THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...praising in the streets

I know that I said I was taking the weekend off from blogging. But my son Jeremy, from South Korea, shared this video on his facebook this past week and it really ministered to me and I wanted to share it with you guys...

Have you ever walked down the street and felt the presence of God so strongly that you broke out in a spirit of praise?

Or is your praise something that is kept silent and hidden?

When my son shared this video with me, it just pierced my heart, asking me....

• When is the last time you have praised in the street?
• When is the last time you gave such open praise to our heavenly Father that those around you stopped and took notice.
  
  Please watch this video (give it a second to start and watch the guy walking the street)and then ask yourself....
  
  WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WORSHIPPED IN THE STREET?
  
  Visit AMY over at Signs, Miracles and Wonders for THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY. It is there that you will find a whole bunch of praising going on!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I WISH ALL OF YOU A VERY BLESSED THANKSGIVING!

• May you spend precious time with your loved ones!
• May you not watch too many football games!
• May you not overstuff yourselves!
• May you not forget how blessed you are!

And if you are wondering how you are going to "survive" all the cooking, the clean up and all of the guests...just remember the day after Thanksgiving is coming!



Here is something to help you get thru the day after Thanksgiving....

T'was the night AFTER Thanksgiving, and I just couldn't sleep!
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned - the dark meat and white,
But I fought off the temptation with all of my might.
I tossed and I turned with sweet anticipation,
As the thought of a snack became infatuation.
So I raced to the kitchen,
flung open the door
And gazed at the fridge,
full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round, '

Til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling,
floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...
Happy eating to all!
Pass the cranberries, please!
May your stuffing be tasty,
may your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes & gravy have nary a lump,
May your yams be delicious,
may your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I will return to blogging on Monday!
See you then!

A PIECE OF MY HEART....slaughter house

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who have prayed for me and for my recent surgery!

The cards, the emails, the phone calls, but most importantly the prayers have not gone unnoticed and my family and I appreciate all of it so much! I know you are all wondering how things are going, so I have decided to use today's blog post to update you.

First of all, I need to clarify something to some of my "home folk" that may be reading this. "I did NOT have back surgery!" I do not know how this rumor got started but I wanted to clarify that my surgery was NOT back surgery. I have experienced awful back pain for the past year and half, so some may have assumed it was back surgery. But it wasn't.

Several months ago, due to my back pain, I found myself at the doctors explaining some other issues that I was experiencing. An ultrasound and a biopsy showed that I had some sort of a mass. Because of some other irregularities, my dr. wanted to rule out uterine cancer.

We tried one treatment for a few months, but a second ultrasound revealed that the mass had grown now 3x in size. The only choice was to remove the mass.

Because of some other irregularities that my dr. was concerned with, she not only wanted to remove the tumor but she wanted to do a scope and look at what else may be going on.

Friday morning I arrived at the surgery center at 6 am. The waiting room began to fill up quickly with patients and their "designated driver".

At 7 am, they called my name. My husband (who was my designated driver) did not like it because he had to stay in the waiting room. So we kissed and departed from the waiting area.

After the nurse took all my precious belongings, bagged them up and gave me this lovely gown to wear, she escorted me to the "holding" room where bed after bed was lined up. Several of them already filled with warm bodies.

The nurse located my bed. "Stall #4"

I refer to my holding area as a "stall" because literally it reminded me of a business back in Wisconsin where I grew up.

Packerland Packing

Packerland Packing was a meat slaughter house. Where the cows would be delivered and they were lined up and escorted in only to be slaughtered.

The only thing dividing me from the patient in stall #3 or stall # 5 was a thin curtain. There was barely enough room for the nurse to stand and put my IV in my arm.

There is nothing private about this holding area. Before long, I knew that behind curtain #3 - the patient was having difficulty with a prior surgery and they were going to have to go back in and drain it.

ewww... TMI!

Behind curtain #5, I found out that this patient had heart problems, was allergic to most medicines and at the time of asking ...she had a migraine headache.

Before long, my doctor came in and spoke with me a few moments and before I knew it, I heard the cattle call for my stall #.

" O.R is ready for #4"

ohh...stall # 4 - that's me! Yep, sure enough here comes the nurse with my little cute hat I get to wear before the slaughtering occurs.

I wonder what really happens once you get beyond the slaughtering doors?

Because a person doesn't really remember. Well I don't remember anything besides being asked to move onto the bed. After that - everything is a blank. Its all gone from my memory.

• I don't know what the room looked like.
• Who my nurse was.
• Was the attending staff nice?
• Were the nurses skinny, short or have bad breath?
• Were they laughing or telling jokes?

I am so glad that there is a difference between this type of a slaughter house and the one that I mentioned in Wisconsin (Packerland Packing). For me, it was a team of professionals giving all that they had, to give me LIFE, for the heifer back at the packing company - they were there to take life.

Isn't that the awesome thing about God, our heavenly Father...He is the giver of life. Satan, the enemy is the one who comes like a slaughtering - to take our lives.

I am so glad that God created me to be His daughter. And that He has given me life, life more abundantly. That I can live. Not just here on earth, but live with Him forever in a place of splendor.

AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT GOD RESCUES US FROM BEING SLAUGHTERED?

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." -Jesus Christ (John 10:10)

Even though I am making light of the surgery center, I am very, very grateful to them. They were all very professional and gave me the most wonderful care. The nurse that I had, I believe was an angel from God. She was so soft spoken and kind that I know it helped to ease my nerves. She also shared with me her story of how she had the same exact thing done that I was having done and she came out fine.

The surgery went well. We had some unexpected issues. Instead of one tumor, the doctor removed four. But she is very optimistic that she got all of it and expects a good report from the biopsy. It will be a week or two before we know the final word, but the peace that I have had these past few months can only come from God and there is one thing I am sure of, and that is GOD IS IN CONTROL!

And this has been a piece of my heart today;

AT THE WELL...having a thankful heart

WELCOME to our weekly gathering over AT THE WELL. This week, as the leading host, I wanted to start us all off in the discussion on giving thanks during difficult times. I encourage you to check out all of this week's participants by clicking on their blog postings found below in Mr. Linky.

IT IS EASY TO GIVE THANKS when everything is going well. But how easy is it to give thanks when we are low in the valley?


This week's discussion questions:
#1- How do you give thanks during difficult times?
#2 - Share with your readers a testimony of how God brought you thru a difficult time.
#3 - What is the most memorable Thanksgiving you have experienced?

PSALM 100:4 "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name."

Even when life becomes incredibly tough, if we are still breathing and our heart is still beating, there is a reason to praise God! No matter what was stolen from you...

• health
• possessions
• family
• friends

It is not enough to stop you from living. You are still here. You are still alive and from here you can go anywhere with God!

HOW CAN I GIVE THANKS DURING A DIFFICULT TIME?
No matter what state you may find yourself in, there is no limit to what God can do with you and with your life. In order to enter into the presence of God during your difficult time - something has to happen!

YOU HAVE TO BE THANKFUL!

Have you ever wondered how you can be thankful when it seems like the world is caving in on you? The secret is FAITH. To have faith means that you completely trust in the word of someone who is faithful. Faith in God means that you believe the promises found in the Bible - faith is believing God's Word.

If you are still hurting - you can be thankful for God's promises to bring peace and comfort!
(1 Corinthians 1:3,4)

If you are still sick - you can be thankful for a God who heals! (Isaiah 53:5)

If you are still in need - you can be thankful for a God who provides! (Matthew 6:31,32)

~The answer to the HOW ...is to give thanks for EVERYTHING

(whether it is good or bad.)

Hardships in life can cause us to recognize God's grace in our lives. Back in the year 1620, when the pilgrims left England, they had no idea of the hardships that awaited them:

• during the initial voyage, for nine weeks they were rocked by stormy weather.
• their first year, they were completely unaccostomed to extended periods of cold weather.
• the supply ships often did not arrive as scheduled - leaving them without food and supplies.

When spring arrived in the year 1621, the pilgrims were able to plant their crops. And the harvest that fall was bountiful. The governor of the colony recognized that they had much to be thankful for. It was at this time that the governor called the pilgrims together and issued a proclamation for a public day of giving thanks to God for their survival.

This marked the "first" thanksgiving feast which included turkey, cornbread, squash and pumpkin. All in honor of God for His provision.

We can learn so much from that "first thanksgiving".

No matter what life throws at you, remember that God is with you. Just like He was with the pilgrims all those years ago. Even though they went thru hardships, they recognized the blessings that the Lord bestowed upon them. God will always extend His grace to us even in our times of need.

HOW HAS GOD BROUGHT ME THRU?

There is not one time that I can recall that God has not been there for me.

• I am not the richest person in the world.
• I do not live in the biggest house on the block.
• I do not drive the newest kind of car.
• I am not a world-wide traveler.
• I don't even have a summer home on the lake.

But never, never, never have I gone without.

• I have always been able to pay my bills.
• I have always had a warm house to come home to.
• I have always been able to find my way to work, church and get groceries.
• I have always had plenty to eat.
• I have never gone without clothing, shoes or plenty of purses!

There have been times that I have forgotten! I have forgotten how blessed I am. Each day, each hour, each minute I need to count my blessings.

PSALM 107:8 "Give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men."

MOST MEMORABLE THANKSGIVING?

I have so many fond memories of thanksgiving dinners. ~ At Grandma's house when I was growing up. ~ Around our table with our young children. ~ Having friends invite us over when so we wouldn't spend the holiday alone.

The food. The laughter. The football games. The clean-up. The pies. The fellowship. The fun.

Did I mention the food?

So many great memories. But, if I had to choose the most memorable Thanksgiving...it would have to be the one that I did not attend. It was that "first thanksgiving", back in the 1600's as the pilgrims set the example for us today to be thankful in everything!

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

ARE YOU HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME?

WHAT ARE YOU GIVING GOD THANKS FOR?

Please let us know by copying your AT THE WELL post in Mr. Linky. Thank you for joining us for this week's AT THE WELL!

FUN FRIDAY...three wise women

This Friday morning brings some uneasiness for some of my family and close friends. If you are reading this post early Friday morning, I am not here. I am in surgery. I left this blog post just for you Mom, David, Jeremy, Rachel, Jordan, Anna Marie and Clayton - don't let your hearts be troubled...instead I would like you to laugh. So here is my FUN FRIDAY laugh:

HAVE YOU EVER

WONDERED WHAT

IT WOULD BE LIKE

IF THERE WERE

THREE WISE WOMEN

INSTEAD OF MEN?

• They would have asked for directions
• They would have arrived on time
• They would have helped deliver the baby
• They would have cleaned the stable
• They would have made a casserole
• and they would have brought disposable diapers as gifts!

Women just have a different way of doing things I guess...

NEED A LAUGH TODAY?
Visit KIM for more

FRIDAY FUNNIES...

click HERE.

Have a FUN-FILLED Friday;

THANKFUL THURSDAY...long nights

Tonight is going to be a very long night for me. I have so many things around the house I want to get accomplished before the morning sun rises. I have been busily working around the house like I am an expectant mother nesting before giving birth...

• Making sure the house is in order.
• The laundry done up.
• Ironing sent to the dry cleaners.
• Cookies made for the kids.
• Casseroles pre-made and in the freezer.
• Monthly bills pre-paid.

I am getting ready for my 6 a.m. appointment (Friday). I will check myself into the surgery center and put my faith in a team of medical professionals. Several months ago, a mass was detected and to our disappointment the mass (now referred to as a tumor) has grown substantially and in the morning I am having it removed. I am working like a busy little bee around this house because I do not know the extent of what will be done in the morning. Depending on what they find will determine the outcome and the length of recovery.

So the OCD person that I am, I am not letting the night end before everything on my list is completed! It is going to be a LONG night!

I recall a story I read not too long about a long night a young boy had...

A particular Native American tribe had a very unique practice for training their young braves. On the night of a boy's 13th birthday, he was placed in the middle of a dense forest - all alone - to spend the entire night.

Up until this time, the boy had never been away from the safety of his family or tribe. On this particular night, he was to prove that he was a man. He was blindfolded and taken miles from anyplace familiar to him. When the blindfold was removed, he was in the woods - alone - for the night. Every time an animal howled, he probably imagined a wolf leaping out of the darkness. Every time a twig snapped or the wind rustled the leaves, he probably wondered if a wild animal was about to pounce.

It was no doubt the scariest night of this young boy's life.

But when the first rays of morning sunlight began to penetrate the depth of the forest, the boy looked around and saw the flowers, the trees and the outline of the path. And to his surprise, at the end of the path he could see the figure of a warrior. He stood just a few feet away and he was armed with a bow and an arrow.

It was the young boy's father - he had been there throughout the
night.

Wow! Isn't it reassuring to know, just like this father who was there for his son, that our heavenly Father is always present - no matter how dark or frightening the circumstances are that we find ourselves in. We may not always be able to see Him, but He is always standing watch over us. He is armed and ready to protect us even while we go thru the tests of life.

I am thankful today on this THANKFUL THURSDAY, that even though I am facing a very long night - that He is with me ... watching, protecting and loving me.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING A LONG NIGHT??

HEBREWS 13:5 " God has said, 'I will never leave you; I will never abandon you."

What are you thankful for today? Please visit IRIS who hosts THANKFUL THURSDAY and see what others are grateful for today.

WEDNESDAYS WEEKLY WORD...victory

Today I am also over at LACED WITH GRACE...CLICK HERE to read "The Gift"!

IN ANY KIND OF CONTEST, TO WIN YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN. Right before a football or basketball game, sportscasters often times will visit the coaches to find out what their game plan is. Coaches know beforehand the plan of action is to keep the ball out of a certain star players hands, so his players must double or triple team him. It does not matter what kind of sport is being played, the way to victory is sticking to the plan.

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers about their personal victories and asked the following question: "If you could be assured one victory in the coming year, what would it be?" The top 3 responses were:

1. 35% of those voting said they would like to have "victory" over the battle of the bulge or in other words they want to lose weight!

2. 21% voted and said they would like to win the heart of a rebellious child.

3. 14% of the readers said they would like to gain control of their finances.

How can the new year bring victory to these that voted in the poll this week? Paul gives some great advice to us as well as to the Christians of Colossae:

COLOSSIANS 2:6,7 "Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Paul basically is telling the Christians at Colossae to "stick with the game plan."

Paul is wanting to be sure that false philosophy did not pull the Christians away from God's plan and cause them to lose their victory. Walking worthy of the Lord means sticking with what you are taught. Sticking with God's game plan will give victory over 3 kinds of defeat: 1. false teaching, 2. sin and death, and 3. evil spiritual powers.

VICTORY OVER FALSE TEACHING
When you are in battle, the enemy may take some of your soldiers captive. Do you remember not too long ago the story of Jessica Lynch? The soldier taken captive from Iraq. Paul warns us that deceit is a common way that soldiers are taken captive.

"Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ." -APOSTLE PAUL

Jessica Lynch was captured when her vehicle was ambushed after making a wrong turn. This is just the kind of thing that false teachers can do to Christians. They ambush you at a time of confusion.

VICTORY OVER SIN and DEATH
ROMANS 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned."

ROMANS 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death."

Scripture clearly links sin to death. But there is victory over death through Jesus Christ.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:56,57 "Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

What victory can be more important than victory over sin and death? Apart from Christ, victory over sin and death CANNOT happen. This is why false teaching that removes our focus of faith away from Christ is very, very dangerous. It will rob us of this important victory over death.

VICTORY OVER POWERS and AUTHORITIES
COLOSSIANS 2:15 "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him."

The authorities that Paul is speaking of are not human authorities. Paul was writing about the spiritual rulers and authorities. Or more plainly said, the spirits and demons who oppose God. When Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again - these powers were defeated and publicly disgraced.

The victory for us today is knowing that there is no power in our universe, not physical nor spiritual that can rob us of our victory in Jesus Christ.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (ROMANS 8:38,39)

OUR VICTORY IS SECURE!

WHAT IS YOUR

GAME PLAN FOR VICTORY?

No victory can be won if we only know the strategy - we must act upon our plan. I am studying the book of Colossians in the Bible and this devotion is a reflection of what Paul is teaching me. It is my prayer that all of us will guard our hearts and not be taken in by false teachings. One way to be alert and recognize false teachings is to know what Gods Word says. We must read and study His Word! Join me in studying the book of Colossians and together we will know the game plan and have victory in Jesus!!




THIS WEEK'S YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: please take time to vote in this weeks poll. It is located on the side bar of the blog and asks, "what would people most likely judge you for?" Thanks for voting. YOUR OPINION MATTERS!!

A PIECE OF MY HEART...preparing for warfare

This is truly a post that represents a piece of my heart. As I write this, my heart is aching because it has been over 3 months since I have seen my son. I was thinking about the next time that I will be able to hug him, and look into his face. 9 months will pass before I am able to do that again.

Many of you who are regular readers here at WOMEN TAKING A STAND, know that my second-born son is serving our country overseas. He is an airman with the Air Force. He is currently stationed in South Korea.

I wish I had a dollar for every person who has said to me, "at least he isn't over in Iraq". If each person paid me a dollar for saying that to me, I could send Jeremy a pretty nice care package. :)

Not to take away anything from what our troops are doing over in Iraq, but can I say that Iraq is not the only place that our troops lives are put on the line.

Can I tell you what my son has been doing the past couple of weeks....

training exercises.

I don't mean push ups, running 10 miles or doing a bunch of jumping jacks.

training exercises for chemical/biological warfare.
training exercises for when and if North Korea attacks.

Please do not tell me that I am "lucky" that my son is not in a dangerous place. Every single member of our armed forces, whether it is Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Korea, or the United States puts their lives on the line so we can live freely and safely. There is no safe place from the enemy.

• How is it that an enlisted man or woman will give so much for their country?
• Why do they sacrifice for our freedom?
• How can they put our safety above theirs?
  

BECAUSE....

• The battle must be won!
• The cause is worthy fighting for!
• They love and are faithful to their country!

We, as Christians, can learn so much about fighting the battle from our soldiers. While they prepare for chemical/biological warfare - we as Christians should be prepared to fight spiritual warfare.

EPHESIANS 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

WHY SHOULD WE TRAIN FOR BATTLE?
EPHESIANS 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

HOW DO WE TRAIN FOR BATTLE?
EPHESIANS 6:14-18 "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15)and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; (18) praying always with all prayer and supplication for all the saints."

In order to win, we must be prepared.

WHAT PREPARATION HAVE YOU MADE FOR THE BATTLE?

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM SOUTH KOREA

THAT I THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE...

Jeremy after a cool bike ride in south Korea!

Jeremy (he's the American!) with his groupies!

Jeremy hanging out with his friend Lee from the local orphanage.

The Buddha that the Korean people worship.

People run to get a seat at Dr. Cho's church The Yoido Gospel Church

One of 21 services at Dr. Cho's church - 20,000 attend this service

Dr. Cho's study on the mountain where he prays.

2 CORINTHIANS 10:3,4 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. (4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds."

ARE YOU EQUIPPED TO FIGHT THE ENEMY THAT LURCHES IN YOUR WORLD?

AND THAT'S A PIECE OF MY HEART TODAY;

AT THE WELL...standing for marriage

CHELSEY is our host for this week's discussion. I have come to really appreciate Chelsey's insights and I am blessed that she has included me in on her writing team. Thanks Chelsey!! Around the well today, we are discussing the following questions:

What does commitment in marriage mean?
What kind of wife are we called to be to our husbands?
What are ways that we can Biblically stand for our marriage?

If you pop over and read Chelsey's introduction for this week's topic you will see that she lists several scenarios of problems in marriages. Such as infidelity, porn, feeling isolated, and maybe even divorce. I considered not writing this week because I have not experienced any of those things in my marriage. Seems unlikely huh, especially since I have been married for 27 years. But it is true...that is why I have decided to share a few thoughts with you today on marriage...to encourage you that marriage IS a sacred bond ordained by God.

As a young bride, at the age of 17, I had alot to learn about love, commitment and marriage. Even though my marriage has not brought any affairs or thoughts of separation, over a period of 27 years there have been many times for growing, changing and sacrificing.

1. Chelsey has asked us about COMMITMENT in marriage...

People can be committed to many things...
-committed to show up every day for work
-committed to play on a sports team
-committed to pay back a loan for borrowed money

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage." -GEORGE BARNA

One of the reasons there is a 33% divorce rate (taken from a BARNA RESEARCH data) in America today is the lack of commitment in our marriages.

• It is easier to run then to stay.
• It makes us feel less responsible if we blame others for our failures.
• It is acceptable to not keep our promises.

God's design for marriage is becoming ONE...

PSALM 127:1a "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it."

Things such as marital affairs, porn issues, talk of separation will all threaten this ideal of "oneness". To reach the complete unity in our marriage as God designed we must take the steps that God has laid out before us. Each step along the way will lead us to having HOPE in our relationship with our mate.

God has a PURPOSE for our marriage.

God has a PLAN for our marriage.

God has POWER for our marriage.

God has a PROCESS for our marriage.

God PRODUCES oneness in our marriage.

Three things happen when a married couple strive for oneness...

1. Couples that mirror God's image will experience oneness with their Creator!

GENESIS 1:27 "And God created humanity in His own image..male and female He created them."

2. Couples who strive to complete one another will experience oneness with each other.

GENESIS 2:18 "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

3. Couples that multiply (not just having children) but multiply a godly legacy will experience oneness with their children.

GENESIS 1:28a "And God blessed them; and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.' "

Commitment is alot of things...

• it is putting your mate first
• it is a choice
• it is staying instead of leaving
• it is admitting you are wrong

And it is striving to be ONE with your spouse!

2. Secondly, Chelsey asks us about the kind of wife we are called to be. I can sum that up with one word...RESPONSIBILITY !

The characteristics of a responsible, godly wife:

She should walk with DISCERNMENT

EPHESIANS 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is also the head of the church, He Himself being the savior of the body."

She should accept the role of being her man's HELPER...the word "helper" is a title of worth. God refers to Himself in scripture as our "helper".

PSALM 54:4 "Behold, God is my helper, the Lord is the sustainer of my soul."

She should LOVE HER HUSBAND

Love is an attitude of unconditional acceptance.

• Acceptance is accepting our husbands as they are. This acceptance should not be based on our mates performance but on his worth as God's gift to us.
• A wife should accept her man's thoughts and feelings.
• True love will accept failures. Allow the Holy Spirit to work thru his failures.

She should SUPPORT HER HUSBAND

PROVERBS 31:10-12 "An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."

Supporting something should be complimentary and not competitive.

Wives need to support our husband's job, we need to support him in front of others and we need to support him in our homes.

Another word for SUPPORT is SUBMISSION.

EPHESIANS 5:22,23 "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is also the head of the church.."

She should RESPECT HER HUSBAND

EPHESIANS 5:33b "...and let the wife see to it that she respects her husband."

R E S P E C T I N G is...

voluntarily regarding someone with honor, esteem and preference. Encouraging our husband is the ultimate way of showing respect.

1. Respect his responsibilities
2. Respect his pressures
3. Respect his needs

3. Lastly, Chelsey asks how we can Biblically stand for our marriages...

• Growing
• Changing
• Sacrificing

If we will grow in the knowledge of God's plan for marriage, His grace and His love and His forgiveness will change us. We will change the way we look at our spouse. If we will look at our relationship with our husband thru the eyes of Christ ~ our attitude, our love, our commitment will begin to be sacrificial.

I love the book "His needs, Her needs" by Willard F. Harley, Jr.. This author encourages us to lay aside our needs and strive to meet our spouses needs. When we serve our mate in such an unconditional manner - we will not have to worry about our needs being met. It will be done.

WHAT IS FOUND IN YOUR MARRIAGE?

strength? love? forgiveness? sacrifices?

TITUS 2:4 "encourage the young women to love their husbands."

I hope that you have been encouraged today to sacrificially love your husband! Please go the WELL and see what others are saying about marriage. If you CLICK HERE, you will be with Chelsey and the other ladies gathered around the well.

THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY...how great is our God?

JUST HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD?

HE CREATED PLEASURES ON EARTH FOR US TO ENJOY SUCH AS:

~flowers that bloom
~seasons that change
~stars that twinkle
~the sun that gives light
~the soil that gives harvest



And if that isn't GREAT enough...

HE GAVE US:

• joy
• forgiveness
• life forever more
• peace
• salvation
• love

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Just how great is our God?
watch this video by Chris Tomlin entitled, "How great is our God" and give God praise for His greatness....



AMY from Signs, Miracles and Wonders hosts TSMSS each week. CLICK HERE to find more friends worshipping our Lord with song and praise!

WORD POWER...stratiotes

As we honored our veterans this week, I was reminded of the sacrifice that these men and women have made for us. As a mother of an enlisted airman, who is serving overseas, my heart is full of pride and love for our great country and for all of those who have and who are fighting for our freedom.

2 TIMOTHY 2:3,4 "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (4) No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier."

How interesting that Paul refers to following Christ much like a soldier.

The Greek Lexicon word for SOLDIER is "STRATIOTES".

STRATIOTES (strat-ee-o'-tace)

(noun masculine) ~An active, loyal, and militant follower.

Paul is saying in 2 Timothy that a soldier is self-less, he puts his commanding officer and other comrades first, thinking of himself last. In the army of God, we are soldiers that are active, loyal and following our leader...Jesus Christ.

WHAT KIND OF STRATIOTES (soldier) ARE YOU:

• are you active in God's army?
• are you loyal to Christ?
• would you follow Christ no matter what the cost?

JOIN GOD'S ARMY TODAY!

and be a sacrificial Christian

STRATIOTES, now that's a word packed with sacrifice!

THANKFUL THURSDAY...healthy food

Thank you IRIS for hosting Thankful Thursday. Each week, I try to recall something God has placed in my life to be grateful for. It is amazing how my list never runs out.

HEALTHY FOOD...
are you thankful for it?
With the holidays fast approaching, I was thinking about how I really need to go on a diet but I have convinced myself that "this" is not a good time of the year to do that. With turkey, mashed potatoes, corn bread dressing and pumpkin pie only two weeks away - dieting would be a total bust!

Usually around the holidays, families get together around a table of a feast. Usually, you will find one or two things that are good for us to eat, but most of the time you will find other less nutritious foods at the table that are far more fun to eat. For instance, how much more fun is it to eat the fruit salad with loads of whip cream than the spinach salad?

I don't know why junk food tastes better than healthy food.

Did you know that God has provided us food that will nourish our spirit? His food contains sustenance for every area of life, and His invitation is for us to treat ourselves generously to the best spiritual food around - the Word of God!

From the start to the finish, everything in the Bible is good for you! Life dishes out interesting delicacies that often tempt us. Such as movies, DVD's, the internet, and cable television. We would all admit that God's Word is much more nutritious than these things, but often times we regard it as not always the best-tasting dish on the table.

Clearly, we cannot live off of the rich, creamy fruit salad. If we did, we would eventually find ourselves malnourished. In the same way, we cannot expect to survive spiritually if we fill ourselves with spiritual junk food.

Today, you can start your diet.
~ A nutritious diet ~

READ YOUR BIBLE

it has the nutrients and strength you need to grow stronger!

LUKE 4:4 " Jesus answered him, saying, 'It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

Are you thankful for the healthy food of God's Word?

CLICK HERE to find other thankful hearts over at Grace Alone!