Day 9: Admiration

We are often so busy speaking that we don't take time to listen. We are so quick
to offer a comment - negative or positive—that we don't really "hear" our
husband's heart. Remember: we have two ears and only one mouth. We need to
listen more!
As you continue in your 30-day challenge, not speaking
negatively and focusing on positive encouragement, hear the Lord's admonition
today: "Be swift to hear." If listening is a real problem for you, play a game
with yourself. See if you can listen to your husband for one whole day, only
speaking when asked a question. If your husband notices the difference, explain
that you are learning to listen more-not only to God, but also to him.
One
easy way to express admiration for your husband is to ask a question about
something he enjoys, and then listen to his response. If it's an area of
personal familiarity, keep asking questions until you learn something you didn't
know, then tell him, "Wow, I didn't know that!"

I will be honest... it is hard to "listen" sometimes exspecially when it is something that I have zero interest or am very ignorant of. I recognize that I really need to work on listening more to my husband and his interest even when it goes right over my head... my husband often likes to talk about theology and doctrine and his having a degree in this area I am a little behind and lacking in the ability to follow much less keep up... but I will try... how are you doing?

JOYfully in Him,

Day 6: Deflating Words?

". . . whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31b

Do you recognize and appreciate your husband's creativity? Or do you criticize and demean his efforts? Instead of negativity, determine to be positive. Perhaps you can help your husband see that his efforts are an opportunity to glorify God.

Is your husband the "creative" type? Does he have any artistic gifts? What is that special "knack" he has? Affirm him for his handiwork - a hobby, music, gardening, tinkering with cars, working with wood, etc. Remember: Even if he doesn't measure up to your standards, praise his efforts. If your budget allows, buy him a book or magazine that will continue to encourage his special skill or talent.

If you have a hard time finding his "creative side," understand that men's creativity sometimes is related to their work. Find something he does to make his job run more smoothly or something he does that adds value to his work . . . and let him know that you have noticed.

Make his day . . . Praise his accomplishments in public, while he is listening.

I wonder how often I "deflate" my husband's creativity, how often I confirm his insecurities unintentionally with my quick responses to his ideas. A year ago I read this article that really made me more intentional about my words in praising his creative sometimes "crazy, really far out" ideas(believe me he has had some of those amazing ideas :0). Here is a quote from Shaunti Feldhahn in this interview by Nancy Leigh DeMoss...

What I have found, honestly, is that so many guys go through life with sort of a secret insecurity. This issue of how we as women communicate with them is such an enormous part of how they think we feel about them. We may absolutely respect our husbands or trust our husbands but have no idea that we’re going through our day communicating the opposite.

Today I am going to remember the effect my words have on him. For my husband right now this is so important as he daily needs my encouragement and praise in his ideas with serving God in preaching and teaching the youth here. It is honestly hard sometimes because I have my own ideas as well, but I want to be sure to present them in a way that doesn't "deflate" his ideas and discourage him and to esteem his ideas first and foremost above any of mine. He is amazing! I pray God will bring these things to the front of my mind and allow me to see them in the moment, because it is so easy to recognize these things and say them out loud and then leave them behind.

Let us seek to inflate instead of deflate our husbands creative ideas and creative sides, can't find his... listen and watch closely... what things does he love to do but doesn't do often maybe because he is unsure of himself.

JOYfully in Him,

Day 5: Praise Him

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Eph. 4:29

Another way to describe the positive side of this "30-Day
Encouragement Challenge" is by using the word "edify," which means, "to build
up." Negative comments only discourage and tear down. Positive comments
encourage and build.

Do you edify your husband before others, adding to
his value in their eyes? This is especially important to other family members.

Do you praise your husband to his relatives, and yours? Does your
husband's mother know how much you love him? How about your dad? Perhaps you can
drop a word of praise into a conversation or letter. Be creative in letting your
relatives know that you respect your husband, love him, and support him - in
spite of whatever flaws and weaknesses he may have.

Praise your husband! Not just to him but to others, find a creative way to edify him to others today. Look for the opportunities to do this. Let's praise our God today by praising our husbands, proclaim it to the world! MY HUSBAND ROCKS!! Check those out :0).

Also, let me encourage you of this. My friend and I were talking yesterday about this challenge and how praising our husbands and edifying him is easy in the way of talking him up, if you know what I mean... where we struggle in edifying him is in our daily responses and reactions to our husbands. I can very easily not choose my words wisely, corrupt communication is almost certain to come flying out of my mouth before I have consciously brought them to my mind and given them to Christ. I know this is not true for all of you but for some who share in this struggle let us intentionally let us give our words to Christ before we give them to our husbands.

JOYfully in Him,

Thankful Thursday: My Husband

"There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage." Martin Luther

Today is Day 5 in the husband encouragement challenge, God has given me a deeper love and appreciation for the man in my life. We have been through some really tough times and there have been times when we were not sure if we were going to make it, I praise God for His faithfulness. This morning I sit here at my kitchen table with my "love journal" watching my husband quietly sit on the couch preparing his heart and mind for 3 sermons for a youth rally this weekend... I am thankful...

Lord thank you for that day long ago that you set my heart on a boy, a boy that you new and created me for.

Lord thank you for the love that I have for him and that it continues to grow deeper and deeper each year.

Lord thank you for the perseverence to endure all of the HARDships with in our marriage and getting us through our first few years.

Lord thank you for the man, the new man that sits before me this morning.

Lord thank you for the faith you gave him that continues to grow daily.

Lord thank you for the heart that you gave him to serve you wholeheartidly and with passion.

Lord thank you for the zeal he has for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for his boldness and courage in proclaiming it daily.

Lord thank you for his love for his family, his deep unconditional love for his children and for me.

Lord thank you for his amazing sense of humor, that find me everyday.

Lord thank you for the little things...

his smile
his contagous laugh
his hard working hands
his mind
his caring heart
his down to earth out going personality
his continual humbleness
his passion to know God
his willingness to serve and please people almost to a fault :0)
his deep desire to please God and not man in speaking the truth
his heart for prayer, deep communion with God everyday.
his perseverence in studying the scriptures
his radical thinking and doctrine

Lord thank you for my marriage, for the opportunity to serve you in my calling as a wife in displaying the church in your ulitimate meaning for marriage.

Lord THANK YOU for the forgiveness tha daily reigns in our marriage and the ability to recognize that we are both sinners in desperate need of your grace and mercy and eachothers.

Lord thank you for your GRACE that you lavish us in everyday before we get up, after we get up, as we walk along the light of day, enter into the darkness of night and with each breathe we take.

The Lord is SO faithful and I just continue to, even through the toughest times, fall deeper and deeper in love with my husband. I pray that God will keep revealing himself to us and giving us his wisdom and more and more and more faith. May you be blessed today in your marriage.





Oh, God THANK YOU for my husband!! What a gift for me, strengthen him today and use me to build him up and encourage him to continue boldly serving You...

JOYfully in Him,

Day 4: Words

" . . . let him labor, working with his hands what is good . . . "

Eph. 4:28

We are all accountable for the things we say, both negative and positive words. Have you embraced the challenge to speak only positive things to your husband and to others about him? Here's a suggestion that touches the core of your husband's world.

Some women take their husband's career for granted, and they show it in many ways. Do you "dump" on your husband at the end of the workday, or do you strengthen and encourage him with your words? A wise wife will make her husband feel that she values and appreciates his work. Let him know that you are glad he is a hard worker. Take opportunities to praise his diligence and resourcefulness to others.

If your husband is out of work, unable to work, or refuses to work, you'll need to be more creative. Praise him for a character quality that you see in him that would be a vital part of a successful career—such as persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, good with people, good listener, determination, etc.

Do you "dump" on your husband at the end of the workday, or do you strengthen and encourage him with your words? This is something that I really need to work on. I have gotten into a very bad discouraging habit of "dumping" all of the days dirty laundry on him when he gets home or when we have free time in the evening. I am meditating a lot over the scriptures concerning the tongue and am realizing the power they have on us, and I know that discontented words brought to my husband each night is not edifying and building up. I realize that he works HARD with in his heart especially to serve God and it is discouraging when I pour all of my hearts discontentments and aches all over him on a daily basis with the intentions to gratitfy my selfish desires of what is called "venting".

Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24

There is a time to express our hearts concerns and discontentments but not everyday and always carefully each word soaked in grace and love for the glory of Christ and strengthening of hearts and not tearing. Here are some things to consider before we decide to "dump"...

Is this something that needs his attention right now?
Where is my heart in presenting this to him?
Can this issue really as important as it feels or am I being deceived?
Have I sought God's counsel first, spent time with Him about these issues today?

I really need to learn to cast all of my cares on Him my stronghold first and allow Him to work in my heart and then when I have heard from Him through earnestly seeking Him then may I take it to my husband. I believe it is an illusion that our husbands need to know everything that is going on or went on and that we need to release those to him in order to feel content and satisfied. I want my husband to be drenched in honeycomb as much as possible, built up and encouraged by the words that flow from my mouth, I really pray that all other issues in my heart will settle on their own with God's wisdom and power of His Spirit and that bringing them to my husband will be few and fewer. Okay, I am not saying do not talk and spend time with your husband and discuss serious issues with him when he gets home, I am just encouraging you to really consider your words, your heart and motives and spend your time wisely... focus more on him (and ultimately HIM)... ask him how his day was...what are his needs... his concerns... use all of those possibly empty words that you were going to use and that time wasted to praise him and build him up!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Set our minds on pleasing HIM with our words... which will come out of the medititation of our hearts... what are you meditating on?

Two Shall Become One Tuesday

I must encourage you to visit Praise and Coffee today for her Two Shall Become One Tuesday she is discussing an issue that I am sure we have all dealt with on some level in our marriage and if not something we have seen happen and destroy with in a marriage.

Just a little heads up for my friends who are following allong in this challenge of encouraging our husbands join on Thursday for a Thankful Thursday, let's share our grateful hearts for our husbands, and on Friday with My Husband Rock's Friday, I am excited about this meme I just found!

Care to share how things are going? Learning anything about yourself as a wife? Your husband? Your marriage? May God bless you my sister.

JOYfully in Him,

Day 3: His Tenderness

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Phil. 4:19

Love indeed suffers long and is kind. As you consider your Encouragement Challenge, determine today that you will not say anything negative to or about your husband. Speak kindly to him with words of genuine encouragement.

If your husband is considerate of your needs, let him know that you have noticed. Thank him for his kindness and consideration. Thank the Lord that your husband knows how to be both tough and tender.

Sometimes it's difficult for a man to be gentle, kind or tender—especially if he hasn't had role models in these areas. If he's not a considerate person, appeal to him for help without complaining. Let him know that it's hard for you to handle some things alone. Then, when he moves in to help, don't insist that he do it your way. Be glad that he is responding, and express your gratitude.

Ultimately, you can't expect your husband to make you feel more secure, loved, etc.

Remember that only God can meet the deepest needs of your heart.

I think this one can be really hard because I think sometimes as wives we have our expectations set to high concerning our husband's gentleness, kindness and tenderness. I know that all marriages are different where some men are extremely tender, kind and gentle. Today seek out with a loving heart his tenderness, it will look different for each of our husbands. Let us notice his and let him know our gratefulness. In our seeking his tenderness, if we don't feel he is living up to our "expectations" or is not responsive to our appeals remember that He is all that satisfies us completely, He covers all of our husband's short comings. He is our ultimate husband.

JOYfully in Him,

Marriage Monday (day late)

Want this button?

I know it isn't Monday but I missed particpating in Marriage Monday, which I have been looking forward to, because of unplanned circumstances and lack of time.

What has surprised you about your marriage?

Simply... God, the power of God. He definetly surprised us with His presence, His all consuming presence. And He still continues to surprise us day after day with His presence. A verse that is SO relevant for our marriage is Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Yes, He knew the plans He had for us but we didn't!! I can definetly say with out a shadow of a doubt that His plans were far better than any we had. When we got married on October 6th 2000, we were not only naive but lost. We didn't know that Lord, we were 2 extremely selfish people coming from broken and very difficult pasts begining a life together that would in years to come surprise us. We lived together under the vows of marriage for 2 1/2 years before He began working in my heart... soon after I realized the need for Christ to reign in our marriage I began to pray over my husband. I had faith God was listening to me as I prayed night after night for Him to open his heart and save him. I was not prepared completely for how He was going to do this! About 1 year later God basically brought us both in one night to a place of brokeness that could only be repaired by Him, brought us both to our knees causing us to look up. It was in that time that the Lord opened the eyes of my husband's heart and revealed Himself to Him and it was powerful. A year later we together devoted our lives to Him in service by giving our lives to Him through ministry. Rick quit his GOOD job with lots of promises, sold our house, picked up and went to Seminary. A LOT of people thought we were crazy! Seriously crazy.

Our plans to live a happy self centered money satisfied life (if that is even possible) were completely thrown off track when Christ met us on our path to destruction, saving us from a wasted life of self glorification only leading to death. Oh Praise God for His mercy and grace, for His Son. If it had not been for the power of His grace in our lives we would with no doubts have been destroyed, just another failed marriage. Praise God for His amazing grace.

Oh, God I pray that you continue to reveal more and more of yourself to us. Let the power of Your glory reign in our marriage and consume us daily to serve you simply because You are worthy...

JOYfully in Him,

Day 2: Through Love

" . . . through love serve one another." Gal. 5:13b

In the original Greek, Paul is even more specific. He says, through the love serve one another. What love? Specifically, the love of Jesus Christ. “Paul uses the article: it is ‘the love’ of which he writes, the distinctive Christian love.” (Morris)

We are in Day 2 and today we are encouraged to serve one another... not in love... not because of love but through love. When I read this verse this morning I just had to know more, what was under the surface of this verse? What does it mean to serve one another through love? To go through something means go from begining to the end, you do not stop. Our love is not strong enough to always serve another especially when we don't "feel" like they deserve our service but it is not through our love or the love that the world can relate to but through the powerful love of Christ. We must go through His love... a sacraficial love that lays it ALL down in order to serve and save. This is a powerful truth.

I don't want to ignore the reality that in this challenge we are all facing our own personal struggles whether they are in our marriage, in our hearts or just in our lives. I know that we are all in our callings being tugged at in many different directions. I know that some of us are going through a very painful place in our life, oh how I pray that His power will overtake us and consume us and enable us to serve and worship Him while we wait on Him to come and deliver us.

So before I go on... for those who are deeply struggling be encouraged...



Whatever you are going through... serve your husband through the power of His love... lay all of your hindrances of love down at His feet and allow the love of Him overflow from your heart into service to your husband. Worship and Serve the Lord through it all.

Now I know the challenge is to focus on where your husband is serving you... so now that we have examined and sought encouragement from His word on how to serve, ourselves... where do you see your husband serving you and your family? Be creative... thank him for how he daily serves around your house. It may be hard to find it for some... look deep.

JOYfully in Him,
Kelli

A Place to Commune, Collect and Capture

Before Sunday meets us with her bright glimmering (hopefully) rays of light let us have a Place to come each morning to remember our commitment to encouragement... a place to rest our thoughts and capture our hearts on paper. I have two resting places in mind... one for you to sit, commune and collect and another for you to capture... a quiet place for you to be still in communion with your Father and in collecting all of your hearts lingering reflections and a place with in that place to capture them for future reflection. Seriously, find a quiet place in your home just for you and then find a place, a journal or notebook to capture. Don't run out and buy a journal or new pretty notebook unless you want to of course. Use your current journal, make a journal with paper and stamps and other embellishments or just grab a little folder and hide some paper with in it. Don't focus to much on the "appearance" but rather the purpose. With in your notebook/journal if you want you can slip, glue or mold these pages:

30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge for Wives
Journal Pages
30 Day Husband Encouragement Calendar

These are not necessary but can definetly be helpful. I love the calendar. Keep this little notebook of yours accesible for you to continue to capture during this challenge. I have no doubt that it will serve to encourage you during and after this journey... be creative... pour your heart into these pages through the love ink left behind.

I really find it encouraging to keep a little 'LOVE JOURNAL' if you will to just record my thoughts. I am seriously considering making this husband encouragement challenge a continual thing to keep me accountable, thinking about every 3 months... so the next one would be in May. Now I plan on continueing to live out my calling as a wife on a daily basis but every 3 months to really focus and record...

Today, if you are able, find some time to fast and pray. Here are some really good articles on fasting and praying:

Guidelines for Effective Prayer and Fasting

Fasting Scriptures

What do I do during Fasting?

Prayers during Fasting

Father God... I thank you for this day we have been given to display Your glory and light in this dark world... I thank you for allowing us to open our eyes this morning and retrieve this gift of life, to spend with our families, to spend in service loving You with all of our heart, soul, minds and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Father I pray over each woman who has commited herself to wholeheartidly and intentionally live out her callling as a wife... grant them each humblesness as they seek to put their husbands above themselves even when their emotions tell them that maybe they are not worthy and when she feels the eyes of feminism glaring down at her, give each one the ability to forgive quickly, to love radically, to walk in faith, to speak only with gentleness and kindness, to have a spirit of submissiveness and respect, to have a joyful heart and a willingness to sacrafice her time. Father, You are good and I praise You, walk with us Lord and remind us that we are continually in Your presence and remind us of the significance of what we are doing in our roles as wives. In the name of Jesus... Amen.

JOYfully in Him,

Preparing for Battle

Okay, it is 4 days until the 30 day Husband Encouragement Challenge. On February 1st, which is a Sunday, we will enter our first “official” day of encouragement. For the next 2 days I want to encourage you to be examining yourself in light of scripture in your walk as a created helpmeet for the man in your life. Consciously observe, if that is possible from the inside out, your behavior, your reactions in certain situations, your demeanor and body language… notice your struggles, your weaknesses, your desires and convictions. Set a piece of paper aside with a pen (a journal if you like) and as you become aware of certain things, take some time to write them down so that in the future you can look over them, bring them God and surrender them to His Lordship. Be careful not to allow deceit and excuses to hinder you from the full freedom of surrender in admitting where you fall short and where His Spirit is needed to fill in. During this time put your pride-guard down and allow Him to consume you and overtake any of those areas. Glance sincerely into the eyes of your heart and view yourself through the lens of Christ.

On Friday the 30th, this Friday, I am encouraging you, strongly encouraging you (if you are able to that is) to spend some time in prayer and fasting. Take your list and your heart and get on the ground in humbleness to your Father in seeking His guidance and strength for this journey to die in order to love more fully as Christ. I don’t think we completely understand what weight our calling as a wife has on the glory of Christ… if only we would grasp it more fully and think on it more often. In this time that you set apart focus on your role in the marriage… ask God to give you wisdom in all of your areas and guidance… pray for Him to show you the doors, the way of escape in times of weakness and temptation to fall short and give in… commit yourself to self sacrificing love… to endurance… to forgiveness… to humility… to joyful service… and reliance on His power alone working through you. Know that when I say time set apart I don’t necessarily mean for you to spend the day or hours on your knees in your room while your family starves but more internally as you continue to serve and love, but if it is possible I think it would be great if you could steal some truly “set apart time” on your knees hidden in your room, closet or bathroom. This is serious God honoring business and we need to be prepared for the battles that will come through our strivings to be a wife that defies the culture because through that HE.WILL. BE. GLORIFIED. And he will set out to stop us dead in our tracks, cause us to doubt, set up stumbling blocks and our hearts and minds better be ready to fight his schemes to steal His glory. Things will happen to cause you to doubt your mission these next 30 day but in each of these it is vital to remember where your strength is found and where your confidence is and that is in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… we may stumble and fall but we stand on a Solid Rock that can not be moved! We are covered in grace… so keep walking in faith… pick up that Sword…

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11

Saturday I will post more thoughts on details…please in this post let me know (if you haven't already) if you are up for the challenge… so that we can share in a sweet fellowship and encouragement.

JOYfully in Him,

30 Days of Encouragement

Oh the calling of being a helpmeet! Oh how enduring and selfless it is and completely against my very nature... and not to mention culture. The curse that fell upon us when Eve sinned in rebellion agains't God has been nipping at my heels, not actually... honestly the curse has been upon my head sinking it's teeth in deep. Listen to what the word says in Genesis...

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." (2:18)

God created us to be our husband's helper, a perfect fit for that special man in our lives. It is amazing for me to think about the reality of that... that I was created, made, formed me in the womb for him... divinely designed me to perfectly fit the man he created and formed in the womb. Amazing!! Since we, no before we were born or conceived we were designed exactly for eachother... perfectly formed in every way even though it doesn't feel like it some times :0).

Now listen to what God said to the woman after the fall...

"I will surely mulitiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." (3:16, emphasis added)

The word desire is the same word used in Genesis 4:7 of the same desire of sin to master over cain. Wow!

“As a result of the fall, man no longer rules easily; he must fight from his headship. Sin has corrupted both the willing submission of the wife and the loving headship of the husband. The woman’s desire is to control her husband (to usurp his divinely appointed headship), and he must master her, if he can. So the rule of love founded in paradise is replaced by struggle, tyranny and domination.” (Susan T. Foh, cited in Boice)

So in light of Eve's sin that cursed us all and daily crouches at our door... I am going to begin on February 1st the Husband Encouragement Challenge... in a way to rule over it. In this challenge I want you to join me... join me in ruling over this curse of ours! Let me know if you would like to walk closely with the Father and His Son as I seek to encourage and simply love my husband. I will post details later.

JOYfully in Him,

Only by His amazing GRACE...

"There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage." Martin Luther


Today is the day that we were joined in covenant with eachother as husband and wife, oh what a glorious day! It has been 8 years and I am still just amazed at where we have both come from, who we have become and the family that we have made all because of the Amazing Grace of God... the death of His son and the work of His Holy Spirit.

I am so overwhelmed with gratitude when I realize that God made us specifically for eachother... to live out His perfect specific purposes... overwhelmed.

Well... anyways... Happy Anniversary to US!

JOYfully in Him,

Family Photos

JOYfully in Him,

True Love

Let the LOVE of Jesus Christ pour out through your life....



JOYfully in Him,

World Vision with Compassion

The Celebrate Freedom festival we went to last week encouraged us to look into sponsoring a child through World Vision. Shane and Shane talked a little about it on stage and we looked at the booth that they had set up there. I knew immediately that this is something that was not only worthy but urgent of our attention as a family. When we got home I looked up World Vision and a few days later I found another place you can sponsor poverty stricken children through called Compassion. Tomorrow we are going to sit down as a family and choose a child to sponsor each month. Thise eving while visiting Compassion I found their blog and was greatly convicted further and encouraged by THIS article written by a mother. I also found these little Youtube videos about sponsorship....

Jeremy Camp

Rich Mullins

Rebecca St. James

It is so easy to block our minds from thinking about these serious situations going on around the world but we have a chance to make a difference in a cihld's or family's life for just 30-40 dollars a month. Let us love one another not with just words but in action!

JOYfully in Him,

Love Joy

Love: Is it a feeling or just a choice? or ist it more than that even?


If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:2-8


I hear the common definition of love from people all the time that love is not a feeling it is a choice. Where I agree with that to a certain degree I don't agree that Love in and of itself is a choice. I would say it is more of an effect of a choice. I have noticed that there is another emotion that goes hand in hand with love. Something that you have first before you can truly love something or someone. Sometimes it comes naturally and sometimes you must make the decision to. I am talking about finding joy. Think about the things you "love" and what feeling are you overwhelmed with? For me a feeling of enjoyment a delight in that person, object, food or circumstance. When we enjoy, we love. I enjoy double creamy chocolate cake drizzled in chocolate syrup with whipped cream all around it and I in turn say "I Love it!". The same with my husband, when I am enjoying his presence I love him but when I choose not to enjoy his presence I don't feel the love and this goes for everyone that surrounds me. The same goes for my kiddos, my mil, my grandma, and my friends. Maybe this is why it feels like love comes and goes, but it does not come and go it is your joy that does that is, if you let it. Joy, in some cases, is a choice. You can hold on tight to your joy or you can have a half opened grip on it letting it slip in and out ever so often. Sometimes though we don't have to hold on so tight because it comes naturally and uncontrollably. Like chocolate for me. I didn't choose to like it I just do. I can't remember ever not liking it. But there are somethings and some people that you must decide find joy in so you can love them. We all have people in our lives that we enjoy being around without any effort on our part but then we all have those other people that drain us because we have to search and try to find enjoyment in them. And even though it is hard it is not impossible. For nothing is impossible with who? Christ!!!

"Happiness depends on happenings; joy depends on Christ." Anonymous

Joy depends on Christ! It might be hard but if you have Christ it will be easier. There will be times when it feels down right impossible but that is a lie don't fall for it for it is not and never will be with Christ. You can have it, joy, in the times and in people that you don't naturally love because of Christ. Does Christ dwell in you? Then, if he does, you will beable to find joy in any situation.

Joy and Love are one. Do you love the Lord? Can you say I have no joy in Him but I love Him all the same. No, if you say you love the Lord then you must have joy in Him. You can not have one without the other. In our relationship with God I do not think we choose to find joy in Him I think it is an overwhelming feeling that is given by His overpowering majesty and glory. Let me point something out though that was just revealed to me by His word. His love comes first to us so that we might have joy.

Listen to this and be filled with Joy.

Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.


Did you hear that!? God so amazingly bestows on us his power of love which overflows in us and our soul is filled with joy. We have joy in the Lord because he first loved us. He first loved us, He first found joy in us. If you don't feel that joy right now read this with a broken heart ready and willing to let joy seep in and consume you.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17

Jesus Christ, perished so that you and me could have eternal life. Did you get that, eternal life, not condemnation but salvation through Him! Praise be to our God and Father. Today and everyday, let us turn our eyes to the cross, to the sacrafice, when we feel no joy and be filled, consumed , overpowered by the joy that comes from God's love for us. And remember those people that are hard to find joy in? Remind yourself of God's love, and the joy you have in Christ and share that glory with them. Reveal to them Christ that dwells in you.

So is love a feeling or a choice. I would say it is a direct feeling from a conciouse decision to find joy. Love is Joys shadow, it follows it everywhere. When you find joy you will see it's shadow of love right behind it. Find it.


Be blessed and filled.

JOYfully in Him,

Loving our Husbands...

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers... Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 2:16:18

Yesterday, I took a little trip with the click of a few buttons over to Sue's at Praise and Coffee to be encouraged by her Two shall become One Tuesdays. I was indeed encouraged and inspired by her words and also those of her commentors. She posted an article, Little Women, that was so inspiring to me as a wife and a mother. Take a moment to read it, it is short and worth your time. It really made me think of how my children percieve me as they daily observe me not as their mother but as the wife of their father, their hero. What am I showing them on a day to day basis, is it the love spoken of in 1 John, a love that lays it's life down for the other. Do they see my dying love for their father? Is it a sacraficial, adoring, outdoing, spontaneous, joyful, contagious love that fills our home with a sweet aroma of what Christ did for all of us? Do they see me scurrying about before the arrival of their father after a hard day of studying to make things perfect for him when he walks in? Do they see me greet him with a outpouring love and affection and a big smile? Listen... I confess that none of the above is true, I am usually to consumed in myself to be worrying about all that. It is the truth, I have not hidden it, I am selfish, it is a constant daily struggle of mine, it comes all to naturally to me and I pray that over time God will sever it from my soul and give me a more perfect love like that of His son.

I think we as mothers and homekeepers can get our priority cards all scattered about, I fear we can and do often place some ahead of others that do not belong there as God has set them out for us and I don't think we do this deliberately. Take a look at yours? Where do the cards of your calling lay? God, Husband, Children, Home and Others. Are they laying in front of you in this order? If they are not then take a moment to rearrange them in His order...

Before:

Home... God... Children... Husband... Others...

After:

God... Husband... Children... Home... Others...

I think I had myself fooled for awhile with thinking I had God above everything but really I have put my Home above him here lately. When we put them in their rightful order then can God be truly and most glorified in our lives as Daughters of the King first, wives of His servant second, Mothers of His children third, keepers of His home fourth and sister to all of His people around us. It is a simple but amazing truth that has a profound effect on our life.

Something that I was encouraged by yesterday while visiting Sue was a comment by one of her readers. I find it hard sometimes to love my husband, for many reasons, he isn't worthy, I am to tired, I am to busy and the main reason... I am just to selfish. I know we all struggle with this at times so let me leave you with this thought I captured from Sheila:

"The thing is, often times the one I'm directing the bending over backwards out of giddy love is not my husband but my Lord and I say in my heart, "Lord Jesus YOU deserve me to love this fallen man with extravagant, gracious love. I'll bend over backwards loving this man because YOU DID THAT FOR ME AND FOR HIM!"I can't look at my husband and always get filled with a desire to treat him like a boyfriend, but can always look at Jesus and be filled with a desire to give my husband all kinds of unearned favor and kindness. It just takes remembering that that's what I've been given."

Valentines Day with Pictures

What an amazing day! Some of my plans didn't work out but made some substitutions and everything turned out perfect. I enjoyed myself very much, showering my family with Love.

V-Day Prep and Ideas

Today is going to be sorta rough. I fell ill yesterday after I thought I was over it, thank goodness Expresso was home. He is so quick to take care of me. I am going to be relying on the repulsive Day-Quil to keep my on my feet and off the couch shivering.

Valentines is just around the corner of this evening, once again it has snuck up right behind me. So today along side of our school subjects we will be preparing for Valentines day.

One project to do together today is a String of Hearts, simply and very cute. A Lesson, a coloring page and sharing thoughts about what it means to love while reflecting on many verses in the bible.

I have some ideas up my sleeves for the boys. Here is what I have planned:

Early Morning:

Trail of Kisses... I did this last year and it was a huge hit with my boys! Simply leave a trail of Hershey kisses onthe floor leading to the place of destination. I lead them to our kitchen table full of Valentines Day suprises. The loved it! I did just simply red plastic cups last year but I think I will do little red cones made out of construction paper instead decorated with their names on them.

Homemade Cards by Momma:

T-Rex... Your Dino Mite card, perfect for my little beastly boy who is obsessed with Dinosaurs.

Superman... V-alien-tine card, perfect for my little Astronomer.

Also at the table they will find these... Checks, along with these... coupons and for a breakfast some Red Heart-y pancakes topped with whipped cream and strawberries and bananas served with pink milk.

Devotional with activities: God First Loved You!

Games: Guess how much I love you! Fill a jar with little hearts and have family guess how many are in it early in the morning and then at the end of the day reveal the winner and their prize, a special candy and coupon of free time!

Lunch: We will have heart sandwiches with a pink smoothie of some kind.

Afternoon snack: Sweet Heart Crispy Treats, with hot chocolate, a good book and a Valentine coloring page.

Game: Valentine Cup Cake Walk

Dinner: Taquitos, oh so good! We all love these except T-Rex who doesn't like a whole lot other than PB and Honey :0). After dinner we reveal our winner, enjoy some family time and go out for an ice cream cone at Micky D's. End the day with lots of kisses and hugs.