Hands and Feet

This week, I have had the opportunity to witness God do some amazing things! Just so you understand where I am coming from, I spend a lot of my free time serving at my church (shocker, I know!). I serve in several ministries so that I may learn what it takes to be a leader of the church, I can connect with others, and I can help expand God's kingdom. Just this past weekend, while I was serving at my church store, I witnessed one of my pastors speak life back into a woman who was going through very difficult times with her family! I was also able to talk to and connect with other Christian leaders who were able to provide me with so much wisdom. I felt truly blessed! The main thing I want to talk about however is something that happened to me one night on my way home from church. I was driving late Thursday night and having all sorts of revelations go through my mind to the point of tears. Then, I saw a girl walking down the street who looked exactly like my sister. I thought about asking her if she could use a ride but instead, I text my sister to see if she was ok. Suddenly, something inside me told me, "What are you doing wasting your time texting your sister when you could be helping that girl?!" I tried to reason with the voice at first by saying something like "Well, I don't know that girl. what if she is crazy or something?" When I got home, I could not shake the image of the girl from my mind. She was all I could think about. I prayed that God would take care of her and forgive my disobedience to act. Today, my father and I were driving home in the pouring rain and we saw two teenaged girls walking down the street carrying boxes. No umbrellas, no rain coats, no rain boots, nothing! Instantly, the image of the girl from the other night popped into my head. Again, I tried to reason with myself, but I decided I was not going to miss the opportunity to serve a second time! I looked at my father and said, "I feel bad for those girls walking in the rain". He turned to me and replied, "Well, what do you want me to do, pick them up?" "Well, yeah". Naturally, my dad looked confused. Many years of being a police officer told him that it was a bad idea! We didn't even make it down the street before my dad said, "You know what, I feel bad too. Let's turn around and ask them if they want a ride". Words cannot even express how happy I was! The girls of course were naturally hesitant getting into a stranger's car, but they were in shock that we even asked! Even though it was raining, I knew we brightened their day! It just so happens that one of my scriptures to read for the night was Matthew 25:35-40, which states, "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (ESV). This scripture always touches my heart because Jesus knew the world was (and still is) filled with people who are hungry, thirsty, poor, sick, hurting, lost, and broken. This is why its so important to get involved in helping your community and be the "hands and feet" of Jesus! It's our job to help as many people as we can while we still can! We are walking representations of Christ's love that lives inside us for all the world to see! Through Him, we can help change lives and show people the hope and love they have been looking for! Whether it is a simple gesture or speaking light into someone's darkness, always remember that you can be a solution to someone else's problem! You may not be able to change the world overnight, but it has to start somewhere, so let it start with you! Stay Strong! "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." (John 15:12 NIV)

Fireproof Part 4: Marriage

For the final week of this "Fireproof" series, I have decided to talk about marriage. After all, marriage is what the movie is concentrated on. Now I know what some of you may be thinking. "Steph, how can you be discussing marriage when you are not married yourself!?" I understand this concern completely. My response to you is that I study what the Word of God has to say about marriage and the marriages I observe around me because I know one day in the future, I plan on being married. Therefore, I prepare my heart, mind, and soul now, that way when Mr. Right comes along, I will be ready! Remember, we date with the intent of marriage in mind.

Marriage is quite a tricky subject because there are so many aspects of marriage that can be discussed. In this entry, I am going to speak of marriage in a more general sense; what the Word of God says marriage is and what God intended marriage to be. The Word states that Jesus told the Pharisees, “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ ” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together” (Matthew 19:4-6 NLT). Ever since Adam and Eve, God intended marriage to be a lifelong, satisfying companionship; a union between a man and a woman that should never be broken. Unfortunately, people have developed a warped perspective on marriage and the word "union". People in our day and age think that marriage is just a piece of paper that signifies taking your relationship to the "next level" and can be easily discarded when times get too tough. It's easier to just get divorced than to stay with your partner and work things out. Jesus even went as far as to say, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery” (Mark 10:11-12 NLT). My friends, I challenge you to think differently! Don't let the lies of the enemy overwhelm your relationship! If it is anything the movie taught me, it's that with God, all things broken can be mended! Know that being in a marriage is hard work! You are going to fight, disagree, have good days and bad days. Always remember to keep God first!! Talk to each other (try not to yell), pray with each other, make time for each other, show each other that you care, put each other's needs ahead of your own, and if necessary, know when you guys need space! My uncle taught me something I will never forget. He told me, "If both you and your partner are deaf, blind, and mute, how would you let each other know you love each other? By your actions!" Don't just tell them that you love them, SHOW them! If you and your spouse are going through a rough patch, no matter how bad it may seem, I challenge you to take the 40 Day Challenge and see how God can transform your marriage. (Of course if you are in an emotionally, mentally, or physically abusive relationship, GET OUT AND SEEK HELP!!!) 

Scripture also says that marriage is a representation of the union between Christ and his bride, the Church. "And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body" (Ephesians 5:21-30 NLT). Men, be the head of the household! Be firm and decisive, yet humble and unselfish! Love your wife just as Jesus loved the Church. So much in fact, He died for the Church! Women, don't be afraid of the term "submissive". You can be submissive to your husbands leadership, yet still be strong in how you are as an individual. Be nurturing, understanding, wise and secure. If you both believe in and want the same things, submitting to his leadership shouldn't be a problem anyways because he will want what you want as well! God wants the best for you! The good news is it's not to late for you to achieve it if you make God the center of your lives! Stay Strong! 

"This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together." (Mark 10:7-9 NLT)

Fireproof Part 3: Break Ups

For this week, I wanted to talk about something I know many of us have gone through or may be in the mist of facing: break ups. I feel that this topic is important because how you handle a break up can make a huge impact on your life. 

Let me start off by saying I can personally relate to how terrible break ups can be. I know what it feels like to invest so much time and effort into one person and then have it fall apart right before your eyes. I know first hand the pain and anger that comes from the separation of two hearts. You may not see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet, but I promise you it's there! You have to discipline yourself to keep moving forward through the hurt, which I know may be a lot easier said than done. At the end of every storm, you come out stronger and a little wiser than you were before the storm. Rest assured that God feels your hurt and He will comfort you and get you through anything! One of my favorite Bible verses is Proverbs 3:5-6 which says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take" (NLT). This verse is so important because we have to understand that even though we may not understand why certain things are happening in our lives, God knows what He is doing! You have to consider the possibility that God has something better planned for you! 

Do NOT handle a break up by doing things like constant partying, breaking their things, staking them, trying to make them jealous, isolating yourself from the rest of the world, falling for the next person who is remotely nice to you, or flirting with every other person that walks by. These things are just simply unwise and are not going to help you. Instead, try surrounding yourself with Godly people who have your best interest at heart and are going to help you through your tough time! You could also partner with someone else who may be going through what you're going through so you two can help lift each other up! But of course, seek comfort in The Lord first and foremost, for He will always provide. Be mature about it and stay classy my friends! 

If you and your partner are considering breaking up, I advise you to seek Gods counsel! Maybe you guys are just going through a rough patch in your relationship that doesn't necessarily have to lead to breaking up. Remember that God is capable of getting you through anything and can fix all things! "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (Isaiah 41:10 NLT). Talk it out and think things through before you potentially enter into a world of hurt. Always remember, GOD IS GOOD AND HE LOVES YOU!!! Stay Strong! 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalms 34:18 NLT)

Fireproof Part 2: Dating

For this week, I will be talking about dating from the Christian point of view. The key concept I am going to focus on is patience! Friends, do not rush into things! Do not give people you are only dating benefits intended for marriage. Trust me when I say this. I am speaking from personal experience! If you allow God to take control of the relationship and where it's going to go, you are going to be much better off than if you take the relationship into your own hands. Proverbs 19:2 says "Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way" (ESV). Rushing into things driven by desire is going to lead you to missing out on everything God wants for you, which is the absolute best! This person may be telling you everything you want to hear and you may like them with every fiber of your being, but at the end of the day, if they are not the one, THEY ARE NOT THE ONE! Don't waist your time, love, and energy on someone who doesn't deserve it. God will lead you to the right person! Just Trust Him! Boys, more times than not, a good girl is not going to come up to you first (this rule of course not being set in stone). So it's ok to plant a seed of interest. Once you do, step back and allow God to decide whether He permits the relationship to grow any further. The important thing about dating is that this time is to be used to get to know each other better, see whether you guys are truly compatible, see how you guys would react in certain situations, see if you guys want the same things out of life, what your common interests are, etc. Remember, run off God's confirmation, NOT your feelings. 

I understand how this concept of being patient can be hard considering the fast paced, "I want what I want and I want it when I want it" kinda world we live in. We are not a fan of waiting for things. But I believe good things truly do come to people who wait. God will reward your patience in his perfect timing.

Now when you two go out, do your best to not place yourself in situations that could lead to potential temptation. If that means going out in a group of friends rather than just the two of you, DO IT! I'm not saying you can't have some alone time, but be wise about it! Don't place yourself in situations you may regret later. Your relationship will be much stronger in the end. Stay Strong! 

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22 ESV)

Fireproof Part 1: Singleness

If you're wondering why this blog entry is called Fireproof, it's because one of the most inspiring movies I have ever seen in my lifetime is Fireproof staring Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea. It was so moving and really encouraged me that with God in our relationships, anything is possible! This movie has inspired me to write a 4 part series about relationships based what the Bible has to say about them and some of my personal experiences. The goal is to build "fireproof" relationships! By that I mean relationships that can withstand fires (or the difficult times) with God's strength and love! That's not to say that the fires won't come, but you will overcome them and they will make your relationship stronger in Jesus name! Let's start with the first stage of relationships, singleness. 

You may be wondering "What does being single have to do with being in a relationship"? Well, I'm glad you asked! Being single is probably one of the most important periods of your life because how you spend your time being single can have a huge impact on your future relationships! If you spend your time pursuing unconfirmed relationships and worldly things, you may wind up with many scars and into situations you may regret later which could carry into your future relationships; this is commonly known as "baggage". If you keep giving people who are not meant for you pieces of your heart, you are only going to have scraps left to give your future spouse! If you spend your time pursuing God and trusting that he truly does desire the best for you, He can bless you with a love that will stand the test of time!  For those of you who are single, I encourage you to spend some time studying 1 Corinthians 7. Paul gives great advice on pre-marriage relationships and marriage throughout the entire chapter. One passage in particular I am refering to is verses 17-24 where Paul mentions being content in your current situation. You see, it is so easy to get frustrated at the "single" label, but remember no matter what situation you are in, you have an opportunity to serve God and your community! “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free" (Luke 4:18 NLT). Don't forget we Christians have a very important job to do (evangelize AKA save lives!). Don't be upset that you are single! Use this time to grow as a person and in your beliefs! Find out things about yourself such as what your interests are, who your real friends are, what makes you unique, what you believe with all your heart, things you are not willing to give up once you do enter into a relationship, what you want out of life, etc.

One thing that I can't help but find comical is when people say things like "there is no such thing as a perfect person for you because no one is perfect!" Well, they may be right about "no one is perfect", but I believe that is the equivalence of saying "God, you are able to create the universe, move any mountain, calm any storm, heal any disease, but make the perfect spouse... geee... I don't know God... that's just impossible". What!?!? Jesus even said “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 9:23 NLT) This is the same God that we proclaim "For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 ESV) NOTHING!!!! Not even a perfect spouse!!! I believe that when God created you, He saw YOU, His son/daughter and thought, "I love this child, MY child, so much, not only will I sacrifice my one and only son for them, I am going to go before them and plan the BEST life possible for them, so that they may know who I am and have a relationship with me!" That perfect someone is out there for you, but you have to choose God's will and be patient enough to wait for them to come at the right time! Don't let the enemy use doubt to rob you of what is rightfully yours!!! Personally, being single has kept me from the distractions of being in a relationship so that I may discover more about myself and my God. Even though you may feel lonely or like no one likes you, trust in God's perfect timing and know He does have great things planned for you! Stay Strong! 

Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you. (1 Corinthians 7:24 NLT)