The Proverbs 31 Journey: Faith & Fear

Welcome back! Last week we explored the sovereignty of God in the Proverbs 31 Woman's life. Trusting that God is present in all things, the good, the indifferent, even the ugly circumstances of our life is a key element of faith for the Proverbs 31 Woman. This virtue of trust leads to a reverence of God in all things. Easier said then done in our human nature isn't it? Before we move on, be sure to read Proverbs 31:10-31 this week. Plan for something new to be seen each time you do this. You heard of the adult learner theory which says the more we touch (read) something, the more likely it is to stick with us? It's true!!

This week we will explore the connection our faith and our fear of God has in our life which gives us the ability to reverence Him as we were created to.

This weeks memory verse: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. ~ Prov 31:30

Obviously from this verse, the Proverbs 31 Woman fears God. So, what does it mean to fear God? When most of us think of fear we are incline to shun away from something...fear of spiders, fear of needles, fear of heights, fear of a life threatening diagnosis. Is that the same kind of fear that scripture is talking about? Is there such a thing as an ungodly fear verses a godly fear? Look at how Webster defines fear:

an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger b (1) : an instance of this emotion (2) : a state marked by this emotion : anxious concern : solicitude: profound reverence and awe especially toward God : reason for alarm : danger

Can you see the difference between a godly fear (profound reverence) and ungodly fear (anxious concern; danger)? Eastons bible dictionary defines godly fear to ungodly fear as "conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather filial reverence".

Godly fear. How does the Proverbs 31 Woman maintain this? What does it mean to live in the fear of God? Stormie Omartian in her book The Power of a Praying Women (2002) identified living in the fear of God this way:

"The more you get to know the Lord and understand who He is, the more you will reverence Him and fear His displeasure. This is called the fear of the Lord, and it makes you want to obey Him. Its what draws you closer to God and increases your longing for more of Him. It makes you forget all the things that cause you fear, because they pale in comparison to His awesome power. When you have the fear of the Lord, you fear what your life would be like without Him."

The Proverbs 31 Woman who lives in fear of the Lord does not go about her days cowardly, no, she has a spiritual strength that calls her into obedience to God in words, actions, and thoughts. As humanly as possible, she understands and respects the awesomeness of God's power and greatness. Though she is not perfect, she remains constantly in communion with her God and allows the Holy Spirit to direct her every move. She is quick to acknowledge to God when she has failed and quick to seek forgiveness.

"...Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind". Ecc. 12:13 (NIV)

The woman who fears the Lord lives a life willing to be made willing for whatever the Lord may ask of her each day. Before her feet hit the floor each morning, the first words from her mouth are "Lord, what can I do for you today?"

Above all, fear the LORD and worship Him faithfully with all your heart, considering the great things He has done for you. ~ 1 Sam 12:24

The process of fearing the Lord is a learned process. Moses was instructed to gather the people, to constantly review the laws God had given them so they would learn to fear God (Deut 31: 12-14). In that same manner, the Proverbs 31 Woman will gather her children, her friends, and teach God's word. She intentionally studies His Word, puts it to memory and into action in attempt to live holy for Him.

What does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul? ~ Deut 10:12

The Proverbs 31 Woman lives a life of praising God, honoring God, and reverencing Him.

You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All you descendants of Israel, revere Him! ~ Ps 22:23

The Proverbs 31 Woman lives a life of trusting God in the dark and difficult times. Her reverent fear of God demonstrates a "no matter what" kind of trust and finds her comfort and her faith in her sovereign God.

Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear [no] danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me. ~ Ps 23: 4

The Proverbs 31 Woman is faithful in her fear of God and has an intimate relationship with Him. She is able to see Him and hear Him in her daily activities because she seeks Him in all things.

The secret counsel of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He reveals His covenant to them. ~ Ps 25:14

The Proverbs 31 Woman who fears the Lord is confident and dependent on her God. She knows Her God is with her in everything.

Now the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him— those who depend on His faithful love. ~ Ps 33:18

The Proverbs 31 Woman allows her heart and mind to dwell on those things that are pleasing to Him. She lives intentionally and consciously for her God.

Teach me Your way, LORD, and I will live by Your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name. ~ Ps 86:11

The fear of the Lord in the Proverbs 31 Woman is passed down to her generations.

But from eternity to eternity the LORD's faithful love is toward those who fear Him, and His righteousness toward the grandchildren. ~ Ps 103:17

The Proverbs 31 Woman who fears the Lord finds her joy in Him.

Hallelujah! Happy is the man who fears the LORD, taking great delight in His commandments.. ~ Ps 112:1

How happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways! ~ Ps 128:1

The Proverbs 31 Woman who fears the Lord demonstrates this by hating what God hates and living a holy life.

To fear the LORD is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. ~ Prov 8:13

The Proverbs 31 Woman who fears the Lord is persuasive and her life is an open book of God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

Knowing, then, the fear of the Lord, we persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well. ~2 Cor 5:11

The Proverbs 31 Woman who fears the Lord is not perfect. I am sure she had days when she yelled at her kids, didn't feel like being productive, had her feelings hurt by others, and felt too exhausted to be her husbands helpmate. But whats make a Proverbs 31 Woman different than the average woman is that she acknowledges these times to her God, and to others as appropriate, seeks forgiveness and makes an attempt to turn from her weaknesses or failures. It is in these times of weakness and failure she is able to grow her faith and her fear of God. There becomes less of her and more of God in her life. She learns to fear God daily, to trust His sovereignty, and she grows more in love with Him as she does this.

There is plenty more scripture to support that fearing God is commanded by God. These verses are for your personal study and reflection this week:

Joshua 1:9

Ps 25:12; 27:1-3; 31:19; 34:9; 103:11, 13; 115:13; 145:19

Prov. 1: 28-29; 2:3-5; 16:16; 19:23; 22:4; 29:25 Isa 11:2, 3;

Jere 32:40

John 9:31

2 Cor 5:11

Heb 11:7; 12:28

2 Tim 1:7

1 John 4:18


A women who fears the Lord...that is what I desire to do better. Sharon Jaynes stated it well in a book she co-authored with Lysa Terkeurst "Seven Life Principles for Every Woman":

As women, our lives must be filled, first and foremost, with Jesus Christ. Then and only then can Christ's love spill over first to our husbands, second to our children, then to our homes, our friends, our community, and the world."

A women who fears the Lord is so filled with Christ that she spills His love over for others. I love that thought! Her relationship with Him is personal and ongoing. It is intentional. I'm sure you know all about the ministries Sharon and Lysa have. But if by chance you haven't, click on their names to learn more. Their resources are rich in growing your faith and your relationship with God!

My Holy God, my Sovereign God, You are so loving and I cannot imagine my life without You. Grow me to be more like you. I need to be more loving, more giving, especially in my home. Make me into a woman of faith who fears You enough to live intentionally for You. Teach me to love others as You do. Be my life. ~Amen

Next week we will talk about the Proverbs 31 Woman and prayer.

Believing Him~Pamela

The Proverbs 31 Journey: Reverence

This weeks memory verse: He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Master [Lord] of all masters [Lords]~ 1 Tim. 6:15 (HCSB)

Welcome to my first post 0f 2011...what I call my Proverbs 31 Journey. I am excited about where God is leading my heart in this. I pray I have the strength and ability to walk it boldly (and the time). You see, I am far from being that women we read about in Proverbs 31:10-31. I encourage you to go read this passage again no matter how familiar you are with it. Try reading it in a different version of the Bible you are not as familiar with.

The Proverbs 31 Woman can be threatening and someone we would rather ignore when we think of our own personal weaknesses and failures. The opposite is really true...she should be our mentor and someone we strive to become, even with our weaknesses and failures. Like you, I have done plenty of studies from this passage of scripture but due to unpleasant adversities and circumstances in my life this past year, God has drawn my heart back to this passage and has instructed me to go deeper. I think He is saying "enough is enough...time to get it together!" So it is time for me to get intentional as a servant, wife, and mother after God's heart.

Each month I hope to take a virtue from within these verses and concentrate on it. Study it. Even memorize it. I must warn you that if you should join me in this journey, be prepared that satan will be wicked against us. It will be necessary to prayerfully put on God's armor. It may become a battle but with God on our side, nothing is too hard for Him (Jere. 32:17)!!

I am not going to follow the order of Proverbs 31:10-31, instead I am going to prioritize each virtue and approach them as God leads. This month, we will start with the virtue of Reverencing God and what His Sovereignty means in our life. The Proverbs 31 Woman serves God with all of her heart, mind, and soul. She seeks His will for her life and intentionally follows His ways. To succeed in modeling this Proverbs 31 Woman we have to first examine our relationship with God before we approach the other virtues found in that scripture. Then, like her, we have to become intentional in this relationship. My word for 2011 is intentional...did you gather that already? As I study this Proverbs 31 Woman, I find that she is intentional in each of these virtues we will explore.

The Proverbs 31 Woman reverences God. Webster defines reverence as "honor or respect felt or shown : profound adoring awed and respect". Reverence is an action. When one truly believes in the sovereignty of God, one can reverence Him as we were created to. Though we may have gone through some horrible things in life, made pretty poor choices, failed miserably with God and others, we can move forward when we understand this concept of God's sovereignty, that God is and has always been in control of our life. When we believe this and trust in this truth then we can be confident that all things happen for His divine purpose and plan. We also have to believe that all things that happen can be used to glorify Him. Even the ugly.

Webster defines sovereignty as "supreme excellence or power; a controlling influence". God is the I AM, all powerful controller of this universe, the King of all kings and the Master of all maters. Can you say that He is all of that in your life? He is also all about love. His love, His power, His wisdom, and His truth deserves our reverence.

"God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom He always knows what is best and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about."~Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

This can be a hard concept to grasp. Most people, want to believe that the awful sin they committed was of their own free will against God, beyond His control. Others believe that the abuse they suffered at the hands of another was a result of that persons sin. Some believe the accident that took a loved ones life was just that...an accident controlled by circumstance and nothing more. My views have mirrored this until I started researching and grasping this concept of the sovereignty of God.

"...there is still another important dimension to His sovereignty in the hearts of people; when necessary, God restrains people from decisions or actions that would harm us." ~ Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

Can I be so bold to say that God is in control of all things in your life...the good and the bad, the glorious events and the painful events? Could it be that your suffering was part of God's plan for your life and for His glory? Is it too big for us to understand thereby requiring our trust?

"No detail of your life is too insignificant for your heavenly Fathers attention; no circumstance is so big that He cannot control it." ~Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

Can I be even bolder to suggest that the awful sin which you chose to participate in and now find so hard to forgive could also have been a part of Gods plan? Do you believe that God in His sovereignty is powerful enough to control everything? Could He have placed something in your path to stop you from sinning...to stop a disease from taking your loved ones life...to protect you from the abuse?

"...God is never the author of sin. Though people's sinful intents and actions serve the sovereign purpose of God, we must never conclude that God has induced anyone to sin." ~Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

Do you believe in the sovereignty of God friend? If you do then you do believe that yes He could have stopped all those awful things but He didn't. Why? Because it is part of His plan!! If we believe this then we are glorying God, we are trusting God, believing that He is in control. No matter how painful it can be, we accept it and move forward with one purpose...to glorify Him!

"But it is the ability of God to so arrange diverse human actions to fulfill His purpose that makes His sovereignty marvelous and yet mysterious" ~Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

We honor and reverence God when we trust Him and believe in His sovereignty, especially when we don't understand why He has allowed adversity in our life. Allowed. A sovereign God would allow suffering and pain? Yes, even in His great love for us, He will allow pain and suffering to grow us for His glory, for His plan. And He requires us to trust Him in it and know He is in control. Trusting Him in this is not a matter of feelings, it takes will power spiritually, physically, and mentally.

"Over all the actions and events of our lives, God is in control doing as He pleases-not apart from those events, or in spite of them, but through them. ~ Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

My friend, I have a not so pretty track record of bad choices with life long consequences. But it is in believing that my God is so great, so powerful, so sovereign that I can rest in the fact that my past and my present is also a part of His plan for me...something He can use to glorify Him. That is amazing, and that is what I want!

Think of Joesph, sold by his brothers into slavery...part of God's greater plan. How about Job's suffering...part of God's plan. The women at the well and how she was able to be a witness for Christ....part of Gods greater plan. David and Bathsheba...part of God's greater plan? Many researchers believe Bathsheba is who the writer is describing in the Proverbs 31 passage...Solomon referencing his mother, a women who fell hard and rose high...part of God's plan to use for generations to come!!

It is one thing to know that no person or circumstance can touch us outside of God's sovereign control; it is still another to realize that no person or circumstances can frustrate God's purpose for our lives. ~Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts, 2008

You in all your past sins and failures are part of God's plan! Can you accept that? Replace that pain and unforgiveness you carry with the comfort of that truth! Can you believe and trust in the Sovereignty of our God? This is the challenge I leave for you this week. In your quiet time each day dwell on scripture that speaks to the sovereignty of God. I will leave you a few here to reflect on:
2Chron. 20:6
Job 42:2
Ps. 18:30; 33:10-11; 115:3; 121:3-4
Proverb 16:9; 19:21; 21:1, 30; 57:2
Eccl. 7:13-14
Isa. 14:27; 43:13; 46:10; 57:15
Jere. 14:22; 29:11
Lam. 3:37-38
Rom. 8:28, 35, 37-39; 11:33
2Cor. 5:7; 12:9
Eph. 1:11
Phil. 4:6-7
Col. 1:17
1Thes. 5:18
1 tim 6:15
Heb. 1:3
James 1:2-4

Journal about these scripture, pray them back to God. I have given you an example of doing this below. Dwell, meditate, and believe on God's sovereignty this week. This is the first step of our journey towards reverencing God and getting closer to becoming the Proverbs 31 Woman.

Oh Holy God, my Sovereign God, humbly I seek your presence, humbly I come to You in awe and amazement. Words cannot express the gratitude I have for your mercy and grace. This is your year to do what you will in my life. O Lord, God of our Fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hands and no one can withstand you (2 Chron 20:6). You are the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of all kings and Master [Lord] of all masters [lords] (1 Tim 6:15). Be Lord of my life. Rule 2011! Your ways are perfect and your Word is flawless. Be my shield as I take refuge in You (Ps 18:30). Your plans stand firm through all eternity, the purpose of Your heart though all generations (Ps 33:11). Make your purpose in my life my purpose! My hearts desire is to be fully committed to serving you, loving you, and honoring you. Help me to approach this new year with a mind set and heart set of being intentional...intentional for your kingdom and your glory. I am unworthy but I am willing. Lead me my precious Savior. Lead me in this journey and enable me to be a Proverbs 31 woman for your glory. ~Amen.

Next week we will explore the Proverbs 31 Woman's faith relationship of fearing God and its correlation to this virtue of reverence.

To explore more on this weeks subject on the sovereignty of God, I encourage you to read Jerry Bridges book I quoted from. It's a painful but transformational read!!

Believing Him~Pamela

From Chaos to Calm

I discovered a great on-line devotional series starting up on Jan 3 "From Chaos to Calm; 15 weeks to a happy home" by Melissa Ringstaff hosted by A Virtuous Women ministry. I know I am starting this self-study I am calling the Proverbs 31 Journey in 2011 but after the chaotic year I have just had and satans attach on my family, this looks really good to add in with my own personal study. Here's a little teaser from the website....

If you have been struggling with your home, your marriage, your children, or just life in general this might be the answer you have been waiting for! We will spend 15 weeks working toward a goal for:

- peace in the heart
- peace in the home
- peace with our husbands
- peace with our children

“Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” Psalm 107:28 - 30

If that has watered your appetite, click on the book icon and check this 15 week study out! See you there!!!

Believing Him~Pamela

God's Calling for 2011

Its been one of those months where God has been speaking so clearly. The clearer He speaks, the harder it seems to gets though. I know this is part of the refining process but it is really burning (if you get my drift).

This is the time of year where I start asking God to reveal what it is He wants me to work on in the new year. He has revealed some pretty amazing scripture which has lead me to His desire for me in 2011. I have to admit that I did look a little harder, hoping I might be wrong...hoping He would let me choose another card to play. Nope...no other cards. So, with a soft groan but willing heart, I submit to this assignment. He knows I would much rather run away and hide from it!

This last year satan has attacked our family in a mighty way. It has been very painful and a dark shadow of that pain continues to follow us into the new year. One of the things we have incorporated into our house rules came from Lysa Terkeurst family rules she posted a while back on one of her blogs. It fits well into our family who seems to want to tear each other down rather then bond and unite. The rule? If it isn't "true, necessary, or kind" then it does not need to be said. We continue to work on this one and they will roll their eyes if I say those words but it holds so much value. God's calling of me in this new year of 2011 matches this. Hang with me, I will get there.

Our inability to get it right as a blended family and apparent inability to correct it has been a thorn in my side. God has led me to read 1 & 2 Thessalonians. I keep being drawn to it in my quiet time and the other day, I again read in 1 Thess chapter two but this time verses 11 & 12 really stood out. I heard God say to my heart "this is what I need from you towards your family in this new year and beyond"...

As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Reading this was painful as I had to admit my failures as a wife and mother...when I personally have not walked worthy of God...like the number of times I have hibernated to my room to avoid the girls nonsense or "drama"...the times I have been too busy and missed a statement that implied someone was hurting...or the words that came out of my mouth that sent the message to the person I was addressing that they were not good enough in my eyes for that circumstance...just to shamefully name a few.

As much as I would rather make "mother of the year" or be a model for the Proverbs 31 wife, I can honestly say I would not even be fit to be considered for either. I have allowed that shadow, that event, to pull me away from my family when they needed me most.

You know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We encouraged you, we urged you, and we insisted that you live good lives for God, who calls you to his glorious kingdom. (New Century Version)

God has made it very clear what I need to do, but satan is not playing fair. When has he ever? So how am I going to be able to encourage, stimulate and charge my family and myself towards a life worthy of God? Me? Seriously....the worst of sinners, so unworthy...

For you know how, as a father [dealing with] his children, we used to exhort each of you personally, stimulating and encouraging and charging you.To live lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and the glorious blessedness [into which true believers will enter after Christ's return]. (Amplified Version)

What I have going for me is that God is on my side. He carried me through last year, He will stand beside me as my protective shade in 2011 (Ps 121:5). I will arm myself by memorizing scripture in the new year that will strengthen and shield me as His servant and as a wife and as a mother. As I have sought Him out about this task before me, He keeps leading me to Proverbs 31. You know, the women who we dream of becoming yet the women who ignites a fear of failure for not being able to be her. I am not unfamiliar with these passages and have studied them before but this time I am gong to make it a year long quest. I'm calling this the " Proverbs 31 Journey".

I am called by God in this pursuit of a Godly excellence...by living intentionally, by fearing God, respecting Him, and trusting Him. A Godly excellence that will compliment my husband and allow me to lead our girls, my marriage, and myself to live a life worthy of God. Not only do I do that by demonstrating His own influence in my own life, I teach it to them with my words, my actions, my love. God's divine power will make it all possible.

You know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We gave you hope and strength. We comforted you. We really wanted you to live in a way that is worthy of God. He chooses you to enter his glorious kingdom.(NIRV)

I know every mother feels like a failure from time to time...I can't decide if I'm fighting mad or just wore out with the drama satan has caused in my home. Whatever it is, this mama is on a "Proverbs 31 Journey" by starting with a little less of me (who am I kidding-a lot less of me) and a whole lot more of God while working on meeting the needs of the girls and my husband. I'm disappointed in myself and the way I have reacted or not acted this past year. Seven years and the youngest is gone...I have to change, I want to change.

There are a variety of virtues presented in proverbs 31: 10-31. I plan to take and study one virtue per month. I plan to memorize a verse a week related to this virtue and I hope to write here at least monthly on each virtue...the Proverbs 31 Journey. I plan to start on the virtue of reverencing God.

"As women, our lives must be filled, first and foremost, with Jesus Christ. then and only then can Christ's love spill over first to our husbands, second to our children, then to our homes, our friends, our community, and the world." Sharon Jaynes, Seven Life Principles for Every Women (Jaynes & Terkeurst, 2001)

I want to become a women so filled with Christ that His Grace and love flows onto those around me. Oh that I would inspire them to Jesus.

I am being "sent to strengthen [my husband and children], to encourage [then] in [their] faith, and to keep [them] from being shaken by the troubles [they will] go through (1 Thes 3:2&3). I can do this with God on my side-nothing is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:17) .

What is God calling you to in the new year?

Believing Him~Pamela

What Kind of Weight does it Carry in Eternity?

Seriously...where did this year go? Personally, I am really glad it is almost over. It has been a rough year and I am starting into this new year of 2011 with a dark shadow of a cloud surrounding me. I don't want it but it seems to be lingering and it appears God's timing for it to dissipate is not yet. I will tolerate it...is that the wrong attitude? If I embrace it I may find myself in a deep depression. I am praying hard that it is going to get better. My faith that God is in control is my hope for a better 2011.

Anyway, this is the time of year when I start planning, searching, praying, and creating a spiritual goal for the new year. Part of that process is reviewing the past years spiritual goal and evaluating how I did (that's the educator part of me...evaluating everything). I went here to do that. Though there has been a lot of pain in this 2010 year, my heart smiled as I read through the God-planted goal of my soul in the beginning of 2010.

I feel I did good on my goal of being faithful, however, maybe not so good with the praise goal. As darkness filled my life this past year, I was faithful to cling to my scripture memory cards, faithful to my quiet time with God, and faithful in our women's ministry. If I had not been faithful in these areas I would have been in a horrible depression. A darkness may surround me but it is not getting into my inner being. Maybe if I had been more faithful in my goal of praising Him this darkness would be gone. These last couple of months I have been singing that beloved hymn "How Great Thou Art" as I begin my morning drive to work. It's a great way to set the tone of my heart as I head into a job that hasn't matched up to my expectations.

I am asking God what He needs from me in this new year. I will continue to memorize scripture. I am thinking about beefing it up to one verse a week from one verse every two weeks or 15 days. Memorizing scripture has become the oxygen my heart and soul needs to survive. Recently I came across a verse that grab me so tight and should encourage us all as we look ahead to 2011:

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ. ~2 Thes 3:5 (New Living Translation)

A "full understanding"....that's what I want. It's what we all want, right? We know Him, We know of Him, but to know Him more...better...fuller. To know Him is to be able to grasp, truly grasp His love for us, for the worst of sinners (of which I am one), saved, and redeemed through His sons blood...because of love, God's love. From a manger to a cross...I want to love like that...to love my family like God loves me. Honestly, I am not being the wife and mother I need to be. God has laid this thought on my heart and this verse has prompted me towards changing that.As I look back over the frustrations and delights of this past year, I am sadly reminded of the many times that I was selfish. I missed radiating God's love as I chose not to be prompted by it in those moments. To know Him is to live Him, to live out His love. I want to do that in this new year.

But we cannot leave out the last part of that verse..."the patient endurance that comes from Christ". I know better than to pray for patience. If you have ever prayed for this you know the struggle that can result in one's life! Yet, I implore you to think of the patient life Christ lived and then imagine what God patiently goes through with us (probably a daily basis if we are honest here). His patience is best described as an active verb participle (did I say that right?). I mean to describe it this way...it is an action demonstrated by Christ life and spelled "G-R-A-C-E".

I guess as I look ahead into 2011, to know the fullness of God's love requires me to also examine the patient endurance modeled by his Son while here on this earth. It requires a worthy reflection and meditation on my part throughout this new year, and maybe on your part also. I may be surrounded by a dark cloud as I walk into 2011 but as with 2010, God is with me. He has a plan.

I was so encouraged as I continued to research this verse and found this translation from the New International Readers Version:

May the Lord fill your hearts with God's love.

May Christ give you the strength to go on.

Hello! Better than chocolate (or coffee in my case) and just what this pre-menopausal women needed to guard against that looming darkness. This new year is God asking you to focus even more fully on Him and His Son?

More of Him, less of me.

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. ~ Ps 28:7 (NLT)

I challenge you to examine your heart and seek God in what He wants of you in 2011. New Year resolutions often fail, right? Since I have given these past "New Years" a spiritual focus verses a resolution focus I have only grown stronger in my faith. It's been pretty amazing. What it all comes down to with these goals we set...losing weight, eating better, committing to a new task like memorizing scripture....is that you have to ask yourself "what kind of weight does it carry in eternity?"-right?

I am embracing 2011 and all that God has planned for me. I continue to seek his plan for me and I so desire to be a better servant for Him, as well as a better wife and mother. I have God on my side and His Word in my heart and mind.

Again I ask...what is God calling you to in 2011?

Believing Him~Pamela

That was then...this is now...

Last night I was channel-surfing to avoid all the election broadcast (yes I voted but I am good to wait until the morning for the results). I landed on the show "The Walton's". Remember that show? Can you hum the tune?

Just looking at this house gives me such a warm feeling of a peace most of us don't experience today and a comfort that has been lost with the innovation of our civilization. This TV series represents how it is suppose to be, and how I want my home to be. This structure represents "home" for me, a time though simpler and maybe more difficult, so full of family.

Last nights episode took me back to a childhood that was similar to these lives...godly parents, discipline, values, rules, responsibility, and family togetherness. One of my grandparents had a farmhouse that was similar to this one. I could smell the home-grown food cooking in the kitchen, the smell of that fresh country air, and I could feel the absence of today's busyness and related anxieties. So many emotions flooded over me that the end of the show actually left tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart.

The kids fought each other but they loved each other more...

They disobeyed their parents but they also respectfully submitted to their punishment (which last night Ellen got caught smoking in the shed with her male cousin and had to memorize 10 Bible verses before supper!)....

There was no back talk (that would have cost her another 5 verses!)....

They sacrificed for each other...

They ate together...listened to the radio together...did chores together...

For the most part they were content with what they had or what they earned...

They respected each other, they respected themselves, and they respected their bodies...

Most importantly, God was a vital part of their life, He was expected to be.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.~Deut 11:18-21

Grief...what has happen to America? Could it be.....

I mean seriously.....is this what over 50% of our families have come into (mine included)? I am afraid I have watched a few episodes in this series too and found it amusing and humorous until I decided to look at it as God would. Is God laughing?

I am shamefully grieved at my own families failures...divorce, broken homes, loss of respect, compromised values, and a tolerance of world views has definitely invaded our life.

I am truly grieved today...grieved for what was then and what is now...wishing for "then" again...praying for those kind of days again.

I wonder if I can find the Walton's again tonight....maybe see if my girls could watch it with me..

Father God, Holy God, forgive those of us who have failed in this scared creation of yours...family.

Believing Him~Pamela

The Knots Prayer

I got this in an e-mail the other day....the timing could not be more perfect. May it grab your heart, your soul, and your mind as it did mine...

The Knots Prayer

Dear God,

please untie the knots

that are in my mind,

my heart

and my life.

Remove the have nots,

the can nots

and the do nots

that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots,

may nots,

and might nots

that find a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots,

would nots

and should nots

that obstruct my life.

And most of all, dear God,

I ask that you remove from my mind

my heart

and my life

all of the am nots

that I have allowed to hold me back,

especially the thought

that I am not good enough.

Amen.

~Anonymous

Believing Him~Pamela