Embracing Womanhood

I heard a piece of Patricia Arquett's Oscar acceptance speech shouting for women equality and rights and of course it got cheers and "you go girl" responses from the audience. I understand women want the same opportunities as men. Want the same pay as men. Want to be treated with the same respect and I'm all for that, but I am worried that women will start embracing the workforce role more and more and neglect or do away with altogether the role of a wife and mother.

To me, it is saying that being a homemaker, being the nurturer and energy of the home isn't something to desire. That keeping the home welcoming and warm, having dinner ready when your husband gets home, making sure there are clean socks... they are worthless duties. They make you less of a woman.

I have been married for just over 6 years and not once have I felt trampled on or beneath my husband because I "just" cook and clean. Yes, I work outside the home, but my desire is to be a stay at home mother when that time comes. Nothing makes me feel more like a woman than when my home is cozy, when I make my husband's dinner plate and bring it to him (although he doesn't expect or demand it), when I have a clean kitchen, when I stand at the stove cooking. I find my identity in what my husband thinks of me not how high I've climbed on the corporate ladder.

Let me clear this up... I don't think any less of any woman who strives for the best in her career. I just wish that it wouldn't appear that you have to be "Woman Hear Me Roar" in order to be something important. I want woman to know that one role is not better or more valuable than the other. Whether you sit at a desk with stacks of paperwork or in a rocking chair holding your napping baby, you have value and you are a powerful woman! Whatever stage you are in, embrace being a woman in it. Be strong, be gentle, be a force to be reckoned with at work, be a boo-boo kisser at home, be a powerhouse, be feminine. Be what God has called you to be and nothing less!

Let Me Tell You What God Says...

   I have been thinking and praying on this for over two weeks now. I have debated on whether to even approach this topic because it is a cause of borderline arguments among denominations. God has continued to deal with me about it and I feel compelled to explain to you and show you scripture what God says about "losing" your salvation.
   No one has ever asked me personally "show me scriptures to back up your doctrine. Tell me what God says". Honestly, I don't think anyone would let me get it all out without arguing. I know, I was one of those people. This is a chance for God to speak through me without interruption. An opportunity for God to get HIS Word in without pause. I want to come at this from a Q&A angle. I grew up believing once saved always saved and now from studying the Word I believe Truth and I'm secure in that.


First let me say this... we don't actually believe you can loose it as in misplace it, the better word is forfeit it.

So then you believe that you are saved through works?
   No. The Bible is very clear that we aren't save through works but by the grace of God through faith in the Work that only Jesus could do. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8 & 9.

   There is a difference between obtaining salvation and maintaining salvation. Neither of these can we do apart from God. I can not live the life of a sold-out Christian completely devoted to God and His Kingdom without HIM. The Bible does says over and over again that we must "continue" "maintain" or "abound" in good works and "endure" to enter Heaven (Mark 13:13, John 8:31-35, Romans 11:21-23, Titus 3:3-11). The Bible also says, how can we escape hell if we "neglect" our salvation (Hebrews 2:2-3) and that if we overcome (you can't overcome something until that something is over, and in this case... human life) that we will be rewarded with Heaven (Revelation 2:7 & 3:5).

Hypothetically, you have a bout of road rage and curse the other drivers and then get in an accident and die... you are saying you'll go to hell?

   Nope. There is a difference between committing a sin and sinning (living in sin). Sinners can not enter heaven (Revelation 27:21, Matthew 7:21, II Peter 1:1-11) and a sinner by definition is "one that sins" (merriam-webster.com). That is in a present continuous sense. Sinning comes from an unrepentant heart. If I were to smoke a cigarette, that won't "send me to hell" but if I do not repent of that sin and turn away from it, it could (not necessarily will) lead me to start drinking which could lead to fornication and presently/continuously doing that is living in sin and will merit hell.

But the Bible says "no man can pluck me from the Father's hand" (John 10:28-29)

   That is truth. No man can remove us from God and likewise God can not/will not remove us. He will never forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5). BUT, God is a gentle God and He holds us in His hand, not a clenched fist. Just like God didn't snatch us up in the first place, we freely walked into His open hand and we can freely walk out of it. Free will works both ways. If we have free will to come to Him, we also have free will to leave Him. Why any would want to is beyond me, but if once we are saved we are always saved then that does away with free will and that makes God a liar and a liar He is not.

Aren't you scared you won't make it to heaven?

   Are you? I'm secure in my salvation that if I obey what the Bible says about continuing in the faith, maintaining my salvation and abounding in "good works" I'm promised Heaven. I am aware that if I were to fall back into sin there is nothing God can do for me except offer forgiveness and restoration just like someone coming to Him for the first time. Again, God is not unfair. He will take me back any time I ask Him.

   There are so many misconceptions about exactly HOW we believe and after hearing the comment made " I don't want to be living scared 'If I die right now will I go to heaven or hell. Oh I just don't know' " God started working on me to not keep quiet. I felt it was said in a mocking way and it saddened me that this person and so many others actually don't know "we" don't live with that fear. I pray this is met with an open mind and not shouts of "you're wrong" without actually looking into the Bible. This change that I made was not instant. God started bringing people into my life at the age of 16 to share with me this truth and it wasn't until I was 23 that I finally allowed GOD to show me what He says not what man says He says.

   I'm not saying if you believe "once saved always saved" you are going to hell, I'm saying if you believe that and still live as worldly as the worst sinner than you might want to check with God on that point. If you are saved by grace believing in what Jesus did on the cross than you are saved! 

   The moment ANYONE asks for forgiveness and repents they are immediately saved. 
 Romans 10:9&10 says "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." It's how you live after that that matters just as much as believing. 

Marriage Musing

As I sit here on the couch typing, my husband is stretched across the couch with his feet in my lap. He literally fell asleep within mere seconds of laying down and saying "do you mind if I put my feet there?".

Oh how I love this man!

He has quirks that make me roll my eyes at times and I'm sure I have quirks that merit the same response. The thing is, I love my Mr. quirks included. He is truly more than I prayed for.

I think about what the Bible says a husband is to be...
    He is to love his wife to the point of sacrifice (as Christ loved the church) - Ephesians 5:25
    He is to treat his wife like a priceless heirloom - I Peter 3:7
    He is to be pleasant with her - Colossians 3:19
    He is to lead his family - Ephesians 5:23
    He is to come to her and be her family - Genesis 2:24
    He is to give his body to her - I Corinthians 7:3-6

Then I think about what the Bible says the wife is to be...
    She is to submit to her own husband - Ephesians 5:22-23
    She is to come to him and be his family - Genesis 2:24
    She is to work for her family (no matter the size), care for her home, give honor to
       her husband, be wise in finances of the home, etc - Proverbs 31:10-31
    She is to be pleasant with him - Proverbs 21: 9 & Proverbs 25:24
    She is to give her body to him - I Corinthians 7:3-6

I am not this awesome Biblical wife all of the time. Most days I may only nail one of these traits, if that! But at the end of the day I know I've done well because my husband is pleased with me, and I with him. He tells me I'm a good wife not because of my housekeeping (it could use some work), not because I make tons of money, but because I love him, I honor him and I'm faithful to him and our marriage.

I pray my marriage is one people can look to and think "I want a marriage like that". I know 6 years seems like a drop in the bucket for some but for me 6 years is most of my adult life. In this day 6 years is an accomplishment and I'm proud of that. After 6 years of marriage we still hate being apart, we hold hands even sitting on the couch watching TV, when he winks at me I get butterflies. He is my love, my protector and my best friend.

Mark 16 "with signs following"

I read this quote the other day on Facebook...

“There is nothing that our God cannot do. He will do everything if you will dare to believe.”   - Smith Wigglesworth, Ever Increasing Faith

 I know very little about this great man of God. I do know he was a man of great faith, he was used by God to raise the dead (one being his own wife). So, I thought I'd look into who this man was. As I was reading some exerts from an interview with him I find this...

"...from time to time when reading the Acts of the Apostles I always saw that the signs were not following as I am led to believe ought to be after a real Pentecost, according to Mark xvi. The desire more and more increased in my very inner soul, giving me a holy breathing cry..."

He is referring to this...
   Mark 16:17 (KJV)
     "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;"
   Mark 16:20 (KJV)
     "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."
  


 It struck me that he was just as stupefied that they weren't seeing miracles and signs then as I am that we don't see them now. If people say they are baptized in the Holy Ghost and they believe that God can, then why don't we work in the gifts of healing and miracles? Why don't I?????? There are several reasons why we don't see this. Some don't believe that God works like that anymore. Some think it should be as easy as just believing. Some think they deserve whatever is against them. The list could go on. Instead of wondering why not, I need to focus on what I need to do to have God use me in the gifts. I urge you to do the same!

I plan on reading some of Smith Wigglesworth's sermons. Diving into the Bible. Seeking God. I leave you with some of Smith's famous quotes... I pray you are encouraged and challenged!

“In me is working a power stronger than every other power. The life that is in me is a thousand times bigger than I am outside.” 

“It is better to live ready than to get ready!”

“There is nothing impossible with God. All the impossibility is with us when we measure God by the limitations of our unbelief.”  

“You are in the right position when you allow the glory of the new life to cause you to act. Live in the Acts of the Apostles, and every day you will see some miracle worked by the power of the living God.”

Worship Not Routine

I was thinking today about church. About what church is. About how a church {service} should be. We moved out of our church that we served in together for 6 years to help work in a brand new church very dear friends of ours started.

First we met under a tent, then as the weather got cold we met in the Pastor's living room. In October a church in the community who only met on Sunday mornings offered to let us use their building when they weren't having services.

I grew up in a traditional church setting. There was a basement with Sunday School rooms, there was an auditorium with pianos and people who knew how to play them, there was a choir loft. Same with the church I went to in college and the same with the church I attended after marrying Todd.

Then everything changed. I went from all that I knew of how church should be outwardly to being under a tent with a small sound system. No piano and an occasional guitar player. A dog that would help himself into service that we would have to usher back out. The kids just wanting to play because of course we're outside.

My head had to unwrap from around all I ever knew about church and how it should be. Get rid of my preconceived ideas and everything I knew and let God teach me about HIS church not my idea of church.

We have Sunday School at 5pm on Sunday evenings and then church hour at 6pm. Our midweek service is on Thursdays. We still have the same small sound system. We have two men that can play guitar... our pastor (who will stop in the middle of a song if someone would like prayed for {of course that comes first}) and another man who comes when he's able to get off work in time. We have no piano player.

Even though the routine of church is nothing like I'm used to and I've struggled at times over the last four months to actually worship God because "it doesn't feel like church", God has been teaching me tremendous things about what church is.

Mainly.... its not a routine, its not in how many musicians you have on stage, its not about what time you do what.... Its about gathering together and worshiping God... Below are a few scriptures that have helped me open my mind about how to embrace church, not routine....


Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬)

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬)

One Word: Fruitful

There is this "thing" going around to encourage you not to just make a list of resolutions, but to pick One Word (see my original post about it here). Like the post says I pick a word then it kinda dwindles as the year progresses. I was doing my Bible study this morning about God being El Shaddai (God Almighty; All Supplying) and the scripture references for it included the words "be fruitful and multiply". I start meditating on the word "fruitful"

To be fruitful means "fertile, producing good or helpful results; productive"

Of course, I'm all over that word because I'm expecting to have Jeremiah Ryan in my arms before 2015 is over, but I quickly started a thought process going (I have that a lot).

There are so many things I need to be fruitful in... Finances, homemaking, my job, my health, the Kingdom.

So, as I've done in years past... I'm choosing a word, praying over that word, finding scriptures that compliment not only the fruitful, but also that is specific to areas I want to be fruitful in.

This is going to be a fruitful year!