Loving Beyond Limits

Because we all need to love one another better...


http://www.oneplace.com/devotionals/niv-devotions-for-couples/niv-devotions-for-couples-week-of-july-4-11673115.html

Living Daily with Gratitude

When I am feeling overwhelmed with life, I think of my friend, J. She is very dear to me. We don’t get to see each other as often as we used to, and yet she encourages me nearly every day through her social media postings. She has been such an example for me to follow spiritually.  Her life exemplifies living daily with gratitude. It’s not that life is any easier for her than for you or me. We’ve shared similar experiences. The pain of divorce. The trials that come with parenting with a former spouse, remarriage and blended families, being a stepmother and having stepchildren. Difficulties in marriage and just life in general. But through it all, she remembers that her life is not her own. She has mastered the art of savoring, reveling, and appreciating every moment in life that God has given her. Do we wait for those big moments before we express our thanks for them? Or are we finding gratitude in all the little things? Even in some of the imperfect moments, if we try hard enough, we can find something to be thankful for. 

Some expressions of gratitude from my friend just in this last month…

It was a perfect day!

I just LOVE this girl!!! I am blessed to be N’s Mom :)

Almost done with school supply shopping.... For 4 kids - oh YEAH!!!

Let date night begin!

Hubby and I just duked it out over a package of fruit mentos. There are Mentos everywhere.

One giant perfect moment!!!

Thankful 'Mr. Mom' had dinner all ready when I got home from work tonight. Chicken Enchiladas from scratch! Good Job Dad!

With the crew on a cold, grey, rainy summer day after church. Perfect.

Just left the Ywam bookstore, bags loaded... Kids already reading on the way home. Let the summer reading begin! Thank you Pastor C :)

Drinking coffee, at Starbucks, with sun in our eyes. Perfect moment

Grilled Filets, baked potato, sourdough bread...

Mr. Dad aka Awesome Boat Fixer!

Soooo thankful for this church!!!

*Thankful*

Enjoying my coffee time!

It's good to be HOME!

Currently living this out day by day... it's scary and wonderful all at the same time. I'm so thankful for His hands that 'hold us'.

It's Summer!

No matter how much chaos its good to know we're in the midst of a miracle.... Amen.

This is my coffee this morning... perfection.

How can so many things go wrong and right all in a 24 hr period? Thankful anyway... God is good!

All is quiet at this moment on this beautiful, sun-shiney, mercy filled morning. Change can be difficult but when you know its what God asked of you, there's nothing better! Thank you, Lord, for a brand new day!!!

Today, I am thankful for the sunny day, steady employment for our household, the youth conference next weekend for our teens, a vehicle that sold, our comfortable home, and God's grace to give me strength daily. 

What are you thankful for today?

The Battlefield for the Hearts and Minds of our Children

I am not in this battle alone. I am trusting God. Sometimes I don’t feel that I am, but I am saying it and affirming it in my heart. I am letting God fight my battles and praying for God to triumph over this battle.

When emotions are being pulled in a direction that goes against logic and sensibility. Praying that God will pierce through the confusion and help them think clearly. That minds would be captured by God’s heart and will, and not by their own desires. That His good and perfect will would prevail.

That they would come to see the truth on their own, by God’s will and not my own doing. Not me trying to coerce, or plead and so undermine the truth by my own inadequacies.

"Many bad choices are made simply because we move through the decision-making process too hastily, basing our conclusions on emotions, bad information or impulses.  The only basis for really good decisions is correct thinking. This kind of wisdom comes from above and is given to us through four primary avenues – God’s Word, God’s Spirit, God’s Providence and God’s people. In other words, to ensure good decision-making habits, we must be people whose minds are consistently being renewed by God’s Word. "

And how do we take the trials in life and find the good out of them? We hurt and we cry, but we must be thankful for every moment we have on this earth. Each moment is a gift given by God for He is good and loves us so much.

Days that hurt and many of them: we all must lament — when you must cry but never deny the goodness of God.

And if you always turn toward His grace, the bullets and barbaric of this world cannot.touch. you. And you’ll only become more beautiful, and His grace alone will turn you around and carry you right out and beyond all the ugliness of this world. I promise you this

Why let one hurt fill your whole horizon — when right behind you God gives one thousand gifts to fill your whole life? 

Thankfulness in the Midst of Trials

Oh, life can be so messy, complicated, and full of trials and disappointments! When I focus on those things too much, they become magnified. Sometimes that’s all I can think about. I get disheartened and maybe even depressed. It would be easy to let it go too far, and today I almost missed out on the little gift of God’s grace that he sent to lift my spirits and put a smile on my face. It was just a little message but I got it. And it reminded me to focus on God’s goodness to me and how much He cares about me. I don’t need to worry about this trial. He is in control. As hard as it sometimes is, I am going to choose to focus on what I can be thankful for today…

 

Salvation
Family
Health
The love, encouragement and support of my husband
Messages from my daughter
This beautiful sunny day!
My dear friend who every day exemplifies gratitude in the little things – You are an encouragement to me as well!

In the midst of trials, what are you thankful for today?

Modern Day Pharisees

The Pharisees were members of an ancient Jewish religious group who followed the Oral Law in addition to the Torah and attempted to live in a constant state of purity. In reading about them in the Bible, we learn that they so focused on the letter of the law, that they forgot God’s heart of the law. While they were outwardly making displays of how they followed the law, their hearts were far from Him. Thinking that I could perhaps use a spirit-check - couldn’t we all? To make sure we have not unknowingly slipped into a modern day version of the Pharisee?

“They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” Matthew 23:4-5

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14

It is from these kinds of stories that the word “Pharisee” has taken on another definition in the dictionary:

2. self-righteous or hypocritical person: a self-righteous, hypocritical, or sanctimonious person 

And sadly, how many times does the world refer to Christians with this definition? Is it any wonder so many want nothing to do with us? Oh, that I would not act or speak in such a way as to be seen as self-righteous. Lord, fill me with your grace that overflows from my life to others.

Now I know there are a lot of very graceful and loving Christians out there who do not fit this description. But there must be enough of us who do fit it, to cause so many to be turned off by our testimony.

Why do I judge?

Do I have a right to judge/condemn/criticize others? Especially my brothers and sisters in Christ? When I truly examine my own heart and seek God, the answer starts to surface.  “Why am I getting so bent out of shape about this?” Look beyond the surface of my feelings to the real reason… deep down. Am I being self-righteous? I think hard about this. Am I?… Why? Am I trying to convince myself (and others?) that I am righteous? That I am better than them? That I am good enough? To make ourselves feel better – because deep down we know the awful ugliness in our own hearts.

Pride. Ego. Anger. Bitterness. Resentment. Unforgiveness. Envy. Jealousy. Selfishness.

We get upset when others don’t live up to our expectations. When really we should focus on living for God and encouraging others - rather than tearing them down. Nitpicking on things that don’t matter. Things that aren’t eternal. That we would show more grace when people make mistakes, make poor choices (for those who are not as perfect as we are!) As for the things that do matter, things that are eternal, do we think judging them will woo them into the kingdom of God? “But I must make them aware of their sin so that they can repent!” The old saying still holds true – you can catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar. Let us build relationships upon which people will want to hear words of truth. We must invest in their lives with our time and friendship, building a foundation of trust and mutual respect.

I cannot see clearly to take the sliver out of another’s eye until I remove the log from my own eye. (And lest we think we have removed the log from our eye so as to justify us to remove the sliver from our neighbor’s…) Is my log ever really gone? Or does the removal of it just reveal another? Layers upon layers of logs and slivers needing attention.

Before I speak a critical word, may I remember to be an example by living simply with grace and mercy. Remembering that just as God in His mercy forgave me in all the ugliness of my sin, I too, need to extend mercy to those who might seem undeserving.

Let us lavish each other with graciousness, encouragement, mercy and love, using gently spoken words - words of life and not death. Remembering that it is God who leads them to repentance, and not us.

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