by Tessa | Faith
My husband and I have been reading “The Love Dare Day by Day: A Year of Devotions for Couples” in the evenings after the children are asleep. Not every night, but we’ve just started and we’re trying to make it a new habit. Anyway, the first week is about love. Asking God to teach us about real love and how to be a more loving person. I think that we can all learn more about what it really means to be a loving person.
This verse is a great reminder that you can do all the right things, go through all the right motions, but it means nothing if your heart isn’t in the right place. I don’t think it gets more simple than that. At the end of the day, God will want to know, “How did you live out My love today?”
by Tessa | Faith
I told my friend that “I didn’t leave because of a difference of opinion, I left because of a difference of character.” She had sent me a note to say she missed seeing me in a community we both belonged too and to ask how things had been going with me. She saw the conversation that took place and resulted in me leaving. I think the whole community probably did. It was a doozy!
Let me explain a bit about what happened:
There was an opinion shared by a community member and several of the other members chimed in and said they agreed with her. I disagreed with the opinion and said so. In the past, difference of opinions in this particular community has led to some lively debate about why we felt the way we did and ended on a very respectful note of agreeing to disagree. How I hoped this would be another one of those instances! Unfortunately, it was not to be.
I was instantly attacked. Insulted. Belittled. Misjudged. The whole nine yards.
The irony of the situation was that this whole discussion was over accepting differences between people, and about showing tolerance and love. The popular opinion said that you had to agree with something in order to be viewed as societally correct or accepted, or treated with any sort of dignity. I, on the other hand, believe that agreeing about the matter at hand is irrelevant. I believe that, even if you disagree with someone, they still deserve to be treated with respect and responded to in love.
While several people in this community were preaching to me about how I should tolerate and love everyone, they chose not to practice it.
I’m sharing this to remind you (and myself) that there will be times when our belief system will be tested. Words are only as good as the actions we follow them up with.
James 2:18 reminds us of this:
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
James also tells us, in chpt 1:2-3:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
This was certainly a trial and I can tell you that I did not consider going through it pure joy. It was hard to be treated in such a way by people who I thought were my friends. The feelings of joy were a little slow in coming. I found joy later in the fact that a few other community members told me that they disagreed with the way I was treated an were ashamed on behalf of the community. I appreciated their support. I have also felt a weight lifted from my shoulders because leaving this community has allowed me the time to step into different communities and move into new roles that God is calling me to fulfill.
In the meantime, I will choose to follow God’s Word, in spite of the fact that it is no longer viewed as politically correct.
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by Tessa | Faith
I have often tried to live by Paul’s word to “Be content in all circumstances.” I’m not. Content that is. There are certain things that I am content with and others things that I wish I could change (or fast forward). It’s very difficult to find the balance between being content and striving to move ahead. I also believe that dreaming and goal setting is important.
One of my goals is to increase my scripture intake over the year. I have been reading Exodus lately. I read the part when the Israelites were grumbling about not having any water. (Ex 17:22-27) In my mind it seems like a legitimate complaint. They were in the desert and hadn’t had any water for 3 days. I’d be thirsty too! The part that really stuck me today was the part where it says that the Israelites were not grumbling against Moses. They were discontent (to say the least) with their circumstances and complained to Moses. But God said that their grumbling was to the Lord. That was a bit of a slap in the face to me. How often do I complain about certain circumstances in my life? Right before I wrote this (and during the writing of this) I have complained and grumbled. Some internally and some out loud. It doesn’t really make a difference who hears it because the One who it is against hears it all.
So here is my prayer:
Dear Lord, Please forgive me. I try to be content in the circumstances and situation you have put me in but so often I fail. I really need your strength to stop grumbling and please extend Your patience toward me as I take steps backward. Help me to appreciate every day the gifts you have bestowed on me. Lead me to the balance of contentment without complacency.
Amen.
by Tessa | Faith
I have all but given up on rising early. I know that the early bird catches the worm and I would love to start my day with an hour of Scripture and prayer but it’s just not happening. Instead of trying to guilt myself about it, I’ve found another strategy.
I really like the idea of morning quiet time with God. I used to be an early bird. Then I had children. I now really love (and need) my sleep. I still sleep-share (co-sleep) with my littlest and he has a sixth sense. As soon as I try to leave the bed in the morning he will wake up and want to nurse for an hour. So I remind myself that he’s only young once and we snuggle in for an hour of dozing/nursing.
Here are some alternatives to rising early yet still getting into God’s Word in the start of my day:
- Set an alarm and go to bed on time. For me this means at 10:15pm my phone starts jingling and I start getting ready for bed. This is often step one to getting a good start the next day.
- Set an alarm for the morning (mine is at 7am). This one drives my husband crazy because he’s usually the one turning it off while I roll over to go back to sleep. But every once in a while he will be unavailable (i.e. outside working already) and I have to jump out of bed to turn the alarm off. Most of the time the littlest wakes up, but sometimes he doesn’t. And by that point I’m out of bed anyway so I (try) to stay awake and read.
- Another alarm perk: they are on my smart phone. My smart phone also has a Bible app. Since I have my phone in my hand anyway I can flip open the app and start my daily reading while laying in bed.
- Sleep through the alarm and wake up around 8ish with the kids. This has been my usual routine as of late. They run around in jammies while I grab my already made coffee (did I mention I have the best husband ever?) and sit at the table.
I have started grabbing a journal to jot down my thoughts on my daily reading and I click “play” on my phone and Max Lucado reads the Bible to me. Sometimes it takes me half an hour (or more) to get my 15 minutes of reading in. Sometimes they play so nicely that I allow myself a bit of extra time to delve further into a verse that really spoke to me. Or write a quick blog post to tell you that, even if you have little ones and sleep is too precious to wake up early (can you say “multiple night wakings?”), you can still start your day right, with the Lord.
C is now back in the house and will be wanting some breakfast (or probably a cookie as I gave Biscuit one while he was playing outside to buy me a few extra minutes) so I’m off to get everyone dressed, fed, and out the door to do chores.
Do you have any other tips for getting in a few minutes of God-time before you start your day? I’d love to hear them!
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by Tessa | Faith
Snow White was as good as dead. Her friends had all given up hope. Then along comes Prince Charming and her whole reality changes. One kiss and she goes from the coffin to the castle.
It often seems that people think “happily ever afters” only happen in fairy tales. Perhaps that is why there is a recent influx of movies and TV shows that revolve around a fresh approach to many traditional fairy tales. I have seen countless previews for movies about Snow White, Cinderella, and Red Riding Hood.
I like movies that are easy on the mind. Movies with happy endings. The girl gets the guy, the cop gets the villain, and the orphan gets his family. Maybe it is sappy. Or maybe I’m realistic.
Another thing I love is reading and listening to the Psalms. They are full of happy endings. There is a lot of talk about how God will punish the wicked and raise up His people. I don’t so much like to think about the wicked being punished (most of the time anyway; to be perfectly honest, sometimes I can’t wait for people to get what’s coming to them) but it is more the reminder that good will win. God will win.
Everything in Scripture points to the fact that God triumphs over all.
David was in the wilderness running from King Saul when he wrote:
I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
(Psalm 57:4)
I don’t know about you but I can totally relate! So often I have felt like people and circumstances around me were poised and waiting to attack me. If I make one wrong move, or word something wrong, the enemy takes the opportunity to attempt to tear me to shreds.
Yet David sings on. The Psalm continues and David ends with:
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
David knew that there would be a happy ending. He would become king because God said so. And I sing on too. Even though my faithfulness to Him is imperfect, His faithfulness to me is infinite and perfect. He never falters.
So I’m going to continue enjoying movies and stories with happy endings. Not just because they give me warm fuzzies, but because it reminds me that good always wins. God always wins.
My husband and I have been reading “The Love Dare Day by Day: A Year of Devotions for Couples” in the evenings after the children are asleep. Not every night, but we’ve just started and we’re trying to make it a new habit. Anyway, the first week is about love. Asking God to teach us about real love and how to be a more loving person. I think that we can all learn more about what it really means to be a loving person.
