HOW TO BE A SUBMISSIVE WIFE

Do those very words just grate against you like sandpaper against your skin? They used to me. I was the last woman in the world anyone would have thought could become a submissive wife. I was so loud, opinionated, rebellious, proud, and truthfully—I was downright mean. That was me before Jesus. Over the years, He’s helped me to transform from that woman into a new one—one in His likeness. So what does it mean to be a submissive wife? Before I answer that, I first want to tell you what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean that you have to cower down to abuse—whether it be physical or emotional. If you are in an abusive marriage, I recommend that you get yourself somewhere safe and seek counseling. If you are in an abusive relationship (not married), thank the Lord that you aren’t married, run, and don’t look back. I really struggled with trying to become submissive. Especially since I abhorred even the word! But, as I slowly began to exercise the things Jesus taught, and...
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BE FAITHFUL IN THE LITTLE THINGS

"If you are faithful in the little things, you will be faithful in the larger ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities" (Luke 16:10 NLT). This is the verse of the day today and when I read it this morning, it got me questioning exactly how faithful I am with the little things. Or to be more precise, it got me reflecting on all the areas that I know I’m lacking when it comes to being obedient in the little things. I really struggle sometimes to keep a positive attitude, especially since I deal with lots of people every day. I feel myself growing impatient with people, and a lot of times, it seems that I can’t help it. What’s worse is that I sometimes voice those negative thoughts. I feel convicted of it, knowing that we are to give grace to others and that my complaining is sinful, yet I can’t seem to help it. Later, I end up feeling guilty for...
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​How to be transformed by the renewing of your mind

How to Be Transformed by the Renewing of your MindWhat does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? I think it simply means reminding ourselves what God says about us and what His word instructs us to do and not to do. When we are struggling with sin, we need to remind ourselves what God calls sin, and pray for His Spirit to empower us so we can resist. But transforming your mind goes much deeper than that. When the enemy attacks us, he attacks our minds—our thoughts. When we are able to recognize this attack and redirect our thoughts from what the enemy is saying to what God says—that is how we...  ​
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How to train up a child

We’ve all heard the verse recited time and time again, but how do we actually apply it? And what do we do about stubborn children who DO depart from the path of righteousness? Something that I didn’t spend much time thinking about when my children were small was the fact that my children aren’t just MY children. They belong to the Lord, as well, and He has a plan for them and their future. It may not look anything at all like what I envisioned for them, and it may not be a future I’d have chosen for them. We are not raising up OUR children, but we are raising up the next generation of disciples. They are the next generation who will go out to fight wars, defend the helpless, feed the hungry, and rescue human-trafficking victims. When I realized that...
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Why does god let bad things happen?

It’s common for people to wonder why a God who loves us would allow His people to struggle with disease and disaster. None of us make it through this life without facing heartache. But when we find ourselves questioning God, we need to remember that this fallen world we live in isn’t the place He initially created for us. In the beginning, after God was through creating everything within the world, He gave it to Adam and Eve, (the first humans) and gave them dominion over everything He had made. Can you imagine that? He created a paradise for them to live in and made them rulers over all of His creations. The only stipulation He gave them was that they couldn’t eat the fruit from one tree. Of everything in the world, He only withheld one thing from them. You may wonder why...
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​THE UNBELIEVER'S OBSTACLE

​Do you know what the biggest obstacle is between unbelievers and Jesus? So-called Christians. Especially here in America, we have Christians on two total ends of the spectrum that give Jesus a bad rep. On one hand, we have those who say they are Christians, yet they never pray, read their Bible, or attend church. These people generally have no differences from people who don’t know Jesus. They let their emotions rule them and seek the things of this world rather than the kingdom of God. I used to be one of these people. I don’t remember a time that I didn’t believe in Jesus. Since childhood, I’ve full-heartedly believed in Him, but it wasn’t until I was 30 years old that I learned what it truly meant to serve Him. Then there are the Christians who never miss a Sunday at church and are quick to spout scriptures at you when you mess up. They often hold your sins against you but sweep their own under the rug because they are ‘good people’. I can’t...
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​Hell, Satan, & Demons

​​I have met people who believe in God, Jesus and Heaven but do not believe in Satan or Hell. This is deception from the enemy. What better way to remain hidden than to convince people you don’t exist! I read a quote once that said, "Deceived people don't know they are deceived. That is part of the deception." That is so true! In the book of Job, Satan is referred to as “the proudest of all the creatures.” (chapter 41) It was his pride that caused him to be cast out of Heaven. In the book of Isaiah, Satan said of himself, “I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:13-14) Ironically, this is how he tempted Eve to sin in the beginning. By telling her she’d be like God. (Genesis 3.) He was too proud to be a servant of the Lord, even though he was favored. Isaiah also calls Satan ‘shining star’ and ‘son of the morning’. The book of Revelations...
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WHO IS JESUS?

​​God made Jesus to be a human version of Himself. God is the Father, Jesus is the son. An angel appeared to Mary (who was a virgin) and told her that she was pregnant and would give birth to a son. She was instructed to name him Emmanual which means “God is With Us” in Hebrew. This miraculous birth was foretold in the Jewish scriptures hundreds of years before. Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection fulfilled many many prophecies. Jesus is the only one who will ever walk this earth and never sin, but He took on the burden of all of our sin and took the punishment we deserve for it. That is the reason we are able to be washed clean and blameless. We have to choose it though. If we don’t believe In Jesus Christ and what He did for us, we hold onto the burden of our sin and are doomed to hell. It’s never too late, though. No matter how old you are or how many wrong things you’ve done, you can always cry out to God and be saved. After Jesus died on the cross and took the punishment we all deserve, He was...
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THE HOLY SPIRIT

​I think the biggest misconception about Christianity is that it's nothing but following a big book of rules given to us by an invisible God whom we never see or experience. Any true Christian will tell you that's far from the truth. Christianity is a relationship with God, our creator, our father in heaven. Just like any good dad, he's there whenever we need him. We may not be able to see him or audibly hear him, although some Christians do, but he makes his presence known to us if we are truly seeking him. When I started soul-searching, I started reading the Bible and praying, and there were times that I'd open the bible and it seemed as if a particular verse, or paragraph, or even a chapter was speaking directly to me in application to something on my mind. As I pondered it, I felt a stirring inside me, a warm nudging, telling me it was God speaking to me. Later, I realized it was the Holy Spirit that was speaking to me. As my relationship with God has grown, my connection to the Holy Spirit has grown also. I feel Him directing...
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​WHY WON’T GOD ANSWER MY PRAYERS?

​Some of the toughest things we face as Christians are unanswered prayers. Truthfully though, God never leaves our prayers unanswered. His answer will either be yes, no, or wait. Personally, I find ‘wait’ to be tougher than ‘no’ a lot of the time. Often, our prayers are answered in a way we aren’t expecting or they’re answered in a way we don’t particularly like. This is because God’s plans aren’t usually known to us. Sometimes our human minds aren’t able to fathom the things he has in store for us. I can assure you though that The Lord will never leave you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6) Even when things get tough, God is there and He still has a plan. Through every hardship I’ve been through, I look back and can see that God was there. I didn’t...
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Do unto others


​Most of you have heard of the golden rule, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you', but I find that too many Christians forget this rule when their pride gets hurt. If someone does us wrong, our typical reaction is to equal the score or to hurt them even worse than they hurt us. But God doesn't want us to respond that way. When we sin, God forgives us if we go to him with true sorrow. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He prayed for the ones who put Him there, saying, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." Aren't we called to be like Jesus? The answer, of course, is yes! In everything we say and do on this earth, people should be able to see Jesus in us! We are called to be different from the rest of the world and that difference should be visible in everything we say and do. You never know what someone has gone through, or is going through. This world is a tough place, especially for those who don't know God is on their side. They feel they are on their own and are just doing the best they can. Be an example to them of what God can do in their life. Show them love, compassion, and understanding, just as God does for you.

​IN YOUR ANGER DO NOT SIN

"In your anger do not sin" ​(Ephesians 4:26 NIV). ​​I think it is a common misconception that Christians aren't supposed to get angry. Becoming a Christian doesn't make you resistant to emotions. We still feel them just as deeply as those who don't know Jesus. But, the closer you get to Jesus, the more you desire to be like him and please God. You WILL get angry. The key is to not allow that anger to control you. I find myself chanting the WWJD (what would Jesus do) slogan from the '90s. In most situations we get angry because our pride gets hurt. It isn't you who takes offense, it's your pride. I can guarantee you aren't going to make it far on your Christian walk if you allow your pride to rule you. No opinion should matter except our heavenly father. So when you find yourself battling with your temper, find an outlet for that energy like going for a run or raking some leaves. Don't let it build up, let it out. Just don't let it cause you to sin.

What are you Wearing?

​One of the toughest things that I’ve had to face as a modern woman is my own appearance. It is a constant struggle to wonder what to wear and how others will react to the clothes I put on. Today, women all around the world feel that they need to be a specific size and shape to fit in or to be what men expect. We worry far too much about our hair, our makeup, our nails, our tan, our wardrobe. It has become such an issue that thousands and thousands of women out there have developed phobias and disorders pertaining to how they look or how others will see them. I was one of these women. To be honest, I still battle with my self-esteem. I’ve always wanted to fit in and I was always afraid that my husband’s interest would be in the other women out there wearing next to nothing, not the one next to him. Being a young woman, especially in high school, is extremely difficult with all the pressures the world puts on us. Too many girls feel that if they don’t look like a real-life barbie that they’re ugly. It doesn’t help that everywhere you look there are women wearing too much make-up and not enough clothing. To make matters worse, a lot of men...
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You need to know god's word!

Christianity is all about our relationship with Jesus. Prayer and reading the Bible are crucial to that relationship. I remember feeling overwhelmed when I first started reading my Bible. I learned and grew each time I read it, but I felt as if I'd never acquire any deep knowledge about the book as a whole. I wrote a post explaining the history of the Bible and I believe it could be helpful for someone starting out. If you are interested, click the button below.
​​If you are interested in materials to study the Bible or expand on some of its teachings, click the "Resources" link at the bottom of the page.