(thought I would share a recent article I wrote for my new Hub Pages account)

What thoughts pop into your mind when you hear the word, “debt”?

• Do you sigh heavily and Praise God debt doesn’t affect you?
•  Are you working on it….working toward paying off your debt and have an emergency fund “just in case”?
• or…. Do you find beads of sweat developing on your forehead as you battle feelings of sheer panic?

Debt…it touches each and every one of us…in one way or another…whether in our personal lives or in the lives of someone we love…and as a people who love God, it is imperative we look to His Word to find out what His thoughts are about debt.

There are many different philosophies out there when it comes to Bible teachings on debt. Some Christian financial teachers believe that any and all debt is evil and should be avoided at all cost…Some believe that God has no opinion on debt—if you are able to meet your expenses then debt is ok—it is simply a “means to an end” and yet, others believe debt is acceptable for large purchase (eg: your home or your car) but not for day to day purchases.

What should be our attitude toward debt as Christians?

 While there are many verses in the Old Testament and the New Testament regarding debt, one of the most important ones is found in Romans 13:8. There we read, “Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another.” NIV. According to this passage, the only debt God’s people should have is the debt of “love”; or as the NKJV translates it, “owe no one anything except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”We are to owe nothing to others…except love…and by loving others we are fulfilling the law of God!

 But is this realistic in this day and age? Is it possible in 2009 to be debt free? I say, YES! It is absolutely possible! I truly believe that when God calls us, He equips us. He will give us the tools, the strength and the ability to live debt free. Will it be easy? Not necessarily. However, easy or not, God calls us to live our lives free from financial debt.

In His Word the only debt we are to have is love. In fact, Love is the greatest commandment Jesus gave to us. In the book of Matthew, Jesus is quoted as saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is this, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Imagine with me for a moment…how could you express love to your Lord and to your neighbor if the only debt you carried was the debt of love?How would your life look different? In what ways would you be able to pay “the debt of love” you carry? Exciting isn’t it? The possibilities are endless..Feeding the poor, helping out that widow next door, erasing your Church’s building fund, or one of our personal favorites—while at your next meal in your favorite restaurant, surprising your favorite waitress with a cool $100 tip!

Are you excited yet unsure of if you can even get a handle on your finances? If God has called you to being debt free or to simply better manage your resources…HE will provide you with whatever it is you need to kive Him through obeying Him! Although there are multitudes of resources written on debt management and financial freedom, only a handful is from a Biblical perspective. One of the most thorough we have found is The Complete and practical guide to Christian financial freedom. The beauty of this program is that it not only teaches you how to get out of debt, it also teaches you ways to increase your income. What a blessing—debt free and increase your income…it is a match made in heaven! I encourage you to check it out!

Two years ago, I wrote this for my sweet Amanda who turned 16…and today, we celebrated her 18th birthday! I have been in awe of God’s working in her life over the past 18 years, but especially the past 2. She is a delight and joy to be around! I look forward to our relationship as sisters in Christ growing more deeply over the years…but now a look back

Sweet 16

 Today is a very special day in our family! Our little “munchie” is 16 today…and with the chronological changes, comes emotional changes, relationship changes and especially life style changes!

 As I reflect back on the past 16 years, I am in awe of God’s mercy in my life, that is being reflected in Amanda’s life. Manuel and I were not Believers during the first several years of our marriage, nor during Amanda’s first 5 years of life. Although we loved her greatly, we were still very selfish people. When Amanda was 5 years old, Manuel and I hit rock bottom. So much so, that I asked him to leave. It was a very difficult time in our lives, one that still brings tears as I remember those days…as Manuel was leaving, Amanda went outside crying, and asked him, “Daddy, will we ever get to see you again? Can I come visit you like I visit our old dog?”

Those simple words from the mouth of an innocent child…brought Manuel to his knees—seeking restoration for our marriage. By the grace of God, within a month, we were led to a local contemporary Church that ministered greatly to our needs…We received love, when we were unlovable, grace when we were ungraceful, and mercy when we didn’t deserve mercy.  Praise His Holy Name! As a family we have enjoyed a “wild ride” with God ever since…He has moved mightily in our lives, given us love, grace, mercy and forgiveness and brought restoration of our marriage relationship as well as the relationship we have with Amanda and Jackson.

Joel 2:25 tells us that God will restore the years the locust have stolen and my family is living proof! He has fully and amazingly restored the years that were stolen from my early marriage and daughter’s younger years…and I praise Him for His grace and mercy!

 I have a very special surprise planned for Amanda! As a teen and young adult, my dream was to have a Lane Cedar Chest. I had a small box (chest) that had been built by my great grandfather. Although it was special, I dreamed of owning a beautiful cedar chest.
After Jackson was born (almost 13 years ago) Manuel asked me what did I want more than anything else….my heart immediately went to the coveted Cedar Chest….I shared with Manuel my deepest desires from my youth—and he surprised me with a gorgeous Lane Cedar Chest!! With great anticipation, I am presenting Amanda with the Cedar Chest! It is my prayer that Amanda will cherish the Cedar Chest as I have and will begin to set aside her own treasures, for her home and family to come!

~~~and Amanda was/is thrilled with the cedar chest! She has a variety of  items stashed away for her future.

May God bless you, Amanda, as you look toward the future..

Life is crazy, and if you have missed keeping in step with me, please take a minute to “friend” me on Facebook. I have been keeping my Facebook page fairly up to date with prayer needs and random thoughts....

Recently, I was asked to review “Fiesta of Freebies 2nd edition” for the Old School House Magazine….this is an amazing resource. I encourage you to read the review and check out the free sample on the “Fiesta” website.

WOW  is the only word to describe “Fiesta of Freebies 2^nd edition”.  This amazing E-book is chock filled with fun filled activities for all ages!  Do you need to supplement the “3 R’s”? Wanting suggestions for celebrating Holidays? Are you curious about lap books and unit studies? Whether you teach preschool or highschool “Fiesta of Freebies” 2nd edition is for YOU!  “Fiesta of Freebies” is topically organized which makes it extremely user friendly for the busy homeschool Mom. Here is a sampling of some of the free resources  available in “Fiesta of Freebies”:  Free lesson plan sites; Bible study resources; Educational software, maps; Literature and Unit study guides; Holidays; Home management sites; Games; Lap books and MUCH MORE! With this E-book, you will find a wide variety of online resources to supplement your current curriculum and online studies that can become your curriculum, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars.  I highly recommend this E-book for its flexibility and wide assortment of resources. “Fiesta of Freebies” is guaranteed to be a success in your homeschool!

Received this today from Insight for Living…thought it might bless you–it did me

Someday
by Charles R. Swindoll

Philippians 4:11-13

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, things are going to be a lot different. The garage won’t be full of bikes, electric train tracks on plywood, sawhorses surrounded by chunks of two-by-fours, nails, a hammer and saw, unfinished “experimental projects,” and the rabbit cage. I’ll be able to park both cars neatly in just the right places, and never again stumble over skateboards, a pile of papers (saved for the school fund drive), or the bag of rabbit food—now split and spilled. Ugh!

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, the kitchen will be incredibly neat. The sink will be free of sticky dishes, the garbage disposal won’t get choked on rubber bands or paper cups, the refrigerator won’t be clogged with nine bottles of milk, and we won’t lose the tops to jelly jars, catsup bottles, the peanut butter, the margarine, or the mustard. The water jar won’t be put back empty, the ice trays won’t be left out overnight, the blender won’t stand for six hours coated with the remains of a midnight malt, and the honey will stay inside the container.

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, my lovely wife will actually have time to get dressed leisurely. A long, hot bath (without three panic interruptions), time to do her nails (even toenails if she pleases!) without answering a dozen questions and reviewing spelling words, having had her hair done that afternoon without trying to squeeze it in between racing a sick dog to the vet and a trip to the orthodontist with a kid in a bad mood because she lost her headgear.

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, the instrument called a “telephone” will actually be available. It won’t look like it’s growing from a teenager’s ear. It will simply hang there . . . silently and amazingly available! It will be free of lipstick, human saliva, mayonnaise, corn chip crumbs, and toothpicks stuck in those little holes.

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, I’ll be able to see through the car windows. Fingerprints, tongue licks, sneaker footprints, and dog tracks (nobody knows how) will be conspicuous by their absence. The back seat won’t be a disaster area, we won’t sit on jacks or crayons anymore, the tank will not always be somewhere between empty and fumes, and (glory to God!) I won’t have to clean up dog messes another time.

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, we will return to normal conversations. You know, just plain American talk. “Gross” won’t punctuate every sentence seven times. “Yuk!” will not be heard. “Hurry up, I gotta go!” will not accompany the banging of fists on the bathroom door. “It’s my turn” won’t call for a referee. And a magazine article will be read in full without interruption, then discussed at length without mom and dad having to hide in the attic to finish the conversation.

SOMEDAY WHEN THE KIDS ARE GROWN, we won’t run out of toilet tissue. My wife won’t lose her keys. We won’t forget to shut the refrigerator door. I won’t have to dream up new ways of diverting attention from the gumball machine . . . or have to answer “Daddy, is it a sin that you’re driving forty-seven in a thirty-mile-per-hour zone?” . . . or promise to kiss the rabbit goodnight . . . or wait up forever until they get home from dates . . . or have to take a number to get a word in at the supper table . . . or endure the pious pounding of one Keith Green just below the level of acute pain.

Yes, someday when the kids are grown, things are going to be a lot different. One by one they’ll leave our nest, and the place will begin to resemble order and maybe even a touch of elegance. The clink of china and silver will be heard on occasion. The crackling of the fireplace will echo through the hallway. The phone will be strangely silent. The house will be quiet . . . and calm . . . and always clean . . . and empty . . . and filled with memories . . . and lonely . . . and we won’t like that at all. And we’ll spend our time not looking forward to Someday but looking back to Yesterday. And thinking, “Maybe we can babysit the grandkids and get some life back in this place for a change!”

Could it be that the apostle Paul had some of this in mind when he wrote:

I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. (Philippians 4:11)

Maybe so. But then again, chances are good Paul never had to clean up many dog messes.

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Amanda and I True Woman 08

Happy Mother’s Day to all my lovely  readers…May this be a blessing to you today!

 

Father, I thank You that You created me to be a mother. I thank You that it is as a mother that I will fulfill the destiny that You have chosen for me before the foundation of the world. I embrace the mother heart You have given me. I give myself to this great calling.

 

Father, I thank You that You haven’t left me to cope on my own. I am so thankful that in the heart of God there is a well of motherhood that never runs dry. I draw from this inexhaustible well today. I thank You that motherhood comes from Your heart. I know that this is the anointing that You have chosen for me to walk in. Father, fill me again today with the anointing that You have chosen for me to walk in. I want to walk in the fullness and power of motherhood that you have ordained. Fill me with Your wisdom. Fill me with Your gentleness. Fill me with your longsuffering and patience. May Your love, nurture and nourishment flow from me to my family today.

Father, I don’t want to be a miserly mother. Make me a great mother. Enlarge my heart and my capacity to mother. Open my eyes to continually see the needs of others. Help me to forget my own selfishness and to continually serve in self sacrificing love. Let me truly be a revelation of Your mother heart to my family and to those around me.

In Jesus Name.
Amen

Previously I talked about the importance of prioritizing our husbands…especially in OUR prayer lives.

We can easily accomplish this by asking our husbands 3 simple questions:

How can I pray for your day today?

What can I do to help you be successful today?  (We pray for our ability to work as an effective team member with our husbands)

What can I do to make our home a refuge for you after a long day at work?
(We pray for our home to be a refuge)

 While these effective questions will give you 3 “right now” areas to minister to your husband, there are also ways to significantly pray for him that you can incorporate into your weekly (or daily!) prayer life.

For me, I have found praying scripture for Manuel has been a special blessing—for him and for me.
C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “Do you see that the Lord’s promises have many fulfillments? They are waiting now to pour their treasures into the lap of those who pray. God is willing to repeat the biographies of His saints in us. He is waiting to be gracious and to load with His benefits (Psalm 68:19 KJV). Does this not lift prayer up to a high level?” (Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare)

So—praying wives—what Scriptures can you pray for your husband?

Here is a sampling of verses I pray for Manuel—

I would LOVE to hear what Bible verses you pray for your husbands. Please take a moment to leave a comment (this is a moderated blog, but all comments will be approved, except spam)

–be able to teach, temperate, manage household well, good manager of children and household (I Timothy 3:1-10; 12-13)

–Flee immortality (1 Corinthians 6:18)

–Lover of good; Upright, and hold fast to that which is good (Titus 1:6-9)

–Keep him from stumbling (Jude 24)

–Fill him with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that he may walk in a manner worthy of You, to please You in all respects bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in knowledge of You (Colossians 1:9-12)

Have you ever considered that YOU are on an assignment from God? If you chose to accept this assignment, you will be undertaking an assignment of the utmost importance—an assignment of stellar significance and great worth.

Your assignment?

Titus 2:4 “older women are to instruct the younger women to love their husbands”

 Take a moment and think back with me. Can you remember the day you first met your husband? Can you recall the place/time? Do you possibly remember what you were wearing? What he was doing or even wearing?  If you are like most women, you can easily recall the moment you first laid eyes on your man….You can recall the day, event, location and even possibly the clothes :-) In fact, you can probably even remember the flip flop your heart did!! You can remember your initial “WOW” followed by a sudden appearance of shyness and even awkwardness!
Can you also recall the first few dates as you began to spend time with your future husband? Recall the thrill you felt when he called? Recall the special care you took to get dressed for a date? Do you remember how eager you were to listen to his stories, and to spend time with him doing anything—just as long as you were together?

Ok, all together now…take a big sigh of relief!  Although this has been a great exercise in remembering the early thrill of being together, this is not necessarily the love talked about in Titus 2:4.

What does love mean? In this passage, the original language expands on what loving our husband is to look like. The word translated love expresses the idea of being fond of or affectionate to. One of the root words for love has the idea of being content with and having common interests!

Does that describe your relationship with your husband? Are you fond of him? Do you show affection to him? Are you content with him and not seeking to change him? Do you have common interests?

Today, I can answer Yes to each of these questions…but it wasn’t so long ago that I would not have been able to do so. Let’s take a minute and look at each question individually.

Are you fond of your husband?

In the 1828 dictionary, fond is defined as foolishly tender and loving; doting; much pleased.

Are you fond of your husband? Are you “foolishly” tender and loving toward him? Are you much pleased with him?

In my relationship with Manuel, I find that to be “foolishly” tender and loving, I must make a deliberate decision to be attentive to him, and especially to “touch him”. Early in our Christian experience, we did a marriage enrichment class that studied the “Five Love Languages” by Gary Smalley. If you are not familiar with this book, I highly recommend it! Interestingly, Manuel’s main love language is touch. This was very difficult for me, as I am the polar opposite—I don’t like to be touched, hugged, etc. However, I learned in our class, that if I wanted my husband to “feel loved” and respected, it was vital that I speak his (love) language. Although it took much practice and prayer, today, I enjoy holding hands with Manuel at home and in public, enjoy hugging him and even appreciate when he puts his arm around my shoulders when we are out.

 Do you show affection to him?

As I shared above, showing affection was something I had to work at in my relationship with my husband. Not all men are like to be “touched” in public, but most will enjoy it in privacy of your own home. I encourage you to take time to ask your husband what shows affection to him. In my previous post, “I shared about how God opened my eyes to the truth that I am called to submit to my husband and not what another man (husband) requires. This principle applies to submission and to affection.

Seek your own husband’s input and if you have not read The Five Love Languages, I greatly encourage you to!

 Are you content with him?

Uh-oh! Contentment is most definitely not a favorite word for many of us. But it is included in how we love our husbands! Oh dear sister, are you content with your husband? Are you grateful for him? Are you pleased with him?

As I learned to love my husband according to God’s way, I found that to be truly content with my man I had to make a conscious decision to be thankful and grateful to God for him. Yes, he still does things that make me crazy, and no, he is not perfect. But I am so grateful for him and pleased to call him mine!
 Carole Lombard, once said while married to Clark Gable; “Clark Gable is no Clark Gable at our house!” and ladies our husbands will not always be “Clark Gable”, but we can still be content with them and grateful to God for the man He has blessed us with.

Do you have common interests? 

For years, I did not feel this was truly important, but the longer I am married, the more I see it as vital to our relationship with our husbands. You see, dear one, in just a few short years (believe it or not!) your children will be grown and possibly out of your home. One day, you will wake up and realize that the only one that is present to share the joys and sorrows of each day is the man you have married. It has broken my heart to see so many homeschool marriages fall apart after the children have grown. Many homeschool moms have placed their children and homeschooling above their husbands and marital relationships. Oh, this must not be. Our children are a tremendous gift from God to us…but our husband is a greater gift. Through our marital bonds, we have become one with our husbands, not our children. Yes, we must love our children and train them up in the ways of the Lord….but we must prioritize our relationship with our husband. As we make our marital relationship a priority, we must seek out common interests. What does your husband enjoy? Go along and do that activity with him. For us, my husband loves to fish…and I have learned to love to fish the past several years. He also greatly enjoys music (playing guitar and learning to play the piano; Christian concerts; listening to music)

And I have chosen to enjoy his musical lifestyle alongside him. Over the years, I have found that not everything he enjoys I share. For instance, Manuel also loves to roller-skate, and if you have ever seen me on skates…you will know recognize that this is not a passion of mine (I tend to like my bones unbroken!) and that is ok…Prioritizing and loving our husbands does not mean we are with them 24/7 and that everything they do, we must also do. It does however, mean that we must actively seek spending time with them—and enjoy them!

 As homeschooling Moms, it can be difficult to set aside this type of time to spend with your husbands. However, it is something we must chose to prioritize! IF it means, our children must drop one activity from their overcrowded schedules, or if it means, we must buy a loaf of bread at the store, then so be it. Relationship building takes time and we must invest this time to fulfill our assignment from God.

In his book, A Minute of Margin, Dr. Richard Swenson, states, “Relationships do not just happen. If you go out into a garden and simply throw seeds on the top of the ground—no tilling, no planting of the seeds, no weeding, no watering, no fertilizing, no nurturing—then you will not have a crop to harvest. Relationships are just like a garden. They require nurturing if they are to grow, and this means the investment of time and energy.”

Begin to invest yourself now…nurture your marriage and husband..and see the beautiful relationship God will grow!

I remember it like it was yesterday…but actually it was 5 years ago….

 It was a gray, breezy, cold day in October. Manuel and the kids were out raking leaves in our 1.7 acre wooded lot. I was in my kitchen; wearing my favorite apron (a Mother’s Day gift from a couple years before—it featured multiple hand prints of my children). The smell of freshly ground whole wheat bread baking in the oven wafted through the air. Oh yes, I will never forget that day. You see, it was the day that my darling husband broke my heart!

What on earth did he do that day that broke my heart? It’s funny  NOW to look back upon it and remember my hurt, my reaction and yes even my anger. But,you see, I had been conditioned. Like many of you, I had read all the books, and internet websites and blogs that told me exactly what I needed to do, to be a good helpmeet to my husband. I knew that baking fresh made bread was one of the most important things a Godly wife and mother did for her family.

 My darling husband, well you see, he didn’t read the same books I had, and he hadn’t read the same blogs I had…no, he actually had a whole different perspective!

Long drawn out sigh—But alas, onto my story

 Here I stand, basking in the glory of being a domestic goddess. The aroma from the bread was heavenly, the whisper mill was washed, and I was much like a Cheshire cat—mighty pleased with myself I was! Into my kitchen domain walks my darling Manuel. “Honey” he says, in a sweet, yet slightly frustrated voice, ‘Do you think you could come outside and help us rake these leaves. There is a supposed to be a storm tonight and I really want them raked and burned before the rain” “But sweet heart” I protested, “Did you notice this amazing “made from scratch” bread I have prepared you. I plan to fix you a nice sandwich with fresh baked bread now.” Then came the words, that cut me to the quick, “But honey, I really need you outside with me. I love your bread I really do, but if you could help me, I would gladly go to the store and buy you a couple loaves of bread”.

BUY bread….sputter, sputter…why that is akin to blasphemy!

 Oh, dear sisters, I graciously (well almost!) submitted to my husband and joined him in the yard to rake leaves. As I raked, I cried out to God to understand why my bread was so horrible, that Manuel would prefer to buy bread…I begged God to turn Manuel’s heart so I could return to the kitchen and be an ‘obedient” wife..

 It was during this time of mumblings to God, that He spoke and He spoke so loudly in my spirit, that it literally woke me out of my stupor. “Deanne” I heard the Lord say, “Where in my Word do you see the commandment to bake fresh bread for Manuel?” “uh—Lord, its all over it! Why else would I do it?” “Deanne, what verses? It was then I realized I needed to do some serious “word searching”.

 As I began to prayerfully seek His word, God lead me to 3 very important verses… Ephesians 5:22 Wives submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 1 Peter 3:1 likewise, wives be submissive to your own husbands… Colossians 3:18 Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord Submit as to your OWN husband!

Oh dear sisters, I fell on my face in repentance! You see, I had read all these things of what a Godly woman should do, but I never considered asking Manuel what HIS priorities were! Please don’t think that I believe bread baking to be wrong. I don’t! I still bake bread on occasion, and Manuel enjoys my bread. Oh but dear sister, I had to learn to submit to my OWN husband. I had to take time to ask him what was important to him. It was my place as his “help meet” to find out what mattered to him and what he needed from me. In this situation, fresh baked bread was not a priority to him and I had taken the words of other women and made them the standard for Godly womanhood in my home. God tells us in His word that He calls us to submit to our OWN husbands.

So what does this look like?

First, we must prioritize our relationship with our husbands. There have been times that Manuel has asked me to go fishing with him…and I honestly did not want to or did not feel I had the time to go with him, but I graciously submitted. Why? Because he is my #1 earthly priority. Each one of us must make God our first priority in all things (Matthew 6:33) but immediately after God is our husbands.

Second, we must communicate with our husbands. We must ask them what their priorities are for us.

Many years ago, I began the simple exercise of asking Manuel daily 3 questions:

 How can I pray for your day today?

 What can I do to help you be successful today?

 What can I do to make our home a refuge for you after a long day at work?

By simply LISTENING to our husbands, we will be empowered to become prayer warriors for them and will create a home that they will eagerly desire to come home to.

 Third, we must seek God for strength to accept our husband’s responses to the above questions and to implement these things in our home. Beloved, some days, the words are husbands give to us may batter our pride, they may stretch us in our management abilities and they may even create anxiety in us, as they share struggles on the work front. Ah, but we must remember that we are not alone. God has gifted us to be the PERFECT help meet to OUR OWN husbands and He will strengthen us and enable us to meet their needs.

Love Deanne

Where are you today ladies?

 Do you look across the table at the man you married with adoring eyes? Or with distrust? Discouragement? Or even wonder “Who is this man?”

Being a part of the “homeschool movement” for the past several years, I have met women who have had all of the responses (and yes at times, I have even had each of these response over the course of 20 years of marriage!)

My heart has been broken as I see veteran homeschool moms graduate their children, and are left with not only an empty nest, but also an empty marriage. Many women finish their child raising years, only to look across the dining room table at their husbands and do not know them; or even worse, they don’t love them or even like them!!

Today, I would like to begin sharing some insights the Lord has graciously blessed me with in the realm of having a Godly marriage. My plan is to discuss different areas the Lord has taught me in several posts to make it more meaningful. However, to begin, I would like to share our story: Manuel and I met in 1988, we were not Christians at the time, and neither of us had been raised in a Christ honoring home. We married within a year and to be honest, I “wore the pants” in our family. I am a first born, very driven, a “natural born” leader and at the time was quite successful in my professional nursing career. Manuel on the other hand, was the “baby” of the family and had been raised in a very lenient home, one that allowed him great freedoms and minimal rules. Our marriage was good, we loved one another and sought to make one another happy. Through the early years of our marriage, God blessed us with 2 children. To be honest, Manuel was much happier than I was at the prospect of being parents, and was honestly, a far more loving parent than I was. However, as the stress of working, parenting and simply giving up our “FUN, Life is a party” lifestyle, we began to experience marital tensions. As we neared our 7 year of marriage, things began to be strained. It was at this point, that 2 events happened, that truly hardened my heart to my husband. After the 2nd episode of weekend partying, I simply asked Manuel to leave. I had determined that I would not raise *my* children in such an environment. Oh, how I praise God for His mercy and grace. Manuel turned back and begged a second chance, and which point, I said “yes, but we will find a Church or Pastor or something” (please remember neither of us had a Christian upbringing) We started attending a small Church where our children were in daycare. After a couple weeks, Manuel came home from work, greatly excited—he was working for a customer who had witnessed to him. This customer shared the power of Jesus in her own life, and in the Church’s small groups that she was attending. She then invited us to join her and her husband at Church. We attended the following Sunday and were simply blown away. There was such a loving, accepting atmosphere. Not in accepting our sin, but in accepting us as sinners. We felt loved and accepted. The worship music was provided by a team of musicians (contemporary) with the words projected on the wall. This simply amazed us, as at the time, Manuel played guitar and was into heavy metal music.  As  we left, the first service and walked away, we were  totally speechless…we didn’t know what had just happened, but God did!!

Manuel and I decided to check out this Church again the following week. During the worship music, I sat stunned as my husband began to weep and fled for the altar. He simply was a broken man. Oh Praise Jesus! My husband accepted Christ that day and immediately was set free from his cravings for alcohol and the party lifestyle. Oh dear sister, I was in awe of this man I married. The transformation was amazing. My personal salvation experience happened months later. For me, it was simply the attitude I had that was quite like a Pharisee: I truly believed Manuel was the one with all the problems. I was a good person, I didn’t drink, loved my family, tried to do the right things for them and others. Oh but God has a completely different view of “goodness” doesn’t He?

As I saw Manuel’s transformation, Holy Spirit began to show me that “all my good things was as filthy rags to Him”. I began to see that I truly had a wicked heart, with evil thoughts and deeds. Six months later, I was a broken woman. As I look back on my life, I truly recognize that I was much like the woman at the well (John chapter 4). Although I only had one husband, I had spent my life, “looking for love in all the wrong places”. I sought satisfaction, acceptance, love and wholeness in a variety of pursuits and it was only when the Messiah showed Himself to me, that I realized that only He could fulfill my every longing.

 But this is only part of our story! You see, I had “wore the pants” in our family for many years. The LORD had a lot to teach this stubborn woman about Godly marriage, submission and even parenting. It was through this time that I learned life changing lessons, but in the process, I also learned the hard lesson of listening to Holy Spirit and not trying to become a godly wife through fleshly efforts (Galatians 3:3) and it is bits of this journey I would like to share with you over the next couple of weeks. As I share, I would love to hear a bit of your journey and story. Please feel free to leave me comments (yes it is moderated, although I do approve everything except spam!) God Bless you sisters, as you seek to Glorify God in your marriages!!

I am really missing “blogging” on a regular basis, although plan to be more active once the convention is over…in the mean time I found this fun discussion link on Jo Jo Tabares’ blog…
Take a moment and share your favorite Scripture. I have included mine at the bottom of Jo-Jo’s thoughts.

How it works:

Each Monday I ask a thought provoking question about life.  Pose the same question to your blog readers on your own blog along with your answer to the question.  Then come back here and post a comment with a link to your blog post so we can all read everyone’s answers!  It’s been a lot of fun getting to know my readers and their readers and so on and so on…

 

This week’s question:

What is your favorite or signature scripture and why?

JoJo’s Answer:

Since studying speech communication, I have found literally hundreds of scriptures that talk about communication skills, but my signature verse has become Proverbs 25:11.

” A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

I love it because it reminds me that each word we choose to use is precious and has a particular meaning.  It reminds me that the words we use are important not only for our formal speeches or our debates but for every day sharing with others.

Deanne’s Favorite Scripture:

Psalm 119! I love the entire passage…A couple years ago I was extremely blessed by a Bible study I did with Psalm 119 and Charles Spurgeon’s Treasury of David commentary. It truly was life changing!

What is your signature or favorite scripture and why ?
Post your answers on your blog and come back here and put your link in so we can read it!  If you don’t have a blog, just post your answers here.