When I’m not writing, I really love to bead. Unlike you other crafters out there, I’m not very organized. Because of this, there are so many shiny things just floating around to touch, scattered from bin to bin. Our youngest son Jack can’t resist getting into them. Because little items sometimes go into little mouths, he doesn’t get to explore alone but when he’s in my lap the world is his treasure chest.

Jack is fascinated by every color and shape. He proudly pushes the bead toward my face as if to say “Look!” But my favorite reaction to Jack’s excitement about ordinary things like this is “WHOA!” Sometimes his pure joy over little things makes the world spin slower for a moment and God reminds me through the eyes of a child what it means to truly appreciate the world around us.

Though we as humans have grown corrupt and immoral, the world around us – the work of our Father – is still as beautiful as ever. Take a tree for instance. Joyce Kilmer once said “Poems are written by fools like me but only GOD can make a tree.” Isn’t it the truth!

If I’d been sitting out in the middle of nowhere in pure and infinite darkness I would not have had the artistic merit to have thought up a tree. Yet God thought up millions of trees. I wouldn’t have thought up a bunny or an ocean or the abstract freckles on the face of a baby. There would have been no stars, no atmosphere. I’m sure you are all very thankful that I did not create the universe! The world as we know it would be stick figures, and not very good ones either.

I think sometimes we get so caught up in things that plague us -  sickness, sadness, debt, worry, uncertainty, mortality, brokenness  – that we forget to get lost in our Father’s treasure box. The beauty of our planet is that it is a labor of love. God didn’t make trees just because . . . He made them because He wanted us to stop and say “Wonder what kind of tree that is?” He made the stars to evoke us to dream and imagine what lies beyond them. He made the eyes of children to reflect in us a new desire to explore and be awestruck by simple things . . . the last cookie in the jar, a glowing Lite Brite picture, a world unexplored.

If you are walking through a period of sickness, uncertainty, brokenness, fear . . . throw down your worries, cast them to the sea then imagine where they floated off to. (I like to imagine that my worries got eaten by sharks – but to each their own analogy!) Dare to dream and be awestruck by the creations of our Father who loves you. When you get lost in Him, you’ll have no place for fear.

© Michael Kempf | Dreamstime.com RF-LL

There is something truly remarkable about a new year: the sense of awe and wonder, the new beginnings, the fresh start. It gives us an opportunity to lay aside the struggles, worries, hurts, disappointments of the past and hope for a clean slate.

 Forget about what’s happened;
   don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
   It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
Isaiah 43:19 MSG

Let’s face it…that’s what we all want, right?

We want to be able to put the past in the past and move forward in hope and expectation for the future.

All too often, the past grabs hold of us by the ankles and tries to pull us back into the darkness. It tries to get our attention on all the things we’ve done wrong, the sins we committed, the way we let others down, and even the many times that we have let ourselves down.

Oh sweet sisters, that is exactly what the evil one wants you to do. When we stay in the darkness and focus on the mistakes we have made, then we do not take time to sit, soak and seek the life our Heavenly Father has planned for us.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 ESV

For far too long we have focused on all the wrong things. We look at the slate full of all our mistakes instead of looking at the One who can wipe that slate clean. Right there in John 10:10, it is laid it out for us so clearly…the evil one (the thief) has come to steal, kill and destroy. His whole goal is to get you focused on the darkness in your life. We all have it. Not one of us can claim to be perfect or have it all together. Not one.

When we stop focusing on our failures and start focusing on our Father, then we can see that His plan for us is to have life and have it abundantly.

Do you know what abundantly means?

According to Dictionary.com, Abundantly means:
1. present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient:
2. well supplied; abounding
3. richly supplied

I want that, don’t you?

I want to be so focused on my Heavenly Father that I stop looking at the dirty mess on my slate and start looking at how He wipes it all clean and gives life abundantly.

This is the perfect time to get started.

It is a brand new year. Instead of focusing on resolutions and changes and all these other great ideas…what if we just shifted our focus on the truth He’s given us in Isaiah 43:19?

Forget about what’s happened;  <- let go of last year’s regrets and sorrows

don’t keep going over old history. <- give it to Me; I need you focused on right here, right now.

Be alert, be present. <- Focus on where I have you today!

I’m about to do something brand-new.  <- Get ready sweet child, I’m going to give you life abundantly.

It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? <- It’s going to be so much more than you could ever imagine. Are you looking to Me or are you looking in the past?

It is time, my friends, time to let Him wipe that slate clean so that the New Year starts today.

I realize that some of you reading this may not even have a relationship with Christ. You have investigated the claims, read a few things here and there, but if we are completely honest you have never personally taken that step where you said…”you know what? I am tired of trying to control this. I cannot do it on my own. My slate is too dirty and my darkness is pretty dark.”

Then the first thing you need to do, sweet sister, is simply call out His name and pray a simple little prayer like this, “Dear Jesus, I am so tired of living with a dirty slate. I admit that I cannot clean it on my own; that you and only you can make me new. I am a sinner in need of a Savior and today I give my life to you.”

If you prayed that prayer, then as of right this moment your slate has been wiped clean and you start fresh with a new life.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

I can think of no better way to start this year.

Please…if you prayed that prayer, please leave us a comment and let us know so that we can celebrate with you! This is a BIG DAY in your life and we are so thankful to be on this journey with you!

Others of us may have already made that decision, but the doubt and the depth of darkness that has tried to take over our lives this past year was just too much at times and if we are honest, it just crept in and took a little bit more and a little bit more room in our lives.

Today is a new day for us too, sweet sisters. Give it to Jesus. Lay it at His feet and walk in His life for you. I want to pray for you too today.

“Father God, I thank you for the women reading this right now. It has been a tough year for so many of us, Father. Health challenges, financial woes, prodigal children, struggling marriages and employment stress have kept so many of your precious daughters in bondage this year. Father, we release these things to you. We want to be alert and be present for the brand-new thing you are preparing for us. Thank you for carrying us when we cannot take another step. We love you Lord, in Jesus name, amen.”

Having grown up in the Northeastern United States, and moving 13 times in my 21 year marriage, (to places like Buffalo, Chicago and Massachusetts) I’ve seen my share of grey February days. This calendar/desktop screensaver is for all of those out there who need a February “pick-me-up!” Spring is coming, the grey skies only last for a time! In those grey days, we learn to appreciate the sunshine!

Enjoy it all month long…and may peace flood your heart, even on the greyest of February days.

Just right click and “save as” to download to your desktop!

Welcome to WFW!

There are very few rules, in fact the beauty of this ministry is the creative expression that God reveals Himself through. We marvel at the creativity that participants post! It’s a blessing!  We encourage the ” post behind the picture,” or the reflections that many of the participants share. We ask that for WFW that participants refrain from using non-biblical. If you’ve got the time we also encourage you to visit a few of the WFW contributors! It’s always a blessing to see the Scripture and story that creatively appear across the screen.

WFW is not about books, authors, artists… it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word and sharing the creative Word!

Please join us as we share the creative gifts God has blessed us with by signing into to the Link below to participate in WFW!

Discovering your passion is key to the process of identifying your purpose.  Your passion is what motivates you to respond, act, and move — it is the “thing” you never tire of being immersed in and forever long to pursue.  It is natural to be passionate about more than one thing, and for those passions to change over time, although usually you can look back on your life and recognize a particular activity or response that has always be true to your experience.

Passion matters because is reveals the calling God has put on your heart, which means the essence of your passion can be found in Scripture. Discovering your passion isn’t about going from place to place or experience to experience trying it on like clothes off a clearance rack praying that they will fit.  Finding your passion is a quiet, reflective, and investigative process with the Lord, as you look at your life with a desire to connect the dots.

Your passion is a reflection of your God-given combination of gifts, talents, personality, values, and experiences, which motivates you to care for or work for a certain cause, group of people, concept, activity, or effort.  This is what makes you entirely unique, created for a purpose.

 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 1:6 NIV1984

By identifying key aspects of your life, you can begin to trace out the way God has interwoven your passion throughout your lifetime.
Knowing Your Life

• where you were born and raised
• your family dynamics
• any traumas or trials that shaped your view of God, people, and self
• hobbies you enjoyed as a child
• types of friendships that caused you to thrive or withdraw
• opportunities you had at school, work, or personally
• circumstances unique to where you lived and what you were expose to
• your personality and natural wiring, such as a being a compassionate servant or a powerful visionary
• spiritual gifts and the ways you enjoy functioning in the body of Christ
• where you live and work presently

Once you go through the process of reviewing your life, you’ll begin to see some distinct patterns revealing your motivation and calling.  When you are operating in your passion, you are like the energizer bunny, never tiring or becoming bored. Sometimes you’ll hear people describe a person’s passion without even knowing that’s what they’re doing.  Comments like the following are good cues to discovering a person’s God-given passion:

• She has such a heart for…
• She never tires of…
• She is so good at…
• She always responds…

Each person is wired with a unique passion.  God’s not into duplicates.  He created each individual to be in community, needing and helping one another.  Each person’s passion opens the door for the way they will connect with others and be used by God for His kingdom purpose.  While you’ll find people sharing a common passion — think of movements in which many people get together for a cause — each person in that movement is totally unique in their gift-set, talents, experiences, and personalities.  Passions can’t be blueprinted or reproduced.  Each person will find their own, by discovering what the Lord has already wired them to do, such as:

Knowing Your Heart

• spreading the Gospel
• nurturing children
• engaging teenagers
• protecting marriage
• restoring relationships
• caring for orphans
• feeding the hungry
• providing for the elderly
• ministering to the abused
• praying for the nations
• educating the heart and mind
• personal or spiritual growth
• women’s ministry
• youth ministry
• children’s ministry
• reaching the next generation
• the Word and theology
• spiritual disciplines
• organizing
• home-keeping
• creating
• leading
• care-giving, in general
• excellence in all things
• political reform
• stewardship of our planet
• financial responsibility

And the list could go on and on, and can grow more and more focused.  The process of identifying your passion — or what motivates you to keep on living — is key to finding deep soul satisfaction and life balance. Even if only a small portion of time is spent “in that passion,” the refreshment it provides will overflow into every other aspect of life.  A small bit of time doing what you’re passionate about can bring energy toward the things you don’t. As a result, discovering your passions can be incredibly helpful in cultivating healthily boundaries around ministry, hobbies, work, and relationships.

A search for your God-given uniqueness, however, should not be an excuse to back out of commitment or pursue an illogical, unreasonable endeavor.   As a Christian, your passions must line up with Scripture and be explored in the context of good stewardship and personal testimony.  For example, a woman might be passionate about feeding the hungry, but choosing to leave her husband and children to serve for an extended period of time in a third-world country would ignore the mandates laid forth in Scripture (and in good psychology) for a wife and mom to be emotionally and physically present and invested in her family.  This doesn’t mean her passion is irrelevant.  It simply means she needs to pursue it in a different context, such as serving weekly in a local soup kitchen. Sure, it may not be as glamorous, but it’s certainly a viable option and could potentially impact and shape her family’s passions.

Discovering your passion is a living, active process that grows with your faith and experience. Simply pause today to investigate with the Lord what He has already been faithful to accomplish in your life as you move forward with a desire to walk in His purposes.

Application & Reflection

1. Take the time to download the Passions Worksheet from the free resources available at Passion and Purpose Life Coaching.  This worksheet is designed to help you discover your passions.
2. If you have the time, capture what God has revealed to you and share it in a blog post and link up here, either in the comments or on the 15th link up.
3. Come back on the 15th for Part 2 of Discovering Your Passion.

Click here to learn more about our year long focus on Living Intentionally.

This year for Christmas, I made all the presents for my close friends.  I make gifts not just because I am a poor college student, but also because I feel these gifts are more special.  Not that buying gifts is wrong, I love receiving purchased clothes and gift cards (hint-hint Mom and Dad).

But, I give hand-crafted gifts because receiving a custom, unique gift that is one of a kind in the entire galaxy has a special effect on people.

Giving gifts and seeing how genuinely appreciative a person is, is rewarding itself.  In our culture, giving gifts is a custom that we do out of love and compassion.  We give gifts to make others happy.

Yet, how many times do we fail to acknowledge every day the best gift ever created by the Lord Himself?

I know that I personally fail to appreciate the ultimate gift every day; I commonly take for granted the Salvation promised through the Crucifixion of the Lord’s only Begotten Son.

We give Gifts in Honor of the greatest gift the World has ever received!

John 3:16 States:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (NIV).”

The gift of Christ was given to us out of the Lord’s Love and His Compassion.  We know that we do not deserve such a wonderful gift.  Heck, if God was Santa- we would probably all receive coal for being on the Naughty List, all because of the sin we commit unintentionally on a daily basis.

However, God is not Santa.

He is the God that loves us unconditionally, even though we don’t deserve it.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:9-12

His Love surpasses all things.  He blessed us with His son because he wants us to be happy, and to spend all eternity with Him rejoicing in His Righteousness.

 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (NIV).”- Romans 21: 4

True, we can never love as much as God, or give the best gift ever (since it was already given).

 Gifts are more than physical items, gifts are small things of actions and spoken words through Love!  But, I challenge you- next time you give a gift, ponder the amount of joy the person will receive.  Next time you compliment someone, how much joy will they receive…will it come off as negative criticism?

When you refer to someone in a conversation, are you speaking harmful things that can cause emotional pain?

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

-John 3:18

Meet Kendra McCurdy!

Kendra McCurdy is the kind of girl that tries to find God in every aspect of her life. She does this whether it’s finding the beauty of His creation while studying Anatomy or how blessed she is to afford the Peppermint Mochas she drinks casually.

Though she is able to find beauty in the world, Kendra has been on a self-journey to find beauty in herself.  After growing up lower-middle class and having insecurity after heart surgery at six years old.  Kendra has discovered the secret to happiness and security-the Lord.

Her devotion for the Lord is what makes Kendra different than other college students.  Kendra is an outgoing girl who actively engages in her college fellowship and co-leads a Bible Small Group.  She is a Nursing Major at East Carolina University and aspires to become Travel Nurse.

Kendra was raised in a Christian family, and was baptized when she was 13.  Yet, now that her relationship is more mature with God, Kendra is starting to identify the Lord and His ways abundantly than before.

Kendra hopes to lead a small group in the future that is geared towards those who are new on their Christian path.  She also hopes the Lord will lead a path that can help her become involved in the new church she attends.

To find out more about Kendra and see more blogs from her, check out: http://healedheartconfessions.blogspot.com/ or you can e-mail her at mccurdyk10@students.ecu.edu

I am, like many women, an emotional creature. I can shed a tear at the silliest things. A TV commercial. Losing my favorite sweater. A perceived slight (that probably wasn’t even a slight at all). Then, of course, there are the times when it’s actually warranted.

If someone were to write a book about my life, I would guess the phrase “Joanne cried” or something similar would appear dozens of times.

Yet, in all of the New Testament, Jesus is only mentioned as crying twice. Once was at Lazarus’ grave right before he brought his friend back to life (see Monday Manna verse and context), and once as he looked on Jerusalem. (See Luke 19:41-44)

To be honest, I’m not sure how important this is. I don’t think anyone could sustain an argument that Jesus was lacking in emotion. He was, by any definition, quite passionate. Yet there are only two written accounts of him crying.

But what about post-resurrection? Of course, we don’t have much written record of those times. Yet I wonder how I would react if I were looking down on this world from His perspective.

• Christ humbled himself.
• Was born in a barn, put to bed in a feeding trough.
• Lived as an “equal” among the people He had created.
• Had a sinless life.
• Willingly allowed himself to be tortured, beaten beyond recognition, and hung on a cross to die for acts he had not committed.
• Separated Himself from His Father in heaven (which we, as believers, never have to do, by the way).
• Stayed dead for three days.
• Rose again and returned to heaven in order to redeem us and intercede for us before the Father.

After all that, he looks down at those He loves–those He died for–and sees them turning their backs on Him. He watches us, temples of His Holy Spirit, walking around desecrating these houses of worship. He sees those who believe in Him following the wrong path, or ignoring His calling to them. He sees scores of people He died for using His name as a curse word. He sees those who love Him crumble under the first sign of stress, because they don’t trust Him.

I’m not there, of course, but I can’t help but imagine that, like He did at Lazarus’ funeral, Jesus weeps.

I sometimes weep when my children follow the wrong path, or when someone I love rejects what I know is best for him, and he reaps the consequences. Does Jesus? Considering how vast and high and wide and deep His love is for us, I have to believe that He is, at the least, saddened by the times we do not get His best because of our own actions, thoughts, and feelings.

I wonder if I have made Jesus weep today. Did my snapping at my son make him frown? Did he cry when I whined (silently) about having to sit in church alone? How was His countenance when I got distracted by the singers and didn’t pay attention to the worship song?

Yet, the most amazing thing is that, whether I caused Him to cry or not, He still loves me endlessly, and intercedes for me to my Father in heaven. No matter how many times I might disappoint Him – or even make Him weep – he still views me as sanctified, forgiven, and loving. That’s enough to bring me to tears–and to strive to keep my Savior from weeping over me.

Heavenly Father, I am so sorry for the times my actions, thoughts, and emotions cause you sadness or pain. Thank You, dear Jesus, for loving me, interceding for me, and never giving up on me. Help me to stay within your will and to not make you weep.

One afternoon while preparing dinner, Pat and her daughter got in a fight over…a pickle. Yes, a pickle. This soon escalated to all out war. Pat’s daughter hurled nasty words, and Pat reacted, saying things she regretted. Pat’s daughter stormed to her room, slamming the door behind her. Frustrated, Pat returned to her meal-preparations, wondering what happened to the giggling little girl that used to climb onto her lap.

Raising a teen is tough. They believe they know everything, although they don’t. They want to fit in, but long to have their own identity. They crave our love, but push against us at the same time. As parents, it can feel like we’re fighting a losing battle. We might be tempted to retreat.

We’re not alone. Countless families across America struggle through the battlegrounds of teen-hood. And often, we stay on the surface—at the battle sight—without digging deeper and using the moment as an opportunity to connect and train. When our teen throws a mammoth fit over a pickle there’s probably something else going on, and if we’re observant and intentional, the fight might provide a window to our child’s heart.

Ephesians 6:4 says, Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (NIV). We are to instruct and train, keeping our focus on God and His desires for our teen’s life. Remembering this enables us to form a partnership with our teens as we work together toward self-control, peace, and resolution.

With all the rules and boundaries parents must set, it’s easy for our teens to think we’re against them. Our role, then, is to demonstrate we’re on their side. Discipline must always be accompanied by clearly expressed love. Our teens need to know we’re not trying to control them, but instead, helping them become the mature and responsible adults God created them to be.

The saying, “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion” is quite true. If we spend more time disciplining then connecting, there’s a higher probability our teens will react in anger. Never underestimate the benefits of consistent quality time, and try to view everything from a long-term focus.

Although they look grown physically, our teens are not grown intellectually or emotionally. They need help learning to recognize and deal with their emotions. They need to learn and practice self-control, and most importantly, they need to see us, their parents, practice self-control as well. When we respond well during an argument, whether that means expressing ourselves calmly and rationally, or removing ourselves from the situation until our emotions simmer down, they learn to do the same. But modeling alone won’t cut it. We need to walk them through the steps of rational-thinking. The next time your teen flares up, instead of reacting, give yourself a time-out if necessary. Then, use the moment as an opportunity to teach.

1)      Begin by acknowledging their feelings in a non-judgmental way. For example, if your teen rolls their eyes, you could say, “It looks like that comment made you angry.” (Often teens aren’t even aware of how they feel. This is a learning process.)

2)      Ask open-ended questions to encourage communication. And remember, think in terms of life-long training, not merely conflict-resolution. You want your teen to learn to recognize and communicate their feelings so that they can begin to handle them effectively.

3)      Respond with gentleness, not defensiveness. When we grow defensive, we shut our teens down and hinder future communication. But when we listen and try to view the situation from their perspective, they begin to see that we truly are for them, not against them.

4)      While setting boundaries, express empathy. Again, our goal is to partner with our teen, not box them in. Although there will be times when we need to say no or enforce consequences, we can do so without harming the relationship by letting our teens know we’re as bummed as they are about the punishment. For example, if you must ground your teen from a party you could say, “I’m sad that you have to miss that party, but I love you too much to allow this behavior to continue.”

5)      Always end the conflict or discipline with reassurance. A simple, “You know I love you, right?” and maybe a “Do you need a hug?” works well.

6)      Know when to get help. We were never meant to go through life alone and God has given us numerous quality Christian counselors. Your teen needs you. If you feel like things are too tense or difficult to work through together, seek help. Don’t let your teen go without a fight. And let them know you plan to fight for them. That you love them so much you’re committed to doing whatever it takes to see them grow and make the relationship work.

7)      The final and most important step is not to take it personal. Your teen is going to get mad. They’re going to talk without thinking, make poor choices, and say things they regret. When their hormones spike, so will their moods. (Which can be quite scary for them.)

As parents, we need to help our teens navigate through internal and external stressers. We need to help them express and manage their emotions, training coping skills and self-control. Although this won’t prevent all blow-ups, by focusing on our teens growth and demonstrating we’re on their side, we’ll likely be able to make it through the teen years with our relationship intact.

It was my fourth semester of Old Testament. I sat in the second row, forth desk inside a room covered from floor to ceiling with painted maps of the nations of Israel, Abraham’s journeys, the Exodus, and many other pertinent Old Testament happenings. But that week the maps didn’t distract me. My thoughts, eyes, and heart were completely focused on the professor as he stood behind the lectern, tears streaming down his face, and taught through the book of Hosea. I was deeply moved as we took this journey, but wouldn’t completely grasp its true meaning until years later when my own husband would suffer long for my affection and love for him.

Hosea was a prophet of Yahweh. He served the LORD in ministry from around 755-710 B.C. During his years of service, the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, experienced peace, prosperity, moral corruption, and spiritual ruin. Hosea’s primary focus was to open the blinded spiritual eyes of Israel in hopes that they’d see how they’d violated their covenant relationship with Yahweh.

Hosea was called by the LORD to marry a woman who would prostitute herself during their marriage. This woman would give birth to children who may or may not have been his biological offspring. She would disgrace him and bring shame upon their home. But, Hosea wouldn’t leave her; instead he’d stand right beside her. He’d not shun her; he’d welcome her home. He’d never hate her; instead he’d love her all the more. If ever there were an example of patience in a martial relationship, Hosea would be the poster child.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, LONGSUFFERING, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22 & 23, NKJV

Patience and/or longsuffering as defined for us in Galatians 5:22 is the transliteration of the Greek word makrothumia which means endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs (Thayer’s Greek Definitions).

In John Gill’s Exposition of the entire Bible he says the following about longsuffering/ patience:

“longsuffering is a patient bearing and enduring of present evils with joyfulness, being strengthened by the Spirit with all might, according to His glorious power; being slow to anger, ready to forgive injuries, put up with affronts (insults), and bear with, and forbear one another: and which is usually accompanied with gentleness, humanity, affability, courteousness, shown both in words, gestures, and actions.”

Hosea joyfully endured the trials in his marriage because he knew there was a greater purpose. He didn’t rant and rave when his wife came home late; he remained calm, compassionate, and loving toward this woman who’d betrayed him. Over and over Hosea forgave Gomer for all the wrong she’d committed against him; with kindness and gentleness he stretched out his arms and welcomed her back home. He suffered great heartache, yet he was a beautiful picture of patience.

How was Hosea able to repeatedly forgive his wife? Why did he continue to take her back? Why didn’t he just divorce her and marry a Godly woman who would be faithful to him? How could his love for Gomer suffer so long? How could he be so patient? Because patience, Godly patience, has nothing to do with one’s present circumstances but is solely based on the One who’s in control of those circumstances.

From Galatians 5:22 we learn that patience is a result of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling in and among His people- “but the fruit of the Spirit is…” Hosea was able to demonstrate patience in his marital relationship because his focus wasn’t on the circumstances around him but rather on Yahweh. Hosea wasn’t keeping a running list of all the times his wife would come home late. He wasn’t keeping score of how many times he was right as opposed to all the times she was wrong. Hosea remained true and faithful to the calling God placed on his life to marry Gomer. His marriage served as a reminder to all of God’s covenant love for His people.

~~~~~~~~~~

On February 13, 2003 that Old Testament classroom I’d sat in years earlier flooded my mind and left me sitting at my kitchen table weeping. The words my professor had shared that week about Hosea, the emotion with which he had shared of the heartache Hosea lived through, the long suffering love this man graciously offered his wife had now become my own reality.

You see, I had prostituted my husband’s love for me; I had corrupted it, cheapened it, and degraded him in ways I never imagined possible. I married him, not because I loved him but because I was searching for something to fill a massive void in my life. But he didn’t (and couldn’t) fill that void so my search continued. I lied to him. I manipulated him. I worked late and stayed out later. He’d load up our youngest child in the middle of the night and come looking for me, worried that I’d been in a car accident or something. It was never a car accident, but always something that pulled me away. Something that I still searched for to make me whole. I disgraced him time and time again. Shamed his name when my name appeared in the “arrest column” of the local paper. I was his badge of dishonor.

But he was my Hosea. And he loved me. He never sought revenge. He never lost his cool. He simply endured. Suffering long. Because he refused to give up on us…on me. He loved me through all my escapades and he loved me back home. He was a picture of Jesus to me; an in-the-flesh example of sacrificial love, abundant grace, and rich mercy. He loved me like Christ loves His church, pure, selfless, complete.

I wrote my husband a love letter that night after I wiped the tears away. I thanked him for suffering long with me and loving me hard. I promised him that I would do my absolute best to honor him for the rest of my life. To love him selflessly. To give to him freely. To be his wife.

And then I wrote a love letter to my Jesus. The One who redeemed me. The One who delivered me from the pit I was living in. I thanked Him for enabling my husband (who was not yet a follower of Christ) to love me hard. I thanked Him for deep forgiveness, for washing me clean, and for rich love. And I thanked Him for being the One who I’d been searching for my whole life.

~~~~~~~~~~

You may be a Hosea right now, suffering long for someone you love. Or you may be a Gomer, prostituting yourself to the things of this world, things other than your spouse and family.

To the Hosea’s may I offer this bit of encouragement…as you suffer long make the choice not to quench the power of the Holy Spirit, but instead allow His power to arm you with patience for your spouse. First Corinthians 13:4, tells us that “love suffers long.” Love outlasts all failures and injuries inflicted by another because true love, Godly love, begins with patience.

To the Gomer’s may I offer this bit of encouragement…God loves you with an everlasting love. And there’s nothing you have done, are doing, or ever will do that will make Him stop loving you. His greatest desire is for you to run to Him right now. He will not condemn you, only love you whole.

God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!

Jeremiah 31:3, the Message

~~~~~~~~~~

Hosea’s marriage to Gomer was a representation of God’s unconditional love, never-ending forgiveness, and immeasurable patience for His chosen people. You and I can mirror this characteristic of patience in our marriages only through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In order for us to view those circumstances that tempt us to become impatient, irritated, annoyed, and maybe even pack our bags and leave we must DAILY yield ourselves to the authority of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We must seek His guidance and wisdom in all situations and allow Him to fill our hearts with a pure, honest love that’s willing and able to suffer long.

Coffee.

Just the thought of it makes me smile.

Mmmm…coffee.

Every morning my favorite mug sits ready for me to brew of fresh cup of coffee into her; I think the warmth and richness of it makes her smile too!

After Jesus and my man, I’d have to say that this delicious beverage is my next best friend.

Coffee, oh how I heart thee!

But here’s the deal…I do NOT like, love, nor remotely consider sipping on a cup of “blah!” coffee.

By “blah!” coffee, I mean bitter, flavorless, icky coffee; it makes me gag.

I like to show my coffee a little extra lovin’ before I begin sipping. For instance, I add one packet of yummy Stevia in the Raw and then pour in Vanilla Caramel creamer. And yes, there is an exact method to this process.

Brew the perfect cup of coffee. Pour in the Stevia. Stir. Shake creamer and begin pouring. Count slowly to three- 1…2…3…- stir. And ta-da, done!

“Blah!” coffee made oh, so scrumptious!!

“Blah!” coffee has got me to thinkin’ about something. My life; my sometimes “blah!” life.

I know God loves me with an “everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3, NLT) and I know Jesus came to “give me a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10, NLT), but sometimes I don’t feel so loved or rich or satisfied. Sometimes I just feel “blah!”.

Sometimes my life is bitter, flavorless, and plain out icky.

Have you ever been just “blah!”? There’s myriad of circumstances and situations that can push us into the “blah!”. Loss of a job, illness, dwindling funds in the checking AND savings accounts. Kids going crazy, acting like they’ve lost every ounce of sense they had. Husband always working late and leaving you to do everything. Puppies pooping on the floor again. A burned dinner. Your favorite pair of jeans ruined by bleach. Sippy cups full of milk forgotten in the mini-van leaving it to smell like a dairy cow blew up in there. A beautiful mural created by your toddler with a permanent marker on the back of your new sofa. A phone call from the high school informing you that your child has skipped school…again. All things that, when you finally sit down at night and breathe for the first time all day, cause you to shake your head and say, “If Jesus loves me, why is my life so “blah!”?”

What do we do when the “blah!” rears her ugly head? We press harder into Jesus! Ok…let me be completely honest with you…I used to get really miffed when I was smack dab in the middle of the “blah!” and someone would say, “Honey, you need to pray. Give it all to Jesus,” or “When was the last time you spent time in the Word?” Man, that would send me reeling with anger! Because, in the middle of the “blah!” I didn’t want to pray and I didn’t want to read my Bible. I just wanted the “blah!” to go away. And so, I wouldn’t pray and I wouldn’t get in the Word. I would continue to go about my days just as I had been, secretly hoping it would all go away. But, you know what? The “blah!” would still be there.

And, so I’ve learned, through many times of “blah!”, that when she rears her ugly head I HAVE to pray and I HAVE to get in the Word. I HAVE TO! I have to do my part. I have to act. Just like with my coffee remaining bitter and flavorless and icky if I don’t show it a little extra lovin’, my “blah!” life is going to hang around until I press harder into Jesus. Secretly hoping for the “blah!” to go away doesn’t work! Jesus is only One who can take our “blah!” and make it delicious and sweet and palatable to ourselves and others.

Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] (Matthew 11:28, Amplified Bible). He said, “Come to Me,” which means action on our part. When cannot continue to sit in the “blah!” and expect it to dissipate from our lives. We must go to Jesus. And when we go to Him with all the “blah!” He promises to relieve and refresh our souls. He doesn’t promise to take it all away but He does promise to strengthen and help us in our time of need (Isaiah 41:10, NLT).

And not only will He give strength and help, but He promises that we will taste of His goodness; His delicious, wonderful goodness.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”

Psalm 34:8, NLT

Does today find you in the “blah!”? My friend, I’ve been there! And, I know firsthand that Jesus is the perfect “blah!” remover; He really is. I also completely understand if you are hesitant to press harder into Him right now. And, I want you to know it’s okay to be in that place. What’s not okay though, is for you to stay there! So, I’m going to pray for you. I’m going to pray that your hunger for Jesus and His Word increases. I’m going to pray that you won’t settle for a life of “blah!” but will have an ever growing desire to experience a delicious, abundant, satisfying life in Jesus.

There’s no ifs ands or buts about it…Jesus loves you with an everlasting love and He came to turn your “blah!” into pure yumminess.

“Every time we get dressed we tell the story of the Fall of humanity,” is a statement one of my professors made that has stuck with me (Dr. Glenn Kreider, DTS Fall semester 2011). Because in the Garden of Eden before the Fall, Adam and Eve were naked and without sin and shame. Everything God created as recorded in Genesis 1-2 He blessed and proclaimed that it was good. And then came the tragic Fall in Genesis 3 that set in motion our sinful patterns of hiding from God, covering our nakedness and shame and ultimately resulted in our death (“For the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23).  Ever since the Fall, we’ve been dressing the mess of our sin and fallenness, from fig leaves to haute couture, we’re masters at the art of dressing.

I enjoy dressing, especially when I’m sporting a new look. It feels almost renewing to put on new clothes, as if somehow I’m changed, different, better because of the new apparel covering my body. There’s something about the art of dressing that beckons to our souls. After all, Paul exhorts us to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24) and to “put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Col 3:10). The countless ways we dress ourselves speaks to the longing within all of us to be who we are meant to be.

The story of Jesus anointed by a sinful woman in Luke 7:36-50 illustrates both the art and the implications of our dressings before God and before others. Luke tells the story of Jesus reclining at the home of Simon the Pharisee when a sinful woman from the town enters Simon’s home and anoints Jesus’ feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses His feet and anoints them with expensive perfume. Imagine the mess of that moment. She’s weeping so her eyes are puffy and red, any makeup she’s wearing is streaking down her face, her nose is running, her tears are mixing with Jesus’ dusty feet and creating a mud-like mixture of muck that she’s wiping up with her hair and kissing with her lips. What a spectacle. There was no denying the truth of who she was – she was a sinful mess and she had come to Jesus dressed the part.

Simon, on the other hand, was dressed in religious piety, self-righteousness and pride. He donned a garb of superiority, criticizing and condemning the woman as a “sinner”.

Simon was not less sinful, Simon was less aware of his sinfulness.

Like the woman, Simon too was a sinful mess, however, he came to Jesus blinded to the truth of who he was, dressed in the haute couture of religiosity.

So friend, how do you dress your mess? Genesis 3 guarantees that we are all a sinful mess. When you come to Jesus are you dressed like the sinful woman or like Simon the Pharisee? Because how we dress our mess makes all the difference.

Adam and Eve initially hid from God and attempted to dress their shame and nakedness with fig leaves, “making coverings for themselves” (Ge 3:7b). Likewise, Simon the Pharisee hid the truth of who he was from Jesus, dressing his shame and nakedness with self-made coverings of self-righteousness and pride.

“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).

In His great mercy and love, God clothed Adam and Eve. He covered their sin and shame. He dressed their sinful mess. Likewise, the sinful woman’s sin and shame was forgiven – covered, clothed by Jesus. She came to Him a sinful mess and He dressed her in robes of His righteousness.

The truth is that no matter how hard we try or how godly the garb we don, we cannot dress our sinful mess. So why do we so often clothe ourselves in self-righteousness and pride? And why do our churches look more like fig leaf production plants rather than sinful mess rehabilitation centers?

May we surrender our self-made coverings and come authentically before Jesus and others as the sinful messes that we truly are.

Every day.

And may the Only One who can truly dress us, both now and for all eternity, clothe His bride with “garments of salvation and array her in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels”

(Isaiah 61:10).

A crown of beauty instead of ashes, garments of salvation and praise, robes of righteousness from on high. Clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now that’s a new look worth sporting.

That’s how you dress a mess.

Carole Chaput                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             http://carolechaput.com/                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://twitter.com/#!/carolechaput                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Copyright 2012 Lighthouse Publications. Used by Permission.