Ok so this is something that I've noticed is a huge deal for people who are in dating relationships or who are married. This is something that actually breaks relationships apart and to me, its something that really needs to be addressed. This thing is known to many of you as "like" or "attraction". Now when you are not in a relationship, liking someone or being attracted to them is not that big of a deal. In fact, its expected and normal and totally ok! :) So what happens when you're in a relationship with an amazing person, but you notice someone else? What happens when you are attracted to someone other than your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife? Well here's what I see happening most often...
First there is a couple. They are super happy, they adore each other, and they know that they are dating/married to someone who has the same values and beliefs as them. They are incredible together and their relationship is God honoring. And then.... one of them notices someone else who is nice, good looking, and maybe they have fun with. But they are caught, because they have someone in their life already. They are torn between the "newness" of this new person and the deep commitment they have with the other person. This causes a LOT of confusion and hurt for all of the people involved. And the relationship ends up breaking apart because the person attracted to the new person can not let go of the new person or the idea of them.
I'm sure lots of you have seen this happen in your friends' dating relationships and sadly even in marriages. It is completely heart breaking... and really I don't understand it. But it happens and it is completely horrible. So what does God think of this crazy horrible thing?
For marriages in particular, the Bible states that "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:24 How can you separate something that is one flesh without completely killing both halves and ripping them apart? The truth? You cant.
Paul states plainly what the view of divorce is in 1st Corinthians 7:10-11, "To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does she should remain unmarried or reconcile to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife." Does any of that say "If you are attracted to a new person its totally ok to ditch your husband/wife and go with this other person"? Nope, in fact it doesn't leave room for that. It says not to leave your husband/wife. So attraction to another person should not get in the way of marriages! But why does it?
Because people stop thinking about God and about their spouse and start thinking about themselves and their selfish desires. When you take your eyes off of pleasing God and being the best person you can be for Him and how you can best serve your significant other, then you start focusing on your self and that is when these sins slip in. This is the same for dating relationships and why people cheat or they break up because they just don't "feel into it anymore". Feelings don't really have a ton to do with being committed Yes, attraction is a good thing, however those fuzzy feelings fade and then you are left with the real person. True commitment comes when you know the real person and you CHOOSE to stay with them. And what happens when you notice another new attractive person? Is it a huge sin? Is it wrong? Well... in all honestly I believe that you may always notice an attractive person. However, commitment comes in when you realize that you already are with an amazing person and God has already provided you with someone to love and who loves you, and you can walk away from that new person knowing that you are choosing to be committed. Is it wrong to notice an attractive person? No, it is only wrong to cheat on the person you are dating/married to. Really its an eye to thought connection. Your eyes can notice something, but unless you let your brain dwell on it, then its just something you notice but don't really think about. When you see someone else that is attractive, as long as you don't dwell on it, it is just something you notice, more of a fact that doesn't really affect you. It is when you let it sit in your mind and you dwell on it that the trouble starts. God asks us to dwell on things that are pleasing to Him, so is dwelling on someone who isn't the person you have committed to honoring to God? Where your thoughts are, there your heart will be also. Be careful not to let your mind wander, and your heart won't be as quick to follow.
Commitment isn't NOT noticing an attractive person, it is walking away from them knowing you already are dating/married to an amazing person. God has provided you with an amazing man/woman so why would you need anything else? He provides for our needs, so trust Him and stay committed.
Breanna
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
This Is My Friend... Or Are They More?
When you think of someone who is in your life who is a "true friend" what are some of the qualities you identify in them? Do you know what makes that person such a fantastic friend? Here are some of the reasons I think my true friends and best friends are such wonderful friends.
1. They seek the best for the other. My best friends seek the best for me. They want me to have the best of everything, even if it means giving something up themselves. They willingly sacrifice for me even if it makes it hard for them or puts them out.
2. They will laugh with me. Sometime's at me, but never in a mean way. They always laugh with me, even when its those little stupid things.
3. They cry with me. My friends understand when I am hurting and they hurt for me. They don't try to fix it, they just hurt with me, hold me, and pray me through it.
4. They take time for me. They will always take time out for me. :) For me, quality time means a LOT! I know they care because they take time for me. This comes out in them taking time to care about the little and big things in my life.
5. They actually care! No seriously, they care. They don't just ask me how I'm doing because they're being polite and really want me to ask it back so they can vent... they ask because they care. They go out of their way to show me that they care in sooo many ways! From giving me hugs, worship music, sermons, Bible verses, and Kleenex when I'm broken to laughing, dancing, screaming, hugging, and smiling with me when something exciting happens.
6. They are always there! Sometimes I don't even recognize that I really really need a friend or someone to be there with me and for me, but they always seem to pick up on it and are always there for me! Its incredible! I am so very blessed to have friends who are always there for me.
7. They love me! Not in a romantic way, but in a real, accepting, caring, brother/sister way.
I could come up with so much more as to why my friends are amazing, but I think you get the idea. :) Jesus had some pretty amazing friends too! And Jesus, Himself, was an incredible friend. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Jesus was the absolute best friend there ever could be, because He willingly sacrificed His life for His friends. For you. That's right! Jesus is your friend. ;) Also He is the only friend who will never let you down and whose love for you is greater than anyone on earth's love could ever be! So there's my thought for today.
Now... a lot of you guys and girls have amazing friends of the opposite sex who do all this wonderful stuff and really genuinely care about you. And a lot of times you can get confused as to what they mean by it. Are they really just your friend? Or are they more? Do they like you as more?
In all honestly I have wondered the same thing, and jeopardized some amazing friendships because of it. If a guy is super nice to me my brain will go "oooo! He must like you!" or "he totally wants something out of this". And that is NOT fair of me. It is an extremely human response, not a Godly response. I shouldn't be thinking those things. And I am really working and growing in that area of my life as I have some amazing guys who actually are just my friends. They are teaching me a lot about how guys care about girls but as friends, and my mind-set on friendship with the opposite sex is changing. How, you ask? Here, let me explain a bit.
In general, I have learned that guys and girls are built to care. We are made to care for each other Its just part of how we are made. This does not mean we "like" that person in a romantic way, it just means we care. Yes, people who like each other care about each other, but friends care about each other too. Friends love each other! That is how friendship is supposed to be! So don't be weirded out or instantly think more of it when a friend is nice to you and cares. They are actually supposed to! If they didn't then what kind of friend would they be?
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10
We are called to love each other with brotherly love. Not romantic love, brotherly love! So when your friends show that they care, they are actually following Christ's example and God's will for us. Try to keep that in mind when your friends of the opposite sex show caring and kindness towards you! It does not mean they are interested in dating you (at least most times), but it shows that they care about you as their brother or sister in Christ. :) They are your family and as your family, they love you! The second part of the verse says honor! We are to honor one another as well as care for them! So if you KNOW that someone is attracted to you in more than a friend way, then honor them and care about that by not leading them on and trying to be super close best friends who do everything together. That really does hurt them and is not at all loving or honoring. I'll be doing a post about honoring one another sometime in the near future. :) But for now, please think these things through and keep in mind that you are called to love others as your brothers and sisters through Christ.
God Bless,
Breanna
1. They seek the best for the other. My best friends seek the best for me. They want me to have the best of everything, even if it means giving something up themselves. They willingly sacrifice for me even if it makes it hard for them or puts them out.
2. They will laugh with me. Sometime's at me, but never in a mean way. They always laugh with me, even when its those little stupid things.
3. They cry with me. My friends understand when I am hurting and they hurt for me. They don't try to fix it, they just hurt with me, hold me, and pray me through it.
4. They take time for me. They will always take time out for me. :) For me, quality time means a LOT! I know they care because they take time for me. This comes out in them taking time to care about the little and big things in my life.
5. They actually care! No seriously, they care. They don't just ask me how I'm doing because they're being polite and really want me to ask it back so they can vent... they ask because they care. They go out of their way to show me that they care in sooo many ways! From giving me hugs, worship music, sermons, Bible verses, and Kleenex when I'm broken to laughing, dancing, screaming, hugging, and smiling with me when something exciting happens.
6. They are always there! Sometimes I don't even recognize that I really really need a friend or someone to be there with me and for me, but they always seem to pick up on it and are always there for me! Its incredible! I am so very blessed to have friends who are always there for me.
7. They love me! Not in a romantic way, but in a real, accepting, caring, brother/sister way.
I could come up with so much more as to why my friends are amazing, but I think you get the idea. :) Jesus had some pretty amazing friends too! And Jesus, Himself, was an incredible friend. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Jesus was the absolute best friend there ever could be, because He willingly sacrificed His life for His friends. For you. That's right! Jesus is your friend. ;) Also He is the only friend who will never let you down and whose love for you is greater than anyone on earth's love could ever be! So there's my thought for today.
Now... a lot of you guys and girls have amazing friends of the opposite sex who do all this wonderful stuff and really genuinely care about you. And a lot of times you can get confused as to what they mean by it. Are they really just your friend? Or are they more? Do they like you as more?
In all honestly I have wondered the same thing, and jeopardized some amazing friendships because of it. If a guy is super nice to me my brain will go "oooo! He must like you!" or "he totally wants something out of this". And that is NOT fair of me. It is an extremely human response, not a Godly response. I shouldn't be thinking those things. And I am really working and growing in that area of my life as I have some amazing guys who actually are just my friends. They are teaching me a lot about how guys care about girls but as friends, and my mind-set on friendship with the opposite sex is changing. How, you ask? Here, let me explain a bit.
In general, I have learned that guys and girls are built to care. We are made to care for each other Its just part of how we are made. This does not mean we "like" that person in a romantic way, it just means we care. Yes, people who like each other care about each other, but friends care about each other too. Friends love each other! That is how friendship is supposed to be! So don't be weirded out or instantly think more of it when a friend is nice to you and cares. They are actually supposed to! If they didn't then what kind of friend would they be?
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10
We are called to love each other with brotherly love. Not romantic love, brotherly love! So when your friends show that they care, they are actually following Christ's example and God's will for us. Try to keep that in mind when your friends of the opposite sex show caring and kindness towards you! It does not mean they are interested in dating you (at least most times), but it shows that they care about you as their brother or sister in Christ. :) They are your family and as your family, they love you! The second part of the verse says honor! We are to honor one another as well as care for them! So if you KNOW that someone is attracted to you in more than a friend way, then honor them and care about that by not leading them on and trying to be super close best friends who do everything together. That really does hurt them and is not at all loving or honoring. I'll be doing a post about honoring one another sometime in the near future. :) But for now, please think these things through and keep in mind that you are called to love others as your brothers and sisters through Christ.
God Bless,
Breanna
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Difference in The Voices
Hi guys, sorry its been a while. I've been going through it and really haven't felt I could honestly say anything that would be relevant or fit with anything that's been going on in my life. I am struggling so much right now to discern who's voice I am hearing and who's voice I want to listen to. In one ear I am hearing that God loves me, that He has a plan, that He will bring good out of this pain, and that He will hold me through this. In the other ear I am hearing that God has left me to face this alone, that I messed everything up, that I'm worthless, that I'm unloved. One side is truth, one side is lies. You can probably tell right away which is which, but when you're the person hearing them, its hard to discern what is what. So how can you tell when it is God prompting you forward and growing you, or if it's lies set out to trap you and break you off of the path God set you on?
Well some ways are to look at HOW the thought comes.
1. Does it reflect the character of God? If not, then what is it reflecting?
2. Does it help you or hinder you? God wants to help you to reach Him and help you in your life. He will hinder you from the extremely bad things, but in those cases you will more than likely know that it's wrong to begin with. :P
3. Does it still you or does it rustle you? God's voice is calming, it should still you.
4. Does it lead you or does it push you? Leading is good, God's voice should lead you, but it shouldn't push you. God isn't pushy.
5. Does it reassure you or does it frighten you? God's voice should reassure you, not frighten you.
6. Does it enlighten you or confuse you? God is not a God of confusion! He likes order and sense.
7. Does it encourage you or discourage you? God is encouraging in the good things, but should enlighten you to the bad.
8. Does it comfort you or does it worry you? worry is a sin! God wouldn't cause you to worry!
9. Does it calm you or does it obsess you? God likes calm too! Obsession isn't a good thing.
10. Does it convict you or does it condemn you? God's Spirit lives within you! He will convict you to the things that are bad or wrong for you. God does not condemn or guilt His children. Guilt isn't from God, guilt just condemns you and makes you feel shame and despair. Guilt wants you to wallow in your mistakes, while God wants you to receive forgiveness and love and be able to move forward. His Spirit convicts you to notice the mistakes and wrongs in your life and to make a change and move towards Him.
Remember, the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! You should be able to recognize those traits in the thoughts that are good and from God. If your thoughts aren't good, and they are harming you, please have a Bible verse that you can turn to! One of the one's I have right now is Psalm 30:2 "Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me." He heard my cry for help and He healed me. He loves me. He wants the best for me. And He loves you and wants the best for you! Listen closely to Him, seek His words in the Bible and also in quiet time. Let Him speak to you and be careful to listen to the Right voice.
God Bless,
Breanna
Well some ways are to look at HOW the thought comes.
1. Does it reflect the character of God? If not, then what is it reflecting?
2. Does it help you or hinder you? God wants to help you to reach Him and help you in your life. He will hinder you from the extremely bad things, but in those cases you will more than likely know that it's wrong to begin with. :P
3. Does it still you or does it rustle you? God's voice is calming, it should still you.
4. Does it lead you or does it push you? Leading is good, God's voice should lead you, but it shouldn't push you. God isn't pushy.
5. Does it reassure you or does it frighten you? God's voice should reassure you, not frighten you.
6. Does it enlighten you or confuse you? God is not a God of confusion! He likes order and sense.
7. Does it encourage you or discourage you? God is encouraging in the good things, but should enlighten you to the bad.
8. Does it comfort you or does it worry you? worry is a sin! God wouldn't cause you to worry!
9. Does it calm you or does it obsess you? God likes calm too! Obsession isn't a good thing.
10. Does it convict you or does it condemn you? God's Spirit lives within you! He will convict you to the things that are bad or wrong for you. God does not condemn or guilt His children. Guilt isn't from God, guilt just condemns you and makes you feel shame and despair. Guilt wants you to wallow in your mistakes, while God wants you to receive forgiveness and love and be able to move forward. His Spirit convicts you to notice the mistakes and wrongs in your life and to make a change and move towards Him.
Remember, the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! You should be able to recognize those traits in the thoughts that are good and from God. If your thoughts aren't good, and they are harming you, please have a Bible verse that you can turn to! One of the one's I have right now is Psalm 30:2 "Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me." He heard my cry for help and He healed me. He loves me. He wants the best for me. And He loves you and wants the best for you! Listen closely to Him, seek His words in the Bible and also in quiet time. Let Him speak to you and be careful to listen to the Right voice.
God Bless,
Breanna
Thursday, February 21, 2013
End of the Rope
So right now, I feel like I've reached the end of my rope. I'm falling to my knees in exhaustion, discouragement, and surrender. I can't handle any more. Everything that could possible go wrong has or is going wrong. The crazing amazing things that I know God brought into my life or blessed me with are being messed around with by the devil and keep turning around and hurting instead of encouraging me or moving me forward. I feel worn out trying to stay positive in all of this darkness. I really am at the end of my rope clinging to the ends while it frays in my hands. I know, it sounds terrible. But I wanted you guys to know that you're not alone in facing troubles. You're not alone in feeling down. So I want to take this time to encourage you and remind us both of God's promises to us as His beloved children.
Philippians 4:19 says "And my God will meet all of your needs according to His glorious riches in Jesus Christ." Notice that it says ALL of your needs. Not just some, not just parts, but ALL of them. God will meet you where you're at and fulfill all of your needs.
John 16:33 says "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world!" Jesus even says that we will have trouble, but He also promises us that He has overcome the world. Christ is alive still, He overcame death to save us. He will help us through the craziness of life.
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4 God will keep us in perfect peace when we trust in Him. He is eternal, He is the Lord and He is our Rock through the times of trouble and hardship.
"God is our refuge and strength, our ever present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, even in the times of trouble. As the things on earth go terribly wrong, and the whole world seems to be falling apart, God is our refuge and strength. He will protect us and strengthen us to endure the hardships we face.
Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." You starting to pick up on the theme here? God is our strength, He will help us, so why would we fear our be dismayed?
"Cast ALL your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1st Peter 5:7 Cast all that anxiety, stress, worry, fear, all of it, onto God, because He cares for us. He knows our needs, He will provide, He will meet us where we are, He will strengthen us, He loves us.
So what do you do when you don't have the strength left to hang onto the rope? What do you do when your strength is failing? Well, you fall to your knees, you PRAY! You spend time in His word finding encouragement. You get back up. You hold onto that rope, and you KNOW that God will give you the strength to persevere and face the next day, the next hour, and the next minute. Because we know His promises and we KNOW He cares for us. Even when we are walking through the darkness, God is our light.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
Even with all that's going on, all the hard things you face, all the challenges that get thrown at you, God is your refuge and your strength. Lean on Him and you can make it through anything.
He is my refuge, He is my strength, He is my rock, He is my help, He is my deliverer He is my healer, He is my savior, He is my love, and He is my God. In HIM alone will I find what I need.
God bless,
Breanna
Philippians 4:19 says "And my God will meet all of your needs according to His glorious riches in Jesus Christ." Notice that it says ALL of your needs. Not just some, not just parts, but ALL of them. God will meet you where you're at and fulfill all of your needs.
John 16:33 says "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world!" Jesus even says that we will have trouble, but He also promises us that He has overcome the world. Christ is alive still, He overcame death to save us. He will help us through the craziness of life.
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4 God will keep us in perfect peace when we trust in Him. He is eternal, He is the Lord and He is our Rock through the times of trouble and hardship.
"God is our refuge and strength, our ever present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, even in the times of trouble. As the things on earth go terribly wrong, and the whole world seems to be falling apart, God is our refuge and strength. He will protect us and strengthen us to endure the hardships we face.
Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." You starting to pick up on the theme here? God is our strength, He will help us, so why would we fear our be dismayed?
"Cast ALL your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1st Peter 5:7 Cast all that anxiety, stress, worry, fear, all of it, onto God, because He cares for us. He knows our needs, He will provide, He will meet us where we are, He will strengthen us, He loves us.
So what do you do when you don't have the strength left to hang onto the rope? What do you do when your strength is failing? Well, you fall to your knees, you PRAY! You spend time in His word finding encouragement. You get back up. You hold onto that rope, and you KNOW that God will give you the strength to persevere and face the next day, the next hour, and the next minute. Because we know His promises and we KNOW He cares for us. Even when we are walking through the darkness, God is our light.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
Even with all that's going on, all the hard things you face, all the challenges that get thrown at you, God is your refuge and your strength. Lean on Him and you can make it through anything.
He is my refuge, He is my strength, He is my rock, He is my help, He is my deliverer He is my healer, He is my savior, He is my love, and He is my God. In HIM alone will I find what I need.
God bless,
Breanna
Monday, February 18, 2013
Trust Me- God
Right now there is so much going on in a lot of your lives. Some of you are facing divorce in your family. Death of a loved one. Depression. Disabilities. Sickness. Anger. Hurt. And so much more. I know some (not all) of those things I'm dealing with too and it's really hard. It's hard to be joyful and not let everything get me down. Its hard to not let things get to me. Its hard not to feel alone in my struggles. And sometimes its really hard to trust that God has a plan... but the cool thing is that He does. And that is what I'm going to talk about today. Trusting God even through all those insanely hard things that keep pulling you down.
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying "what shall we eat?" or "what shall we drink?" or "what shall we wear?"" Matthew 6:25-31
God tells us not to be anxious about the things going on in our lives, but to TRUST Him, because He will provide for all of our needs, just as He does for the birds, and the flowers. Why?
"For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 117:2
Even during all those hard things, God's faithfulness will never leave. He will always be with us and always help us through. And when we are afraid we can be assured that He is with us.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:3-5
"So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" " Hebrews 13:6
"Those who TRUST in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever." Psalm 125:1
While I can't tell you that those things will get any easier. That the burden will lift, or the pain ease, I can tell you that there is a God who asks you to trust Him and who will carry your burden for you.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Trust that God will hold you, even in your darkest days. He is always with you and loves you with a never ending, unconditional, supernatural, all encompassing love. And finally
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
May God bless you and may you feel Him holding you no matter what is going on in your life.
Breanna
ADD ON! Practical ways to apply this!
Whenever you are feeling down or having a hard time trusting God, have a verse that you can bring to mind and draw hope from.
Listen to worship music!
Praise God! I know its hard when everything feels so down, but He is still worthy of our praises. Look at David's example in Psalms. :)
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying "what shall we eat?" or "what shall we drink?" or "what shall we wear?"" Matthew 6:25-31
God tells us not to be anxious about the things going on in our lives, but to TRUST Him, because He will provide for all of our needs, just as He does for the birds, and the flowers. Why?
"For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 117:2
Even during all those hard things, God's faithfulness will never leave. He will always be with us and always help us through. And when we are afraid we can be assured that He is with us.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:3-5
"So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" " Hebrews 13:6
"Those who TRUST in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever." Psalm 125:1
While I can't tell you that those things will get any easier. That the burden will lift, or the pain ease, I can tell you that there is a God who asks you to trust Him and who will carry your burden for you.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Trust that God will hold you, even in your darkest days. He is always with you and loves you with a never ending, unconditional, supernatural, all encompassing love. And finally
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
May God bless you and may you feel Him holding you no matter what is going on in your life.
Breanna
ADD ON! Practical ways to apply this!
Whenever you are feeling down or having a hard time trusting God, have a verse that you can bring to mind and draw hope from.
Listen to worship music!
Praise God! I know its hard when everything feels so down, but He is still worthy of our praises. Look at David's example in Psalms. :)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Ladies first?
So today I'm going to cover a semi-controversial issue. Who should be pursuing who? Girls pursuing guys? Or guys pursuing girls? Which way is right? What's God's opinion on it? Does He have an opinion on it? You ready for this? Lets dig into it.
I've been reading a lot lately about dating, marriage, courtship, and being friends. (You can thank my parents for doing a talk on that, because it made me curious as to what people were saying about it and how all that they say really fits into my life). One of the common themes seems to be about pursuing and why it should be done a certain way even in just friends.
So now a days its extremely common for girls to go after guys they want. They become the pursuers instead of letting guys pursue them. More and more often girls are the ones to text/call a guy first, ask him to hang out, ask him out on dates, initiate anything physical, and they are even pressuring guys into doing stuff. This is so different than before when girls wouldn't even talk to a guy unless he approached her first. Not saying that that was completely good, but relationships seemed to be a bit different and have higher chances of lasting and being fulfilling when the guys approached the girls first. Why? Well... lets look at some reasons why guys should be initiating things with girls.
1. Man was created first. "For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man." 1 Corinthians 11:8-9
2. Woman was created for man, because it was not good for man to be alone. (Gen 2) Again, emphasizing that man was created first.
3. Man was given the opportunity to find a help-mate, in other words he got to choose, but he couldn't find one suitable hence why woman was made. (Gen 2)
4. Men are the leaders of the family, but also the spiritual leaders of a home. "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:3
Alright, so those are some Biblical reasons why guys should be initiating. Seems pretty logical hey? But here are some others that I have come up with.
1. It makes the guy risk it. If the guy risks it, he will be more likely to stick around or want to work through things because he wanted it enough to risk asking in the first place.
2. It shows that he believes the girl is worth the risk.
3. It is proven that relationships that are initiated by the guy are actually more satisfying because he had/has to work for her.
4. Guys like a challenge... girls like to be pursued. What better way?
5. Her parents will really appreciate the guy asking because it shows respect for her and for them. Especially if you ask their permission (or at least her dad's) first.
So is it bad for girls to be pursuing guys? I would say yes. I'd much rather have a guy who wants me and pursues me and be able to respond to that with a yes or no, than to constantly be pursuing a guy. Girls just aren't really made for pursuing they are made to be pursued. Girls can respond though. And I'm not trying to take away any rights... just put a new "old" idea out there. :)
For dating, this also means let the guy initiate things within the relationship. Let him contact the girl first. Let him ask for the dates. Its not bad to text the guy first occasionally, but the guy should be doing the majority of the initiating.
This doesn't just apply to dating though! This applies to friendships too! Guys, if you are friends with a girl, don't always expect her to contact you first. Girls, don't always be contacting the guy first. Let him be the man we know God made him to be and let him lead.
Side note for the guys: this does not mean you stop being a gentleman and being chivalrous! Girls should go first through doors, you should be holding it, you should be letting her go first in those ways. But for initiating things, that is your job! Go be the leader and lead her closer to God! And know there are girls out there praying for a man who will be a leader.
Girls: Be praying for the guys you know to grow into the strong leaders God can mold them into! The power of prayer is an amazing thing.
God bless,
Breanna
I've been reading a lot lately about dating, marriage, courtship, and being friends. (You can thank my parents for doing a talk on that, because it made me curious as to what people were saying about it and how all that they say really fits into my life). One of the common themes seems to be about pursuing and why it should be done a certain way even in just friends.
So now a days its extremely common for girls to go after guys they want. They become the pursuers instead of letting guys pursue them. More and more often girls are the ones to text/call a guy first, ask him to hang out, ask him out on dates, initiate anything physical, and they are even pressuring guys into doing stuff. This is so different than before when girls wouldn't even talk to a guy unless he approached her first. Not saying that that was completely good, but relationships seemed to be a bit different and have higher chances of lasting and being fulfilling when the guys approached the girls first. Why? Well... lets look at some reasons why guys should be initiating things with girls.
1. Man was created first. "For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man." 1 Corinthians 11:8-9
2. Woman was created for man, because it was not good for man to be alone. (Gen 2) Again, emphasizing that man was created first.
3. Man was given the opportunity to find a help-mate, in other words he got to choose, but he couldn't find one suitable hence why woman was made. (Gen 2)
4. Men are the leaders of the family, but also the spiritual leaders of a home. "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." 1 Corinthians 11:3
Alright, so those are some Biblical reasons why guys should be initiating. Seems pretty logical hey? But here are some others that I have come up with.
1. It makes the guy risk it. If the guy risks it, he will be more likely to stick around or want to work through things because he wanted it enough to risk asking in the first place.
2. It shows that he believes the girl is worth the risk.
3. It is proven that relationships that are initiated by the guy are actually more satisfying because he had/has to work for her.
4. Guys like a challenge... girls like to be pursued. What better way?
5. Her parents will really appreciate the guy asking because it shows respect for her and for them. Especially if you ask their permission (or at least her dad's) first.
So is it bad for girls to be pursuing guys? I would say yes. I'd much rather have a guy who wants me and pursues me and be able to respond to that with a yes or no, than to constantly be pursuing a guy. Girls just aren't really made for pursuing they are made to be pursued. Girls can respond though. And I'm not trying to take away any rights... just put a new "old" idea out there. :)
For dating, this also means let the guy initiate things within the relationship. Let him contact the girl first. Let him ask for the dates. Its not bad to text the guy first occasionally, but the guy should be doing the majority of the initiating.
This doesn't just apply to dating though! This applies to friendships too! Guys, if you are friends with a girl, don't always expect her to contact you first. Girls, don't always be contacting the guy first. Let him be the man we know God made him to be and let him lead.
Side note for the guys: this does not mean you stop being a gentleman and being chivalrous! Girls should go first through doors, you should be holding it, you should be letting her go first in those ways. But for initiating things, that is your job! Go be the leader and lead her closer to God! And know there are girls out there praying for a man who will be a leader.
Girls: Be praying for the guys you know to grow into the strong leaders God can mold them into! The power of prayer is an amazing thing.
God bless,
Breanna
Friday, February 15, 2013
Important note for readers!
IMPORTANT NOTE! Please remember that if you're reading this blog, these are my thoughts and my perspectives. I'm not writing at anyone, I'm just sharing my own thoughts and hoping to put a different perspective out there or maybe back up your feelings/ideas. So please, don't feel like I'm preaching at anyone, or trying to force anyone to do anything. These are simply things I'm learning myself by reading, researching, and asking a bunch of questions. :) So know that I care about you guys/girls and in no way want to hurt you. Ok? Kay, good. Just double checking. :) If the subject applies to you... then awesome! That's so cool that God can use my words in your life. If not, then I hope you can take something new out of my opinions. :)
God bless,
Breanna
God bless,
Breanna
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