What Men Really Want

These were some really great tips that I wanted to save and figured the best way to do that was in a blog post.

Wives, men...

1. Get their self-esteem from marriage, job and athletics (job and athletics are always uncertain so the marriage is what they want to count on)
2. Think respect is more important than feeling loved (it almost feels like the same thing to them)
3. Want to feel affirmed and appreciated by their wives
4. Are not good at taking hints. Tell him what you want. 
5. Want to know that they are the #1 person in your life, especially if you have kids. Your kids will grow up and move out and you will still be with him.
6. Want grace and forgiveness. Those are important to him. He's going to mess up, but he doesn't need to be reminded of it. 
7. Don't appreciate or like nagging. 
8. Don't like to be ambushed. Make sure to talk to him before going into a discussion with others about a certain subject so that he's not taken off guard. 
9. Want you to protect their reputation. What do you say about him to others? Do not disrespect him or put him down to others. This is how he will be perceived. Guard him. 
10. Want to be spoken to with kindness and gentleness. "Husband is the leader, but the atmosphere of the house is set by the wife."
11. Need to feel desired, not tolerated or pitied. 
12. Need to be admired. Admire the work they've done in the yard, or around the house. 
13. Need "men"time. It may not look the same as "ladies" time. They may just want to watch a football game with friends. Encourage this. 
14. Need to be our Knight in Shining Armor. We need to let them know ho we appreciate them. Know your husband's love language. 
15. Don't ever want to admit any of this, but when we do this, we set ourselves up for an amazing marriage! =)

True Disciples

In this age as a Christian, it is so easy to get mixed into the more prominent area of complacent Christianity. Not only is it found in abundance, it's easy...very easy.

No one tells you what to do, you receive feel good messages from the pulpit that may or may not challenge your walk with Christ, no one calls you out on your sin (so you then forget you are even sinning), and no one encourages you to research to make sure what you're hearing is sound doctrine.

Source: http://photos2.demandstudios.com

I know I can't be making this up, because the apostle Paul was thinking the same thing when he said:

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." - 2 Timothy 4:3

Is this you? Do you long to hear what your itching ears want to hear, or instead sound doctrine that will put you in your place, convict and lead to repentance?

The latter doesn't sound so fun for most people, which is why it is the road less traveled.

"For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

Why will more enter the wide road? It's easier.

In a society where we want more for less and faster service all of the time, we treat our most important relationship and life choices the same way. We want what is convenient and fast, not what is difficult and slow. We don't want to suffer in order to gain rewards, we want the rewards with no consequences or suffering. However, it's the journey that makes the rewards worthwhile. Consider the following verse:

"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." - Romans 5:3-5

If we understand what suffering produces, our hearts should be focused on hanging tight for the ride.

Source: ledgerlink.monster.com

One Another Relationships

In the Word of God, we are commanded to do several things. Many don't appear as commands, but they clearly don't say "if you choose". In fact, in Paul's writings they many times begin with the word "therefore."

In regards to one another (and I mean between disciples of Jesus Christ), how are we supposed to act? What are we supposed to do to appear different from the world? How can we help each other grow?

Here are a few important places to start, and let me warn you, some may make you shift uncomfortably because it is not something you're used to seeing in church, but it is what the Bible calls us to do:

• Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:24)
• Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
• Confess to one another (James 5:16)
• Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13)
• Forgive (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13)
• Be humble and patient (Ephesians 4:2)
• Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21)
• Live in harmony (Romans 12:16)
• Be devoted (Romans 12:10)
• Honor one another (Romans 12:10)
• Speak truth to one another (Ephesians 4:15-16)
• Accept one another (Romans 15:7)
• Love (1 Peter 4:8, 1:22
• Admonish (Colossians 3:16)

I want to focus on the last one. The word admonish is not really used in today's society so I wanted to look up what it meant, since I always assumed it meant to encourage. Boy was I wrong. It means to "rebuke mildly, advise strongly; to warn someone of their error."

Clearly we are to rebuke one another to get them back on track if we see one another falling into sin or going down the wrong path. This is how we can prevent disciples from falling away and leaving the faith.

Source: www.hcs.harvard.edu

The reason Paul, Timothy and Peter were so adamant about encouraging one another and staying in each other's lives, the way it was exemplified in the 1st century church, was to keep the enemy at bay from causing dissension, factions and division within the body.

Are you united in the body with other disciples that are challenging your growth towards maturity, encouraging you towards deepening your walk with the Lord and living in harmony?

If not, I want to ask an honest question, who's disciple are you?

It's time to get real. 

What's your dream?

In light of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday today, I wanted to share one of the most special things I've ever seen. My little 9-year old sister (I'm not kidding when I say she's truly an angel) had an assignment in class last week where her teacher asked the class for their "I Have a Dream" Speech.

While other kids dreamed to fly or be a superhero (completely normal of a 9-year old), this is what my little sister wrote...

I Have a Dream

That I can follow God's Word

That my family will always believe in God and have faith

That my friends will understand me

O, I have a dream

That children will have mommies and daddies

That grownups will be an example to children

That people will start trusting in Jesus

O, I have a dream

That people will find God's Word

That people will learn more about Jesus

That there will be no giving up on God

O, I have a dream...

Camillerose Aguirre 

My prayer is when I have children, that they love and desire God's Word like my little sister. My mom is clearly an amazing mom, but this little one tops us all.

Despicable Me Sisters

Since watching Despicable Me, my sisters and I noticed something oddly familiar about the movie. Someone made us animated!!! We couldn't believe how similar Margo was to me (Jenelle), Edith is to Michelle, and cute little Agnes to Cassandra.

We decided to reenact some of the pictures just to have some fun with it. 

Here we were as younger girls (this was literally a few months before I started wearing glasses). 

Patience.

This year has been challenging in so many ways, but through it all, I have seen God's grace in my life. There were several times I broke down as a result of frustration, but I pushed through in faith.

All I kept getting was to be patient...wait on the Lord...be still. Do you know how hard that is for me??? It was getting to the point that I didn't know if He was even listening to me anymore. What I did find was His peace.

As a result, when I spoke with someone I love and cherish this week that is going through similar frustrations, I was able to encourage her and tell her what God's done for me this year. Not all I was asking the Lord has been answered, but I have peace because I know its coming in His time, not mine.

Life is hard...it's harder when you don't have faith in anything, especially in Jesus. He's my sustinence, the only reason to push forward towards the goal, 1 Corinthians 9:25.

Maybe what you're going through today will not only help encourage someone else in the future, but take you to another level of faith. Maybe...just maybe.

Be blessed!

Anxious and I go hand in hand.

I hate being anxious and I hate my mind going 1,000 mph all the time. That's why I know I'm blessed to have the husband I have that balances me out and calms me. He's the complete opposite. I can't stay still talking about one thing because while I am, I'm mentally creating a to do list of what I should be doing.

In fact, it's been so bad lately that I've created to do lists daily so I don't deter and am able to get everything done that needs to get done. On this list, believe it or not, I have to include "eat". I don't make time to always eat because I'm so busy doing other things. Right now, I decided to take a few minutes to blog about just that.

I read yesterday in my daily quiet time the following verse:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24.

This verse was written for me. I want God to know my anxious thoughts (though he will whether I like it or not), because many times its those thoughts that push me away from him as a result of lack of trust in Him. He knows we naturally do this. Busyness is what keeps us from Him and anxiousness is failure to fully trust in Him while confiding in our own ability to do so.

There's freedom in releasing those anxious thoughts and allowing Him to reign. When he takes control, It's just so amazing and liberating. True peace only comes with Jesus.

I've blogged about this subject a few times because it's something I struggle with. It helps me to blog, hope it ministers to you as you read =)

"Joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)

Encouragement.

Encouragement is something I've really needed the past few weeks. It's been really hard with career changes, stuff, and life just happening so fast. I'm so incredibly thankful for the blessing of my husband. He has really been my main source of encouragement and motivation.

Sometimes, I just feel like my prayers have been going into oblivion. I think many can agree to have felt that at one point or another. While my entire walk with Jesus, I've always heard him speak to me clearly, this year has been different. I know my faith has been challenged and stretched, but the past few weeks took the cake.

  I've been pleading and praying for certain things for a few years, but now is when it really seemed to matter. Then last night, I resolved to fully give it over to Him. Why? Because when there's nothing I can do myself, there's only faith holding me together. This mornings' quiet time was reading Psalm 86 which really felt like my cry to the Lord. Then, something happened....my day turned completely around. Blessings poured down all day! I have been literally in shock of how quick He works.

Just when I feel I couldn't take it anymore, I feel like today He wanted to give me a break =)

Tonight my husband and I attended a mid-week service that ironically, or not, was about: encouragement. I felt it was only appropriate given my prayer only last night and this morning.

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:12-13 (my emphasis)

Did you notice what can happen when you're not encouraged? Your heart can become hard making it more difficult to encourage and making it more difficult to move forward in life with a believing heart and full-fledged faith in God.

Be encouraged!