No, I Don't Do Bunnies at Easter

Perhaps you are new to coming to Christ or you want more Christ-centered Easter traditions to help foster your children's faith, if that is the case, then take a look at these activities!  All of these ideas point you and your kiddos to Jesus.  They are great teaching tools, reminders, and faith-builders for you and your family.  You can find more activities like these listed here at, Christ-Centered Easter Activities for Your Family.

As well, you can use many of these ideas as an outreach as you teach others about the true meaning of Easter.

No one has a guarantee of tomorrow, so my encouragement to you is to be intentional and passionate about shepherding your children to our Savior, today!  Spend your time and financial resources on things that will draw you and others towards Christ.   Seeing how I do not believe there is anything that is spiritually profitable about the 'bunny' at Easter, I don't waste my time doing things that center around this animal.  In fact, I think the enemy uses the bunny as a sly way of distracting us and diverting our attention from Christ to a cute, little, cuddly critter during this time of year.  You know, he is cunning like that!

Rather, let's have our focus on Jesus this Easter seeing how He paid the debt for our sins and He poured out His blood for us.

I guess if people can be anti-Jesus, then I can be anti-bunny for just 1 day out of the year! (lol)

Now, on with the activities!

Click on the pictures below and they'll give you all the details!

Crown of Thorns Snack

Love, love, love this!

Source: freefuneaster.com via Jolene on Pinterest

Marshmallow Lambs

I think these are adorable!

Source: freefuneaster.com via Jolene on Pinterest

Empty Tomb Treats

Isn't this idea so cute and creative?  I might have to do these seeing how the men in my house LOVE donuts!

Source: freefuneaster.com via Jolene on Pinterest

Paper Plate Tomb Craft

For the non-sweets people, this one is for you!

Source: freefuneaster.com via Jolene on Pinterest

Lamb of God Baskets

Seeing how I couldn't find a picture to show you about these baskets, here's my friend's little girl with her Lamb of God Easter basket.  I wrote out the instructions for this basket here, but I thought the photo could help you.  The milk jug handle is in the back and it's the handle to this basket as well.

Resurrection Rolls

I included these on my earlier post, too, but again I had no picture.  What can I say, I like to teach and share with pictures!

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Christ-Centered Easter Activities for Your Family

Resurrection Day is right around the corner!  It's probably my favorite holiday right next to Christmas!

When my boys were young tots, I wanted to make sure their eyes were on Christ at Easter and not on the bunny.  I have nothing against bunnies, in fact, I think they are quite cute, BUT there is nothing spiritually profitable in teaching young souls to believe in the bunny during the time when we celebrate our Risen Savior.

So, instead of doing a bunch of traditional activities, I incorporated Christ-centered ones into our home. These activities are hands-on, practical, and easy for the whole family!  I have listed several of them for you to pick and choose based on your time and budget.

Enjoy shepherding your children to Jesus!

Resurrection Eggs

Over the years we have used Resurrection Eggs from Family Life.  We found them years ago at a local Christian bookstore.  You can even find them now at Wal-Mart.  They are a great teaching tool of the Easter story.

Source: bing.com via Jolene on Pinterest

Resurrection Cookies

Ingredients:

You need: 1c. whole pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites,
pinch salt, 1c. sugar, zipper baggie, wooden spoon, tape, Bible.

Preheat oven to 300 BEFORE BEGINNING

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.
Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.
Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add 1 c. sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. If you have any army men, put them by the oven to act like the Roman soldier.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt.27:65-66.

GO TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

The next morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.

Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matt. 28:1-9

Resurrection Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pkg. crescent rolls

Large marshmallows (1 per child)

Melted butter

Cinnamon sugar

Give each child one marshmallow. The marshmallow represents Jesus.

Dip the marshmallow in butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture. This represents the anointing oils and burial spices.

Wrap the marshmallow up in one triangle of dough. This represents the tomb.

Cook according to package.

When you take a bite, you'll notice that the marshmallow is gone. Jesus is risen!

Lamb of God Easter Baskets

My children would use these baskets to collect the Resurrection Eggs each year and they absolutely loved it!!  (I have scoured my picture files and I can't find a one to show you an example, so you'll need to picture this in your mind!) Update:  You can see a picture of them here.

Supplies needed:

1 Gallon empty plastic milk container (1 container per child)

Large cotton balls

White glue

Googly eyes

Black construction paper for lamb ears and a lamb nose

Take an empty plastic milk jug and cut the top of.  Keep the handle attached because that is how your child will hold their Lamb of God basket.

Cover the plastic container with white glue (painting on watered-down glue is best for little ones!)

Place cotton balls all around the container. This is the lamb's wool so you'll want to cover the container real well.

Cut out lamb ears and a nose and glue on to cotton.

Add eyes.

Now you should have an adorable little lamb basket!

Jesus is the Lamb of God Cupcakes

I just found this one on Pinterest recently and would love to make them with my boys!

Source: landolakes.com via Jolene on Pinterest

Easter Garden

We've never done this one either,  but I love the idea as well.  It's a little out of our budget at this time but I thought I would still share it with you!

Source: Uploaded by user via Jolene on Pinterest

Plant an Easter Garden! Using potting soil, a tiny buried flower pot for the tomb, shade grass seed, & crosses made from twigs. Sprinkle grass seed generously on top of dirt, keep moistened using a spray water bottle. Spritz it several times a day.  Set it in a warm sunny location.  Sprouts in 7-10 days so plan ahead.  The tomb is EMPTY! He is Risen!

You can find more Christ-centered Easter activities listed here.

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A Biblical Blueprint for Married Women

We have no reason to be ignorant about God's Word regarding what we, as wives, should be doing with our lives.  Here's a list to put things in proper order:

A Biblical Blueprint for Married Women

1.  God

She puts God first in her life.

"You shall have no other gods before Me.”  Exodus 20:3   “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.”  Mark 12:30 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”  John 14:15

2.  Husband

A husband and wife are one, and it is the most important ‘earthly’ relationship. “And the two shall become one flesh'; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.”  Mark 10:8

She is a helper to her husband. "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:18

She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:12

She is respectful.  Let the wife see that she respects her husband.  Eph. 5:33

She is submissive.  Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Colossians 3:18

She is to be obedient to her husband.  Titus 2:5

3.  Children

She raises and trains up godly children.

“Didn't the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. Malachi 2:15

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

She is to love her children.Titus 2:4

4.  Home

She manages the affairs of her home.

She is to be a keeper at home.  Titus 2:5

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Proverbs 31:27

5.  Outside Ministries

She gives of her talents and gifts.

The older women are to be teachers of good things.  Titus 2:3

She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.  Proverbs 31:20

6.  Enterprise

She is creative and capable.

She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard.  Proverbs 31:16

She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants.  Proverbs 31:24

So why align your life like this? So the Word of God is not blasphemed.  Titus 2:5

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11 Things the Lord Taught Me in 2011

Reflecting back on 2011, here are a few things that the Lord has taught me.

These are in no particular order.

1.  Walking the Narrow Path can sometimes leave me feeling like I am climbing a gruesome, uphill slope that makes me feel like a pack mule; sweaty, smelly and exhausted.  At times in my travel this year, I found the trail to be covered with snow, large jagged boulders, snakes, deteriorating bridges or sheer cliffs on either side.  Sticks, stones and dirt were thrown or kicked in my face as I drudged along in my journey of steep terrain, which ultimately left me crawling this past year.  But, when faced with a choice, I would've never chosen the wide path, which is the easier path.  Because Christ has called me by name; to be His daughter and walk the narrow path with Him, and it is during this arduous climb that all I had was Christ to hold on to.  He is always all I'll need, and when I realize that, it is during those moments that I have my mountain top experience with my Savior.

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Matthew 7:13,14

2.  Although serving in an outside ministry is a wonderful gift and sacrifice to the Lord, if it becomes too demanding of me, and the result is my priorities become out of whack, then I need to step away from it.  This was (and has been) hard to do, but it is what the Lord desires of me.

To obey is better than sacrifice.  1 Samuel 15:22

A list of First things, First to keep my priorities in order:

• Spending time with the Lord by reading His Word so I can know Him more.   He wants me to meditate on what the Bible has to say so I can learn to apply it to my life.  He wants me to pray and actually have a conversation with Him, but I need to be still long enough to hear His voice.  All of this takes time, but it is THE MOST important aspect of my life.


• He wants me ministering to my husband.  As I serve him and give him honor and respect.


• He wants me training and discipling my children for His glory.


• He wants my home kept and running so my family's needs are met.


• And then He wants me involved in outside ministry.  (Sometimes my list could be backwards with my outside ministry being on the top of this list and the time I spend with the Lord on the bottom.)  :(

3.  I will be persecuted by family, friends and strangers.... time and time again and I need to get used to it!  Even more so now that I am writing a blog for Him.

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  Matthew 10:34

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

4.  I will be accepted by family, friends and strangers....time and time again, and I need to get used to it!  Even more so now that I am writing a blog for Him. (smile) Thanks for all of your kind words and loving support as I bare my heart for the Lord in order to encourage others.  It's very hard for me to come out of my so-called, reserved shell because it is there in that place where I am emotionally protected.  Thanks for your graciousness!

5.  My stability comes from the Lord, not my circumstances.

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD  is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.  2 Samuel 22:31

6.  When the storms come raging through my life, everything is going to be okay and I can rest in Him.  (No matter how many times we've had to move or when we lived with another family.)

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

7.  He always has a perfect plan for my life even when I can't see it.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.  Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

8.  God has allowed the chaos in our lives and He wants me to trust Him even when I forget this over and over again.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.  2 Samuel 22:2

9.  My marriage can either get better or worse in adversity.  I choose better because the material things, financial strains, outside relationships and ministries do not matter to the most important human relationship I will ever have here on earth.

10.  My children will grow in the Lord in spite of what we go through in life.  It is my faith, my countenance and my prayers that will draw my children to Christ.  The Holy Spirit will work in their lives regardless of the hardships that we have endured.

11.  As self-sufficient that I would like to be in ALL aspects of my life, the Lord wants me to be God-sufficient.  This is so difficult to learn.  The letting go.  The controlling of my life.  My dreams.  My plans.  My schedule.  My health.  My bank account.  My marriage.  My child-raising.  My homeschooling.  My extended family and friend relationships.  My writing ministry....

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct  your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  Proverbs 3:5-7

Bottom line:  My life is His to do what He pleases.  The good and the bad (as I see it.)

His plans and His purpose were perfect for me in 2011, and so they will be in 2012 as well.

What about you?  What did our Lord teach you in 2011?

Happy New Year sweet friend!  May you seek Him and see Him in the coming days of your life.

Proverbs 31 Movement

I was blown away when I saw this video and since I am just finishing up my post titled, 3 Types of Wives, I thought this new movement would tie in rather nicely with what I am going to share with you in the next few days.

Watch this powerful, counter-culture video by this young man.

Proverbs

Alex Eklund, a student at Baylor University, posted a status on Facebook stating, "I'd rather have a Proverbs 31 woman than a Victoria's Secret Model".

Since then, other Baylor students and their friends have reposted, made graphics, and even a page has been made for it all because of the positive reaction it received from the people that saw it. Here are Alex's thoughts on the movement's beginning as well as some of his goals for the movement and what he believes the message means to so many people. Spread the word, live 31, and like us on Facebook!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Id-rather-have-a-Proverbs31 woman-than-a-Victorias-Secret-model/315812771780052?sk=info



This young man gets it.  He knows what is truly important in a wife!

So, to all you wives out there, continue to strive to be the Proverbs 31 woman that God desires you to be.

All you single women reading this, continue to focus on the things of the Lord.

And to all you mamas, be steadfast in teaching your sons and daughters about what matters most in a spouse...their fear of the Lord.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.  Proverbs 31:30

Seeking the Messiah

When I was a young mother I was very ill for many, many years.  Just getting out of bed and tending to the basic needs of my husband and children was overwhelming and exhausting.  Merge the day to day life with all that needs to be done for Christmas...you know what I'm talking about:  shopping for gifts, wrapping presents, preparing food, baking holiday treats, spending time with family and friends,etc., all great things but in doing them, it sent my body into shut down.

Year in and year out, as Christmas drew closer, my immune system would get lower and lower and eventually I would find myself sicker than a dog waiting anxiously to go back to bed the day I crossed the finish line; Christmas morning.  My gentle and quiet spirit was no where to be found.

Not only did I feel like a failure as a wife and mother throughout the year but even more so during the Christmas season, which ultimately resulted in me loathing the Christmas holiday.  Yet, as a Believer, I knew there was something wrong with my perspective!

Something needed to change.  Seeing how I couldn't fix my body, I had no other choice but to live with my limitations which forced me to become very intentional about what we embraced as a family.

So I made the decision to be like Mary as she sat at Jesus' feet, rather than being distracted like Martha.

You can read the rest of my post over at Stringer Mama's Birthday Gifts for Jesus series.  Just click the button below.

The Story of My Arranged Marriage

Yep, you read that right.  I have an arranged marriage by my Father.  Oh, and I live in America and I got married in 1998 when I was 28 years old.  It sounds absurd, doesn't it?  Who in their right mind would allow their Father to pick their husband?  In a free country?  In the 21st century?

I did!  Feel free to call me an idiot or one who made a wise decision. (smile)

For those of you that are already married, don't think this post doesn't apply to you because it does.  I have also written it for the single woman, along with women who have unmarried children.

So if you fit into any of these categories, read on my friend!

To my friends that are wives:

This was a hard post for me to write because you are already married!  To some that are reading this, you may have a fabulous marriage and to others, that's the furthest thing from the truth.  Now, I know how we women like to compare ourselves to one another, BUT I caution you NOT to do that!  Sister in Christ, don't go there!  We shouldn't be comparing or competing with one another ever, because all it does is bring hurt and disappointment.  Furthermore, the last thing I am here to do is plant seeds into your head telling you that you do not have a wonderful marriage if  the Lord did not arrange it.  You can still have a marriage that the Lord has blessed.  Remember, He has plans for you that are good, not evil.  Don't be discouraged either if your spouse happens to be Mr. Wrong in your eyes.  God is in the business of transforming lives!  The journey might be difficult and hard as you overcome many obstacles, but in the end you can have a glorious marriage.  In the coming weeks I will be writing many posts on marriage, so stay tuned!  But in the meantime, I wanted to share with you my pre-courtship story.  It will give you a little more background on me and my marriage, which I think might be helpful to you when reading future posts on the subject of Wedded Bliss, (or the lack of).

Also, I STRONGLY encourage you to be an older woman to a younger one who is in need of Biblical direction regarding marriage.  Share with her my story AND your story.  Plus show her what to look for in her future husband.

Now....on with the story!

How can a young woman without the proper Biblical upbringing know how to discern what to look for in a husband?  Those were my thoughts as I headed out on this journey.

For me, I felt with the right husband my life could be wonderful and with the wrong husband I could be living a life that was like a death sentence.  (No need to go there because I already made that choice!)  You can read a little more about that here and here.

I wanted my Father's help; my Heavenly Father, that is.  Surrendering to the Lord and asking Him to intercede on my behalf, for Him to choose my husband just for me.  I can honestly tell you it was the second best decision I made, with following Christ as my number one.

Here's where I was when this process began.

I came to Christ at age 26 with a desire to someday meet my Prince Charming and have the fairy tale wedding that all women dream of.  However, as I dug into the scriptures I soon learned that a God-fearing woman was to submit to her husband.  (I had to do what?)  Not wanting to do that anytime soon, nor wanting to settle for a man that was second-best, I soon became content in my singleness!  (Before Christ, I was the epitome of a contentious woman, with a capital 'C'. There was much for me to learn before I was willing to hand my life over to some man that I had to follow.)

I read the Bible, referencing all the scriptures that talked about a woman or a wife because Godly wisdom is the BEST wisdom to have!  Along with that, I also read a short book called, Let Me Be a Woman, by Elisabeth Elliot which certainly made a profound impact on me.  (And no, I don't receive compensation for saying that.)

I had a lot to learn about being a Godly woman.  I became asleep to my desires of being married, much like when God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep so He could fashion Eve from him.

So, into a deep sleep Adam went while God was in the process of arranging the first marriage of mankind.

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. Genesis 2:21,22

While being asleep to my desires, I started to grow in the things of the Lord.  Seeking the scriptures and trying to be obedient to what I was learning, even if it didn't feel good.

Soon, I started to meet men (mostly from church because that was the only place I went to, outside of my job or the all-female gym that I had attended).  Remember, I wasn't seeking out the next hot guy that I could date for fun.  I was content seeking the Lord.   Learning.  Growing.  Serving Him.

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  John 14:26

Some rules that I had established in my mind, thanks to the Lord's prompting:  I made the decision that men had to approach me because I was unwilling to approach them.  Not because I was playing any games with them but because I wanted to start off any future courtship with the man God chose for me with the right foundation.  In God's word it says that a wife is to follow her husband.  So, I felt it was best to not play the game, Follow the Leader as me being the leader.  If the man was interested in me, then he needed to ask me out, not the other way around.

Here's the right foundation:  When married, the man leads.  Therefore, when courting, the man leads.  If the man did not act like a God-fearing man or a gentleman when I first met him, then he soon learned he was not the man that God had for me.  In other words, if he couldn't lead me while on a date, he couldn't lead me in marriage. (Next.)

Also, I would examine their character more so than their outer appearance (even if they were easy on the eyes!)  I wanted to see if they would qualify to the standards held in the scriptures for a Godly man, after all my future husband would be leading me for the Rest. Of. My. Life. so I didn't want to make that decision based on how I felt about him.  I asked the Lord to guard and protect my heart.  To not be deceived by my emotions.

During this time I made a list of character traits along with other things that I felt my future husband should have and then I daily, prayed over the list.

1. He was to be a God-fearing man.  I know that may seem vague to some, but being that I had only been a new Believer for about 1 year, that was the only way I knew how to define my standards.  Very quickly I learned that even though some men proclaimed to be Believers their actions said otherwise.   Watching him is how you can determine his character.  If it doesn't measure up in the beginning...Tell him to hit the door Jack and don't you come back no more.


2. He was to lead-(not rule).  Now that might be an odd character trait to some women, but to me it wasn't.  The reason why is because I was always the one who led in prior relationships.  Most of the men were unwilling to take charge...so I always did, plus I would have fought for control even if they tried.  (Remember, I used to be a contentious woman.)


3. He was to be a man of honor and integrity.  His 'yes' was to be his 'yes' and also, he would honor the Lord by keeping me pure until our wedding day.


4. He was to attend my church.  Here was my reason why. When I first got saved I went church-shopping.  After attending 3 different churches in 6 months, I later found the church where I still attend 15+ years later.    The several churches that I attended said the same message over and over.  "Jesus loves me and died for my sins." Yes,  true statements but I hungered for more.  The Bible is a big book and I knew there was more for me to learn but it wasn't being preached on a Sunday morning at the churches that I had attended.  Being that I did not know much about the Word of God and that a husband was to be the spiritual leader of the home, I wanted my future husband to know more about the Bible than I did because I did not want to lead him spiritually.  I wanted him to take me by my hand and lead me spiritually.  I felt I was most protected, spiritually speaking, if my future man sat under the same teaching as I did.  Plus, I was not willing to leave my church because I was being equipped there.  If I married a man who happened to attend another church....guess what?  I would have to follow him and he might believe in some weird doctrine that I did not know about when we were courting.  (I wasn't willing to risk my spiritual growth in order to be married.)


5. I wanted a man that was just like me.  I wanted his spiritual convictions, morals, values, and resolve to be in-line with my own.  I also wanted his personality and the way he thought to be very similar to the way I thought because I wanted him to understand me.  I know that sounds strange especially when people say opposites attract.  But I figured there would be less problems and misunderstandings in our marriage if we were able to understand one another.  Males and females bring in their own uniqueness just by being, 'males and females'.   We are opposites by nature and that is still a BIG enough difference in my book.

"And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night."  Exodus 13:21

And the Lord went before me...

For single women

Here is a list of ways to discern if the man is spiritually mature enough or not to be your future husband.  (I am sure more could be added to this list.)

• Are they passionate about their relationship with Jesus Christ?


• Do  they attend church even if you can't make it for some reason?


• Are they daily reading God's Word?


• Do they initiate spiritual conversations with you or others?


• Do they complement your character, virtues or just your outer beauty?  If he is a God-fearing man, then he will be looking for Godly attributes in you. 

Watch for some of the 'Red flags,' that are listed below.  If he is not the man God has chosen for you, these will surface, either when you are just getting to know him or when the relationship is just beginning to develop.  Be alert and pray for discernment.  And if ANY of these come up, run away from him as fast as you can before your emotions get the better of you!

• He makes continual poor choices or decisions that you do not respect.  (This will continue in marriage and it will make it extremely hard for you to respect him.)


• He has his hands all over you.  Obviously entering into a physical relationship too soon is a big fat no-no!  What I mean by a physical relationship is lots of kissing, embracing, touching.  In this instance, I am not referring to the act of marriage (s*x).  That time is only reserved for a husband and wife.


• He only complements your outer appearance, personality or things the two of you have in common, yet never refers to your heart for the Lord because that is not important to him.  (For some married women, they have this issue in their marriage and the result:  their husbands do not like it when they are serving Christ.)


• He only talks about the Lord when you bring Christ up in your conversation.


• You have become his 'girl' way too soon.  (After all, you can't even remember his last name!)  He becomes possessive of you or is extremely jealous.  (There are insecurity issues with him!)


• He is calling you all the time.  (Didn't he have a life before he met you?)


• You have become the center of his life rather than Jesus Christ being the center of his.  (This will show you real quick if Jesus Christ is really the Lord of his life.)

If there are any 'Red Flags' surfacing at the onset of your time with him, this is NOT God's best for you!

Things I did so my Heavenly Father could arrange my marriage:

1. I surrendered and prayed for the Lord to choose my husband.  Seeing how God is a lot smarter than I am, I decided to let Him make the decision.  (I knew I would mess it up and lead with my heart rather than have the decision Spirit-led.)


2. I was content in my singleness.


3. During my singleness, I sought to grow in the things of the Lord, becoming the Godly woman that a Godly man desired.  (That's a big key ladies!)


4. I made a God-fearing list and prayed over it so I knew what to look for when the Lord brought the man to me.


5. I prayed for discernment and for the Lord to open my eyes to see any 'Red Flags'.


6. I prayed for the Lord to protect my heart so I would not make a decision based on my emotions.


7. I prayed for the Lord to keep my passionate feelings to a minimum so as not to cloud my vision.

For Parents

You can take all of these thoughts and concepts and teach them to your daughters (and sons).  Since I only have sons, my husband and I teach many of these ideas and principles to our boys and they are only 10 and 12 years old!  (Obviously, for boys you will add to the list to teach them to lookout for the 'immoral woman' as well as other things.)

So, in closing, did my Father deliver when I surrendered my life to Him...in the choosing of my husband?  Did He give me a God-fearing husband?  One that matched the list?

You bet He did!  He blew me away with His choice, but funny thing about it was I was rather shocked and surprised by who He picked.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  Ephesians 3:20,21

You can read about my courtship and engagement post called, This is Not Your Typical Love Story.

Live a poured out life for the Master,

I am linked up with:

Not All Mothers and Daughters Get Along, Part 2

Welcome back. If you missed part 1 of this post you can find it here at, Not All Mothers and Daughters Get Along.

I will never forget that day. The day when my mom hurled insults and made accusations towards me and my husband. I was not hurt at the time, I was ANGRY! How dare she say those things. Well, I was ready to fight, again... and momma taught me best!

But now I was saved and my heart was to be the light and show my mom how wonderful life could be with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. So I made the decision to pray instead of fight. (So, for all you fighters out there, that is generally a much better decision.)

During this fit of rage as my mom is screaming at me (at the mall and now in the parking lot; I decided it was best to cut our shopping trip short!) I prayed. I specifically asked the Lord to give me His words to defend the Biblical upbringing that my son was receiving and the Godly marriage He blessed me with.

This is what the Lord said, "Keep your mouth shut."

What? I said to myself.

What do you mean Lord? I should be defending what the Bible has to say and the reasons for our decisions.

Again, I kept praying for the words, but He gave me none and quite frankly I was bent out of shape about that! I did not understand why the Lord did not come by my side and speak through me.

As I drove my mom home, she made a piercing statement,

"Jolene, where do you find all these losers."

She stabbed me in the heart with her words.

My Savior, My King and My God handpicked my husband specifically for me. The 'Great I Am' gave me a gift that I was (and still am) so undeserving of.

"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." Song of Solomon 6:3

I gently said to her, "You need to stop speaking."

There was silence in the car.

I was at a defining moment with my relationship with mom and these were the scriptures that went through my mind,

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:24

"And let the wife see that she respects her husband." Eph. 5:33

I had a choice to make.

Choice #1- the easy choice. I can pretend that what my mother said was no big deal.   In time, those hurtful things would get swept under the rug because after all, that's how things generally happened with my family, plus, our relationship would stay intact.

Choice #2- the hard choice.   A threat was made that my son could be taken away from me. On top of that was the complete disregard for my husband, our beliefs, and the way we wanted to raise our son in the Lord.

Spiritually and mentally it was a no-brainer. I was going with Choice #2.

Why would anyone allow someone in darkness make decisions on behalf of a family who lives in the light?

One word: Emotions.

I did not want to lose my mom, but neither did I want to live in fear over that fact that I might lose my son based on some false accusations, nor was I willing to have my mom 's opinions of darkness come between my husband and I.

In a moment it was like I was being asked to take sides. Either I stand with my mom so I could continue to have a relationship with her or stand with my husband and the promises in God's Word.

Well, I am 'one' with my husband so there were no sides to take on this one, plus, I am a daughter of the King!

I would be lying to you if I said it wasn't painful to stand on those Biblical precepts and truths, but it was right.

The tears came down my face immediately. The relationship that we finally had was now torn apart.

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" 2 Cor. 6:14

As I dropped her off, I let her know that I loved her but I could not have her threaten my family, attack my husband and our decisions, nor could she insult him. I had drawn the line and I had established boundaries. I was hoping she would be respectful of them.

The relationship was gone and I cried myself to sleep for many, many nights.

Now, do you remember earlier in the story when I prayed to the Lord to give me the words to say to my mother? And He told me to keep my mouth shut?

Here's why. About a week or two after the incident, I got a phone call from one of my brother's saying he heard that mom and I got in a fight. I smiled to myself and I thought about when the Lord told me to shut my mouth.

Here was my response. "I did not get in a fight with mom. Mom was the one who did all the fighting and yelling."

Because I heeded the words of the Lord, I did not get into a heated argument with her. I did not feel convicted by how I conducted myself. I had peace, which was the by-product of obedience. Oh, if only I could be obedient more often!

Although I established boundaries for my family, unfortunately my mom was not willing to respect them. I soon gave birth to my second son and I have to admit, I was really heartbroken over the fact that she was no longer in my life. My boys did not go to grandma and grandpa's house to play, even though they lived within walking distance from our house. We did not attend family gatherings nor were they at birthday parties and celebrations for my children.

I often prayed to the Lord for restoration. He had me write letters to her even when I did not want to. Soon she became ill and I visited her, bringing flowers and such. She informed me then, that she did not want to see me if she could not see my children, yet, she was unwilling to be respectful of the way I was raising my family. I knew how the manipulation worked. I was raised in it and therefore I would not allow her to undermine all that God was doing in my life, my marriage and in the life of my children.

I would see me Dad often but he walked out of my life about a year later on Christmas Eve. I then turned to my husband with tears coming down my face saying, "My biological parents left me and now my adoptive ones have too."

Days, months, and years went by. I would call on holidays, and her birthdays and asked her if she had a change in heart and the answer was always no. My brothers would then get on the phone and attack me and my spiritual beliefs and then I would eventually hang up in tears.

I paid a price to follow Jesus Christ, but Christ paid a price for me as well. My mom is not the enemy in this story, Satan is.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Because I am God's child,

"I know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

I clung to that verse for 5 years and on my youngest child's 5th birthday, God restored my relationship with my mom and she met my son for the first time.

Perhaps you don't have the best relationship with your mom, please know that I feel your hurt and pain . In fact, as I sit here typing these words tears are rolling down my face. You are not alone. Your Father in Heaven will bring you comfort, peace and healing. Show your mom the love of the Father as best you can. Continue to pray for her and your relationship. Remain hopeful that God will touch her heart.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:2

Not All Mothers and Daughters Get Along, Part 1

For a couple hours now I have been wrestling with the Lord about writing this post...in fact, if you could take a peak inside my heart you could see me pleading with Him about how I am not ready to show some of my scars and how I don't want to be vulnerable and transparent to people that I am afraid to let in.   

I cry out to Him, You are asking me to share a lot.  I am not ready to let down some of my walls.  I don't have the courage to open up to complete strangers.  They will criticize me and reject me, I say to Him.  But my Lord asked me, "Daughter, if you could reach just one woman and minister to her and encourage her or affirm her for My sake, would you be willing to share your scars with her?  Of course, Lord.  Like the words from Isaiah, "Here I am, send me."  Isaiah 6:8  So, I submit to His will and not my own.

For all those daughters out there that do not have the best relationship with their moms, this is written to help you know that you are not alone in your pain and suffering.  The Lord knows all that we need in order to cling to Him and to become more like Him.  He cares about your tears and what you have been through.  For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Hebrews 13:5

So here's my story.  I was adopted at birth into a family that already had 3 biological sons of their own.  (My biological parents were 26 and 29 yrs. old when they gave me up for adoption.) I grew up knowing I was adopted and I was told that I was chosen and special, yet, I did not feel like I ever fit in.  For some reason I was never really close to my mom and I am not sure why.  My insecurities developed at a very young age.  I did not have many friends at school and those I did have later rejected me and I was left to myself each afternoon on the playground.  I felt unwanted again.  Because of much hurt, the anger in me quickly became a part of who I was.  Kids called me, "Mean Jolene" (that still hurts to hear it to this day!) and of course that added to my pain and created even more hostility in me.  I lashed out in my anger when I was just in the third grade as I was sent to the Principal's Office for fist fighting!  Of course over the years I put up more walls to protect myself and more pain became my friend, whether it was being sexually molested as a child or just feeling unwanted in my own home.

Then my teen years came.  I never felt that I could please my mom or measure up to her standards, so I stopped trying and I became indifferent and I sought to receive love somewhere else.  Later I had a boy who said he loved me; oh how he broke my heart, again.  More scars and more walls were added along with more bad choices that left me so broken that I wanted to take my own life.  Later as I got older, I lived a life where I denied the existence of God and boy, those sure were some dark years.

Then  I met Jesus Christ.  My Hero showed up on the scene and saved not only the day, but my life as well.

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons (& daughters) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Ephesians 1:4-6 (my paraphrase)

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9



Shortly after I became saved I decided to move back in with my parents so I could be the 'light' and be a witness to them.  Unfortunately, they were not open to my new found faith.  One day in particular I remember sharing with my mom how I asked Jesus to come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and be the Lord of my life.

My mom's response:, "You have just matured, that's all."  I was perplexed by her words.  I thought maybe she did not understand what I said or she did not hear me so I repeated myself.

Her response again was, "You have just matured."  Now, I was not okay with her denying my transformation and denying what God had done in my life, so my old self of being 'Mean-Jolene' came alive, and I fiercely repeated myself for the third time!

Her response, "No, you have just matured, that's all."

In that moment I was saddened by the fact that she had discounted what I had to say and what was taking place in my life, but what she was really doing was rejecting my Savior.  "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." John 15:20

About a year later I was getting married to a wonderful man that God chose specifically for me.  My parents did not approve of my husband-to-be, nor did they approve of my faith and the church we were getting married in, which is still the church we attend to this day.  Mom and I continued to be at odds.  Of course they were invited to my wedding and I hoped they would come but I informed them that in 4 weeks I would be getting married whether they attended or not.  (I did not know if my dad would be walking me down the aisle until the night of the rehearsal when they happened to show up.)

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'  Matthew 10:34-36

We moved forward in our relationship.  She was respectful of my faith and my marriage.  Within a year of  my wedding, I became pregnant with my firstborn and mom and I became so close.  It was wonderful and she was a fabulous grandma!  I continued to pray for hers and my extended family's salvation.  A year later I became pregnant again.  

Now comes the part in the movie when the music goes bad...really, really bad.  I am going to leave you with a cliff-hanger.  Below are some words that my mother vehemently spewed out to me one afternoon when I was 7 months pregnant.  (Shortly after what was said to me I went into pre-term labor.)

Mom:  "Jolene, if I ever see you spank your child again I am going to call Child Protective Services."

Mom:  "Because you are going to homeschool your children they are going to be withdrawn, socially retarded and they are going to end up in prison." 

Mom:  "Jolene, where do you find these losers"?  (she was referring to my beloved Solomon; my husband Eric.)

Those were some fightin' words and I was ready for a throw-down! By the way, this is all taking place at a Mall!

Let me leave you with this,  "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. " Romans 3:23

I will post Part 2 in the comings days.

I Don't Wanna Be A Peacemaker!

A few months ago, rather than having my eldest son attend his regular Sunday School class, he sat in the sanctuary with us to hear our pastor's message.  We felt it was a good time to expose our son to the adult message to see if he had enough spiritual understanding for it.

The teaching that day was on the Beatitudes, more specifically the 'peacemakers'. 

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."  Matthew 5:9

After the service, my husband asked our son if he understood the message and he said, "yes" and he also proceeded to tell us that he liked being in the sanctuary rather than his class.  Well , we will give that some thought.

Shortly after church, we headed to our car and as my two boys climbed in the backseat, my eldest (the one who just came out of the service where he heard about peacemakers, started to argue and fight with his younger brother!) my husband gently said to my boy, "Peacemaker".  

My boys' growling response, "I don't wanna be a peacemaker!"

I could not help but laugh hysterically. 

Here's why: my son spoke his heart and he spoke it openly and unashamedly.  After I laughed at him I could see the look of conviction along with embarrassment on his face.  I realized in that moment that my actions could hinder him from wanting to share his heart with me again.  My laughter came across as if I were mocking him, but in reality, I WAS COMPLETELY IDENTIFYING WITH HIM. 

"I do not want to be a peacemaker either", I said to him.  I told him that it is hard for me to be a peacemaker but it is pleasing to Jesus if I do.  I continued to tell him that he just openly said how many adults feel, but they do not express it to others.  I thanked him for sharing his heart and told him there was nothing wrong with the way he felt. 

"Living the 'Narrow Path' is hard to do", I said.

Under his breathe he said, "I am a warrior".  A smile came over my face and I laughed again.  "I am a warrior too, my son", I replied. 

Just like the impetuous Peter, who cut off the servants ear, we can relate to Peter's personality. 

"Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear." John 18:10 

I would imagine Peter had to learn to be a 'peacemaker' and  it was not natural for him either, however, I am sure he did the best he could to please the Lord to live peacefully with all men. 

I told my son that a warrior for the Lord is also a 'peacemaker' because we are showing love to others.  As soldiers in the Lord's army we can help build the Kingdom of God if we exercise restraint and self-control and extend graciousness, mercy, and love to others.  Yes, it is hard to do because we are denying our flesh. 

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. " Galatians 5:16  

Perhaps my boy is not quite ready for such a hard lesson and he is still better off to be ministered at his level!  I know the message is hard for me as well.  Lord, help me to walk in the Spirit so I do not satisfy my flesh.

Being a peacemaker is hard, but it is pleasing to the Lord.

Are You a Courageous Woman?

Recently, my family and I were given tickets to the movie, Courageous.  Not knowing much about the film other than the fact that it was made by the same folks who produced Facing the Giants and Fireproof, I was really looking forward to seeing it.

After watching this wonderful, phenomenal, God-fearing, and biblically accurate (according to a man's biblical role in life, that is) show, I was shocked and ever-so touched by how well the movie turned out! The writers and producers presented a VERY powerful message as the story line portrayed how men should act as God-fearing fathers, protectors and leaders of their families.

I am sure every woman that walked out of the theater was thankful that her husband, son, father, brother, or any other male by her side, saw that movie.  It was such a strong, God-breathed message on film that I have a hard time thinking the men that saw that show were not challenged to rise to the occasion  in some sort of way.  If you have seen the movie, then you know what I am talking about.

Now, I have the privilege to be married to a man that has walked with his Savior for over 40 years now.  (He gave his heart to Christ when he was just a boy at age 7 and has faithfully followed Him since.)  By the way, after 13 years of marriage, I do not feel worthy to be his wife.  When I met him, I would refer to him as my 'Solomon' and I was his Shulamite woman.  And still to this day, I sign his cards to 'My Solomon', From, Your Shulamite.  I believe I got the better end of the deal in our marriage.  hehe!

Anyways, my point being is this.  My man does his best to follow the Lord and he faithfully tries to be the God-fearing husband and father that is laid out in the Scriptures.  Of course he fails and sins just like the rest of us.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

Here's my point:  Even though my husband follows Christ to the best of his ability, the movie still brought a conviction to his heart knowing that he could do better in his role as a husband and father. 

Anyways, we left the theater that day and my husband said the message of the movie could make a huge impact on the men in this world and I wholeheartedly agreed.

But then I made this statement,

The sad thing is, I do not believe producers would ever make this kind of movie to encourage women to be God-fearing wives and mothers.

I went on to say,

"I just couldn't see many women lining up to buy a movie ticket in order to learn how to submit, respect, and honor their husbands, nor could I see many women wanting to know how to better serve and instruct their children!  It just wouldn't happen in our society."

I wondered how many women already knew the story line of Courageous and they either manipulated, nagged, or dragged their husband to see that film in hopes that their man would be a better husband or father as a result of the show?  How many women walked out of the theater disappointed that her husband was not a man of God like the ones portrayed on the screen?

Imagine for a moment if someone produced a movie to encourage women to be better wives or mothers.  How many men would like to take their wives to go see it?  I am sure A LOT!  How many women would be angry that their husbands took them to see that movie?

Of course all of this is speculation but our society today is so feminine dominate and it is constantly beating down men and emasculating them.

My spirit was grieved just thinking about how the movie of Courageous probably wouldn't be reversed for women because it wouldn't be received.

The biblical role of womanhood is so misunderstood, frowned upon and demoralized by those in and out of the church today.  Btw, it is usually a woman who has an issue with biblical womanhood and not a man, (not always the case, but usually.)  Note:  before I came to Christ, I WAS ONE OF THOSE WOMEN!

So I had this thought.  If I couldn't see a movie made for us, how about it if God-fearing women made their own Courageous Resolution on paper?

A Resolution that stood for what the Bible had to say about our role as wives and mothers.

Could we make an impact through the blogosphere and social media letting other women know it is okay (and wonderful, I might add) to live out a life according to God's Word?

Well I don't know how much of an impact can be made, but I have made up my mind to do something about it!

Here is A Woman's Courageous Resolution that I have made just for the above purpose!

Post it, share it, reprint it, frame it.  LIVE IT!

This is where I stand!  Will you stand with me?

I WILL diligently pursue Christ with my whole heart.

I WILL submit to my husband as the leader of my home, knowing that it is God who has appointed him as my headship.

I WILL diligently give my husband honor and respect.

I WILL be a helpmate to my husband, coming alongside of him as he leads our family for Christ.

I WILL share my heart with my husband so he can learn to dwell with me with understanding, rather than shout my words like a contentious woman or stuff my feelings and allow bitterness to grow in our marriage.

I WILL be faithful to my husband both physically and emotionally.

I WILL diligently serve my husband and my children with a loving and kind heart.

I WILL train up my children in the ways of the LORD as I nurture and instruct them.

I WILL seek to be content and have a cheerful heart as I keep our home.

I WILL be mindful of how much time I spend doing other activities or ministries that may hinder me from serving my family first.

I WILL forgive others who have hurt me and restore the relationship of those that I have offended.

As Christ has poured out His life for me, I WILL seek to pour out my life for Christ as I pour into the lives of my husband and children.

A woman who fears the LORD shall be praised.  

Proverbs 31:30

Let's take the stand together,

I am linked up with

Her Children Rise Up and Call Her Stressed

Those were not the words that I longed to hear from my children a few weeks ago, yet, based on how I acted, it certainly was a possibility!

Stressed was an understatement.  HI hollered at my kids.  Not only did I yell at them but I also slammed the kitchen cupboard doors and drawers as I went about my business of purging and packing the home.  I was angry and I wanted to pull my hair out.  I exploded.

The enemy, knowing full well of my past, got a foothold of me that morning.

The Lord convicted my heart.  Daughter, your actions are not of Me.  They are of your flesh and not My Spirit.

I know Lord.  Forgive me. 

“Boys, will you forgive Mommy?  I am sorry for yelling and screaming at you.”

“I was being nasty and Jesus does not want me to act this way.  He wants me to trust in Him even in the midst of moving again.”

“This is the path that He has us on and He knows we can go through this.”

“He does not want us to rely on our own strengths but instead, rely on Him”

“I am sorry for treating you bad, will you forgive me?”

“It’s okay Mommy, I forgive you”, said my gentle and sensitive Noah.

“I forgive you Mommy.  Will you forgive me too for not doing what you asked and not helping you?”  My strong-willed, Seth replied.

My heart melted.

They are learning.

I am learning.

My action of rage was not what a God-fearing, Christian woman should be displaying towards her children (or anyone else for that matter).

I still have much to overcome based on my past.

(Deep sign) Oh, my past...A home filled with rage.  A home where I walked on eggshells.  A home where I was afraid to have a messy room because of the repercussions.  I was frightened by one of my parents and tried to avoid them at all costs.  Belts were used in anger.  Plastic baseball bats were used as the parent sat lying in wait to use on young children.  With a boiling temper, books and glass figurines were thrown at us.  Of course we were blamed for all of the problems.

Note: I have since forgiven my parents for their actions. They did not have the biblical understanding nor the God-fearing wisdom needed when they raised me.  They did the best they could and I am thankful for their sacrifice. 

However, just because of what I experienced as a child, that does not give me license to sin towards my children when I parent them.  (Although I am sure Oprah would enjoy me sitting on her couch letting the world know how I was wronged as a kid like the rest of the world!)  Sometimes we need to learn to let go of our past and take responsibility for our own actions and selfish behaviors and stop blaming our upbringing.  Yes, my upbringing certainly made an impact on me but the Word of God is very clear…

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

God, the ‘Great I Am’ has made a bigger impact on my life than the impact that my parents made on me.

It is who I am in Christ that defines me.  Not my upbringing.

I have become new and I needed to learn to change my old ways.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13, 14

I wanted to parent my children in a way that was pleasing to the Lord.  I made changes and learned some patience and self-control (and I am still learning it!)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”  Galatians 5:22, 23

I don’t want my boys to remember this time in our lives as a difficult time where their mother was relying more on herself rather than resting in Christ.

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”  Isaiah 40:30, 31

I don’t need to be angry, Anxious and Overwhelmed on this journey, I just need to keep my eyes on the Lord and do my best to remain in Him; in His Spirit… not my flesh.

 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

When I am in the flesh… is when I become stressed.

When I take on too much… then I become stressed.

When I take on other roles… then I become stressed.

When things are outside of my control, (and I want to control it)… then I become stressed.

Even if I feel like I'm in a pressure cooker and I am about to explode... I need to learn to be still.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah  Psalm 46:10, 11 

I do not want to be yelling at my children while I’m telling them that Jesus loves them!  That doesn’t work, it gives them mixed messages.

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”  Galatians 5:16, 17

In His presence there is no stress… only His strength.  

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  Psalm 46:1

That is where I want to be all the time so one day I will hear, 

“Her children rise up and called her blessed.”  Proverbs 31:28

Here's some tips to remove the stress in your life:

• Be in God's Word.  Be in God's Word. Be in God's Word.


• Be in prayer.


• Worship the Lord.


• Be in fellowship.


• Don't take on too many responsibilities.  Keep life simple.


• Eat chocolate! (smile.)

Yes, our children will emulate us…the good and the bad.  Will they become stressed too?

As parents, our main job is to take our children to THE PERFECT PARENT, God Himself.  But we can’t do that if we don’t go to the Lord ourselves.