Journey of a Thousand Miles

Today ended up being a better Monday than I expected. It started off slow and gloomy. I had no motivation for work, no motivation for my goals, I was feeling sad about my breakup, and I just wanted to stay in bed. I guess cloudy days can do that. Then I met with my new mentor from church, and she changed everything! We talked about everything: my recent breakup (she encouraged me that this was a GREAT idea, and she's glad I'm no longer with him), mission trips, different cultures/religions, the differences between men and women, the hardships of marriage and children. It gave me perspective that I am exactly where I need to be. I am now ok with being single. I have the time I need to accomplish the goals on my heart, and I thank God that He is giving me this time in His ultimate wisdom. He truly knows what's best for me, and He knows that the demands of being a wife and mother would pull me away from my music, the book I want to write, and the business I want to start. I ...

Asking men to remain pure when we're walking around with immodest dress is tempting them to sin. Be modest in your dress. It is not worth it to feel "sexy" or "beautiful" to bring a man down. Women have been bringing men down since the beginning of time. Take authority over your home to protect the men in your home. Don't have cable TV while your son is still in your home. Modest is hottest. Purity must begin with us as the influencer of the man. Stop walking around with an empty bucket asking for love. YOU ARE ALREADY LOVED BY GOD. How we feel about ourselves will never change how God feels about us. You can't give away what you won't receive. A man who feels he is unworthy of love will always be looking to you to meet their love need, instead of God. How do you judge your worth? Approval? Relationship status? It will never be enough. See yourself through God's eyes. Don't exchange your identity for a lie. Satan strate...

Put your blinders on and fight your own race. Stop comparing yourself to others. You don't have to have it all figured out. You don't have to have all the answers. Don't allow someone's actions to control your reactions. Continue to fight the good fight and keep your faith even if you're mad at God. Even when it appears that all is dead, that's when the roots are going the deepest. God is helping us depend on Him alone through this. Use the pain and life lessons. Speak truth to yourself. God will not waste this pain. Somehow he will use it. Show me how to respond to this pain. Keep doing what is right despite what other people do. Refuse to give up your trust in God when the going gets tough. Don't lose the grand finale of your life. When you're broken, be still and know that He is God. No one's actions can cancel out God's call on your life. Faith, hope, and love last forever. The greatest is love. Satan's tactic is t...

What draws us to someone won't always make a good marriage. Just because someone wants to marry doesn't mean they have what it takes. Character Traits that Build a Spiritually Enriching Marriage Spectacular Parent- You are choosing the mother/father of your future children. Can Handle Conflict- Marriage will make you angry. Handle it wisely with grace. Conflict handled unbiblically will tear you apart.  Stonewalling- shuts down, silent treatment Violence- disastrous; one strike, he's out Someone who prays- God is actively involved in their life. You need to marry a prayer warrior. If they never talk about God, they never talk to God. (But even they do talk about God, that doesn't mean that they talk to God). There's not a day within marriage where you won't need prayer. You will need prayer more than sex, so focus more on their spiritual life than their sexiness or physical looks.  Someone who forgives- We will stumble in many ways. Grace makes th...

You can't possibly know the circumstances you're going to face in your future marriage. You can choose who you face those trials with. A good marital choice is a gift that keeps on giving. A foolish and ill-considered marital choice is a bad investment. You will always face the consequences. Marriage should lift 2 people up to be better than they could be as singles. Listen to the words of Jesus when choosing a mate. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. God has our best interests at heart. 3 Wrong Reasons to Get Married Sexual chemistry Romantic infatuation Relational compatibility These don't keep a marriage going. Being in love with someone isn't a good enough reason to get married. Infatuation doesn't last. It leads to idealization. You are infatuated with a person that doesn't exist. "He's not who I thought he was." Infatuation has never sustained a single marriage. It's more about WHY you marry than ...

Know what tempts you and why.  Marriage is the sole outlet for sex.  Sexual sin is always destructive in one way or another. (physically, emotionally, spiritually) Sexual sin comes from hearts that reject God. People who refuse to repent grow increasingly perverse and leads to spiritual insanity. It blocks the process of our sanctification.  People who engage in sexual sin disregard God.  Sex outside of marriage is not ok just bc we love someone enough. This is not biblical.  Scripture never validates, "how far can I go before it's sinful?" To ask this question shows a divided heart. An undivided heart asks, "how holy can I be?" We compromise bc the desire for physical intimacy is the most powerful drive we have.  Sexual temptation hits us right in the ego.  What happens if we give in: loss of honor loss of strength and character ongoing physical consequences regret death divine judgment The root of discont...

Prosperity and hard work are correlated If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Get rich schemes don't work. Wealth gained hastily will dwindle. A lack of wealth is actually grace. Don't seek your security in money. God alone deserves our trust. We have no control over our personal security. He uses our sins and mistakes; he brings good out of our folly. Go back to God; His restoring grace waits for you. Let go of your regrets. Get on with what really matters. Ask God to transform you through your mistakes and to bring good out of it.

Self-control- emotions, appetites Submit to God's control Self-control- to be controlled by God Proverbs 25:28 Without self-control, we have no defense against our enemies (anything that separates us from God). Proverbs 5:22-23 If we seek fulfillment outside of God's ways, we live as fools. We don't dip into sin just a little bit. This is fantasy. Once we start downhill, there are no lines we won't cross. How high can we rise? Galatians 5 - includes self-control Self-control is only possible through Jesus. Walk by the spirit. The desires of the flesh are against the spirit. We are to starve our ungodly cravings. Hindrances to self control competing desires- our desire for control vs. what has control over us. yo-yoing means we have no control over what we desire (on/off relationships). torn b/w 2 desires wrong motives- we want it for the wrong reasons, tired of the consequences; it should be about God. Attempts at self improvement don't...