50 Shades of Grace ~ Clayton Jennings

Clayton Jennings speaks all over the nation, to young and old alike. I recently started following him on Facebook, and he is so real. I just love reading what he posts, and seeing the change he is making in this world, and all for Christ! Check him out! I found this poem, and it made my day! I keep seeing all these posts on Facebook degrading Shades of Grey, and no, I did not read the books, nor do I plan to go see the movie, but I am simply going to pray that those that did, or do, find Jesus, if they haven't already. That void many are trying to fill with these earthly things, God can fill that, God can over-fill that! That is what they need. So love those that go see this movie, just as you love those that won't. God is love, and in order to be more like Him, that is what we must do and be as well. #loveeverybody

 

Facebook: Clayton Jennings

Instagram: claytonjennings1

 

 

 

 

50 Shades of Grace

 

Sex and marriage and marriage and sex

They said first comes marriage and next comes sex

They told me don’t have sex until you say “I-do”... 

Staying pure was everything I thought I knew

“I’m waiting til’ marriage,” said the twelve-year-old me

But that was before puberty and MTV

Before R-rated movies and computer screens

That was before late nights with pretty girls

Temptations and promises from a broken world

That was before whispers in my ear and tugging on my shirt

That was before I realized the pain, regret, and hurt

That’s before I realized that sex is a tattoo

It only takes one night to leave its mark on you

That’s before I realized that sex outside of marriage isn't pleasure

It’s pressure with consequences that can’t be measured

Because suddenly you’re not 100 percent you

You've given away a part of yourself and taken part of her too

And it doesn't stop there because the ripples keep going

You've damaged her future husband without him knowing

You’re taking something precious and forgetting that she’s treasure

So you defile her body because of peer pressure

You’re like “Nah man. I’m just trying to get her number and have sex.”

But what happens a few months later when you get that text?

“I’m late” is all that it says…

So you hands get sweaty – your face turns red

You’re too young to be a father, you didn't want all of this

A little bit of fun and now comes a kid?

You start looking for the rewind button you wish you could go back

But even if you did you’d just end up with some girl in the sack

Because sex is your God, and you have to have it

And one girl isn't enough, because now you’re an addict

When you see that girl at the store what do you really see?

A smile and a soul? Or a body that you have to meet?

When that stranger walks by and you turn your head

You’re saying with your eyes that she’s not worth your respect

She’s just a body for your pleasure, a fantasy for your mind

If she’s not giving it up then she’s not worth your time

Beauty isn't in her personality, it’s in her physical features 

 

And if the curves aren't there, then why even meet her?
 

See a man is concerned with her goals, her dreams, and future plans

A boy only thinks about sex and how quick he can get in her pants

What, too real? I should tone it down a bit?

I'd rather be real than keep a tight lip

You're like "Preach it man, tell them to respect us women, yea that's right."

But you're probably the same girl who bought a ticket to Magic Mike.

Paying money to see guys degrade themselves by stripping

But you're the same girl who tells your boyfriend if he doesn't respect your body, he's tripping

Complaining about guys not treating you like a lady

While wearing clothes so tight they belong on a baby

See the street goes both ways, it's not just the guys

In order to get respect you have to have respect in your own eyes

Because if you don't respect yourself, he never will

He'll just use you for your body until he gets his fill

Then it's on to the next with a  booty and chest

Because it was never about love, it was only about sex

Then you wake up and take a look at your history

You're overcome with regret you feel filth and misery

So you jump in the shower and you scrub and you scrub

But no amount of soap can make you feel clean enough

Because you took the lie and you gave yourself away

You bought into a society that promotes Fifty Shades of Grey

But your sins can be forgiven they can be washed away

Because Christ has been there all along with Fifty Shades of GRACE

You see Jesus doesn't love you because of what you've done

He loves you for who you are, not what you've become

He loves you because He is love and love is all that He knows

He loves you despite your sins, you highs, and your lows

So it doesn't matter what you've done

It doesn't matter where you've been

The good news in there's forgiveness in Him

The past is the past and we can never get it back

But life is a marathon, not a one-mile track

So you don't have to make a lap back to where you began

You can run to Jesus and take His hand

You can start a new race with a brand new life

One that doesn't start with sex

One that starts with Christ.

 

 

Here are a couple links to videos of the Author, Clayton Jennings reading his poem.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLL83odreyA

https://vimeo.com/97571649

 

How to Love like God loves us!

All throughout the world, you will find people. People who show their love outwardly for all to see. People who don't make a point of showing theirs off, and yet it is so clearly evident in their everyday lives, whether to their spouse, their parents, their children, etc.


10 Ways to Love

1. LISTEN without interrupting. (Proverbs 18)

I sit at home, with a zillion "great" stories running through my mind. I have limited amount of people to entertain with these in my life.  Often when I try to tell stories, or talk about my day with these few people, I am hardly lent one ear, let alone full attention.  I find this so incredibly hurtful, that I make a daily point to ensure that my eyes are on the person talking to me, and sometimes, with my horrible memory, I even make a point of repeating what I think is important throughout the conversation back to myself in my head. 

I want to live, loving others. I want them to know and feel that love, and I believe it can just start to begin with listening, whether it's "real-talk time," or simply just visiting and fellowshipping together. Sometimes we get distracted with our own lives, and things going through our own heads, but when surrounded by people we need to love (so, any and everyone), we should start with some attention. 

2. SPEAK without accusing. (James 1:19)

I find myself guilty of this often, though I try so hard to make it happen less often. When someone has hurt me, whether intentionally or not, it brings out the worst in me. Even when I don't show it outwardly, or through unkind words out of my mouth, I think the thoughts, and that is just the beginning of a bad habit. SO I make a point of trying to clear my mind of negative thoughts, and if it is impossible, I make a point of just going to this person that I have let cause these thoughts and feelings, and talk it out! 

3. GIVE without sparing. (Proverbs 21:26)

I have this sister, she is not loaded, but she is always making a huge point of blessing others with things she makes room in her heart to give to others. She works hard for her money, and the smiles she receives for such blessing, I can only imagine is the biggest blessing of all to herself. We were taught as young children to tithe 10% to God of everything we earn, if only I could say I have honestly done that my entire life. But even more than giving to the church, to God, I think in my life, I will make a point of making sure the loved ones around me have the things they need, and that strangers are clothed and fed, and those less fortunate or unemployed are having their needs met. 

4. PRAY without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9)

I start my day with prayer, I pray for my family and friends, my day. I pray that God will help me bless Him with all my might each day. I leave for work a half hour early, and drive around Ulysses and pray for friends, my pastor, my church, my job, my patients. I make a point of starting my day out with as much prayer as possible, so that I can be in the habit of always thinking about God and knowing that He is always willing and ready to listen. God wants us to speak to Him daily, He wants to know us, He wants us to know Him. He made us, so how could He not want to hear us out. Pray as often as you can, and sooner than you know it, you will be praying all the time. And it is so refreshing. Indulge!

5. ANSWER without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1)

There is not a person in this life that I have not at some point disagreed with. There are things worth debating over, and things not worth it. Instead of always taking the defensive side, we need to hear them out, listen intently, decide where we stand on the topic of conversation, and have an adult conversation about it. This is always easier said than done, until you make it a habit! Habits can be damaging to relationships, and can also be amazing and help the relationship grow! 

6. SHARE without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15)

This goes for emotions, LOVE, time, things that really matter. This can also pertain to tangible things, but when it comes to loving others. God wants us to be honest, and forthright with ourselves. He gave Himself completely to us, and gave us His only son! Can you imagine, how huge His heart has to be? Like unimaginably ginormous! We can only wish to attain a trillionth of the size, by sharing ourselves with others without facades. If you can't be real with them, then your relationship will be meaningless and empty. 

7. ENJOY without complaint. (Philippians 2:14)

No one has a great day everyday! There is always something that happens that can turn a great day around in a snap. There can also be little things that happen that make a rough day amazing in an instant.  There was a time in my life when I wasn't even half as positive as I find myself these days. Having just graduated in May, school was sometimes a stressor in my life, so I lost a stressor. But I can even remember back to high school, usually I was happy, but not all the time. I was s typical high school student, I did not tend to make the drama, but I let myself hear it and want to hear it and be in the “know.” Now, I have made a habit of not being curious when it does not pertain to me, or is not kind, I tend to make a habit of being positive now! “Bad” things happen to everyone, but how we react to it, how we deal with it, that will affect our attitude about it! I just tend to know that God has a plan and a reason. I know those are not always obvious, especially when we just had our world rocked with bad news, or just got dumped, or are in the process of losing a great friend or mentor. Right off the bat, it is just human nature to go to a negative place in our minds, to see only the worst of our situations. But I make a point, the instant that my brain goes to negative-land, to pray, then seek out the positives! To know that God wants me to do this, so let us make the best of it and see where He leads it!  See the little blessings that He puts in your everyday, make a point of thanking Him for them, and I guarantee you will be happier! Don’t let Satan get a hold of you and your mind. You are an overcomer, connected to the Almighty God, He is able to turn around any situation in a heartbeat, let Him be in control, give it to Him, over and over again, until there is nothing left to give!

8. TRUST without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7)

God put Adam and Eve here on this Earth, as perfect humans, no shame, no regret, no worries, plenty of food. And then they disobeyed God, and now there are such things. Shame, dishonesty, disobedience, hate, etc. We all have suffered from one or all of the previous things before, we all also have been the ones to be shameful and lie, disobey our elders, and at some point hate someone. In order to love, we must trust. We must trust that the person on the other side of the relationship is working to benefit the relationship as well. We must trust each other, trust in what we say and what we say we will do. In order to trust others, we must also be true to our word and trustworthy, because when we are constantly being unworthy of others' trust, we will always doubt them, believing they also are unworthy, doubting their word, doubting their promises. But God wants us to put all trust in Him, to believe that He is in control and He will do all that He can to help us love others, and help our relationships grow. 

9. FORGIVE without punishment. (Colossians 3:13)

God sent His son, to die for us, for our sins. That is the biggest sacrifice anyone in this life has and will ever make. He watched His very own son die, bleed out on a cross, for us, for people that are constantly disobeying Him, and breaking His commandments. I do no have children, but I could never in a million years have the courage to do that for people that I knew would just be constantly ignoring my rules that I put forth before them. People will constantly be doing things, whether intentionally or on accident that are not pleasing to us, that may hurt us, physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. We must learn to forgive. When our partners or friends do something that we think is the end of the world, we need to step back, see it from their perspective, give them another chance, let them know how we feel, and that we forgive them. Don't keep it in, but again don't let little things affect you enough that they distract you from things that really need attention and really matter. Seek to always please God and to be the better person in the relationship. Help each other grow in Christ, pray with the other, anything that will help heal the wounds and get past the speed bump Satan threw in the road for you. 

10. PROMISE without forgetting. (Proverbs 13:12)

In order to love, and love successfully, we must always be true to our word, to our promises.  We must follow through, with even the little things. If we promise to love each other everyday, we must do so. When you truly try and love other people, it may be a struggle sometimes, a daily struggle. Fight the fight, it will always be worth it. The love you will receive in return, will be overwhelmingly greater and bountiful than the road blocks you went through to get there.  The Lord wants for our relationships to be successful and a blessing to both sides of the relationship! Anything worth your time is worth the fight to earn and retain! In order for love to be there, love must be given! Love one another, love your neighbor as yourself, love your enemies. Pray pray pray for everyone who ever comes to mind! Pray on the spot! They may need it just when God throws them on your mind! 

(NOTE TO SELF:  Pay close attention to #1, #2, #5 and #9.)

Being a Light in a Dark World

God uses the peculiar, the odd, and the broken...in other words, He uses us.

 ~Patsy Clairmont

 

 ~Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.~ Matthew 5:14

Imagine a warm, clear, calm night, driving down the highway towards home. From many miles away (in Kansas anyways, flat land for days) you can see the lights of your town, in fact you can see the lights of your town, the town beyond it, and the town beyond that! Now, imagine that each town is one Christian, and you are the 50 random people that may pass by you or a fellow Christian in a given day. The bigger your heart for God, and the more focused you are on living your life for Him, the brighter that light will be, the easier it will be for others to see God here on this earth.

Be the light that helps others see. -Unknown
Life is not always red roses and rainbows, sometimes life can make our light dim, but remember that this is satan's goal. God lets us go through these hardships, and fight these small battles in our lives to prepare us for the big fight. When we had a victory in basketball, we did not get to skip practice the next day, we continued to practice, continued to work hard, and continued to better ourselves. It is the same way with life, each battle is just a little practice to get us and God closer to each big victory, and that is winning hearts for God! All He wants is your heart, your neighbor's heart, that stranger's heart, your dad's heart, and your friends' hearts, He is a selfish God, He wants them all.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ~But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.~
I absolutely love this verse, and read it just a couple weeks back when I was having, what I thought at the time, a horrible week. I felt as though...I was losing something that held a spot in my heart, not a big spot, but an important one. Something that had become a huge blessing in my life, more and more since the day I stumbled upon it. To this day, I have not lost it, and yet I have. The distance has grown, and feels like trudging through cement to get back to where I was. But, on a positive note, I have read my Bible a lot more frequently, helps me focus on Him and not my life around me and the tiny little insignificant negatives that I sometimes can make a big deal out of.

The Lord has been working tenderly on my heart these past few weeks, helping me not make mountains out of these midget molehills. And through it all, I have been much more blessed than burdened. :) Whenever you feel unloved, unimportant, or insecure remember to Whom you belong.

~Do not worry about tomorrow.~ Matthew 6:34
Stop focusing on how stressed you are and focus on how blessed you are. ~Unknown
This was a random quote I found whilst scrolling through my news feed on Facebook one day...let's just say it was God's perfect timing! Mmm. I love that Guy! Worry should not be a focus in our lives, and when we find that it is, we need to lift, throw, or shove them up to God in prayer.

Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God. -Unknown
God commands us to not judge, therefore judge we must not. He does not send the struggling and hopeless into our lives for us to mock and laugh at, NO, He sends the weak our way, so that we can help lift them up, help them stand on their feet, and walk closer to God. You may be the first Christian that has ever crossed that person's life and made the effort to tell them the story of Jesus and show them His kind of love. You may be the only light in that person's darkness, prepare yourself to be a bright one!

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on such things. Philippians 4:8
In high school I was very active in sports, and my high school volleyball and track coach was all about attitude, she could convince us that even if we were about to play the worst team in the league, they could beat us, and we could lose, with just a team full of bad attitudes. That your attitude could win or lose the race before you even started. Well it is just the same on the court/track as it is off. Life is really just a big battle for God. We should strive to be the victors. In order to succeed, we need to be thinking on good things, dwell on His Word to help us remember to be pure in heart and mind, so that people will see us as good examples of His ways.

You own the skies and still You want my heart. ~Hillsong United song entitled "Up in Arms"
I absolutely LOVE music. I mean, the list could go God, family, friends, music, breathing. yeah, I love it that much. Maybe it is not the music itself, so much as worshipping God through it. Christian music is always more than just a song for me, it is words that God has given someone in song, words that I can lift up over and over to Him. Words that draw me to my knees, in awe of Him, and all that He has blessed me with, all the He has helped me live through, causing me to weep in thanksgiving to Him.

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30
What God is bringing you through at this very moment is going to be the testimony that will bring somebody else through. No mess, no message. -Unknown
There is darkness, everywhere. Satan is everywhere, trying to extinguish all of God's candles. Don't let the devil win. God gave His Son for you, for me, He deserves the extra effort in this battle. Can you imagine life without darkness? I can't, but when I envision the complete and utter absence of darkness, the only thing I can picture is Heaven, and being at Jesus' side, and you can't be anything but joyful once you have that image on the brain!

It's funny how someone who was just a stranger last year, can mean so much to you now. It's terrible that someone who meant so much to you last year can be a stranger now. It's amazing what a year can do. ~Unknown
Ecclesiastes 3:1,6 ~To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (6) A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;~
God reminds us in Ecclesiastes that just as life itself is temporary, every little thing in life is temporary. We will not always have our best friend, our sister, our loving mother just a phone call or text away, no, this too shall come to pass. Upon acknowledging this truth, we can appreciate all that we have, while we have it, and learn to let go when it seems we don't, or when we lose it. The easiest way I have found to keep my head up through trials and loss is pray, pray, pray, and read His Word. If you need guidance on where to start in the Bible when you are having a tough time, flip to the back of your Bible and check out the index, and if that is deemed unsuccessful, I am sure you can just about google any and every situation you can imagine, and someone somewhere has thrown together a list of some verses for you!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) ~He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.~
It's so much easier to let God heal your broken heart than trying to do it on your own ability and strength. It's not your job. Jesus is the healer of the broken hearts. When life breaks your heart, know that He is right there to help you put it back together, and remember, it is impossible to put together a puzzle when some of the pieces are missing, you have to give it ALL to Him, so that your heart can be reassembled properly, by the One who wrote the initial blueprints.  

~You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.~ Isaiah 26:3
 Don't mistake God's patient for his absence. His timing is perfect and His presence is constant. He's always with you.
So what if sorrow shakes my faith, what if heartache still remains? I'll trust You, my God, I'll trust You. Because through the good, through the bad, and through the ugly, You are the only constant. You are the One that is always there for me, there with me. Trust in God, and trust in His timing, He and only He knows what is best for you, and when. He does not live to make your life hard, He wants joy in your life, He wants you to be a shining light for Him, He wants you to have peace and happiness. Rest assured He is always at work in your life, and let Him work in your heart.

Lord, help me weigh my words carefully in my heart before I let them escape my lips. ~Karen Ehman
I am human, therefore sometimes I speak before thinking. And, I don't always regret it, because I don't always speak mean things, unrighteous things, rude things. Regardless, when I do, I feel bad enough it covers up the good, clean, and nice things that I have said.

"I keep my eyes on the Lord, with Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken" Psalm 16:8
The devil will sit at my left hand, and try to tempt me into doing things and believing things that are wrong, and untrue, thinking he has the upper hand, and yes sometimes he does succeed, but I promise, with fervent prayer, and reading in His Word, the Lord has won MANY more battles than satan has. My goal in life is no longer help Rachael be a better person, help make Rachael's life easier. It is more structured now to increasing the number of souls for Christ on this earth, making other's lives better, help others in any way I can, make other people's day. Help others find the right path, be the small light that guides them into becoming a light themselves for Christ.

~You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle, Are they not in your book?~ Psalm 56:8
Every tear I've cried, You hold in your hand, You've never left my side and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm. -Casting Crowns song entitled Praise You in this Storm
Life has a way of hitting hard. It can be hard to walk by faith and not by sight when you are hurting. The comforting thing to know is that God is always there, and that He always loves us. He is there for us, even when our emotions are telling us the opposite. God will never leave or abandon us. And He always provides a way; He always has the next step. He can get you out of whatever you are in. He loves you.

Every single thing that has happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come. -Unknown
As if the Bible is not encouraging enough, I always come across random quotes that seem to perfectly fit into my life also! Every millisecond of our lives in obedience is preparing for us something even better in Heaven. Every second of strife is working for us an eternal weight of glory. So focus on these truths, day by day. Preach His Word into your mind, you are NEW and you are cared for by the greatest Caregiver of ALL time. Let Him shine through you each and everyday in each and every way possible!

"Let your light shine, from the inside out it shows!" Listen to Britt Nicole's song entitled Gold here --->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u_TcXJIbcA

Ron Piper has some dialogue near the end of a song by Shane & Shane, song entitled "Though You Slay Me" a fantastic song, and here are these great words by Ron, which I alluded to earlier in this blog. "Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity, and the glory there, but all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience, is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that. I don't care if it was cancer, or criticism. I don't care if it was slander, or sickness. It wasn't meaningless. It's doing something! It's not meaningless, of course you can't see what it's doing! Don't look to what is seen. When your Mom dies, when your kid dies, when you've got cancer at 40, when a car careens into the sidewalk and takes her out, don't say, "that's meaningless!" It's not. It's working for you an eternal weight of glory. Therefore, therefore, do not lose heart, but take these truths, and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach His Word into your mind until your heart sings with CONFIDENCE that you are new and cared for."
Hear the entire song and dialogue here--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyUPz6_TciY

Someday everything will make perfect sense. So for now laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. ~viralchange.com

 

~Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.~ Matthew 5:14

To My Future Mister

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. ~Dr. Suess

 I'm single because I choose to be, I'm single because I'm waiting. I'm single because I'm choosing to wait. ~Jamie Grace      I think I would add to that factual and bold statement, that I am single, because I am waiting for God to fulfill His promises to me, in His time.

for

 "Blessed is she who has believed the Lord would fulfill His promises to her." ~Luke 1:45

Not a day goes by that I don't pray for my future Mister.  I believe with fervent prayer for my future Mister, our marriage and our relationship will be that much more blessed.

Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversations be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  I pray each day, that I will not covet that which He has not planned for me to have in my life, that I will seek to cherish any and all relationships, from this point on, friendships and dating alike. That I will be patient and seek His will with each and every person that I come into contact with.

I Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." This brings me much encouragement, for I know that temptation will forever be there, God says it is so, and I see it all the time, all around me, but Praise Him for He makes it bearable, He gives us the ability to withstand it, with Him by our side all things are possible. I pray that I and my future Mister are able to stand by each other and help each other along with God's assistance in withstanding any temptations that come our way and fighting off the devil's attempts at making our relationship falter and stray from God.

Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble." I seek diligently to trust in God when trouble seems to be seeking me out. When obstacles make themselves very known in this walk with Him, when I feel that I will be single for the rest of time, when the doubts arise, when I am insecure. I remember this, that He is there, He is capable of all things, and He loves me.

1 Peter 3:7 "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." I do not want to be able to say that I am the reason my husband is unhappy. I want my heart and spiritual walk to be so prepared for marriage, that we are constantly helping each other improve and be closer with Him, receiving His grace together, and acknowledging and appreciating it.

Colossians 3:19 "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." I know that in every relationship strife is inevitable. Fights will happen, we are not the exact same person, we won't think exactly alike about everything that comes up in our lives. We will argue, we will give each other the silent treatment, we will possibly even go so far as to be angry at each other. BUT God will still be there, and we will still need to fulfill His will, and I will not let us go to bed on our anger, I pray that He will teach us and guide us to try and talk it out and cut the fuel source that is keeping the anger burning.

Ephesians 5:25, 28 "25-Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it. 28-So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." I can't wait for the day that someone will love me as much as they love themselves, the day I can say that I love someone else more than I love myself, and mean it.  Help me Lord be patient for this day. I know that You have a plan for me, You know the very second I will come into contact with my Mister, the date he will propose, the second we will say our "I do's" the first place we will call home, the children You will let me bare for him to raise in Your name, Your will.

Matthew 5:28 (Jesus speaking) "But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." This verse hits me like a brick wall every time I read it. The same goes for me as it does my future husband. When I look on a man to lust after him, I too am committing adultery with him in my heart. I pray that I will keep my eyes pure, my heart clean, and my intentions virtuous as I wait for my Mister.

Ecclesiastes 9:9 "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in this life, and in they labor which thou takest under the sun." I love joy. I love smiling, and I love being happy. I love know that all these things are from the Lord Himself. It is a dream of mine to share this joy with my Mister day in and day out.

In Hebrews 11:6 God says "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." With praying and reading His Word daily, I attempt to fulfill the role of a diligent seeker of Him. I want to know Him, I want to be able to show Him to those around me, and I want to be able to be who He wants me to be with my future Mister.

Joseph waited 13 years. Abraham was 100 when he became a dad. Moses wandered for 40 years. Job suffered for many years. David waited 20 years to be king. Jesus waited for 30 years. If God is making you wait, you are in great company. How encouraging, reading in His Word about the struggles and battles, about the patience that some of His greatest men went had. Makes the wait  that much more worth it, knowing that at the end of this wait, I will be with my second true love? Totally worth it. The trials and tribulations, heart breaks, set backs (or so I thought), and faith-testing moments, will all fade away, and the one my Father has chosen for me will sit beside me, and help me grow in Christ, and be the woman that He intends for me to be for my Mister.

"If someone doesn't have a relationship with God, don't expect them to help your walk with Him. Instead of trying to date them into Heaven, point them to Jesus. If you want to grow spiritually, find someone on fire for God to connect to. Too many Christians connect to lukewarm believers trying to date them rather than guiding them back to the right track. You can be unequally yoked in church. Not everyone in church is after God so be careful of who you're chasing after."
I see this happen, this is why divorce happens, this is why some marriages are unhappy and seem to be barreling down the tracks to despair and turmoil from the get-go. There can be two people, saved by the blood of Christ, but with differing beliefs. How can you imagine that this will not cause problems down the road, for instance, when you have children. Which beliefs do you choose to raise them in, maybe you will opt out of choosing, maybe you teach them both, what happens when this child grows and matures and raises questions on what is true and what is not, which beliefs are the correct one, can we say confusion much? This could be very detrimental to that child's spiritual development. This is not God's plan for us when raising our children in Him. I know and pray that my Mister and I are knowingly equally yoked before even contemplating dating, let alone marriage.

God desires for me, the way I desire to be a Godly woman to my husband. "Whom have I in Heaven but you and there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." Psalm 73:25 With all my heart I wish that my future Mister had my hand already, but I also know with all my heart, that God has a reason, a purpose for having me wait. A reason for what I see as His "peculiar" timing.

My body is a temple. I Corinthians 6:18-20 "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefor glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. " God sent His only Son, to be beaten, laughed at, cursed at, and put to death, for ME. For the unworthy, the meek. He let His Son pay the ultimate price...for me, for you. How then can we not maintain His commandments, His desires and will for our lives. He states that marriage is for one man and one woman, and that we are to abstain from any sexual activities until we are bound in marriage to our spouse, both before God and man.

"I keep my eyes on the Lord, with Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken" Psalm 16:8
Maintaining my sight on the Lord, and His Word, will help me walk the walk and talk the talk while I am waiting for Him to send my Mister my way, and give me the ability to do so after.

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on such things. Philippians 4:8
Sometimes in life it is a constant struggle for me to be patient, to be kind, to show love to those whom I feel don't deserve it, lest from me?! But then God reminds me, I have no right to judge, He is the only Judge who's opinion even ever has mattered. I am here to help others come to and grow in Christ and that is it. I am here to better His kingdom, to please Him.

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set and example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 Sometimes I feel as though people laugh at me, whether physically, or mentally, when I tell them I am a virgin. I hold this verse strong, true, and dear to my heart. I try to live it out as often as possible. I see no healthy purpose at all in giving myself away to someone whom I am unsure if I will marry or not, and I will never know for sure that I will marry him, until we are married. Thus, I am saving myself for marriage. Let them laugh, let them criticize, I know I am fulfilling God's will for me and my future Mister.

"You own the skies and still you want my heart"~Hillsong United song entitled "Up in Arms"
God is love, He wants to best for me, He wants the best for all of His children, just like any good and faithful Father should. He is able to do all things, He cares for millions of people, yet He still shows concern for all the little things in my life, all the things that I make big, all the things that I don't think about, all the things that go unnoticed and unappreciated, He has made all these things possible, how could I not sit here and trust that something as important as a future spouse to spend the rest of my life here on Earth with would not be in His hands, under His control?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_6aB6S2aOA

Godly woman: When sadness comes, she takes time to smile. When tired, she finds time to relax and rest. When she's angry, she takes time to cool down. She reads and meditates the Bible at all times. Above all these she always prays. Prayer is her priority and her priority is her shield.

Wives: God already knows that your husband is not a perfect man. That is why God made in you "a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18. Therefor a virtuous woman does not waste time criticizing her man's flaws, faults, and weakness. A virtuous wife knows that her first divine responsibility is being "a suitable helper" for her man. The reason you don't find it hard to see your husband's faults is because God designed you to help your husband become a better man. If your husband was perfect he wouldn't need "a suitable helper." Every man has the potential for greatness; but it takes a virtuous wife to nurture and develop him into greatness. Therefor stop complaining and get to work. Pray, encourage, and build your man up. Behind every successful man is a virtuous wife who understands that it is her responsibility to help her husband become the man God desires him to be. ~Isaac Kubvoruno
It is my prayer, that I will stand by my Mister, helping him draw closer to God, and then closer to me. God should always be the focal point, the center of our relationship, at any and every stage. For I am not perfect, how therefor can I expect my future spouse to be? Sometimes we nitpick and grab straws at the faults of others to build ourselves up, only to find it does just the opposite, for then we feel bad for being so rude and heartless. Lord prepare me to be the water to his cement, to help make him a strong and Godly man who stands by You and Your Word.

What is a Godly man?
A Godly man is Christ-like. He is strong spiritually, not just physically. He is dedicated to his faith and to his family, all else comes second. A Godly man loves the Word of God and has a natural new born desire to spend time reading the Word and growing in his faith. He intentionally guards what he reads, sees, and hears. These are the attractive strengths that a woman of God desires. That I desire. These and many more. I should not have to break down every conversation to decide if this man is of God or not, if he is seeking after God's heart first, seeking to please Him. If this is a true man of God, it will be evident in his every action, every word that comes out of his mouth, the way he treats the children around him, the elderly, his peers. The way he carries himself, with dignity and strength, all these things should be visible at any point in time.

What God is bringing you through at this very moment is going to be the testimony that will bring somebody else through. No mess, no message. ~Unknown
God always has a will, and where there's a will there's a way. God's way is best, the only way to know God's way and will is to pray, and read His Word, and seek out His will for me.

It's funny how someone who was just a stranger last year, can mean so much to you now. It's terrible that someone who meant so much to you last year can be a stranger now. It's amazing what a year can do. ~Unknown
 When I read this, I don't dwell on the fact that people that were a very big part of my life last year are now not, we all grow, change, relocate, and drift our own ways. Instead, I dwell on the fact, that tomorrow, I may meet my mister. Tomorrow I may gain 10 friends. Tomorrow is all under control. So I need not worry about my Mister today, because God has a plan, and I trust Him to let it be known to me when He knows the timing is right.

I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning
God wants someone for us that will make us better. Someone who will help us grow closer to Him, someone who will equally want to be closer to Him. Someone who is after His own heart before ours. Someone who will make each day more worth living, someone who will dwell on His Word, and live it out in their lives.

At the end of the day, no man or woman can satisfy your soul. A Christ-centered relationship is worth the wait. Someone who will love you unconditionally, listen when you're frustrated, be committed but still remind you that only God can complete you. Point them to Christ, their walk with God should be your biggest concern. ~Tovares Grey
Someday everything will make perfect sense. So for now I laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding myself that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. I chose to believe in God, and in His perfect timing.


When you love something, you don't threaten it. You don't punish it. You fight for it. You take care of it. You put it first. ~Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) 
Sometimes I look and perceive marriages as happy and perfect, and then I get to know the couple, and I can tell that one or the other and sometimes both go unappreciated. That is not what I want my marriage to be like, I want my Mister to feel appreciated and cared for, loved and honored, held and comforted.  

Even though sometimes the battle appears long, and the wait seems torturous, I will wait. While I am waiting, I will serve Him, I will pray, I will dwell on His Word, I will gather with His people, I will praise Him, I will be witness for Him and an example of His love towards others.

Ladies...
what if I told you God wanted to give you a man? A man that is already mature and though he may not be perfect, he has a plan. What if that boy you're entertaining is wasting your time? God wants to give you a man that can lead you, not one you have to raise. God didn't call you to be his second mother. If he doesn't have a sense of direction, don't let him lead you in circles. Encouraging sin rather than pushing you closer to God. Ladies, God is developing a man for you. Don't jump the gun, you might end up with a joker disguised as a blessing. It may get tiring and frustrating, but wait on God. ~Tovares Grey

I, on my own, am weak. I am just a girl looking for her Mister. I am just a child in an adult body. I am unworthy of love, I am undeserving of any and everything. But with God, He makes me worthy, He deems me worthy. He helps me be strong, He helps me feel secure and strong within His will and His ways.

"Blessed is she who has believed the Lord would fulfill His promises to her." ~Luke 1:45

"She is Clothed with Strength and dignity, and she Laughs Without Fear of The future." ~Proverbs 31:25