day. U.S. awareness if Twitter has exploded from 5 percent in 2008 to 87 percent in 2010, and by now the figures are even greater. In 2010, more than 17 million Americans used Twitter and the average number of "tweets" per day in the United States alone was 15.5 million.

Obviously, there are good uses of all these forms of communication; however, there are many disturbing consequences, including online bullying that that has led to teenage suicide, identity theft, child safety risk, pornography addiction, and ruined careers. Job applicants lose out because of Facebook accounts of bad behavior; workers send ill-advised emails before thinking.

People have destroyed relationships by typing their most secret thoughts in e-mail an then pressing Send before realizing how revealing the message was. Owing to the information available today, personal privacy has all but vanished. Sadly, anyone can say anything about an individual whether it is true or not...and it is out there floating around in cyberspace just waiting for someone to access the information. People's reputations have been destroyed by what others have said and yet their words held no truth at all. You might say that we have a "word explosion" going on. and we have yet to learn the power of words and make a commitment to use them in a godly way.

I am sure you have heard someone day, "You are going to eat those words." It may sound like mere statement to us, but in reality we do eat our words. What we say not only affects others, but also affects us. Words are wonderful when used in a proper way. They can encourage, deify, and give confidence to the hearer. A right word spoken at the right time can actually be life changing.

A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word ken at the right moment...how good it is! -Proverbs 15:23

We can literally increase our own joy by speaking right words. We can also upset ourselves by talking unnecessarily about our problems or things that have hurt us in relationships. The words that come out of our mouths go into our own ears as well as other people's, and then they drop down into our soul, where they give us either joy or sadness, peace or upset, depending on the types of words we have spoken. Our words can even oppress our spirit. God desires that our spirits be light and free so it can function properly, not heavy and oppressed.


Listen to this song...

Introduction!

Hey guys! Sorry it's been a little while since I last posted. I'm back and ready to get this blog back on the road! I'm starting this new book and I thought it would be fun and good for all of us (even me) to do. The book is called, Change Your Words Change Your Life by Joyce Meyer. 

Most of us don't realize how powerful words are and how huge an impact they have on our lives. Think about it. Even two simple syllables...Da-da...are powerful enough to make a grown man cry when uttered for the first time by his baby. 

I believe that words contain tremendous power: it can be either positive , constructive power or negative, destructive power.

In Genesis, we read that God used words to create the world we live in. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21 the power of life and death are in the tongue. That is an amazing statement and one that we should seriously consider. Each time we speak words, we are speaking either life or death to those who hear us and to ourselves. So we need to be cautious about the words we utter. 

Our mouth gives expression to what we want, think, and feel; therefore, it reveals a great deal about the one who is speaking. We can learn a lot about themselves  just by listening to the things that we say. Matthew 12:34-35 says that "out of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things." Our words are the result of our inner thoughts and attitudes. One might say that our words are a movie screen that we have.
I believe our words can increase and decrease our level of joy. They can affect the answers to our prayers, and have a positive or negative effect on our future. We should be pay a lot of attention to what the Word of God has to teach us about the condition of her life, it would be wise to take an inventory of the words she has spoken.

God has a good plan for each one of us, but it won't automatically happen without our cooperation. We are partners with God in his life, and He wants us to be in agreement with what He has spoken about us in His Word. As we go though this book, I believe we all will gain new insight into the fact that as all of us change our words, we can change our life's as well.