His plans are bigger than you can ever imagine. On days when you have doubt, remember “adjust your crown princess, you are the daughter of a #king. 👑 You can do all things, through me.” 💪 I’ve come so far and yet, it is just the beginning. 🙌 🙏 #GodsPlans
I am getting off this emotional roller coaster!! Have you ever said that before? Or ever felt like you were on an emotional roller coaster during a life event? Always going up and down with emotions and then repeating the same emotions over and over again.
You can get dragged down by others drama or what they are personally going through. This is where you need to learn to draw a line and set some healthy boundaries. We should help a friend in need, or listen to someone who is having a problem. We just need to recognize that other people can influence the way we view our own lives and how we feel about ourselves. It can be emotionally draining and unproductive.
We all go through emotions but when it starts to take over your life that is when you need to look at everything, give it ALL to God and get off the emotional roller coaster. Especially when you are feeding off someone else’s emotions, how they feel about you or what they are going through.
You want to be able to produce fruit and if you are on an emotional roller coaster you cannot produce fruit. Emotions can take over your life and not allow the Holy Spirit to work in you. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Don’t let someone else’s emotions dictate how you are feeling. I have been doing this for several years now and I have realized that I need to take my life back. I can be there for people, listen to them and pray for them. I just can’t allow them to steal my joy, peace and who I am. This is where setting healthy boundaries’ comes in and you get off the emotional roller coaster. If they want to stay on it then let them but life is too short to be going in circles and being unproductive. Continue to pray for them.
Put on the full armor of God and take a stand against the devil’s schemes. Get off that emotional roller coaster and surrender it all to God.
Ephesians 6:11-17 (NIV)
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
As I sit here and reflect our Bible study (Esther~Beth Moore) today it has given me such a different perspective on things. When we go through a life event (whatever that might be for you) we need to give it to God and wait upon the Lord. If we wait upon the event or person it will make you weak and you will be about that event or person. When you wait upon the Lord your strength is renewed.
God is everlasting; he shows us grace and forgiveness time and time again. That is what we should show others. I am learning this lesson myself…if we hold something against them it will hold you in bondage. We need to let it go, show grace and give forgiveness. God will never give us favor in a grudge. Nothing pleases Satan more than holding grudges against others and pride. Give it all to God and make Jesus Christ the center of your attention.
I was reminded of a song by Chris Tomlin, “Everlasting God” this is goes in line with “Waiting upon the Lord”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubLGTOcm8c
So, Wait Upon the Lord!! Psalm 130:5
Always water your OWN grass. Before you make irrational decisions and leave your marriage…Have an affair, lust after someone else, confide in other men or women. Make sure it’s God’s decision not YOURS! PRAY, put God first and listen to the wisdom of God. Don’t make your own selfish decisions.
When you’re having problems in your marriage you think it’s easier to flirt or have an affair with someone else. You tell yourself, “We would have a better life, more fun and so much more.” You can convince yourself that the “Grass is Greener on the other SIDE”. If you’re honest with yourself the “GRASS” looked just fine where you are. (It just needs watering) You’re just going through a season in your marriage. Are you being selfish and only thinking of yourself? Make sure you put God first in your marriage.
Our marriages should be our prize possessions. Is your marriage broken today? Are you ready to “junk” it and never again look back? Hold on!!! GOD IS IN THE RESTORATION BUSINESS! It may take time and some hard work, but it is possible to have a completely restored marriage.
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
So today ask God for HIS wisdom and guidance in your marriage.
Love and Blessings,
Cheri
People think being alone makes you lonely, but I don’t think that’s true. Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in world.
I can remember when I had tons of friends, was partying, and spending lots of money and I would think how much fun this was! But the truth is I was so alone and still trying to find something to fill that void.
This reminds me of the story of the prodigal son that Jesus told in Luke 15:11-24. The son had it all – money, notoriety, friends, fast and fun times. Then one day, the parties stopped, the fun times became empty and the void grew deeper. Until finally, his money ran out on him and so did his ‘friends’, the wrong type of people if you will.
I was around the wrong people, had my priorities all out of whack and nothing could fill that loneliness. I had more people around me then I do today and yet I was still so lonely and lost.
Today I have God first in my life. I don’t go out partying nor do I have hundreds of so called friends. I have meaningful and healthy friendships. I am not lonely or lost. Once you step back and realize God is first, it’s clear to see that He never leaves us!
And so like the prodigal son, I ran home to my family, my real friends and to my loving Heavenly Father. In fact, it was Him who ran to me! If you have HIM first in your life you will never be lonely. He is always there waiting for us to call to Him!
God is for marriages. So in this world man will come against your marriage.
Just because there are couples that are not happy, or men/women that are divorced/single or whatever their relationship status is, it doesn’t mean we should allow them to interfere with our relationship(s). No, instead we should pray for them.
We should also thank God for our marriage and how blessed we are. And for all those people that are jealous, want to steal our joy, or try to come in between us, we should be a model of exactly what God planned for married couples to be so people can see what we have and want it. This way, our marriage in the end, not only blesses us but blesses others around us.
Perhaps that through our marriage, they are led to a better place in their relationships and see Christ working through our own marriage and subsequently want Christ to work in them and in their relationships as well.
It is about being an influence for God!
Matthew 5:44-48
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, let’s all be mature in our marriage. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
Take this challenge —
If you are a married couple, be a blessing to the men/women who are single, going through a difficult time, divorced, etc. Don’t allow them to steal your joy but let them see how God wants us to be. Sometimes these single or unhappy married people will come against your marriage (where affairs start). We should be a role model that they know we are not on the market for someone else we are happily married.
Love and Blessings,
Cheri
I read this on Women Living Well and was challenged to do the same in my marriage. Won’t you join me in building up your husband or boyfriend and show him how much you love him?
There are 4 weeks until Valentine’s Day so I thought it might be fun to do a little –
”Be My Valentine” ~ Marriage Challenge!
Each week the challenge will be the same – to praise, encourage, inspire, admire, build up, thank and appreciate your husband. But each week I will give you different ways to express your praise. Feel free to tweak it for what you think is best for your husband.
JR Miller writes “So it is in the dark hours of a man’s life, when burdens press, when sorrows weigh like mountains upon his soul, when adversities have left him crushed and broken, or when he is in the midst of fierce struggles which try the strength of every fibre of his manhood, that all the radiance and glory of a true wife’s strengthful love shine out before his eyes. Only then does he recognize in her God’s angel of mercy.”
Week 1 January 21st – Look for ways to praise your husband verbally. Praise him in front of the kids, friends, family, co-workers, on facebook, tweet it – get praise out anyway you can! Try to mention something noteworthy he has done – in his role as provider, father, husband, lover, or friend. If the thought of trying to come up with one terrifies you, then pray right now that God will give you new eyes to see your husband as God does. Then open your mouth and say something kind and uplifting to your husband today and tomorrow and the next day until Valentine’s Day arrives!
Week 2 January 28th – This week we will be a little more creative with our praise. I will give you many ideas of fun things you can do to praise your husband such as surprising him with a love message on the mirror, using sidewalk chalk to write on the driveway, making a toast to him at dinner with friends etc. Get creative with your selflessness!
!“When you touch your husband’s deepest need something good almost always happens!”~ Dr. Emerson Eggerich
Even if you don’t feel up to having the responsibility of friendships, they are a necessity. Recently I started attending a women’s Bible Study group and we meet every week. They are an amazing group of women and it’s important to me in 2013 to make them a priority. Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) says “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
If you haven’t asked a friend out to breakfast, lunch or just to grab coffee, don’t put it off any longer. Pick up your phone and call/text your friend and set that date.
Next week, I will be having breakfast with a friend of mine I haven’t seen in a while. It is time to make all of my friendships a priority in my life and find balance.
Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
And no, we don’t need to be social butterflies and burn ourselves out with too many commitments. Keep in mind; it is important to set healthy boundaries, even with your time. I pray for you to find both healthy friendships and healthy boundaries.
Please post your comments about making healthy friendships, or about problems you have had, or currently going through.
Also, if you would like me to pray for you, please post here to let me know.
Love and Blessings,
Cheri
Misses Amiss 