Today is Day 3 and we're praying for our men and their jobs. Here's the post from The Ingram Gang blog.
"We all know our husband's jobs well, so spend some time today personalizing your prayer in the way your husband needs them most. Try to take yourself out of the prayers. Don't pray for what you would be pleased to see happen, but rather things that would bring growth to your dude.
Our focus:
May his workplace be/become a place where he has freedom show his creativity and use his gifts.
That he would gain encouragement, specifically today, from his co-workers.
That he would be effective.
A thankful heart for a job that provides.
Give clarity to any callings that the Lord may be placing in his heart.
Professional growth.
Take a few extra moments to thank Jesus for giving your husband a job. For those of you who have the joy of staying at home with your kids make sure you have your heart right. Rather than comparing your life to the lives of others or wishing you had more to "show" for your life or sulking in the career you used to have, give thanks for a man who works so hard so that you can be a full-time mommy.
Let us all make a noticeable effort today to show our gratitude for our husbands when he enters the doors of his home at five or six or seven o'clock in the evening.
One of the most applicable pieces of advice I have ever heard is this:
When your husband comes home from a long day at work, you and all of your children should go to the door to greet him, showing him how thankful you are that he has come home to you. A man who comes home with no one to greet him, feels as though no one notices his presence. If his presence is not noticed, he will start to pull away. Make a conscious effort to greet your husband today. And have your children or pets or make believe friends do the same thing. It will make him feel loved. That is our goal!"
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 2-Worship
So yesterday, we prayed for our men in leadership. I love hearing from other women in what God did or showed them through their prayers for their husbands in leadership. For me, I was amazed at the submissive heart that came yesterday as I prayed for him to lead. Also, I loved the constant communication and conversation between me and God. I would focus on one part of the list for awhile before moving on to the next and it kept me constantly before His throne. Anyone else enjoy yesterday?
Today, we're praying for our men's worship. Here's the part copied and pasted from Ashley Ingram's blog.
"Worship, as you know, is a matter of the heart. So, let's begin by praying for his heart. I know what it feels like to have a heavy or burdened or uneasy heart. Don't you? Let's come together against this for our guys.
Our focus:
Take the burdens from the heart of my husband.
Replace them with freedom.
In that freedom, begin to teach my husband what it truly means to worship You in spirit and in truth.
Come and meet my husband where he is.
Allow him to find rest in his home and in his current circumstances.
Begin to lay new words and encouragement on the heart of my husband.
Develop him into a man who is capable of being in a constant spirit of worship."
Today, we're praying for our men's worship. Here's the part copied and pasted from Ashley Ingram's blog.
"Worship, as you know, is a matter of the heart. So, let's begin by praying for his heart. I know what it feels like to have a heavy or burdened or uneasy heart. Don't you? Let's come together against this for our guys.
Our focus:
Take the burdens from the heart of my husband.
Replace them with freedom.
In that freedom, begin to teach my husband what it truly means to worship You in spirit and in truth.
Come and meet my husband where he is.
Allow him to find rest in his home and in his current circumstances.
Begin to lay new words and encouragement on the heart of my husband.
Develop him into a man who is capable of being in a constant spirit of worship."
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
We're doing Take Your Man to Jesus-again :)
Several days ago, a sweet friend of mine reminded me through a tweet of hers about a prayer journey from Ashley Ingram's blog and later posted on the Leading and Loving It's blog. It was called Take Your Man to Jesus and it was a time when she felt led to pray intensively for her husband for ten days. She posted a focused prayer list each day on her blog because of the number of people interested in praying along with her for their own husbands/boyfriends/future husbands they have yet to meet. After seeing the tweet, I went back to find the posts and really felt led to start it again and asked a few friends to join me in praying for their own men. Another dear friend gave me the idea to post the journey here for anyone else that may be interested in joining us. So, here we are in the beginning. I chose to start on a Tuesday purposefully because Day 2 is praying for your man and his worship, and Wednesday night is a worship service for our ministry.
So, today is Day 1 and we are praying for our men as leaders. I'll just copy and paste the last paragraph and list from Ashley's post about it. :)
"Let's begin by praying for our husbands as leaders.
All of our men are leaders in one way or another and most of them lead in multiple areas. They are all the leaders in our relationships and homes. Many of them lead multiple people in their place of work. And whether you realize it or not, many of your husband's friends look to your husband as a leader in their friendship. For those of you who have been in leadership roles yourselves, you know the burden and pressure that can come from such roles. Recognize that your husband is a leader to many people, even in situations that you may be unaware of. Let's ask the Lord to bless them in this role, to teach them through leadership and to use them to influence others.
Our focus:
Increase his wisdom in making decisions for those he leads.
God would give him confidence as a leader.
Call him to step out in his role and calling.
Give him influence in the lives of others.
That he would view his leadership as a way to lead as the Lord has lead him.
Teach him through leading others.
A teachable spirit.
Use the next twenty-four hours to focus on your husband's roles in leadership. Take him before the Lord, specifically as a leader."
So, today is Day 1 and we are praying for our men as leaders. I'll just copy and paste the last paragraph and list from Ashley's post about it. :)
"Let's begin by praying for our husbands as leaders.
All of our men are leaders in one way or another and most of them lead in multiple areas. They are all the leaders in our relationships and homes. Many of them lead multiple people in their place of work. And whether you realize it or not, many of your husband's friends look to your husband as a leader in their friendship. For those of you who have been in leadership roles yourselves, you know the burden and pressure that can come from such roles. Recognize that your husband is a leader to many people, even in situations that you may be unaware of. Let's ask the Lord to bless them in this role, to teach them through leadership and to use them to influence others.
Our focus:
Increase his wisdom in making decisions for those he leads.
God would give him confidence as a leader.
Call him to step out in his role and calling.
Give him influence in the lives of others.
That he would view his leadership as a way to lead as the Lord has lead him.
Teach him through leading others.
A teachable spirit.
Use the next twenty-four hours to focus on your husband's roles in leadership. Take him before the Lord, specifically as a leader."
Saturday, February 12, 2011
seek Me and live
Recently, I've been heavily examining my heart and the same lesson has been whispered softly into my heart, then blown loudly into my ears, and back to softly. He knows what it takes to get my attention ;). But that lesson has been that though He did intend on my season of heavy involvement in leadership and being a role model to other young women, that season is over and what is ahead of me is a season of heavy involvement in leading the hearts of two ladies in particular and being their role model. In this transition time, I've been quite confused and when trying to do both, I've lost patience and failed repeatedly, but that reason was also given to me: I can't do both. Not right now. A few writings from Oswald Chambers have struck my heart so powerfully that I've sat in shock, been taken aback, and re-surrendered to my calling. I'm daily poured out and exhausted for the sake of others, but I assure you, it's very very rarely a willing pouring or exhaustion.
It's so like God to give me a certain verse from one book at a time to show me one thing, and then a year later, give me another verse from a different book with the same topic to show me my next step. This time last year, when trying to decide how possible a busy life would even be with a new baby on the way and toddler, God drew me to Leviticus (yes, I'm Type A and find my well springs in books like Leviticus) to verse 5:11, "If, however, they cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering."
It had just been talking about offering a lamb or bull or other large and expensive animals, but then said this. And God spoke to my heart and acknowledged that in time and service, I would, indeed, have less to offer, but that in the end, it would be the same as those that had much to offer. Then, when I began to feel uncomfortable this last month or two, He drew me to several passages and most recently to Hosea 6. (Don't you just love Hosea?) In verse 6 from the New Living Translation, it says, "I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know Me, more than I want burnt offerings." sigh...I just love Him and how He knows just what to say :). I've been feeling like I've been offering up my children and their time while I serve others and not even making quality time with Him a priority and there, just as simple as that, He gives me my answer. There's nothing He doesn't know the answer to, and that, for this know it all girl, is such a refreshing and relieving thing. What can you take to Him? Through His word, you'll always always find what you're looking for. Amos 5:4 says, "This is what the Lord says to Israel, 'Seek me and live'" Live. Not drown. Not go crazy. Not hide in your room hoping when you come back out, things will magically be easier to deal with. Live.
It's so like God to give me a certain verse from one book at a time to show me one thing, and then a year later, give me another verse from a different book with the same topic to show me my next step. This time last year, when trying to decide how possible a busy life would even be with a new baby on the way and toddler, God drew me to Leviticus (yes, I'm Type A and find my well springs in books like Leviticus) to verse 5:11, "If, however, they cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering."
It had just been talking about offering a lamb or bull or other large and expensive animals, but then said this. And God spoke to my heart and acknowledged that in time and service, I would, indeed, have less to offer, but that in the end, it would be the same as those that had much to offer. Then, when I began to feel uncomfortable this last month or two, He drew me to several passages and most recently to Hosea 6. (Don't you just love Hosea?) In verse 6 from the New Living Translation, it says, "I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know Me, more than I want burnt offerings." sigh...I just love Him and how He knows just what to say :). I've been feeling like I've been offering up my children and their time while I serve others and not even making quality time with Him a priority and there, just as simple as that, He gives me my answer. There's nothing He doesn't know the answer to, and that, for this know it all girl, is such a refreshing and relieving thing. What can you take to Him? Through His word, you'll always always find what you're looking for. Amos 5:4 says, "This is what the Lord says to Israel, 'Seek me and live'" Live. Not drown. Not go crazy. Not hide in your room hoping when you come back out, things will magically be easier to deal with. Live.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Learning lessons through sickness
The last week at my house has been...crazy. The stomach bug took over, first with London, then Story, and lastly, Lance. Luckily, (or unfortunately, however I choose to look at it at the moment ;)) I didn't catch it. (I have an overactive immune system it seems..) So, I was nurse. The problem with London getting it first meant that she was down and calm and sick for several days, and then, all that energy seemed to burst out when she got better. This meant that as a tiny, pitiful 4.5 month old got very very sick, the not quite 2 year old was bouncing off walls and acting out in every way possible to get some attention back on herself (don't really blame her.) Then, Lance got sick. Honestly, two and a half days of Lance home with no meetings, work, or practice for either one of us? Sick or not, I'll take it!
So today, he was better, but the virus still clinging a tiny bit, so he stayed home to save innocent bystanders from germs. By 4 pm, he sat down in the recliner and announced he was exhausted. I remember his words perfectly, "Your job is exhausting! I have this overwhelming urge to just SIT!" :) precisely, my dear. and there were two of us and two of them. We were playing man to man! I usually play zone defense with him gone. Not that I don't love my children or being a (kind of) stay at home mom; I do, but seeing him collapse by 4 pm with a full evening ahead of us made me fully realize where my own difficulties lay.
By the time the house is picked up, dinner is served and cleaned up, the kids are FINALLY in bed (and asleep), I just want to fall into a pile of mush and do nothing at all productive. I fight the urge to mindlessly scroll through facebook or twitter or blogs. I don't want to think, I don't want to do homework (which, I'm behind on now that I think about it), and I definitely never WANT to pray or read my Bible. Honestly, I want to be entertained. I'm taking part in Beth Moore's LPM Siesta Scripture Memory (you can still join too!) and my latest verse was "But she who gives herself in wanton pleasure is dead, even while she lives." 1 Tim 5:6 NASB.
It's so easy to get caught up in entertainment. A show, a website, a phone. You sit down because you're exhausted, mentally or physically (or both!) and before you know it, you're going to bed just as empty and exhausted as when you sat down. Through this week, I've learned a little more on that lesson I've been trying to learn: I can sit down and do nothing but be slightly (and if we're talking about facebook, even less than slightly) entertained and then go to bed with zero spiritual fruits and a bad attitude, then wake up in the exact same state. OR, I could sit down to talk with my creator. The One that knows me in and out and knows how far I've been pushed that day. I can listen as He whispers to me and reminds me of His promises for me and my marriage and my children. I can readjust my mind and heart, and then go to bed with so much love in me for Him and Lance and the girls that it's spilling over and I can't wait until tomorrow instead of dreading it. Remember the proverbs 31 woman? "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future." Proverbs 31:25
I want so badly to smile toward the future, knowing that I will handle it with strength and dignity with Him as my strength. I don't want to think tomorrow will be crazy because of sickness or meetings or Lance gone a lot and dread it. I don't want to think, "they'll be 15 and 16 on day and may be fighting every second." I want to look forward to watching them blossom into beautiful women of God, raised knowing the love of the One that made them beautiful. Don't you?
So today, he was better, but the virus still clinging a tiny bit, so he stayed home to save innocent bystanders from germs. By 4 pm, he sat down in the recliner and announced he was exhausted. I remember his words perfectly, "Your job is exhausting! I have this overwhelming urge to just SIT!" :) precisely, my dear. and there were two of us and two of them. We were playing man to man! I usually play zone defense with him gone. Not that I don't love my children or being a (kind of) stay at home mom; I do, but seeing him collapse by 4 pm with a full evening ahead of us made me fully realize where my own difficulties lay.
By the time the house is picked up, dinner is served and cleaned up, the kids are FINALLY in bed (and asleep), I just want to fall into a pile of mush and do nothing at all productive. I fight the urge to mindlessly scroll through facebook or twitter or blogs. I don't want to think, I don't want to do homework (which, I'm behind on now that I think about it), and I definitely never WANT to pray or read my Bible. Honestly, I want to be entertained. I'm taking part in Beth Moore's LPM Siesta Scripture Memory (you can still join too!) and my latest verse was "But she who gives herself in wanton pleasure is dead, even while she lives." 1 Tim 5:6 NASB.
It's so easy to get caught up in entertainment. A show, a website, a phone. You sit down because you're exhausted, mentally or physically (or both!) and before you know it, you're going to bed just as empty and exhausted as when you sat down. Through this week, I've learned a little more on that lesson I've been trying to learn: I can sit down and do nothing but be slightly (and if we're talking about facebook, even less than slightly) entertained and then go to bed with zero spiritual fruits and a bad attitude, then wake up in the exact same state. OR, I could sit down to talk with my creator. The One that knows me in and out and knows how far I've been pushed that day. I can listen as He whispers to me and reminds me of His promises for me and my marriage and my children. I can readjust my mind and heart, and then go to bed with so much love in me for Him and Lance and the girls that it's spilling over and I can't wait until tomorrow instead of dreading it. Remember the proverbs 31 woman? "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future." Proverbs 31:25
I want so badly to smile toward the future, knowing that I will handle it with strength and dignity with Him as my strength. I don't want to think tomorrow will be crazy because of sickness or meetings or Lance gone a lot and dread it. I don't want to think, "they'll be 15 and 16 on day and may be fighting every second." I want to look forward to watching them blossom into beautiful women of God, raised knowing the love of the One that made them beautiful. Don't you?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Materialism
So, today's thoughts come (in a round about way) from a veggie tales show. I'm not usually a fan of veggie tales...great message for my toddler, but it's way more annoying than I remember it being. The one that was on in the background today was called Madame Blueberry. She was blue because she saw all the stuff everyone else had and thought she'd be happy if she had all the things they did. This got me thinking about materialism. I think I've always mentally tuned out sermons or books or whatever about materialism. After all...I'm responsible with my money. right? Something that is on sale for $20, even if 99% off, is still, in my opinion, several meals for my family or a date night for me and Lance.
Then I began thinking about the possibilities if EVERYTHING you could buy was less than a dollar. What if a new car was $.50 (random, but when did society do away with the cents sign? when things were no longer costing cents only?) What about all the guitars? A house? Cute new boots? What about things for my kids? oh man....a HUGE swingset? A beautiful wooden painted playhouse outside? When I think of it like that, I cringe at the possibilities. Even if I bought one for myself, and 20 for less fortunate people, where does that leave me? I don't know when I began seperating materialism from money responsibility, but it was obviously a mistake. I don't know that London even enjoyed that particular epidsode, haha, but I sat in tears convicted of my heart. Don't even get me started on Sweet Pea Beauty episode....I bawled like a baby about the King seeing us as beautiful, but that's another day. Now, I have to get back to "blessing" my house and, unfortunately, I'm to the laundry pile part of that blessing. sigh... :)
another verse to add to the fridge now...lol
My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
Psalm 57:7
Then I began thinking about the possibilities if EVERYTHING you could buy was less than a dollar. What if a new car was $.50 (random, but when did society do away with the cents sign? when things were no longer costing cents only?) What about all the guitars? A house? Cute new boots? What about things for my kids? oh man....a HUGE swingset? A beautiful wooden painted playhouse outside? When I think of it like that, I cringe at the possibilities. Even if I bought one for myself, and 20 for less fortunate people, where does that leave me? I don't know when I began seperating materialism from money responsibility, but it was obviously a mistake. I don't know that London even enjoyed that particular epidsode, haha, but I sat in tears convicted of my heart. Don't even get me started on Sweet Pea Beauty episode....I bawled like a baby about the King seeing us as beautiful, but that's another day. Now, I have to get back to "blessing" my house and, unfortunately, I'm to the laundry pile part of that blessing. sigh... :)
another verse to add to the fridge now...lol
My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
Psalm 57:7
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Smudges on the window
Happy New Year! :) Today was such a crazy crazy day. It was the last Sunday we are at Central's main campus, since the Journey Campus launches next Sunday! Eeeee! I was so excited about today, plus, I was going to put London in an adorable dress she still hasn't been able to wear that I bought on clearance LAST January for this winter. Alas, after an alarm clock fail, making it to church alone with two sleepy girls just wasn't a possibility. So I thought, ahh, thank you technology! I'll live stream our service! No dice. After Story was finally quiet enough for me to hear something, I sat down with a cup of coffee and my laptop, and the entire screen freezes and the stream goes out. Not to be beaten, I pull up the Passion website to live stream their Session 1 that was currently happening (www.passion2011.com). 22,000 students and leaders there, and even more than that are watching online, sooo...it wouldn't work either. The rest of the day continued in these ridiculous series of unfortunate events until I was successfully beaten to a pile of mush. Then it hit me...
It's like smudges on a window. No, follow me here. It's well established that I am, indeed, a Type A personality. I enjoy long walks around a neatly lined and organized track, knowing exactly what goes into my food, and crystal clean windows. This, to an extent, is my God-given personality and is the instrument He chooses to use for His purposes (when I'm not being all about me-ish). However, I abuse this gift and go completely Martha when I should be Mary. (Luke 10:38-42) I am getting much better (which I'm sure any frequent reader is glad of, since it tends to be the meat of my blog posts lately. I promise to be more entertaining in the next season of my life ;)) but it's my native language (the Martha thing) and even when I become fluent in Mary, if I'm not speaking and living only in Mary, Martha jumps back in quite often. In this Martha time, smudges on windows are just horrible. Not just a fingerprint, give me a break, I'm not that crazy ;). It's the smudges with milk/cereal/unknown food/etc in it that dries and is visible from no matter where you're looking from. I've found myself glancing out the window and seeing these smears all over, stopping whatever is going on, going to get some weapon to fight the dirty mess, and then going back to my day. Not once in this time did I notice what color the leaves were, or if there was a bird on my porch. I was too busy seeing the dirt.
There are days, like today, where it's almost impossible to see the beauty in my life because of all the crazy, "dirty" smudges obstructing my view. I want to battle them, one by one, all the while forgetting the reason I want it to be clean in the first place: to enjoy the life God has given to me. Martha complained to Jesus that Mary wasn't helping her, which, I'm afraid I would have been pretty annoyed too. It's martha's house, her sis has come over perhaps to "help." We know Jesus brings a HUGE crowd. She's got a lot of work, and my mother brain is still saying in the back somewhere, "so..she just...doesn't do it? then who will?." The answer? Jesus will. He broke bread and fish for the 5000, he turned water into wine. He will meet your needs. Not wants. Not weird pet peeves. Your needs. When Martha complained to Jesus about Mary, He told her no. He wouldn't tell her to stop listening and go do what she "should" have been doing. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed, only one. Mary has chosen what is better, it will not be taken from her."
What a lovely thought. Things are so temporary in this world. Smudges will be there again, as soon as she gets another cookie. The gas tank will have to be filled up again. Even your family and the people in your life and your world are temporary, but Jesus is something that will always hold steady and will never be taken from us. That, in itself, gives such hope and the first huge sigh of relief of the day. :)
It's like smudges on a window. No, follow me here. It's well established that I am, indeed, a Type A personality. I enjoy long walks around a neatly lined and organized track, knowing exactly what goes into my food, and crystal clean windows. This, to an extent, is my God-given personality and is the instrument He chooses to use for His purposes (when I'm not being all about me-ish). However, I abuse this gift and go completely Martha when I should be Mary. (Luke 10:38-42) I am getting much better (which I'm sure any frequent reader is glad of, since it tends to be the meat of my blog posts lately. I promise to be more entertaining in the next season of my life ;)) but it's my native language (the Martha thing) and even when I become fluent in Mary, if I'm not speaking and living only in Mary, Martha jumps back in quite often. In this Martha time, smudges on windows are just horrible. Not just a fingerprint, give me a break, I'm not that crazy ;). It's the smudges with milk/cereal/unknown food/etc in it that dries and is visible from no matter where you're looking from. I've found myself glancing out the window and seeing these smears all over, stopping whatever is going on, going to get some weapon to fight the dirty mess, and then going back to my day. Not once in this time did I notice what color the leaves were, or if there was a bird on my porch. I was too busy seeing the dirt.
There are days, like today, where it's almost impossible to see the beauty in my life because of all the crazy, "dirty" smudges obstructing my view. I want to battle them, one by one, all the while forgetting the reason I want it to be clean in the first place: to enjoy the life God has given to me. Martha complained to Jesus that Mary wasn't helping her, which, I'm afraid I would have been pretty annoyed too. It's martha's house, her sis has come over perhaps to "help." We know Jesus brings a HUGE crowd. She's got a lot of work, and my mother brain is still saying in the back somewhere, "so..she just...doesn't do it? then who will?." The answer? Jesus will. He broke bread and fish for the 5000, he turned water into wine. He will meet your needs. Not wants. Not weird pet peeves. Your needs. When Martha complained to Jesus about Mary, He told her no. He wouldn't tell her to stop listening and go do what she "should" have been doing. "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed, only one. Mary has chosen what is better, it will not be taken from her."
What a lovely thought. Things are so temporary in this world. Smudges will be there again, as soon as she gets another cookie. The gas tank will have to be filled up again. Even your family and the people in your life and your world are temporary, but Jesus is something that will always hold steady and will never be taken from us. That, in itself, gives such hope and the first huge sigh of relief of the day. :)
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