Just some things to read...

A paragraph from "When God Writes Your Love Story"
written by Eric & Leslie Ludy.

I agreed so much with this that I posted it too.

a Marriage or a Mirage?

Marriage is the clearest way to show the gospel to people around us. It's a blessing that God gives us to show us how much he loves us (his bride).  It's a sacred bond of selflessness that should be unbreakable. But, as time goes on this bond has become a chew toy in the jaws of selfishness (divorce, affairs, etc.).  

So many times as Christians we shake our heads at how many people get divorced a year (a staggering 877,000 in 2011 according to the CDC), I know I have! But, we should not just seek to defend marriage merely for the sake of marriage, but to defend it for the sake of the gospel being shown. As I stated before marriage is a picture of Gods love toward the church, his bride.  He showed his love to her through the blood of his sacrifice.  Now, she lavishes his love on him by serving and seeking to please him.  It is a never ending show of love between the two, or that is how it should be.

But, essentially our society gratifies one thing in marriage; the desire to be loved. It's like an ad that says: IF YOU WANT TO BE LOVED, GET MARRIED! Then if you don't feel loved you can just fill out some paperwork, talk to a judge, and get a divorce. That's not how God designed marriage and I'm sure he cries for those who get caught up in "being loved."


See, the world missed the part about loving your spouse (and its even written in the marriage vows most of the time). God loved us even when we were his enemies. He poured his love out on us, even as he died on the cross for OUR sins.  True love is not just the ability to accept love, but to love NO MATTER WHAT. To love when there are disagreements or sickness or difficulties.

All around us we see people "sampling the fare" of prospective matches. You'd think that Christians would be a better example to people around us, but not really. We despise the worlds perversion of marriage, yet we make our own compromises.  You're sitting across the table from a very pretty girl from your local youth group smiling and making eyes at her.  If you were married doing this you know your commitment to your wife would be questioned.  So, what makes it right to do it now? Nothing! God comes before everyone and everything else and you know that he wants you to be a faithful person (Proverbs 3:3). Being faithful to your future spouse can start right now.  Keeping that promise can be difficult, trust me I know from experience.  Flirting and "going out" can lead you into a selfish mirage. "Treat marriage with the sacredness that you desire once you are married."

My desire, now till the day I die, is to live with loyalty to ONE man. Yes, I want to be that one-man woman no matter what people think of me. If there is something unacceptable during marriage, then it is unacceptable outside of marriage. Just as the church is loyal to one God, so Christ is loyal to one bride. "So may the saints of Christ rise up, and endeavor, by the power of his life within to showcase the glory of Christ and the Church." I want to feel the cool water of purity, not the muddy mirage of selfishness, what about you?


(all quotes are taken from Lots of Mirages, Very few Marriages
    from SetApartGirl online magazine issue Jan/Feb 2014)

A Very Happy New Year To All!

So, we have come to the start of a new year.  

To remember my journey on this blog throughout this past year made me very delighted indeed.  

God has been so faithful  and I am very thankful for everyone that has read this blog.  

As a thanks I will included the link to the most popular post that I have written in this past year. 

I love the song included in this post..its such a great inspiration.

http://jnwaldvogel.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-experience-worth-remembering.html

GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN THE NEW YEAR OF 2014!

A last-minute Christmas post..

      This past Christmas I found myself thinking a lot about Mary.  She was younger than me when she had a firstborn child. Just thinking about that makes me wonder what it must have been like to the young teenager. She was given a task that surpassed any burden we would want to carry.  It was almost impossible to comprehend and scary to face.  She was a virgin, and a poor one at that.  What would people say?  What would they think?  She could be labeled insane or even stoned to death for adultery.

      The angel explained that nothing was impossible with God (the birth had to happen, so she had to be living).  So I wonder, did she know that she would not be accused of adultery and be stoned?  Did she have courage that someone would believe her?  When the angel left and she had traveled to her cousin Elizabeth's house she was filled with JOY and PRAISE. She was glad for this opportunity.

May we be humbled this Christmas season at the incredible humility and joy of Mary's response.  The calling of God is a gift and we see a meaningful example of that in the story of Mary. Merry Christmas to all (and sorry for posting this so late).

Then Mary said, "I am the Lords servant. Let it be to me just as you have said." 

Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38 CEB) 

The Christmas Glow..

the glittering white snow,

the snow covered trees,

the crisp biting wind,

the peace, the joy, the laughter,

the simple story of the first Christmas

that is the Christmas glow. 

The Gospel in 11 heart-beating minutes!

My wonderful cousin Christy introduced me to Leslie Ludy, who eventually led me to her husband Eric. He is a preacher at the Ellerslie Mission Society in Colorado. They have become two wonderful witnesses in my life and have been a true blessing to many others. This thanksgiving I am especially thankful for them and the work they do with teens and married couples. I've never met them but one day I hope that I will so I can thank them personally. 

Below is the first time I heard Eric preach. It's just a few minutes long, but it makes my spine tingle every time I listen to it. His sermons are available to listen to online (click here) which I also enjoy listening to.

Thankfulness from Hosea?!

This coming week is Thanksgiving and I thought I'd post something a bit early...

This morning I read Hosea 11 (one of my favorite chapters, from my favorite book of the bible). God has raised and taken care of Israel, yet they do not turn back to him. His holiness compels him to stay far from sin, but his compassion compels him to show love and mercy. He calls the Israelite's back to him and again shows them forgiveness. Love and Mercy win! 

God does the same for us. He forgives and forgets, throws our sins into the Sea of Forgetfulness. He doesn't hold grudges, like us. He controls his anger, his anger doesn't control him. We truly do have a wonderful God. It's beyond my understanding sometimes how he can forgive us, time after time. But, that is the power of UNFAILING LOVE being shown by our heavenly father. 

This year I'm thankful for Gods love toward me. 

I'm thankful that he forgives me and then forgets my past sins. 

Any "Amen's"?

Mary Lathrop - "A Woman's Answer to a Man's Question"

"Do you know you have asked for the costliest thing 

Ever made by the hand above--

A woman's heart, and a woman's life

And a woman's wonderful love?

Do you know you have asked for this priceless thing

As a child might ask for a toy,

Demanding what others have died to win,

With the reckless dash of a boy?

You have written my lesson of duty out,

Man-like you have questioned me;

Now stand at the bar of my woman's soul

Until I shall question thee.

You require your mutton shall always be hot,

Your socks and your shirt be whole;

I require your heart to be true as God's stars,

And as pure as heaven your soul.

You require a cook for your mutton and beef;

I require a far better thing.

A seamstress you're wanting for socks and shirts;

I look for a man and a king.

A king for the beautiful realm called home,

And a man that the maker, God,

Shall look upon as he did the first

And say, "It is very good."

I am fair and young, but the rose will fade

From my soft, young cheek one day,

Will you love me then 'mid the falling leaves,

As you did 'mid the bloom of May?

Is your heart an ocean so strong and deep,

I may launch my all on its tide?

A loving woman finds heaven or hell

On the day she is made a bride.

I require all things that are grand and true,

All things that a man should be;

If you give all this, I would stake my life

To be all you demand of me.

If you cannot do this -- a laundress and cook

You can hire, with little to pay,

But a woman's heart and a woman's life

Are not to be won that way."

 

I read this a while ago in a book by Joshua Harris and came upon it again the other day. Just thought it was a wonderful poem for all!