Jesus is My Husband...

Ann Voskamp's writing is filled with imagery and feeling. None of that was wasted on me when I read her Thanksgiving post recenty over at A Holy Experience.

"When it's over, I want to say; all my life I was a bride married to amazement." - Mary Oliver

The post welcomed the new for me. The current status of my life. The now that took so long to reach.

The fact that Jesus is my husband.


"Prince of Peace" by Akiane

"Mama always said it and she didn’t care what anyone thought of it: God was her husband. And that ain’t just some metaphor to get the Pharisees all in a prudish knot – it’s brazen Scripture. Take it or go ahead and leave it. We all get to choose our own bedfellows – and who we’ll give our soul to, who or what will get our life."

I'm standing with Ann's Mama. I've already decided.

The relationship that was not easily broken was the driving force behind my decision to be single, and stay single as long as God deems necessary. I needed that relationship, as I now need the friendship that has come from it, to keep me stayed on Jesus.

The relationship between a husband and wife is the equivalent to the relationship between God and His followers. Between Jesus and His church. That is why marriage between a man and a woman is sacred to Christians. It represents more than a wedding, living together, sex, reproduction. It represents a deeper connection. It represents the connecting of neurons and souls and emotions. It is a covenant.

My covenant is with Jesus. He has proven Himself by dying on the cross for me. By paving the way for me to live a guilt and shame free life with Him. He has stood by my side, and lived in my heart, through the most horrific years of my life. He has spoken to me when I needed to hear His voice. He has visited me when I have felt alone, to remind me that He is near. He has shared His heart with me and told me how He has grieved with me.

How could anyone not want that?

I know I do, and I need it more every day as I journey through life on earth.

Hosea 2:14-17 sums up my recent journey.

The Lord's Mercy on Israel

¹⁴ “Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
¹⁵ And there I will give her her vineyards
   and make the Valley of Achor^[a] a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
   as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁶ “And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’      and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ ¹⁷ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.

 

Footnotes:

a. Hosea 2:15 Achor means trouble; compare Joshua 7:26

He brought me back to Him. He took me into the harshest wilderness I have known. He spoke words of love and promise to me. He restored my dignity. He blessed me with hopefulness. He rekindled my faith. He walked with me out of the wilderness and into my freedom.

Jesus is my husband. And even if an earthly husband comes along, Jesus will always be my number one love. That is how it should be. That is how I want it to be.

Leave It Up to Him...

Do you ever have days when you wonder why some can't just trust God in His complete omnipresence and omnipotence and have to question the whys and wherefores of this existence of earth? Why love and grace and compassion and hardship can't just be accepted, and trust and complete reliance is placed on God for what it is: His promise of a love-filled life with Him?

I do, and I am.

I've experienced enough over the last few years to realise that much of the time the hard stuff we deal with is the best thing for us. That a cruisy, problem free life is actually a boring one, and that pain and heartache are like dumbbells to the heart, causing it to become stronger even though we don't feel immediate reward.

I long for the eternal life. For this earthly journey to be over and for the peace of sitting at Jesus' feet to come. But because of the dumbbells to the heart, I have to wait as my eternal reward is not immediate.

What do I do in the meantime?

I experience love and grace and compassion and hardship.
I deal with the hard stuff because it is the best thing.
I long for the eternal life, but know I am to continue running this earthly race to gain my prize.

I learn.
I long.
I live.
I love.
I let go.

I leave it up to Him.

BF2013: Love IS the Greatest...

 

Love is not washed away by the waves.

Love is not manipulative.

Love is not accusatory.

Love is not conditional.

Love is Jesus.

 

1 Corinthians 13

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

Love Is the Greatest

 

13 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;^[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

 

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

 

⁸ Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages^[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! ⁹ Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! ¹⁰ But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

 

¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ¹² Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.^[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 

¹³ Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

 

Footnotes: 

1. 13:3 Some manuscripts read sacrificed my body to be burned.
2. 13:8 Or in tongues.
3. 13:12 Greek see face to face.

BF2013: Isaiah on My Mind…

Yesterday Isaiah was on my mind. Words of hope, promise and love. Light bulb moments beaming with fresh realisations about God. Understanding Him more. Rationalising why the world is confused by Him.

God speaks with truth, consistency and love. He cherishes us. His purpose for us was made clear. He hasn’t digressed from that vision. That purpose, and His love, never changes (see Isaiah 44:8).

                HE WON’T CHANGE HIS MIND … EVER!

Relief floods my heart, and as I close my eyes I gain some steps forward in my journey with Jesus. Feeling His closeness and the peace that ensues is pure joy.

The world doesn’t understand God, and yesterday I realised that God’s proclamations of His power and greatness are misinterpreted.

He’s not saying those things because He’s bragging, or because He wants to intimidate us into following Him.

                HE IS SAYING THOSE THINGS BECAUSE HE LOVES US. TRULY.

He is declaring His love for us. Reassuring us that we can turn to Him and rely on Him without fail.

 

We need to be as bold as God. We need to proclaim that WE ARE SAVED. WE ARE LOVED. WE ARE VALUED. WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Not to brag, but to share in love with others the joy that comes from knowing Jesus.

He is our living water. The only means of complete and thorough refreshment (see Isaiah 44:3-4).

He chose to give us His Spirit and blessing.

We are meant to THRIVE, and not just be.

Be bold.

Be brave.
Be courage.

Exude intrepidity.

Share His love. Share His purpose. Share His living water. Splash it out over all you meet. And remember that YOU are loved, cherished and made for His purpose.

BF2013: Today Was All About...

Shopping
Hanging out with my bestie
Visiting with family
Welcoming my girl home
Lively and heart repairing discussions
God filling my heart with even more love and peace and clarity than I imagined

All in all, a day well spent

Paula xoxo

Learning...

The last few weeks have been interesting to say the least. Relationships have ended. Dynamics of relationships have changed. I've changed. I've held onto the people who accept me - crazy and all - for who I am. I've let go of others. I've become very thankful for the ones from afar who, while not here to see the real deal that is my life, choose to stay part of my life despite the ups and downs.

I've learnt a lot about myself, and I've learnt a lot about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

I've learnt of the goodness of the Trinity. The ever present voice that guides me when I don't know where to turn. The comforting embrace of a Father who loves me with no end. My bridegroom Jesus who fills the void inside my heart that is left lacking. The man who died on the cross for me.

I've learnt to refuse to keep going over and over the same thing only to get the same result. I've learnt to let go. I've embraced what may never be (God only knows if it will, anyway!). I've accepted that I need to love God and myself more to truly be whole.

A lot of lessons learnt. A lot of tears cried. A lot of regrets. A lot of new aspects to accept. A lot to be grateful for.

Most importantly I've learnt that while humans let me down, God never will. I may stumble, fall and struggle to get back up, but He is there holding His hand out willing me to move forward and to become the woman He knows me to be.

Learning. It's good for the soul. And so is change.

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Control...

Control comes not by lauding it over others, but by showing a true heart of love that is evidenced by your actions. You may think you are controlling someone by withholding something that is necessary, but in reality you are withholding something from yourself. Love, freedom and a truly caring heart.

Don't try and control others with a heart filled with malice and hurt. Let love take over and see what true control really is:the ability to control yourself, which in turns radiates out in love.

Paula xo

When God Steps In...

When you miss someone more than what words can express, it's not a pleasant feeling.

When you know that that someone played a pivotal part in your life - both good and bad - and you are both thankful and hurt.

When you know that they will never truly understand how you feel and exactly why you did what you did.

When you hurt so much that you can feel the actual pain in your heart and soul.

That is when God steps in and takes it all for you.

That is why Jesus died on the cross.

That is why you can pick yourself up and carry on.

That is what I am doing now, despite the hurt.

Paula xo

Going Through The Motions (Again)...

Ending a relationship is never easy. The downhill journey to where I am now in regard to my last love relationship has been a very bumpy one, and it seems the ride is not yet over.

I've said goodbye many times but keep returning. What also returns is the shame, hurt and indescribable suffering.

But I hope this time is the last time. My health cannot do it anymore. My well-being is at stake. And I've now told him this.

It doesn't stop me from missing him. From remembering every single little detail there is to remember from our brief time together over 5 years ago.

You see, I fell in love with a man who lives on the other side of the world. One whom I met when very young, was then "lost" forever in my life but returned again.

Part of my "going through the motions" is wishing I had never found him again. That I had not given my heart to him. That I had journeyed through the last 6 plus years without his influence in my life.

But then I would not have returned to Jesus. I would not be the woman I am today, complete with emotional scars that feel like they will smart forever.

But God has it under control. He knows that I am tough enough to deal with the hurt, shame, regret and heartache. He knows who I will be when I come out the other side...healed, whole and restored.

I miss the man I fell in love with, but remind myself that he wasn't who he appeared to be. That I was kept conventiently at a very large distance, and that I was a case of "having his cake and eating it too" despite his declarations of love (see my previous post for my thoughts on love and action).

I am hurting. I have a lot happening in my life. But I am hanging in there purely by the mighty grace of my Father God. He is the reason I can carry on.

Paula xo

What Is Love?

Love is a verb.

It is a doing word that requires action.

Jesus set the ultimate example of this by dying on the cross for our sins.

Words are like the wind.

Spoken and then gone if there is no action behind them.

Being told that I’m loved and having minimal action to back it up has been a recurring event during my adult life.

Yes, I love you. Yes, I do.

But did you? No, because your actions showed me otherwise.

Yes, I love you. Yes, I will do this for you.

But did you? No, because your actions showed me otherwise.

Yes, I love you. Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

But did you? No, because your actions have showed me, and continue to show me, otherwise.

So now the door is closed. This last time was the last time. Ever. Forever. Never again.

This year has been filled with turmoil. Emotional. Spiritual. Physical. Mental.

God has reminded me of His goodness, however, by those that both say I love you and show I love you.

The friend who lends me money when I scrape the bottom of my single parent barrel on occasions.

The friend who looks after my daughter, cleans my house and cooks me meals.

The friend who drives 45 minutes to attend a doctor’s appointment with me.

This is “I love you”. This is showing me that I am actually special, and not just one of many.

No financial barriers.

No family situation barriers.

No geographical barriers.

This is love. This is action. This is showing me that you do really care.

I Know He Loves Me...

Love is a verb. It is not just a word that is said because you feel something for another person. It is an action.

Jesus showed through the action of dying on the cross that He truly loves me.

My love relationships over the last 24 years were based on what I thought was love. Given that all those relationships have failed, I now realise that none of them were based on the kind of love that Jesus has showed me.

I have a lot of healing to do to recover from these relationships, but I have Jesus by my side to enable this to happen. I know that God has something, and someone, wonderful planned for me.

Until then I will stand with my arms out-stretched welcoming the growth and experiences God has planned for me.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6

Paula xo

27 Years...

He has loved me with an everlasting love...

He has drawn me with unfailing kindness...

The words in Jeremiah 31:3 speaks so eloquently of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me. And this short post is to say Thank You to Him for planting His seed in my heart 27 years ago today. That seed has been slowly growing into the branch of His tree that I am today.

Thank You Father for my 27th Freedom Birthday.

I Have to Stop...

What do you do when you have nothing? Nothing inside to give. No energy or enthusiasm. For me, I been told I have to stop. I must come to a stand still to regroup before I can move forward again.

I'm feeling rather discombobulated at the moment. I've realised the lies of my life, and now the truth, is sinking in. And the truth hurts ... a lot.

I thought that I'd be OK post relationship breakdown, and I've been moving along quite steadily. Until this last week or so. I guess the grieving process - the healing process - moved up to the next notch. And boy does it hurt.

Flashes of happy memories mixed with flashes of the truth that is in the now. The lie that is, and was my last relationship.

It's a bittersweet realisation that someone who made my life seem complete is also the one who tore me down, made me lose my dignity, and brushed me off as a confused person.

I know that I've had my "confused" moments in life, but I do know for a fact that I am NOT confused about what is right and wrong as far as God is concerned. There is no confusing how we are made as humans, nor how we are to interact, and with whom.

Anger is festering up on the inside of me because of this person's deception and the affect it's had on me. I don't want that to be the case. I want to move on and get on with my life. I want to forgive him for the hurt he has caused me, but I want him to suffer just as much as I am right now.

God has told me that in order to get over my anger and to forgive him, I have to stop.

I have to let the grieving process take it's course. I have to let the myriad of emotions be released.

I have to let God do what He needs to do within me so I can live and love again.

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. 
- Psalm 27:7 NLT

The presence of the Lord is all around me. Every day I hear and feel His gentle reminders of my worth, and that He has something - and someone - so much better in store for me.

What is also around me, especially at night, are the memories, the horrid visions that come in my dreams. I have been having these dreams now for over two years, and I know now that it is God showing me - etching onto my core - what the truth of my last relationship was.

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.
- Psalm 91:5 NLT 

The terrors of the night are my dreams, and the arrows that fly in the day are the memories of him. And knowing that he is out there living his life without me and thinking that there is nothing wrong with him; that it's all me. That really hurts.

But ... God and I know different. And God is my witness to what the truth is and He has shared that with me in so many ways over the last two years of my life. He knew I needed to go through what I went through in order to be who I am today. Like I said ... it's bittersweet.

But thankfully ... "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (Psalm 61:1-2 NIV) 

The Big Fat Lies Of My Life...

Have you ever lived a lie? I've lived a few...

My marriage was a lie. My last relationship was a lie. And even the relationship in between was, because I was lying to myself.

I thought all these relationships were the truth until, slowly but surely, the real deal came to be exposed in each of them. Truths that included adultery, addiction and alternative lifestyles.

It’s one month since the latest lie was hammered home and I’m feeling particularly fragile because of it. It can be difficult to move forward when your world, and the trust and belief you had in someone, is turned upside down, even when you already suspected the truth and had evidence of it.

But the peace I need is available.

Jesus is that peace.

Jesus is right here with me offering peace, rest and comfort. He is reminding me that I am worthy of love, I am a beautiful woman - made whole and lovely for a purpose - and how one day I will know what true love is.

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him." - Psalm 62:1 NIV

Loving My Girl & Loving Life Again...

It's been quite a while since this photo was taken (hence the ugly glasses and way too short hair!), but every time I look at it I think of how delightful my girl was then...and is now. I miss my little girl a lot. The reason I do is that when she was a toddler, her father and I were in the process of separating. Then in the years afterward - even up until now - I've been on a journey of returning to me, and to God; finding myself again after many years in the wilderness.

I've dealt with emotional abuse, exposure to self-deprication, sexual abuse even...and now I'm dealing with overcoming depression and anxiety, with perhaps a little bit of post-traumatic stress thrown in.

So now it's my turn to live, and my girl's turn. My hope is to get my act together to raise my girl to the best of my ability, and with God's help and guideance. I am rediscovering my love of craft, namely knitting and crocheting, and also my love of art. I've recently started drawing and painting again and I'm finding such great joy in it.

I'm living a truly single for the first time ever in my adult life. It's been a bumpy road to get to where I am now, but I'm thankful that I'm here. Creativity has replaced co-dependency. Peace has replaced momentary physical pleasure. Clear direction has replaced cloudy dreams.

God is good.

Please, Be My Guest : {duck-egg blue and teacups too}

I have Em from {duck-egg blue and teacups too} on my blog today for my second "Please, Be My Guest" post!

I wish I was more like Em and had a cool blog name, but, alas, I don't.  What is also cool about Em is that aside from loving God she loves to crochet, and so do I!  In fact, she whet my appetite for crocheted coasters that I now can't stop making!  Aside from the brilliant post below from Em, you can also find her at her beautiful blue blog and also on Twitter.  You will love her as I do!

Hi, I’m Em! Lovely to ‘meet’ you all! I’m a wife, mama of a boisterous 5 year old boy, a sweet 3 year old girl and their bouncing baby sister. My husband and I live a modest life in a seaside suburb, and are the young adults’ pastors in our local church. I blog some bits and pieces over at {duck-egg blue and teacups too}.

I’ve never done a guest blog post before, and admittedly, I’ve been super nervous about sharing here for Paula. It’s a huge privilege isn’t it? Being invited in, given the microphone, so to speak! But Paula and I share somewhat of the same heart, as I’m sure you, her readers do. That heart where a Saviour resides! So I thought I would share what has been on mine, if you don’t mind :)

As a church, we have been reading ‘The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. If you haven’t read it, I thoroughly recommend it! I’ve been a Christian for many years, and each time I have read this book (this is the third, I think!) I have been floored by simple truths I have ‘known’ seemingly my whole life. But knowing, and really knowing are different, are they not? My head knows many a thing, but sometimes it takes a while for that same thing to make its place in my heart.

God’s love is one of those things.

Did you know that God made you so that He could love you, enjoy you, and adopt you into His family?

I cannot read that statement aloud without a lump developing in my throat!

He made you to love you. Not because you have something to give (and you do!), simply to love and enjoy you. A love you don’t have to strive for… I can almost physically feel a weight fall off my shoulders, can’t you?

I don’t know about you, but I often feel like I need to earn His love. Some days I feel more deserving of it than others… yet, at our absolute worst, He sent His Son; while we were steeped in sin.

My mind often can’t comprehend it. I don’t believe it often. So I meditate on those scriptures we all ‘know’ so well. We can quote them, yet do I honestly believe it?  Honestly? No, sometimes I don’t! I don’t understand how He could! And after I’d read a chapter in the ‘Purpose Driven Life’, and while my mind had one of those arguments with itself, over this crazy, God-love, I sat down to write, and out came a love letter.

I’d love to leave it here, with you:

To my beautiful daughter,
I see you.
You are my treasured possession. My child. I knit you together in your mother’s womb. I made you without reservation, on purpose. I gave up everything I loved, my only Son, so that you could know me. Nothing could ever separate you from my love now.
I made a place for you that you don’t have to strive for.
Don’t strive.
“Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Rest in me. Take your place in my family, in my house. You are a pleasure to me. I delight in your life.
I watch you. I think about you more than you could understand. I smile. Not because of what you do for me. Just because you are you, and I love you. While you were steeped in sin, I chose you to be mine.
Before you had chosen me, I set you apart. I sent Jesus. I want to capture you with my love, lavish it upon you.
Let me. Believe.
And remember who you are in me.
My heir. My child. My friend.

Love, God.

Love Em xx

Don't forget to pop on over to Em's beautiful blue blog and say hi!

How Did Jesus Do It?

Seriously? How did He? How did He come to earth, see what was on offer and still love us? Yeah, yeah, I know ... He had help from God - He is God, but He was still a human at the same time.

I struggle to love people in the way in which God wants me to, and I know this will always be a struggle because, well basically, I'm only human. But I would like to do better and only through God can I do it.

I've been on an amazing journey over the last two years of my life, and I know that there is more that God wants me to learn. Loving people more is one of those lessons.

Given this, I am still in awe of how Jesus came to earth and loved the people who were too ignorant to know better. He loved those who thought they knew everything. He loved those who were jealous of His confidence and calmness. He loved those who mocked Him, spat on Him, beat Him and ultimately killed Him. It's wrong to believe that we can't love also.

Jesus is our example of true love. Steadfast, never-ending and compassionate love. He is our example of how we are to always look beyond the person's exterior, their manners and ways, their treatment of us - to look inside to what God sees; their hearts. Hearts that have been muddied by the dirt of life. Hearts that have been weakened by loss and illness. Hearts that have given up hope and are just holding onto death because that's all they can do.

Seriously? How did He do it? He did it because He was equipped and able. He did it because while human He was also God. He did it, and still does it because He loves us so very much.

Keep Love Sacred...

Photo Source

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right.

– Song of Solomon 2:7 NLT

The “young woman” in Solomon’s book tells the other young women of Jerusalem to keep love sacred until the right time.  “Not to awaken love until it is ready.”  What love is she talking about?

She is talking about the physical connection between a man and woman.  She is talking about the physical desire that is met when a man and woman have sexual relations with each other.  She is talking about the prize that God wants His children to experience. The prize that He wants us to receive after we have courted each other, become betrothed, and then married in front of God and man, and in keeping with the laws of the day. It is the culmination of man and woman joining; first by talking together, spending time together and experiencing life together; all while getting to know each other before joining as one in marriage and in flesh.

The mistake that is made – that I made – was physically joining with another before even getting to know them. What I didn’t know, and what many young girls and women of all ages don’t know is that we bond emotionally with a man when that happens. We may not know him, but we have formed a bond. As women we can feel that having sexual relations with a man will fill the emotional need that we’re lacking, but it won’t. Only the love of God can so that.

So, a relationship doesn’t work out after we’ve given it our all, literally, and we part. But then we wonder why we can’t move on. It’s because we, as women, have given part of ourselves to men. We allow men inside our core – literally. This giving of ourselves has a many-sided effect. We physically join with a man through sex, and unbeknown to many of us, we also join spiritually and mentally, as well as emotionally.

We’re thriving on “happy love and acceptance hormones”. But that may only for a while until reality sets in, and in a lot of cases it then wears off. We then feel a longing in ourselves again. An empty void. That longing is the seed of God’s love for us calling to us for reciprocation. That is our subliminal and natural desire – our inbuilt longing – for a relationship with God crying out.

God knew exactly what He was doing when He made us. He gave us commands for living for a reason. He told us to only join with another after marriage because He wanted us, and still wants us, to join as one under Him, through Him and with Him. Not just to feel accepted by another and to fulfil a physical need.

God also wanted us, and still wants us, to love Him first and foremost. I learned this the difficult way. I did things back to front. I’ve now learned a valuable lesson from my misguided attempts to feel loved. So much so, that the outcome has been this:

“In the quest for love I found true love in my Maker.”

Twelve words that tell of my heart’s condition now. I am still on a journey where God He is mending my broken heart. I’ve written how my heart is now a mosaic. He has pieced it back together, but there are still pieces that won’t settle back into place. God has the mortar to do that. I just need to let Him have my pieces to mend.

Giving God open access to mend your heart is all you can do after you’ve given yourself away before the time was right. I am living proof of that. Almost 41 years of age and a single mother with a few broken relationships behind me. But God is making me new. He has taught me the lesson, and has been by my side throughout it all.

My advice to all women is to stick close to God at all times. When you feel yourself weakening, when you feel tempted, when it hurts like crazy and you just feel like one time won’t matter ... stick close to God. The longing will go away. He will see to it. Please don’t make my mistake by giving away all that you have before you are really ready to.

A Joy to Behold...

Jasmine, August 2005, aged 16 months

The Royal Treatment...

As a single mum I struggle with getting some things done ... like fitting in a hair cut, having a pedicure, and pampering myself and my car! The lovely folks at East Lincoln Alliance Church in Amery, Wisconsin, however, are right on target with pampering single mums in their community!

A day just for single mums! I love this concept, and would love to be a recipient of this type of pampering, especially the car stuff!

If you see a need in your community, you can fill a need. With single mums, as I know first hand, pampering is something that would benefit them immensely. It's the little personal things, not just helping them out with things around the house, etc that matters a lot. But it's also the "manly" things that need taken care of too. Things like sorting out the car, mowing the lawns, pruning, and so on.

Please pop over to Kathy Schwanke's blog page - Blessed Builder - and read how your church can also treat single mums to a day they well deserve! Thanks Kathy and East Lincoln Alliance Church!