I was asked to speak at a mother daughter luncheon on Mother's Day. Below is part of my presentation and the poem I wrote. Note...my first response when asked was..."I am not a mother, what in the world am I going to say". I figured it out and I was extremely blessed by the opportunity and the experience.
M – Mothers model w/Integrity – They live what they say, they are role models by which a child can learn by “catching” the essence of godly living. (Deuteronomy 4:9, 15, 23; Proverbs 10:9, 11:3; Psalm 37:18, 37).
O – Mothers demand Order – They teach the fear of the Lord, drawing the line consistently, firmly, yet lovingly (Ephesians 6:4, Hebrews 12:5-11, Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15-17)
T – Mothers are Teachers – In Titus Mothers are told to train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Psalm 78:5-6, Deuteronomy 4:10, Ephesians 6:4)
H – Helper – A mother helps a child develop skills and discover his strengths (Proverbs 22:6)
E - Energized – A mother is always interacting, discussing, thinking, and processing life all at the same time they are being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. (Proverbs 22:6)
R – Responsive – Several things are commanded of a mother…they are required without even being asked to be available morning noon and night. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
The Bible never states that every woman should be a mother. However, it does say that those whom the Lord blesses to be mothers should take the responsibility seriously. However, as women there is motherly instinct in all of us. We all have a unique and crucial role in the lives of children. Motherhood is not a chore or unpleasant task. Just as a mother bears a child during pregnancy, and just as a mother feeds and cares for a child during infancy, mothers also play an ongoing role in the lives of their children, teenagers, young adults, and even fully-grown children, whether they bore them or not. While the role of motherhood must change and develop, the integrity a mother models, the order they demand, the life lessons they teach, the never ending help they provide, their energy, their ability to respond, love, nurture, and encouragement a mother gives never ceases.
I closed with this poem I wrote:
*I love all of my mothers*
I love my mother…the mother in me…Pick up any mirror look inside and you will see
The coach, the teacher, the mentor the preacher the one who works so hard to reach her.
The one who comes out every single day…because she works for the passion…not the pay
The one who is still smiling after that game today…She knows in her heart…you are a better player than you were yesterday.
I love my mother…yes you and you over there
The ones giving me the OMGoodness stare
You are an inspiration and such a joy to be around
It is simply amazing how you can take soooo much and barely make a sound.
You work hard at keeping a home and bringing in the pay
And every time you come home after I keep you kids I here…”Mommy...mommy, I missed you today”!
I pray …oh how I pray when I have a husband and children one day …they stare at and adore me…in the exact same way.
I love my mother….you know who they are.
The ones who would have no trouble at all being a superstar
Their make up flawless their hair absolutely tight
They know and do exactly what it takes to keep everything right
They are clever, they are smart, they are cunning and they are stunning
They always have the right motivation to keep your spirits running
Look at them….You can’t help but stare
As soon as I get home…I’m gonna find some Nair.
I love my mother…that lady sitting over there..there…and there
Do you see her…she is the gorgeous one with the pretty gray hair
Love so unconditional and without fail
She’s also quick to tell you…stop that sinning or you’ll go straight to…..
Look deep in her eyes and you will see her story
And after all these years she Gives *God* all the glory
She looked in the mirror, she had the OMGoodness stare
She’s even had some Tight no…fly hair
She is the one with the lasting legacy
I love all my mothers…Look at her...her...and her…how can you not see
She is the one in which I strive to be
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Bible in 90 Days!!! It's a journey!
Good afternoon Blog world...I haven't posted in a little while and I have a few things to share about my recent adventures with teaching Abstinence...but before I provide that update, I have a journey I want to share with you all. A few of my friends and I are embarking on a summer reading challenge and I would like to extend the invitation to join us as we read the bible in 90 days. Starting June 1st, we’ll work our way through Genesis to Revelations and everything in between. This is a part of a larger movement www.biblein90days.com. I know many of you read the Bible already, and some may be getting around to completing the entire Book, so I wanted to share the information with you. The way the schedule is set up, you only devote about 30-60 minutes a day to reading. This is a way to schedule our lives around the Lord and not the other way around.
Just to put it in a little perspective for you...here is the testimony of one of the young ladies who is taking this challenge. She read the entire Bible while in Cayman and during this time, She says she felt such a deep, close connection to God. She mentioned she was able to digest His Word and apply it to her life. And she says allthough she still make mistakes, She is able to trust in God and put Him first in her life. And now, she finds the need to continue to build a relationship and learn how to fulfill His purpose for her life.
In this Journey you may find peace, protection, wisdom, or prosperity if you join this 90 day challenge, but at the very least, you will have a better understanding of all the blessings God has in store for you and why Jesus died for our sins (all of are sins, since He sees us all the same.) And I truly believe, this will bless you! I look forward to hearing from those who are interested. I plan to blog about this here at least once a week, so if you want me to post anything let me know. Here’s a web site with a reading plan with a few grace days in case you need to skip a day :-) http://www.havenministries.com/schedule.pdf.
Here is an excellent prayer my friend wrote to kick off the journey!
May we embark on this venture with an open mind and an open heart. May God remove any blinders or obstacles that may block our blessings. May He cleanse our hands and renew our minds, to have a life changing experience. I pray that we get to know not only God but ourselves better. Let’s seek God first in all that we do and He will direct our paths. May His word become our testimony, our lifestyle. I pray that our divine destiny will become much more clear. Our purpose will be fulfilled. In Jesus’ name, we bind all evil and curses that grip us and loose blessings and an anointing in our lives. May we live abundantly in the days and months and years to come. For God is the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen!!!
Just to put it in a little perspective for you...here is the testimony of one of the young ladies who is taking this challenge. She read the entire Bible while in Cayman and during this time, She says she felt such a deep, close connection to God. She mentioned she was able to digest His Word and apply it to her life. And she says allthough she still make mistakes, She is able to trust in God and put Him first in her life. And now, she finds the need to continue to build a relationship and learn how to fulfill His purpose for her life.
In this Journey you may find peace, protection, wisdom, or prosperity if you join this 90 day challenge, but at the very least, you will have a better understanding of all the blessings God has in store for you and why Jesus died for our sins (all of are sins, since He sees us all the same.) And I truly believe, this will bless you! I look forward to hearing from those who are interested. I plan to blog about this here at least once a week, so if you want me to post anything let me know. Here’s a web site with a reading plan with a few grace days in case you need to skip a day :-) http://www.havenministries.com/schedule.pdf.
Here is an excellent prayer my friend wrote to kick off the journey!
May we embark on this venture with an open mind and an open heart. May God remove any blinders or obstacles that may block our blessings. May He cleanse our hands and renew our minds, to have a life changing experience. I pray that we get to know not only God but ourselves better. Let’s seek God first in all that we do and He will direct our paths. May His word become our testimony, our lifestyle. I pray that our divine destiny will become much more clear. Our purpose will be fulfilled. In Jesus’ name, we bind all evil and curses that grip us and loose blessings and an anointing in our lives. May we live abundantly in the days and months and years to come. For God is the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen!!!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Sexless in the City
"Sex Is Like a Can of Drano" (Sex According to God by Kay Arthur)
"I got up from the table, carried the dishes to the sink, and as I looked down all I could think was, Good Grief! A clogged sink. I don't have time for this!
I was scheduled to drive to a nearby town to speak to a group of teenagers about sex, and here was a mess of soggy garbage floating in a sink that was probably as old as our farmhouse!
I couldn't just walk out and leave the mess. Dropping to my knees, I began rummaging under the sink through cans of scouring powders, cleaning solutions, and dishwashing soap, looking for the Drano. Finally, way at the back, I spotted its red-white-and blue can. I couldn't remember when I had last used it.
'I probably should have been using you regularly and this wouldn't have happened,' I mumbled to the unhearing can as I looked for the directions. The skull and crossbones on the front and the word POISON in all caps reminded me why I had buried it at the back of the cabinet.
Following the directions carefully, which the manufacturer of the Drano had convinced me was important, I cautiously popped the red top, did exactly what I was told, then stood at my gurgling sink - mesmerized, relieved, and delighted as I watched the product work its magic
In minutes the sink was clean and shiny.
Great! I thought. I'm out of here!
Minutes later as I turned onto Interstate 75, heading toward Dalton, Georgia, I eased back into the driver's seat and began to review my message on sex, but my mind quickly went from sex to sinks. I was still amazed at what an incredibly quick job Drano did on my sink. What a great product! I thought. Read the directions, do what it tells you, and it works! And nothing dire happened because I followed the directions.
Then it hit me: Lord, sex is like a can of Drano! It's a wonderful 'product,' does a great job, but you have to use it according to the Manufacturer's directions. What a great opener for my message on sex!
Drano will do just what the manufacturer says, but if you don't use it properly, it could do one of three things: burn you, poison you, or erupt violently. The same is true of sex. That's why so many are traumatized by sex instead of delighting in it as God intended.
Maybe this is your experience, my friend. You've been burned and you bear the scars, whether others see them or not. Maybe the poison still seeps through your mind or body. Maybe you've acquired a sexually transmitted disease - even AIDS. Maybe sex exploded, with results you never anticipated. You had an abortion, or you paid for her to get one. Or your infidelity was discovered, and your life and your plans were ruined. You never dreamed it would turn out this way.
You hadn't carefully read God's warnings, written in black and the white pages of His book, the Bible. If you had, you would have found the dangers of misuse clearly identified, much like the cautions listed on the can of Drano.'
WOW!!! What a powerful opening to an awesome book about the truth about Sex, about Sex according to God. Sex is a beautiful thing, and sex by God's design, is becoming one flesh..."God formed us to know no greater ecstasy than when a man and a woman literally merge into one flesh. Hormones, nerves, sensory receptors, and other specific physical characteristics are all part of His divine design for our pleasure in the physical oneness of marriage.
An ecstasy beyond exquisite.
A oneness washing over you, a wave of passion carrying you weightless to a sea of delight.
Passion that loses consciousness of anything else.
Exhaustion that leaves you spent, drained of tension, and filled with satisfaction, total satisfaction.
Who in their right mind would not want that? Why do you think sex sells...it's an awesome thing. But imagine if it were solely used according to the Manufacturer's instructions, according to how God designed it. WOW!!!
It's easier said than done though...I mean it is an awesome thing, but with every decision made their is a consequence...even with sex, it is just up to you to choose which consequence you want. Which would you choose?
Consequence 1 - Poison - May be Fatal or Cause Permanent Damage if Swallowed. Causes Severe Burns to Eyes and Skin. May cause blindness.
Consequence 2 - The ultimate love story - Ecstasy, oneness, passion and exhaustion that leaves you spent, drained of tension, and filled with satisfaction, total satisfaction.
"I got up from the table, carried the dishes to the sink, and as I looked down all I could think was, Good Grief! A clogged sink. I don't have time for this!
I was scheduled to drive to a nearby town to speak to a group of teenagers about sex, and here was a mess of soggy garbage floating in a sink that was probably as old as our farmhouse!
I couldn't just walk out and leave the mess. Dropping to my knees, I began rummaging under the sink through cans of scouring powders, cleaning solutions, and dishwashing soap, looking for the Drano. Finally, way at the back, I spotted its red-white-and blue can. I couldn't remember when I had last used it.
'I probably should have been using you regularly and this wouldn't have happened,' I mumbled to the unhearing can as I looked for the directions. The skull and crossbones on the front and the word POISON in all caps reminded me why I had buried it at the back of the cabinet.
Following the directions carefully, which the manufacturer of the Drano had convinced me was important, I cautiously popped the red top, did exactly what I was told, then stood at my gurgling sink - mesmerized, relieved, and delighted as I watched the product work its magic
In minutes the sink was clean and shiny.
Great! I thought. I'm out of here!
Minutes later as I turned onto Interstate 75, heading toward Dalton, Georgia, I eased back into the driver's seat and began to review my message on sex, but my mind quickly went from sex to sinks. I was still amazed at what an incredibly quick job Drano did on my sink. What a great product! I thought. Read the directions, do what it tells you, and it works! And nothing dire happened because I followed the directions.
Then it hit me: Lord, sex is like a can of Drano! It's a wonderful 'product,' does a great job, but you have to use it according to the Manufacturer's directions. What a great opener for my message on sex!
Drano will do just what the manufacturer says, but if you don't use it properly, it could do one of three things: burn you, poison you, or erupt violently. The same is true of sex. That's why so many are traumatized by sex instead of delighting in it as God intended.
Maybe this is your experience, my friend. You've been burned and you bear the scars, whether others see them or not. Maybe the poison still seeps through your mind or body. Maybe you've acquired a sexually transmitted disease - even AIDS. Maybe sex exploded, with results you never anticipated. You had an abortion, or you paid for her to get one. Or your infidelity was discovered, and your life and your plans were ruined. You never dreamed it would turn out this way.
You hadn't carefully read God's warnings, written in black and the white pages of His book, the Bible. If you had, you would have found the dangers of misuse clearly identified, much like the cautions listed on the can of Drano.'
WOW!!! What a powerful opening to an awesome book about the truth about Sex, about Sex according to God. Sex is a beautiful thing, and sex by God's design, is becoming one flesh..."God formed us to know no greater ecstasy than when a man and a woman literally merge into one flesh. Hormones, nerves, sensory receptors, and other specific physical characteristics are all part of His divine design for our pleasure in the physical oneness of marriage.
An ecstasy beyond exquisite.
A oneness washing over you, a wave of passion carrying you weightless to a sea of delight.
Passion that loses consciousness of anything else.
Exhaustion that leaves you spent, drained of tension, and filled with satisfaction, total satisfaction.
Who in their right mind would not want that? Why do you think sex sells...it's an awesome thing. But imagine if it were solely used according to the Manufacturer's instructions, according to how God designed it. WOW!!!
It's easier said than done though...I mean it is an awesome thing, but with every decision made their is a consequence...even with sex, it is just up to you to choose which consequence you want. Which would you choose?
Consequence 1 - Poison - May be Fatal or Cause Permanent Damage if Swallowed. Causes Severe Burns to Eyes and Skin. May cause blindness.
Consequence 2 - The ultimate love story - Ecstasy, oneness, passion and exhaustion that leaves you spent, drained of tension, and filled with satisfaction, total satisfaction.
Embrace Your Singleness!!!
Will someone please tell me what is so wrong with being single? No...better yet, please tell me why it is a top priority for our young women to get married. Why they feel they are less than a woman if they are not married or with someone? Is it insecurity, is it just that they just don't know...what is it? Why is it the number 1 goal for them?
I know it isn't like that for all of our young girls, but I hear and see it more often then I don't. I see young, talented, smart ladies flirt... and flirt very hard with young men. Almost throwing themselves at them. I hear young talented, smart ladies say, I want to find a husband? That is not the order of how God intended things to work.
I was just in a local High School, and there were several young ladies that asked me if I were married. And that is a very legitimate question, but why is it the absolute first question. And then why does it so instinctively follow with...do you have any kids? Why is that?
In searching for some sort of insight into the answer, I came across this awesome poem:
I know it isn't like that for all of our young girls, but I hear and see it more often then I don't. I see young, talented, smart ladies flirt... and flirt very hard with young men. Almost throwing themselves at them. I hear young talented, smart ladies say, I want to find a husband? That is not the order of how God intended things to work.
I was just in a local High School, and there were several young ladies that asked me if I were married. And that is a very legitimate question, but why is it the absolute first question. And then why does it so instinctively follow with...do you have any kids? Why is that?
In searching for some sort of insight into the answer, I came across this awesome poem:
What makes you think that just because I am an attractive woman of Godly intelligence that I'm incomplete without a mate? Who told you that without a man something's missing from my life? And if so, what would that be?
Love? I love myself and more importantly I love the Lord. He told me that when I delight in Him, He will give me the desires of my heart.
Security? I have everything I need according to His riches in glory.
Intimacy? Now, how's a man going to get to know me when he doesn't even know who he is in the Lord.
See my Father told me I'm above a ruby's worth and a gem does not seek, it is sought. I'm single and that's all right with me. See, it's not that I oppose relationships it's that I detest co-dependency. As a woman I know it is not my role to chase after any man. Esther 2:14 reads that I am to wait on my king and when he's delighted in me he will call me by my name.
My Lord does not intend for me to be needy or desperate. I am to be Cherished, Relished, Valued, and Honored. It's not my job to convince him or convict him of that. My mate will already know it and consistently show it and he will stay on his knees daily - not just to adore me but to praise the Lord for the virtuous woman he has found.
So, when you see me by myself - I'm not alone. I know what I have coming to me. I'm single and saved, and right now that's all I need to be!- Author Unknown
Wow!! Even though the author says unknown...it is obvious it is written by a women or from a woman's perspective...but it is talking to men as well. Men...know yourself in the Lord before you marry. And when it is time to call your wife by her name...Cherish, Relish, Value, and Honor the blessing God has given you in your virtuous woman.
It says in Gen 24:7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and made an oath to me, saying, To your seed I will give this land: he will send his angel before you and give you a wife for my son in that land.
God is good and he knows the desires of your heart...Embrace Your Singleness and put God first...he will direct your path to your King or your Virtuous Queen!!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Will the Single and Saved...please STAND UP!!
What is it about being single? Why is it considered so horrible?
What is it about being Saved? Why is it considered no fun or embarrassing?
And the two combined! Blow me down and call me fallen...one just has to be depressed or on something. Someone, please help me understand it.
I am single and saved and am happy. I love being single...and I love being saved...And being Single and Saved...WOW!!! It is what keeps me going every day. And please, do not misunderstand, one day... I will be married, and to a man who puts God first in all he does and adores me with all of his heart. Until that day comes, however ...I will stand proud and be happy being Single and Saved. Who will stand with me? Or, here is a better question? Am I the only one? Where are the Single and Saved? Please stand up and reveal yourselves?
And I'm talking to those single men and women who are proud to serve the Lord. Those individuals who wake up alone saying Thank You Jesus and go to bed alone Praising Him for all he has done and for what he is going to do. I'm talking to those who go to church looking to worship the Lord...not looking to find Mr. /Mrs. Right in the next pew. I am calling those who join the Singles group to surround themselves with likeminded individuals looking to grow stronger in the Lord...not to hook up with Joe or Joanne. To those individuals who would rather fly solo on a Friday Night to the local gospel concert or at Friday night service than to the popular night spot, stand up proud and show yourselves. Will the Single and Saved please STAND UP!!
What is it about being Saved? Why is it considered no fun or embarrassing?
And the two combined! Blow me down and call me fallen...one just has to be depressed or on something. Someone, please help me understand it.
I am single and saved and am happy. I love being single...and I love being saved...And being Single and Saved...WOW!!! It is what keeps me going every day. And please, do not misunderstand, one day... I will be married, and to a man who puts God first in all he does and adores me with all of his heart. Until that day comes, however ...I will stand proud and be happy being Single and Saved. Who will stand with me? Or, here is a better question? Am I the only one? Where are the Single and Saved? Please stand up and reveal yourselves?
And I'm talking to those single men and women who are proud to serve the Lord. Those individuals who wake up alone saying Thank You Jesus and go to bed alone Praising Him for all he has done and for what he is going to do. I'm talking to those who go to church looking to worship the Lord...not looking to find Mr. /Mrs. Right in the next pew. I am calling those who join the Singles group to surround themselves with likeminded individuals looking to grow stronger in the Lord...not to hook up with Joe or Joanne. To those individuals who would rather fly solo on a Friday Night to the local gospel concert or at Friday night service than to the popular night spot, stand up proud and show yourselves. Will the Single and Saved please STAND UP!!
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