Devotional time .... week one

A week has flown by and Michael and I have only read up to day 3 in our devotional.  It seems that setting aside time to spend together in prayer and devotion to God is more challenging than I would have thought.  Having not been diligent over the years in setting aside time to spend with God each day as a couple this is not second hand to us, but I am sure with time and persistence, eventually it will be.

This week I prayed that God would teach me what love is and to make me a more loving person.  I don't feel like any great change has occurred inside but know that God is faithful to hear our prayers and will answer them in His time and as He sees fit.  I find that love is a choice and one that we choose each day, moment by moment in what ever circumstances I may find myself in.

Thankfully those circumstances this week are not huge but even overcoming something as simple as choosing to submit to something my husband has asked of me because I chose to show him love instead of becoming frustrated or angry can be a challenge.  And even now as I write I cannot even remember what it was he had asked of me that made that a challenge.  I just know that there was a time this week when Michael asked me to do something and I looked at him wanting to say "Why don't you do it yourself?" and instead of giving into that feeling and line of thought chose instead to say "Sure, I can do that." and let go of what ever it was rising up in me that would have done nothing but create a rift in us at that moment.  Not only out of submissiveness to him but to God and God's order, I was reminded that I show God's love to Michael through how I treat and respond to him and that when I honor God's order in our home then He will work that same love in my heart.

I have also in my personal time started to read "The Power of a Praying Wife" as well.  There was a time when I prayed multiple times a day and felt that I was called to intercessory prayer.  But over time I have allowed anger and unhealed hurts to cloud my heart, as that happened I prayed less and less each day.  Now I feel as if I have to begin my walk all over again in some area's and prayer is one of them.  I am reminding myself of the power prayer has and all the reasons that prayer is important in my life by beginning with praying for my husband, our marriage and personal walks with God.  I know from experience that if my prayer life is in order, God will be able to meet me and use me more.  This has also be a challenge this week for me to maintain.

If I am completely honest, which is the whole point of this blog, I admit that I have allowed the day to day responsibilities to come before time with God.  This next week, I am setting a goal to have 30 min. a day of quiet time with the Lord.  Whether that time is first thing in the morning, during Sarah's nap or in the evening before bed is not the issue.  Just that I do it.

Until next time...

God BlessYou

The Love Dare...

For many years I have known that it is important to spend quite time before the Lord each day, and I have not always and even in the last few years have often not spent any quite time before God or even seeking Him regularly. However, I know that God has never left me and has always pulled at my heart to seek him, I have felt this especially strong in the last few weeks and know it is time to refocus.


This last week my husband surprised me by purchasing a marriage devotional bible.  I was extremely surprised, for a long time I had desired to have quiet time with my husband spending time seeking God's truth, but he has never expressed any interest in doing this together, so eventually I gave up hoping.   


We began with reading the preface in the bible that explains the different positions in a family, "The Family Manifesto" ,  which was put in before the word of the bible actually begins.  While reading this we realized that we have no idea how to do a devotional together.  Spending time reading the bible and in prayer together is not something we have really done much of, it has always been individually.  So, where do we start?  


The Family Christian Book store is where we decided to start.  We went in search of a devotional plan for couples and found a book called "The Love Dare".  A year of devotions for couples.  So we bought it and brought it home, in the beginning of the book it recommends that you keep a journal of this "journey".  We have decided to share a journal, to put our prayers, feelings and experiences into this one journal so we can each share with the other as we go through this new beginning and hopefully continue as we move on in our relationship with both God and in our marriage.  This journal is to be a safe honest place before God, where we can share anything.  Michael and I have agreed that if this is going to work there can be no judgement or condemnation for anything that may be shared in the journal and we will face the issues together.  I know there will be times when this may be a challenge but it is important the we both feel free to share anything even feelings we have about each other when it may hurt.  

We have been married for 13 1/2 years, and for the first time I feel that we are both feeling the draw on our hearts to be closer to each other and to our Lord God.  I have renewed my commitment to the Lord that I will spend time in the word and in prayer each day whether Michael joins me or not and will be journaling my experiences here in this blog.  It is my hope that God share my experiences to help someone else, that I come to a place in life where is love is reflected and he can use me as an example to touch other women, wives, and mothers.  


I know that right now this blog reaches very few people and aside from my husband there I have only one friend who reads it, but if God has a use for it, he will be able to lead someone to it.


May God Bless you!