Guest Star

Do You Have a Soul Mate?

-written by: by Julia Gray

“What if he’s the One?” My friend and I were having a typical college conversation as we discussed the normal ponderings of a young adult thinking about her future. This conversation was not unlike the thousands that permeate the university dorm rooms and cell phone airwaves on any given day. My friend was asking the same question I was asking and would continue to ask until my wedding day.

As previously discussed, I told you about my extremely dysfunctional college romance. Why did I stick around for 3 years? Why didn’t I break up with him? The simple answer to these questions is that I believed he was the One. You know, the One we all think was created just for us. The One that God knew I would marry since before I was born. My soul mate! Everyone has had that thought about at least one person!
While I was busy asking this question, I was also cultivating a friendship with another guy, Barry. He was three years older than me and the film critic for the college paper. Not having many interesting campus news stories, his column was the one I always read first. Then one day during my Junior year, he entered my English class to talk about a new project. As head of the student theatre department, he said anyone could submit an original play. He would in turn direct, produce, and act in it, as a one night show. What a great idea, I thought. So I set out to write my own play. Problem was, I didn’t have a clue how to write one. I saw Barry on campus a couple days later, told him my idea about a ballerina trapped in her music box, and he walked me through the entire process. It took weeks for me to finally finish and when I had completed the script, not only did I have a play, I had a new friend.

This new friendship with Barry quickly became the most refreshing one with a guy I had ever had. There were no expectations that we would date. There was no awkward silence on the phone. We just had a great time together, whether we took walks downtown, went out to eat or saw a movie together. After a few months, he told me I had become his best friend. Shortly after that, I realized he had become mine. However, I still struggled with thoughts of Ryan and whether we were meant to be together. How could I be best friends with Barry and still wonder if Ryan was the one?

The Myth
Where did this concept of a soul mate originate from? Does everyone, in fact, have one or is this just a myth passed down from ancient times only to permeate our culture?

The idea of soul mates, people destined to be together, actually came from the Greek philosopher, Plato. One of his less celebrated works, Symposium, discusses ideas of love. Plato gives a rousing oratory about the beginning of time, explaining that humans used to be man, woman and a mixture of both. In essence, there were 3 sexes. One day, the god Zeus decided that man was too strong and, thus, might take over the gods. He then cut them all in half. The halves were then destined to spend their lives looking for their other half, whether it be male or female, they searched for the other part of themselves in order to one day be whole.

This myth is not what I envisioned when I thought about my future husband. Yet, this is where the idea of having a soul mate comes from. To say the least, it is not a Biblical perspective. In fact, this work was written 360 years before the time of Jesus Christ. Greek thinkers tried to come up with explanations for many things. This does not, however, make them true.

The idea that one person was made for you quickly takes away your free will to make choices and decisions in your own life. God made me to have a relationship with Him. But it’s my choice if I want to pursue that or not. It is the same way with marriage. It is just one of the many choices that we have in life. Some verses say it is better to marry (1 Corinthians 7:9) and some say it is better to stay single (Matt.19:10). Which one is it? It most likely depends on the individual, their gifts and calling and whether they meet anyone they want to marry. This leaves the all important marriage decision up to me? Well, I believe God gives wisdom to His children when they ask for it.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 (NAS)

Since God also knows all that can be known, He will guide you as you seek Him on important issues such as these.

The Rest of the Story
A few weeks before graduation, my “boyfriend” said he wanted to have a talk about the future after we were done with college. We sat down and he said he wanted to take a week to pray about the future and if we were meant to be together. I’ve been praying for 3 years, I thought, but I agreed. During our week “off” I watched a lot of TLC at home. Not having cable in college, I was really into the Dating Story and the Baby Story, but mostly the Wedding Story. Brides-to- be would sit outside in front of picturesque landscapes and tell the story about how they met their prince charming. “I am the luckiest girl in the whole world to have found him,” they would declare. I would sit in front of the T.V. and think I am the most unlucky girl. This is not how it is supposed to be. It was then that I realized where my life was headed if I didn’t end this relationship for good. At the end of that week, I told Ryan it was over.

Now, I’m not one to normally rush into things but a month later, I realized that I could not imagine my life without Barry. I had just spent a weekend with my best girlfriends and when I went home, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I had not thought about him in a romantic way the whole time we were friends, which was over a year and a half. I thought about us always living in separate towns. I thought about him moving back home and never seeing him again. I thought about all the moments we would never experience together. I thought about us marrying other people and losing the closeness we once shared. I literally could not imagine my life without him. I called him up and said “I have feelings for you.” Unfortunately, the connection was bad and he didn’t hear me the first time. Thankfully, he completely reciprocated and came to see me the next weekend. After 6 months, we became engaged. There are no formulas or blueprints for how to know if a person is the right one to marry. However, there are a few things that stand out as I reflect on the events that led Barry and I together.

Friendship
Barry and I started off as friends and never had the false pretenses that come with getting know someone you already have a crush on. I never pretended to be anything less than me. We were able to have a deep foundation of honesty for which to build a relationship. In the first month we were married, we had a fight about something. I can’t remember what it was about, but I do remember what he said to me as we apologized to each other. He said, “You know I was just going to sleep on the couch, but then I thought ‘You know what, you don’t do that to a friend. Husbands may do that to wives, but friends do not do that to each other.’” That was one of those defining moments where I realized, again, that we had something unique and special.

Humor
One thing my mom always told me was to marry someone who can make you laugh. She said that life is hard enough and you need someone to make the hard times a little lighter. Even to this day no one can make me laugh harder than Barry can. We may have job stress or family stress, but when it is just him and I, everything else disappears and I can just breathe.

The X Factor
Sometimes there are elements about a person that just can’t quite be put into words. We both knew we had something in each other that we had never had with any body else. We had chemistry. We had an amazing rapport. But we also knew that living without each other meant that we would be missing out on something. I wanted Barry to be a witness to my life and create history with me. It became more than romance and love. It became something of a miracle.

Marriage is an incredible experience when you marry the right person. It’s discerning who that right person is that can prove to be a challenge. As Christians, our purpose is to exemplify the character of God. Marrying someone who has God’s characteristics as fruit in their life is a good place to start.

While there may not be one right person for you, once you make a choice and say “I do”, that person automatically becomes your “One” until death do you part. Take the marriage covenant seriously and do not rush this decision. I have never heard anyone say they regretted waiting. I have heard friends say they should have taken more time and really examined the decision before them. The rest of your life is a really long time and spending it with one person should be a blessing. Spend it with the one who thinks you are the most amazing person he’s ever met. Spend it with the one person who makes you laugh harder than anyone else. Spend it with the person who makes you see God clearer. But most importantly, spend your time becoming the One that God wants you to be. As you seek His character, others will be drawn to you. Then you will be able to share your distinctive love story.

notes:
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html

Bright and Morning Star

“As the electronic eye of the space capsule locks onto its designated star for guidance and maintenance of its heavenly course, so are we to fix our eye of faith on our heavenly position- the Bright and Morning Star. Thus, in fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, we shall find experientially that the path of righteousness is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Heb 12:2, Prov 4:18)

I was thinking about the passage here, and how they say an airplane is off course over 90% of the time and that is has to keep adjusting and re-adjusting to try and stay on course. They say it is a wonder that a plane ever arrives at its destination. But, with Christ we don’t have to be off-course as human pilots continually are. With Christ we can lock our eyes on him, and He will keep us on perfect course. He knows the destination, as He is the finisher of our faith, He calls us to stay vertical with Him, despite the swirling, horizontal circumstances of our lives. I think about the imposing storm on the Sea of Galilee, all the earthly chaos spinning about the Apostles as Jesus extends his hand to calm the storm, to set things right, and the fisherman are left asking themselves, “Who is this… that even the winds and waves obey Him.”

-Mary Repine

Dark Treasure in Secret Places

“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” –Isaiah 45:3

“I have never been in this place before, so low. It is new ground for me. I am way out of my comfort zone. I am scared to death to trust Him at this level. I had to confess this to the Lord… that I have not been able to accept or believe His Love for me in this area of my life.” Those were the words I expressed to a friend when I was at a difficult place in my life. That day when I confessed those words aloud the Lord led me to this passage of Scripture (Is. 45:3) In our walk, what we perceive as ‘dark periods’ can be treasures from God. There are actually riches stored in secret ‘dark’ places. We cannot see this in times of light because of the often-accompanying fear of pain that prevents us from accepting these times as treasures. They have a particular purpose from God’s viewpoint: “so that you may know (really know), that I am the Lord… who summons you by name.”

-Mary Repine

The Word; A Gateway

“… I love the Charles Spurgeon daily devotionals that come to me by e-mail. How can an old, (make that long-dead), male preacher from England, have so much insight into my modern-day life? Well, I think it’s because God’s Word is timeless and true, and when we take the time to sit with it and invite the Holy Spirit to take us deep we find a treasure trove like none other. It’s there for all of us…male/ female, old/young, rich/poor, no discrimination, no hefty fees, no abracadabra, or secret decoder ring for access. There sits my ordinary looking bible offering me the greatest gift: words of instruction, insight, introspection, all for free… iridescent pearls of wisdom, tucked inside that battered cover, hidden like the pearl of greatest price, yet right there for the taking and the cherishing.

The un-opened bible sits there and I think to myself, I don’t have the time to wade through a lot of verses today. It beckons again to me, that harmless looking thing, my bible, just an inanimate book, right? No, because God is in there, living and active. And like quicksand, once I step in, it grips me and pulls me under, taking me down into the deep, dark, sweet mystery that is our “life hid with Christ.” It is not a book, it is a gateway, like the wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’s classic children’s story, and it takes me to another world, one so very opposite from the “real world” that surrounds me. It takes me home…”

-Mary Repine

Unwritten

“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” --Mother Teresa

2007 stretches before me like a blank journal. I am wrong if I think that I hold the pen and do the writing. God is sovereign yet I do have some choices to make. Will I co-operate with the Author or constantly try to grab the pencil? It’s no good—He’s in control whether I believe it or not, whether I co-operate or not.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Left to my own devices…well, I shudder to think. I am so thankful that He is writing my story and chooses each word, each line to lead me to a happy conclusion. I’m glad that I can’t peek ahead, though I’ve often thought I need to see the future. His mercy and grace protects me from knowing and teaches me to trust Him to write with a loving hand.

Last year my word was “perseverance” from Hebrews 12. This year the Lord has led me back to that passage but with a different emphasis, the Author. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (vs. 2, 3)

As I think about the “unwritten” year ahead, the unknown challenges, trials, joys, I am thankful for the truth that His mercies are new every morning. Each day is unwritten, new, fresh, and clean. And I am a new creature, no longer bound by sin. I am powerful and strong in Him. I am thankful for what is already written—my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life.

What will be written in this blank book, 2007? He knows. It is enough for me to let Him hold the pencil. Teach me, Lord, to rely (put my whole weight on) you. Teach me to keep my eyes fixed on you. Teach me to face each day with hope and faith in the promises. May this scripture be true of me, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Cor. 3: 2,3

written by, Connie Kuykendall

Not Stripped Away

The other day Babs made a comment to me about “being stripped so completely bare” that it echoed in my mind. 1 Peter 5:5 says, "Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)--[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble." It occurred to me, after reading this verse, that despite our feeling of utter nakedness when God allows us to be brought low, we are not, in fact, naked. What's stripped is our flesh, our confidence in self, our human understanding, and our self-will. What we find beneath the layers we've bulked up on, when we choose to lay ourselves down in humility before that Lord... "...not my will, but Yours..." is that we've been gently garbed in the fabric of faith.

This humility or "garb of a servant" is defined as a "knot or band by which two things are fastened together". BLB's (blue letter bible) commentary says, "...in 1 Pet. 5:5, "gird yourselves with humility as your servile garb" means by putting on humility, show your subjection one to another." In this case, my sisters, God's asking you to let Him take off all the adornments that you've put on to make you presentable to the world, and even those you just plain like for yourself. He's asking you to fasten yourself to Him in humble submission, and His word promises that this covering cannot possibly be stripped from you.

May I warn you to watch out for pride, because that's a sure-fire way to get some holes in your humble clothes. 1 Peter 5 warns us that the insolent and presumptuous He opposes and frustrates, and we can know that if He loved us enough to send Christ to die for us, He's certainly not going to flinch at ridding us of a little pride when He knows it's best for us. Verse 8 and 9 of 1 Peter 5 say ," Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [[in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world." One of the ways that we defeat an enemy is to know our enemy's tactics and anticipate attack. You know the temptation of pride here... to think, "Oh, I'm just going to do it this way because this is how I've always done it." or "I've got this one under control God... watch me fix things up". The enemy will tempt you to believe those lie, and invite Ms. Pride in for coffee and scones, and guess what? She won't like your outfit. She'll whip out those scissors of unbelief and start making alterations, and you're going to start showing some skin... talk about a wardrobe malfunction! 

So, my question to you is, "Where have you allowed the enemy to make tears in your clothes of humility?" The Lord gave me the perfect verse to finish with. I was looking up other verses about clothing ourselves, and the word "cloth" was right above. Matthew 9:16 caught my eye. Jesus is speaking and says, "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse." You cannot put a you-made patch on the Lord's garment. If you've allowed a hole to be made in your cloth of humility, a prideful patch will never fix it. It wasn't made to. It will pull away. It will make the hole bigger.

My prayer for you is that you will fully clothe yourself in humility, dressed in the finest linens of the King. For though our humble clothes are those of a servant, we are also heirs to the throne. So we have some pretty snazzy servant duds I'd say. :) I'll leave you with some verses from 1 Peter. His promises are good!

Love you! ~'Lil Sis Bitsy
aka. Cami
 
Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)--[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you,Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.

Hope that comes from God Alone

Psalm 62:5-8
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge. Seleh

When I got the call Tuesday morning that my friend who had a hip replacement five days earlier was still in Critical Care, my heart was anything but at rest. I was shaken and fearful. Almost instantly, I was on my knees, pouring out my heart to the Lord. I prayed Psalm 62:5-8 for my friend, personalizing it with her name.
"Lord Jesus, may Emily find Rest in her deepest parts, in You alone Lord. May her hope come from You. May her deepest desires be in unison with Your good and perfect desires for Her. In her pain, and in her confusion over what is happening with her body, will You alone be her solid rock and salvation...."
I prayed this same Psalm over myself and then prayed that God alone would lead my actions, timing, and what I might bring Emily when I visited her that morning.

I got up with a settled heart as once again, I was anchored in Christ. No more confusion as to what I should do, I would quietly and in peace, wait on the Lord. Then I prepared to go visit her, trusting God would direct my every step. I went to my computer and printed out Psalm 62 in large font in such a way that it could be folded over and placed on her tray table. I went to my supply cabinet, picked up a new Chapstick and put it in my purse and off I went to visit her.

Entering into the critical care unit, I found my friend looking radiant and at peace. Her daughters, who don't know the Lord, were already there. I leaned over to hug and kiss my friend and as I looked at her, I noticed that she was licking her lips. I asked if she needed anything, and she said, “No, well, actually yes”. Chapstick and scripture in large print were the two things she needed. She explained that she couldn’t read much without her glasses so can't read her books. I pulled out the two items from my purse. We read the verses of the Psalm and again, I prayed the verses over her.

Her daughters saw the working and love of God as they saw Him provide their mother's needs. Emily, in her bed was finding her rest and hope in God alone, as she was seeing the because God had such and such happen (trial), then the blessing happened. The Sovereign God, who to the world's eyes looked like He had made a huge mistake during her surgery, was caring for her every need and desire and bringing great blessings and good. Through praying scripture and in two small items that were brought to Emily, we all saw in a mighty way that God was her refuge, and that He is trustworthy and good and very present. Emily was the picture of joy, as she laid there, despite her pain, disappointment at the events of the week, questions on how to proceed, and all that lay ahead of her. She was quietly settled and full of joy, for she had found all that she wanted or hoped for--in God alone.

The words of Charles Spurgeon on this Psalm seem all the clearer, as I see them through this experience.

Be still silent, O my soul! Submit thyself completely, trust immovably, wait patiently. For my expectation is from him. We expect from God because we believe in him. Expectation is the child of prayer and faith, and is owned of the Lord as an acceptable grace. We should desire nothing but what would be right for God to give, then our expectation would be all from God; and concerning truly good things we should not look to second causes, but to the Lord alone, and so again our expectation would be all from him. The vain expectations of worldly men come not; they promise but there is no performance; our expectations are on the way, and in due season will arrive to satisfy our hopes. Happy is the man who feels that all he has, all he wants, and all he expects are to be found in his God.

Psalms 62:5-8 with Geneva Commentary and what I have learned.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him.

David was greatly moved by these troubles; therefore he stirs up himself to trust in God. Through my observations, I have seen that true faith is usually best seen in trials. I need to purposefully stay anchored in Christ each day so I am ready for any trial that may be part of my day. I need to pray, praise and thank God in order to stir myself up to trust--it doesn't just happen on its own.

In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, [and] my refuge, [is] in God. These vehement and often repetitions were necessary to strengthen his faith against the horrible assault of Satan. Alone, and without other help, God is the foundation and completion of my safety. I can't look inward, not even a small bit, or to the world for my comfort or strength. I must look to the Lord alone. The word alone is found six times in this Psalm, emphasizing that He alone can take our grief. We need to bring it to Him and not try to carry it ourselves.
Christian meditation must be centered in God alone, the only true God; in Jesus Christ, the only one who has the power to save; and in the Holy Spirit who makes it all come together. Silence, scripture, prayer and time are essential every day.
Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah.

He admonishes us of our wicked nature, which would rather hide our sorrow and bite the bridle, than utter our grief to God to obtain remedy. Each morning, I must stand on this truth to look to Christ for my hope. He exhorts us to come to Him, with expectations that He will be our refuge. This is huge. When I am desperate to find my refuge in Him, I don't miss what He is doing. I eagerly and expectantly wait on Him. I need a refuge in order to Selah...to have timely silence, to be contented, to be at ease and at rest. Or as Spurgeon says, " Be still silent ". Oh, thank you Lord for Your hope and rest!

May hope that comes from God alone be yours this Advent season.

-Jean

Spiritual Blessings

I sat down on a recent Monday morning to begin my quiet time and opened my Bible to Hebrews. I came across Hebrews 5:12-14 which reads, " For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." These verses stuck with me, and called me back again and again. I began to realize that there was something important here that God wanted me to understand. To be honest, I was at first a little put-off by these verses. Was God telling me that I was a babe in faith? That I was immature? That I had chosen to go backwards and need milk instead of the solid food of maturity? I wanted to be defensive... guess it's that thing called pride! I ended my quiet time asking God to show me what He wanted me to take from these verses, and how He wanted to apply them to my life. A couple hours later, He did.

The test came in the form of a “hardly expected” situation... one that I had been through before. It is a physical test, and one I have no control over whatsoever. To be honest, I did not pass this particular test of circumstances with flying colors the first time. I did A LOT of worrying, going to my own understanding, controlling, and grumbling. Here I was again, facing the same test. What did I want to do? Well, anything but be mature in faith at the moment... my flesh wanted to just run wild with scenarios, and thoughts, creating it's own explanation for the situation at hand.

And then I heard it. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food." Um, so I guess maybe my original defensiveness was a bit unwarranted, huh?

I realized that God, in His goodness, had prepared me that morning for this exact moment. It was a warning and encouragement all wrapped up in one. The Lord began to speak to me. I had been through this situation before, and by this time I should be an example to others through it, not having to learn all the lessons over again. I could not go backwards. I had started the test the first time on milk, and finished the test on solid food. I COULD NOT go back to being a babe in faith. I could not let fear, worry and control, rule me. Had God been faithful the first time? Yes! Would He be again? Absolutely!

It was time for my feet to hit the pavement and start living outwardly what I was professing to believe in my heart. I was being called to be spiritually obedient to walk through a trial, and I SO VERY MUCH wanted to pass this test! As I was diligent in staying in the Word, praying constantly, and confessing my faithlessness in areas, I began to expect that my spiritual obedience would soon produce a favorable outcome to the situation. After all, I was being obedient, right?

That’s when God had to stop my assumptions and teach me something real. You see, God calls us to spiritual obedience, and we are blessed for that obedience, but it doesn't mean that the blessing will necessarily come in a physical form. In my shortsightedness, I assumed that the blessing for being spiritually obedient in this test would be a remedy to the physical situation, but it wasn't. The blessing was spiritual. Often I've looked for a physical blessing for being spiritually obedient, when the blessing is meant to be spiritual. I wonder how may times I've overlooked the blessing of God thinking it had to be something I could touch or see?

I was faced with a question: Why was I being obedient, for a physical blessing or for God's sake, that He would be glorified through my faith? If I had a choice, would I choose the physical blessing, which is temporal, or the spiritual blessing, which is eternal?

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ..." (Ephesians 1:3)
We've been given EVERY spiritual blessing in Christ, and we must want those blessings more than anything that we could be blessed with physically on this earth. I'm so thankful for God teaching me this, and showering me with His spiritual blessings. As the days continue to go by, I will continually return to this truth. No matter what becomes of this physical earthly test, I know that I am blessed abundantly in Christ! A physical blessing is secondary to the spiritual blessings I am being given in Jesus. My hope is that you will be encouraged and blessed by the blessings of Christ as well!

Until next time,
Bitsy

Happy Birthday?

It's been such a challenge lately to be vigilant in my pursuit of not complaining, especially since I have not been feeling well. God's given me a lot of grace to just push forward and continue to serve my family... I'm not saying that my flesh hasn't totally be in defiance at times, but He's good and the Holy Spirit helps me through. I had a cool experience on my birthday in regards to serving... I was feeling yuck (shocker!) and started grumbling that morning about having all this cleaning and cooking to do for my own party and how I should get a break and be the one being served... after all, the day was about me, right? I think I sort of shocked myself with that attitude and immediately started asking the Lord to forgive me and help me be a cheerful servant. As the Lord softened my heart, He started talking to me about my birthday; it was really cool because my birthday fell right next to Easter, and my selfish attitude about getting "my day" in light of the day of Christ's resurrection was a perfect reminder about what I'm about and the reason I can even celebrate my birthday in the first place. I realized that so many people make such a big deal about their birthday because they have nothing else... no hope, no direction... so they might as well celebrate their existence. But that only lasts so long... soon enough birthdays become something to cringe at, and each becomes a marker of becoming that much closer to the grave. But I don't have that fear because of Jesus! And how special it was to realize that my birthday will always be a day of celebration because of the life I have in Christ. I am thankful that I can look at my birthday in this light, and realize that although it was the day I was physically born and we celebrate that, the day is still about Jesus. It's still a day to live for Him, serve others, and be His light. Why would I want to take a break from that and be a lazy, selfish bum anyhow?

Bitsy