Father
“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” – 2 Corinthians 6:18
When I was five years old, my dad left our Christian home. For the next ten years I grew up with a gnawing sense of need to have the things that only a dad could give me. I watched my friends and their wonderful dads interact, all the time wishing that my situation was different. My heart yearned for a dad who would take care of me, talk with me, and walk me down the aisle when I got married. The things dads were supposed to be there to do. Mostly I just wanted a father who would love me in the same way I saw other fathers loved their daughters.
But God says that He is my father and I am His daughter. That isn’t just some abstract title used figuratively — He has adopted me into His family, and He will fulfill all my needs as my heavenly father.
When I remember how He is the savior of the world, yet he loves me as His special daughter, any feelings of longing for that father figure in my life disappear. I have God as my dad. What more could I need!
Anyone else will fail me eventually. God will never fail me. My heavenly dad was there for each and every one of those special moments in my life, and he saw them thousands of years before they happened. He is the perfect comforter. He is there with me when I cry; His face fills with joy when I laugh. I sit in his lap every morning during my quiet time. I am His little girl and that is where I find my identity.
- Aimee =)
The Fifth
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12
God gave Moses the Ten Commandments so the Israelites would have order in their lives. They serve the same purpose for us today. Commandment number five says Honor your Father and Mother.
Parents mess up and you may think undeserving of your love and respect. Your parents’ divorce doesn’t mean you can divorce your parents. You’ve probably felt like it. Remember that Jesus loves us even when we’re unloveable. He extends grace to us.
The fifth commandment offers a big reward for obeying. It’s that important.
Encouragement:
The strongest relationship you’ll have before marriage is with your parents. For you it’s a separate relationship with Mom and a separate relationship with Dad. Ask God to help you keep communication open between both. Speak your feelings when you can both talk calmly. Show respect even when you don’t agree with them. I promise you’ll never regret it.
Know I’m praying for you.
Sherry
Music for your Ipod: No Matter What by Kerrie Roberts
To Tell or Not To Tell
I had so many emotions going through my mind. Do I smile because I’m happy for her, do I cry because my life is so different, or do I burst out in anger because I am jealous? I sat there in the car on the way to school listening to my best friend talk about how her parents were so in love with one another. It was gross.
Do I tell her and risk her thinking differently of me or do I pretend like all is well? It got quiet and I looked over at her with fear and hesitation and shared the last thing I ever wanted to have to say. “My parents are getting divorced.”
A look of shock filled her face and then saddened. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea.” But it was different, it seemed like she had to filter what she said next to not upset me. I was ashamed, embarassed that I no longer was part of a family that “had it all together”. I was just another statistic. I hated it, I hated life. But God loved me, He brought me to new life. I didn’t like what I was going through but looking back, God was there with me every step of the way, embracing me with His love. Did I see it or understand it at the time? No, but by His Grace, He led me into a relationship. One of steadfast love with the Creator of the Universe.
”I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my slavation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies” Psalm 18: 1-3
Have a great Tuesday!!
With Christ’s Love,
Kristen <><
Mirror Mirror
Study to show thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
How long do you stand in front of the mirror every day? Primping, blow drying, curling, and applying makeup until you look perfect. Some days take longer than others. After all, you can’t face the world until you’re the best you can possibly be.
God’s mirror for us is the Bible. A reflection of who we are as Christians. What does the Bible reflect about you? There are no gray areas with God. We do a good job of graying up His laws so we can blend in with everyone else.
God called us to be different from the world. We’re light in the darkness not murky gray. Our spiritual life needs reflection everyday to determine what needs to be fixed.
Michael Jackson sang it best in his “Man in the Mirror” hit song;
I’m starting with the man in the mirror,
I’m asking him to change his ways…
Start with the girl in the mirror and ask her to change her ways.
Encouragement:
Open your Bible. Ask God to lead you to the scripture which mirrors areas of your life where you need a little work. Remember, the world judges us by what is seen but God judges our heart. Try to spend more time this week fixing internal rather than external flaws. I promise to take the same advice.
Know I’m praying for you.
Sherry
Music for your Ipod:
My Help Comes From the Lord by The Museum
Never Forsaken
“…for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6b
Another sob escaped into the cold air around me and I hoped no one had heard. A puddle of tears already soaked the pillow beneath my head that served to muffle the sound. It was another three day weekend away from my mom and the comfort of home. I was visiting my dad’s house like I did every weekend, but this weekend was especially hard because it was a day longer than normal. Besides that, it was my ninth birthday. Today I had woken to the familiar heart-ache of being homesick and lonely, magnified by the thought of being alone in a strange place on my birthday.
I didn’t know at the time that God had specifically promised to be with me all the time. He said he would “never leave me or forsake me,” not even when I felt forsaken by other people.
Even though I hadn’t seen Deuteronomy 31:6 or the other places in the Bible where God makes his promise of unfailing love and care towards me, I knew that God was there with me. I could feel his arms wrap around me and assure me that it would be okay. He spoke words of comfort to my heart until the last tear dried and I lay still, listening to cars pass outside my window.
Do you feel alone? Maybe you have been disappointed by someone close to you, or maybe you feel invisible in a big school. There is One who has promised to be there for you no matter what. He wants to develop the friendship between you. Will you let Him? I know from personal experience that God never forsakes his children.