Weekend Devo — The Best Truths Bear Repeating

This is a post from last October that just seems to need repeating. I know it's a truth I need constant reminder of. Trusting God is key, and keeping our hopes in Him is the source of our enduring strength. Have a blessed weekend! Hugs! ~Dineen

Waiting on God
God never ceases to amaze me in the intricate perfection of his work and plan. Have you found yourself in a place where you see how the details surrounding you are linked together and blooming like a flower? And as the petals open, the legitimacy of each event suddenly comes into view, perfectly planned and coordinated in an intricate pattern of destiny?

I love those moments. Though I’m sure I don’t see them all, I know I’d miss more if I didn’t constantly and intentionally draw closer to God. We need to stay in a place of yearning for more of God and less of this world.

Otherwise, we might miss what God’s doing in our lives.

I know I’ve said this before, but bear with me. Waiting is a big part of our Christian walk. Hard to do in a world so focused on how fast something can be done. We’re becoming a culture of impatient people. I see it in my own children. But I know from experience that waiting is critical in our walk with God.

Now I’m coming to understand a new dimension of waiting. For the last year, my constant question has been, “How do I rely on God’s strength instead of my own?” I run out of strength, then wonder what happened. What did I do wrong? How do I know when I’m operating in my own strength and not God’s?

I think I got part of the answer yesterday at Bible study. A very special group of ladies meets every week at my church. I love these women, because they are the most authentic and God-hungry women I know. Right now we’re studying Esther by Beth Moore.

Let me first confess that I’m a big Beth Moore fan. Her studies have impacted my life more than any others I’ve done, except for Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. But this Esther study by far exceeds them all. I think Beth crawled into my very situation and wrote it just for me. ☺

Yesterday we received a nugget that I believe is key to answering this question I’ve had about God’s strength. Take a look at Isaiah 40:31 (ESV):

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Waiting and strength are linked here in a way I hadn’t thought of before until Beth said something like this:

“We will lose our strength when we wait on the event, thing, or person instead of waiting on God.”

Talk about a “whoa” moment. Suddenly the pieces fell into place. When do we feel like we can’t go any further because we have no more strength?

When we’ve prayed over and over again for our spouse to believe in Christ? For a child to be healed? For a job?

For a difficult situation to resolve and find a peaceful solution?
For a loved one to come back to us?

Add yours to the list. (Tell us about it in the comments.) Now ask yourself this. “What am I waiting on?” Did your answer look like one of these:

For my spouse to come to faith.
For my child to be healthy again.
For the right job.
For this situation to be fixed and go away.
For my loved one to come home.

Is your strength lagging? Are you tired and want to give up? Are you asking why God isn’t strengthening you? I know I have.

The key is right in the first line of Isaiah 40:31:

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength.

Like Beth said, when we wait on our spouse to choose God, for our child to be okay, for a job, for peace, for restoration with a loved one, we’re waiting on that specific event, circumstance, or person. We’re waiting on it, and not God. And we lose our strength.

It always seems to come back to where we point our eyes, doesn’t it? Keeping our eyes on God and waiting on Him. Let’s put it to the test, shall we? See if it works? I’m ready to wait on God and let him renew my strength.

How about you?

Praying and believing,
Dineen

The Safe Life - The Crazy Life

Are you living the safe life or the crazy life. Francis Chan author of Crazy Love.

Thankful Thursday -

Let us give thanks. It is Thankful Thursday.

Wow, can you believe July is almost over. I had a blast hosting Thankful Thursday in July. Next month we will meet up with Laurie of Women Taking A Stand and in September we will share our thanks with Iris of Grace Alone. 

My month of hosting Thankful Thursday is at an end. We will meet back here again in October. Wow, fall is around the corner. Next week let's find each other for another week of praise over at Laurie's place.

Before we leave summer too quickly, I want to share something from my summer with you. Take a look at this photo I snapped a few weeks ago. It a photograph of a morning glory that vines on the little picket fence surrounding my garden.

 

It may be difficult to see in this small version but if you click on the photo you can see a larger photo. What I want to show you is the Awe of our God.

Now look at the center. Do you see it? It actually glows. It glows in a brilliant white. 

How does God do that?

I am often moved to moments of awe and wonder of our God in the small details of our world. Most people would miss this amazing phenomenon of a glowing flower but I didn't. When I look upon such amazing beauty and mystery, I am moved by the Lord.

I am moved to thank the Creator, my Lord, for the majesty and mystery and magnificence of His creation.

Today, share a photo with me of something that inspires awe in your heart and let's honor the Lord with our worship and thanks. Be blessed, Lynn

PS. I would be so thrilled if you would join me in a few weeks for The Intentional Marriage. It will be on August 13th and I have a challenge for you and your marriage. I promise it will be worth your time. You can write about the challenge on your own blog and link up here.

God created the design of marriage to help us understand His relationship to us and our relationship to Him. That is what The Intentional Marriage is all about. Let's discover more about growing in our love for Jesus and our spouse. See you soon. Lynn

(turn on the speakers because the music is happy *grin*)

Step Three: Obedience

Last week I had the chance to catch up with a dear friend. Over lunch, we brought each other up to date on the details of our lives. At one point after relaying my own family’s current events, she paid me a compliment in regards to my patience with my husband.

The firmness of my answer surprised me. “I’m simply doing what God is telling me.”

Obedience isn’t easy, especially when it affects our own lives adversely. To the outside world, we may seem foolish and even spineless, but here’s where that first choice to love our spouses becomes so critical. If we’ve chosen to love only when times are good, which is easy in the moment, our resolve falls away when times get tough.

And let me emphasize again that this decision is not based on our own feelings or the ability or inability of our spouses to meet our expectations. It’s a decision based in obedience to God and to His calling to love a lost soul.

In review, we can see these steps are very interconnected. First the decision to love, which is what opens the door and allows God to work in our own hearts as well as our unbelieving spouses.

Second, keeping our focus on God, not our circumstances. Remember Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Not hope in our spouse’s conversion or change. No, we are to keep our hope firmly placed in God. That’s where our strength comes from, which is vital if we’re to persevere in step three.

Step three: Obedience. Whatever God is telling you to do, move forward in the confidence that He will supply what you need. Makes sense, but think it through. God certainly wouldn’t tell you to do a difficult task and then bail on you. That’s not His character. He’s going to strengthen you in ways you won’t even realize.

Like the confidence I had when I answered my friend. I know that wasn’t me. That was God working in me. As the words left my lips, I knew the truth of them resided deep within my spirit. I know what God is calling me to do in my marriage right now. To stand firm by my husband’s side in support and trust.

Because God told me to. So my thinking is if God says I’m to trust my husband in these new ventures we're about to embark upon, that’s the same as God saying, “Trust Me.”

God asks us to love as his Son. Jesus loved without conditions. Without expectations. Without restrictions. And it’s that kind of love that spoke the loudest of His presence and salvation.

So whatever God is calling you to do in your marriage, walk forward in confidence. Ignore those who criticize and carefully consider those who caution. Then know that you know that you know that what God is asking you to do is for Him.

And trust that God will give you the strength to persevere.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

This Story Will ROCK Your World!

I have a question for you:

* How many different versions or renderings of the Cinderella story do you think there are in our world? -DON’T Google it. Just give it a guess. 

If you were in the audience for the One Marriage Conference, you know I asked this same question and the answers ranged from ten to hundreds. Well here is what I found at Wikipedia: 

"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" (French: Cendrillon, ou La petite Pantoufle de Verre) is a classic folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances which suddenly change to remarkable fortune. The word "Cinderella" has, by analogy, come to mean one whose attributes are unrecognized, or one who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect. The still-popular story of Cinderella continues to influence popular culture internationally, lending plot elements, allusions, and tropes to a wide variety of media. 

My teen daughter studied the phenomenon of the Cinderella story in middle school. Her textbook credits more than 900 different versions of this classic which are told in every culture. Some renderings are ancient. Of course, we know this story well. It's the account of a poor little girl who falls victim of evil, (stepmother and stepsisters in Cinderella’s case). She is then rescued by prince charming, they marry and she inherits riches, the life of royalty, and lives happily ever after. 

My daughter's dreams of Happily Ever After began years ago as a toddler with The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Snow White. Years passed and our stories morphed into new tellings such as The Princes Diaries and one of my personal favorites, The Princess Bride. Then there are the more grown up versions; Jerry McGuire and Sweet home Alabama and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. 

Awwww. Warm and Fuzzy  

We grow up believing in Happily Ever After. 

It’s no wonder, as children we read all of these stories and we watch every romantic comedy which exists. We dream of our Prince Charming and Happily Ever After and living the life of royalty. 

Each of us want happily ever after. Deep down inside we crave adoration, to feel beautiful and respected, loved to distraction, intimacy, and ~perhaps a few servants that come with royalty might not be bad either. 

We search for our prince and marry to live HAPPILY EVER AFTER. 

These stories are fantasy. They are a Fairytale. 

Or are they? 

I’m about to tell you a fantastic story which is absolutely true. Every Fairytale ever told is modeled after this story. 

Let me introduce to you the King: (read every word and allow the Lord to work in you this moment)

I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: 

God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever. 

Then the one sitting on the throne said: 

I am making everything new. Write down what I have said. My words are true and can be trusted. Everything is finished! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give water from the life-giving fountain to everyone who is thirsty. All who win the victory will be given these blessings. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Revelation 21:3-7 (CEV) 

THIS….. is the real story of Cinderella. 

And this story is our story. 

It belongs to each of us who believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ……. 

It is trustworthy. 

It is true. 

Tears are vanquished.

We the believers, His bride, will inherit the Kingdom. 

It's no wonder we love to believe the Cinderella story? 

It’s our true story. 

So this very hour, I say, “Cast off your temporary sadness. See your burdens in the light of the truth. See the King who conquers the evil of this world and freely passes on to you an inheritance of vast riches, which will last forever.” 

Praise the name of Jesus. Rejoice you are a son, a daughter of the King. 

Now go and live like the royalty that you are. 

Love boldly. 

Take chances. 

Forgive easily and take every opportunity to tell someone the truth of this powerful story. 

Be blessed, Lynn 

*This post is inspired by Dr. Clay Jones of BIOLA. Thank you Dr. Jones. You ROCKED my world. 

Weekend Devo—Words of Praise

At the end of June, Deb shared the story of how her marriage is being restored. In case you missed it, you can read it here. The following is something that she wrote recently. It's amazing and truly inspired by the Holy Spirit! Have a wonderful weekend and rejoice along with her!
Praying and believing,
Dineen

From Deb...

Highest praise leaps from my spirit.

We worship best when we revel in what You have given us to do. Our highest pleasure is your highest praise. This knowledge is too wonderful for me.

You are too generous, my God. We deserve nothing but pain, imperfect and willful as we are. You would still be known as Holy if we sat in ashes rotting for an eternity, for You are just. Yet you, although a jealous God and Righteous, share without measure the sunbeams of your love, and wrap us in them. The strength of just one of these rays is enough to obliterate us forever, so perfect is it, yet you bring us into your presence with them, and bind us gently by them, and so we are loved unceasingly.

We are honored as you are glorified. Everything You have You share with us. You love us as You love yourself. Perfectly. There is no God like you. You have desired in Yourself to make us like You. Why is this? It is too much! No one compares, no one is Your equal. Not a human mind can possibly conceive the standard by which You are. There is no standard but Yours, all others are profane lies and will soon disappear.

Our minds are petty, fallen. Yours soars. You are furiously aware of Your own freedom, none can take it from You. You are forever. Who can tell of your wonderful acts? Even the angels cannot form the thoughts that do You justice. They will forever puzzle the dark mysteries of your grace.

Indeed, we will spend forever in perfect astonishment.

Your grace and love to the children of men is beyond knowing. Truly, Your love is better than life. Even a drop of your presence is more luscious and restful than the sweetest ocean waters. You give us rest. You are God. I adore You. I feast on your nearness. Who is God but You?

But why do you come so near? You should remain far away, as one shies from the stench of dead bodies. Yet you made us alive. With unimaginable cost to yourself, as complete as You are. You conceived the most perfect end by the most perfect means and carried it out to perfection, an act that stunned eternity. We cannot understand, we can only bow. We adore You, great God.

Blessing and glory and wisdom and strength, honor and glory and power, be to You, God of the Ages, Ancient of Days.

You are utterly magnificent.

Christ is Unexpected

Tuesday I shared a story with you which as I still ponder it now, seems..... what's the word I'm searching for.

Hmmmmm

Unexpected.

Yes, unexpected.

I have been traveling this road with Jesus now for a long while and yet I'm still surprised by Him. He seldom answers my prayers in the manner I expect. I think He's that way on purpose. He wants me to experience Him orchestrating the astonishing to make sure I am paying attention but mostly to teach me to shout His glory to anyone and everyone who will listen.

I love that about Him.

Well, Tuesday I shared the unexpected salvation story of the least likely woman in my husband's unbelieving family. But what happened next further surprised and delighted. (read it here)

I mentioned in my story Tuesday that my husband's mother is approaching the mid-stage of Alzheimer's. She has her good days and her bad ones when it comes to her memory. Most of the weekend the house was crowded with people and my mother-in-law remained quiet. I don't think she expressed much emotion nor memory with all the coming and goings on in the house.

Also on Tuesday I shared with you how I have grieved over my MIL's unsaved heart and now it appears her Alzheimer's may hold her cognitive mind and soul captive. She may be unable to receive the truth. I sat with my sister-in-law last Friday and shared my emotions over this and she looked at me and said, "Lynn, her heart is like that of a two year old right now. It's the perfect time to share Jesus with her."

Her words resonated within me. Perhaps it isn't too late.

Sunday morning arrived and we were leaving later in the afternoon to return home. Everyone was gone with the exception of my husband, daughter and I. My mother-in-law woke and sat in her chair and something was different about her.

She was clear.

She used my name and laughed at a joke I told her about something we used to share. 

She remembered.

It was if all heaven worked to cleared her mind and I felt like the Holy Spirit was telling me...

NOW

I wanted to get her alone, away from everyone so she could listen and not be interrupted. And it was weird. Out of nowhere, my father-in-law shows up. Next my husband, then my daughter. It was if a war was playing out and I couldn't get her alone to talk.

However, I am a persistent blonde. 

Finally, I got mom-in-law out on the patio. I shut the door so perhaps the family would get the hint and asked my daughter to leave us outside alone.

I started just chatting with her and she was clear minded with her memory. I asked her if we could pray. She said yes. Then I asked, "Do you know who Jesus is?"

"He's the son of God."

Oh sweet words to my heart. 

I then asked her if we could pray. And we prayed. Now this prayer was a little different as I didn't ask her to repeat my words. I was afraid she would get hung up in the repeating and become frustrated and give up. I gently reached out and I held her hands and we prayed to Jesus and asked His hand over her life.

I never dreamed this moment would come. I am so utterly thankful it did. I have done all that I can to serve the Lord Jesus and I have stood in the gap for this family. 

It has been a humble privilege to do so.

God has answered my prayers and heard my words of deep and real grief I have had in my soul for this woman. How amazing that He allowed me to pray with her. 

I have peace now. 

One day when I get to heaven, these two women will greet me. In that moment nothing else will matter. Nothing will matter ever expect Christ glorified. All my hurt over my unequally yoked marriage won't matter. My unhappiness, my life on this earth will not matter..... I count it all but lost for the sake of Jesus.

Philippians 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

I think for the first time I truly perceive the power of this passage.

I get it Jesus. I get it.

I give you all honor and glory and power and worship. It is all for you. Your humble servant, Lynn

Thankful Thursday - Another Adventure... can you believe it???

Let us give thanks. It is Thankful Thursday.

This month we are spending the HOT month of July here at Spiritually Unequal Marriage. Next month we will meet up with Laurie of Women Taking A Stand and in September we will share our thanks with Iris of Grace Alone. 

Wow, I have to tell you that God gives good ideas. And one idea He has growing in Dineen and I is joining up with Christian Women Affiliate and hosting our own Television broadcast.

Our Broadcast title is: The Intentional Marriage. You can read more about it when you have time.

I am so thankful and stand utterly amazed at all the Lord does in the life of an ordinary gal.

What are you thankful for? 

Link up, write up and visit up... Let's honor Jesus with our thanksgiving and praises. Be blessed, Lynn

This is Why I Am Married to an Unbeliever

This past weekend, my husband, our daughter and I flew to Sacramento to spend several days with my husband’s mom and dad. Also joining us at the house was my spouse’s brother, his girlfriend and my husband’s cousin, his wife and twin daughters and their grandma, who is my husband’s mother’s sister. 

Hunh? 

Are you confused yet? 

Double hunh? 

I guess it isn’t important I name all of the players, yet it is. 

You see, I have been praying for the salvation of many of these people for more than 18 years. All of my husband’s family is unsaved but for their cousin and his wife. My husband’s cousin came to Christ when he was in High School. All these years I have been burdened not only for my husband’s salvation but for all of his family. 

Now here is where the story gets interesting and glorifies our Lord. 

You see my husband’s mother is in the stage of Alzheimer’s where she is cognizant on some days and other’s she isn’t. I have grieved, deeply that she and my husband’s father remain unsaved and time is growing short. I spoke with them years ago about my faith but they politely told them it just wasn’t for them. 

Several weeks leading up to our visit I began to pray over our time together. I asked for angels to be sent ahead of me to prepare and protect no matter what situation we may find ourselves facing. The day prior to leaving however, I prayed differently, something like this. 

Oh Lord, if there is a way to reach any of them with the truth of who Jesus Christ is and bring them to faith, then Lord please set about making the moment happen……. 

Why is it I am always astounded when the Lord answer’s my prayers? 

I sat in the dining room on Friday afternoon after a fun day at the Jelly Belly Candy Factory. I was visiting with my husband’s cousin’s wife and mother. Now I don’t know what happened but I think the conversation turned to the book Dineen and I wrote and how it was a book about faith. Well, this conversation with my cousin’s mother, age 69, began moving fast and she began telling me about her experiences or actually lack thereof, with faith throughout her life. 

One thing led to the next and I found myself looking into her eyes and I said, “Jane, do you know who Jesus is? 

“Yes, He’s the son of God.” 

“Did you know that believing in Him is the way to heaven?” 

“Yes.” 

“Have you ever prayed and asked Him into your heart?” 

“No” 

“Well do you want to do that right now?” 

“Yes, I do.” 

I reached for Jane’s hands and I said, “Then just pray with me and repeat what I pray.” I then stumbled through the prayer of salvation. I have always wanted to do this but have never had the chance…… until now. 

We prayed together and said together, “Amen.” 

She looked up with tears in her eyes and said, “Thank you.” 

I hugged her and her daughter-in-law who is also a Christian, sat at the table with us and watched her husband’s mother come to Christ in that very moment. 

Thank you Lord, Jesus!

_____ 

I plan to mail Jane a Bible and pray for her. 

The dynamics leading up to this day are complex and traverse decades but on the plane ride home on Sunday, it was as if the Lord whispered in my ear. “Do you now see why I placed you into this unbelieving family?” 

I whispered back with tears flooding my eyes, “Oh Lord, I am undone. That you would use a broken and messed up blonde like me in the service of Your Kingdom just blows my mind and brings me utterly humble to your feet to give you worship and all honor and praise.” 

So today if you are living with an unbeliever I say to you, “Stay the course.” There are eternities at stake and not just those of your spouse. 

Now, this is NOT the end of the story. Oh, NO. Our Lord is just too BIG to stop here. So, tune in on Friday for HIS-story continues and His light continues to penetrate the darkness. 

I love you Jesus. I love you with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength. Lynn

Focus on Your Mission

In last week's post I talked about making the choice to love our spouses. And as I said before, this is the first step to loving our unbelieving spouses unconditionally. Many of you have shared that it's difficult to love your spouse because of his behavior, which is completely understandable. But please also understand that allowing those situations to determine whether you love your spouse or not is conditional love, which is based upon performance and circumstances.

Conditional love is human and is fraught with disappointment and failure. We need God's love, wisdom, and guidance to move beyond this limited commitment in order to understand God's covenant of marriage and complete commitment.

In our spiritually mismatched marriages, we seem to face more difficult situations and more than our fair share (if there is such a thing) of spiritual warfare. Opposition is just a part of this kind of marriage. Perhaps knowing and accepting that can help us to move beyond ourselves to answer the calling God has put on our lives.

"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. — Acts 20:22-24

Yesterday I read these verses, which immediately spoke to me regarding our “mission” as unequally yoked spouses. We do not know what the future holds, but we do know God has called us to this path for a most noble and great reason. When we can see this, I believe it is then that our burden becomes lighter and we are willing to commit and fight for our cause--our spouse's salvation.

Now I will confess I can only speak to this from my own perspective. I’m not married to a very difficult or hurtful man. He’s quite the opposite, so forgive me if my perspective is limited, which it may very well be.

But like Paul, God has used his Spirit to forewarn me of difficult times spanning a year before my husband is spiritually healed. This warning came nine years ago. I refused to turn away then and I still do. In the meantime I will continue to do what God told me then, to continue to march around my husband in prayer, like Joshua did with Jericho.

So, here I will finally come to my point. The second step in loving our spouses unconditionally is to keep our focus in the right place. To understand that this is much greater than ourselves. In fact, it’s not about us at all. It’s about a soul who’s at risk of perishing. Some of us will be asked to sacrifice a little. Some of you are sacrificing so much, it makes my heart ache and brings me to tears before God, praying for your strength and perseverance.

But I know without a doubt God is working in those very situations to bring our unbelieving loved ones to faith. In the end, it’s still their decision. And they can still choose to say no. However, no matter what the outcome, let’s run the race as God has called us to so that when we meet Jesus face to face, when we fall to our knees in front of Him weeping in awe, gratitude, and relief, and when He gently lifts us to our feet and wipes away our tears, we can hear those most coveted words,

“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Praying and believing,
Dineen