One of my family visions

A Standers Affirmation

I AM STANDING FOR THE HEALING OF MY MARRIAGE!!! I will not give up, give in, give out or give over 'til that healing takes place. I made a vow, I said the words, I gave the pledge, I gave a ring, I took a ring, I gave myself, I trusted GOD, and said the words, and meant the words... in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in good times and in bad...so I am standing NOW, and will not sit down, let down, slow down, calm down, fall down, look down or be down 'til the breakdown is torn down!


I refuse to put my eyes on outward circumstances, or listen to prophets of doom, or buy into what is trendy, worldly, popular, convenient, easy, quick, thrifty, or advantageous...nor will I settle for a cheap imitation of God's real thing, nor will I seek to lower God's standard, twist God's will, rewrite God's word, violate God's covenant, or accept what God hates, namely divorce!


In a world of filth, I will stay pure; surrounded by lies I will speak the truth; where hopelessness abounds, I will hope in God: where revenge is easier, I will bless instead of curse; and where the odds are stacked against me, I will trust in God's faithfulness.


I am a STANDER, and I will not acquiesce, compromise, quarrel or quit.. I have made the choice, set my face, entered the race, believed the Word, and trusted God for all the outcome.


I will allow neither the reaction of my spouse, nor the urging of my friends, nor the advice of my loved ones, nor economic hardship, nor the prompting of the devil to make me let up, slow up, blow up, or give up 'til my marriage is healed.

- Author Unknown

Here I go again!

Fear of failure/God's Strength

Here I go again, bare with me--please!

Does fear of failing get in your way of success? Trial and error are usually the prime means of solving life's problems. Yet many people are afraid to undertake the trial because they're too afraid of experiencing the error. What happens if at some point in your life you succeeded but NOW you have begun to fail? People make the mistake of believing that all error is wrong and harmful, when most of it is both helpful and necessary. Error provides the feedback that points the way to success. Only error pushes people to put together a new and better trial, leading through yet more errors and trials until they can ultimately find a viable and creative solution. To meet with an error is not to fail, but to take one more step on the path to final success. If we never fail we will never succeed. God can speak to us through our failures, just as much as he can speak to us through our successes. Do we really want to listen? Are we allowing our failures to keep us from our destiny?

If God gives you a passion about something and you never go for it because you wouldn't want to fail, then do you really have a passion about it? Passion drives us to accomplish the goals we have. Do you have goals? When you KNOW what God wants, and you choose not do it are you sinning? Uh, Yes! Even if it's not a SIN issue? Yes! What is God speaking to you, that you have allowed fear of failure to stop you from accomplishing? Some of those things could scare even the most "successful" person. BUT God is giving it to YOU. What are YOU doing with those things God has spoken to only YOU?

We have all heard that weaknesses can become strengths, but the opposite is true also. Every strength can become a weakness. Many of you might be saying, "I don't struggle with failure!" You might say, "I always succeed at what I put my mind to!" Well, it can become a handicap if you have never failed. Failure in our life helps us to overcome--with God's help. When success drives you--gradually, failure becomes unthinkable. Maybe you've never failed yet in anything that you've done, so have no experience of rising above it. Failure becomes the supreme nightmare: a frightful horror you must avoid at any cost. The simplest way to do this is never to take a risk. Stick rigidly to what you know you can do. Protect your butt. Work the longest hours. Double and triple check everything. Be the most conscientious and conservative person in the universe. Life involves taking risks!!! It makes life exciting. Are you really a success, if you NEVER step out a do something outside your comfort zone? I believe if you are a true success; your life WILL be marked with failure. You are not a FAILURE, unless you have allowed it to label who you are. Change your thinking.

I was reading a book the other day which had a phrase in it about how grace should define our Christian walk. It has stuck with me, and it's not even what the book was about. Grace comes through what we CANNOT accomplish. That is FAILURE! God never intended for us to be perfect. If He had--what's the point of grace? Grace helps us ACCOMPLISH things that we would otherwise fail to accomplish?

Did I make any sense? I just want more of us to realize that it's not US that should be living but Christ THROUGH us. He can give us the strength to accomplish those things we need to accomplish. If we rely on Him; He will help us through. Life will teach us, but not doing something because we might fail is such a sad existence for a Christian. Deciding to not do what you know is what God wants-- because you might fail......means your strength is in YOU, not in HIM!

Let your strength be in Him, and you can feel God's grace cover your failures. AND God's grace helping you be a SUCCESS. If our strength is in Him, we can only succeed. God wants us to learn a lesson in every failure, if we are learning those lessons then we are a success, even in failures. There is a treasure in everything we go through; are you finding it?

'til death do us part

My Rant:

No one ever imagines that marriage could bring about burdens that you never expected to encounter. So many books abound for those whose marriages are crumbling or have ended. But what about those marriages committed "til death do us part" and yet are going through a period of time when one spouse is carrying the burden? What happens to a woman when marriage gets heavy and she gets weary? What happens to the man who feels that his wife has now shut down? Often, when a woman ends up carrying the weight of the marriage (due to her husband's health, choices, workload, etc.), her tendency is to "get out or check out." She may consider her husband's distraction an opportunity to do her own thing. But is there a better way to walk through this season? Even thrive?

What happens when you go to counseling and you are told you're crazy? Who can help you discern how anxiety and anger will slow you down; and how loneliness and disappointment can actually refine and bless you? Who is there to challenge and inspire as you wrap your arms around this time and remember that God has His arms around you?

Is this a lonely road? I wonder if the reason marriages are falling apart at an alarming rate is because no one is there to tell them it CAN be done. The road might be long and hard, but God says the FAITHFUL will be rewarded. It CAN be done!

So many people have forgotten that God HATES divorce. This is not a matter of adultry, bad health, work choices, gorwing apart etc. All of these things are VERY damaging, but do they allow a person to break covenant?

It is distressing that the divorce rate among professing Christians is nearly as high as that of the unbelieving world. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and that reconciliation and forgiveness should be the marks of a believer's life (Luke 11:4; Ephesians 4:32). However, God recognizes that divorces will occur, even among His children. A divorced and/or remarried believer should not feel any less loved by God.
Many people have been counseled with the exception clause of Matthew 19:9. God often uses even the sinful disobedience of Christians to accomplish great good. My mom has been a wonderful example of a woman who has divorced, but she still acknowledges that it was a sin. I don't mean to sound harsh.
I speak out of a broken heart, not out of a judgemental one. I have been faced with many obstacles in my marriage. What do you do when the decision is not yours? Are you still married even if you have been legally divorced, against your will?
I am not saying that God has no mercy, but I believe that we MISS the part in Matthew 19. I did it on purpose to show you what most people do when reading that verse!! What happened to verse 7-8? The people asked Jesus WHY Moses allowed divorce; Jesus replied with, "Moses because of the hardeness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO." It was not His original plan; it was our bitterness. I can see how easily that can creep in--believe me!

What happened to "let no man put asunder"? I honestly ask myself these questions when I get discouraged or frustrated. Maybe there is very little help out there for how to go through things alone, but if we are focused on God and who He wants us to be then we have a clear cut path. As we seek after God and who He wants us to become then we see more clearly that our hearts must stay soft. If our heart stay soft then bitterness has no place. God's original plan can work!!

This is a road I am traveling, and I pray that you find encouragement in every battle you face. God is there, and He wants only the best for you!

Thanks for reading my rant!!

Feel free to add any and all comments--I love to see how people react. Please do not be offended--as I grow I realize how hard things can be to "swallow!" I have a hard time, too!

How to....

A HOW TO.....


Putting on the armor can be such an indivudual thing; putting it ON is the most important thing. BUT remembering what you are protecting is a wonderful way to pray through putting on the armor. Here is an example:

Lord, you promise that we can stand strong in any battle if we put on your full armor. I put on your sturdy belt of truth. Teach me your truth, and as your belt rests securely around my waist, I will always come back to that foundation. May I always trust that you are "the way, the truth, and the life".

As I put on the breastplate of righteousness, help me to hold on to the truth that you died for me. Help me to understand the price you paid to bring me to you because that price provided righteousness, right standing with you. Strengthen and motivate me to stay strong for you. Keep my heart guarded and sensitive to You.

As I shod my feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. I pray that the peace that comes from the Good News would give me a constant readiness to handle whatever comes. I can be fully prepared for battle because I have the peace of knowing that victory will always be his in Christ. When Satan attempts to disturb my inner peace, give me the ability to hold tightly to the peace that come through your Good News.

Thank You Lord, for the shield of faith. Help me to put on the shield of faith everyday to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked ones. May your shield of faith always protect me.

Lord, you give your people the helmet of salvation to protect us. I put on the helmet of salvation to guard my thoughts and mind even as difficulties come and doubts attempt to creep in. I will be secured in the knowledge of eternal salvation and protected from those who would attempt to destroy that hope.

Lord, thank you for the Bible, the sword of the spirit. When I read your word, allow your Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind to understand what I read and teach me how to apply to my life everyday. Give me wisdom to use your word correctly when Satan attacks with his twisted truth.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances Ephesians 6:13-15

The Whole Armor

Put on the WHOLE armor


Ephesians 6

When a boxer (fighter) is trained he is told that their are risks to fighting. I can imagine they are also told that they could get hurt or experience pain. I man is trained how to protect himself. I am sure he is even told to wear a cup; I doubt he has to be reminded to put it one--because it is valuable to him not to get "hit where it counts!" Now, every time he fights does he get hit there? Nope! But do you think he is going to risk not putting it on? I can even imagine his coach is not going to remind him every time, because he figures he has been told enough and it’s seems logical to remember the consequence of forgetting. Ask any man if he wants to get hit there. IF he is going to be in a situation where the chances are likely; he’s probably going to instinctively want protection.

When my kids go out in the snow or cold winter air, I remind them to get a coat. Sometimes it might not be cold enough to even wear the coat. When we leave our house in the afternoon and we aren’t coming back until dark we should know from experience that it will most likely be colder. At some point, I will stop reminding them it’s cold outside. Already, Jael and Abishai will remind ZQ to get his coat. I have told them over and over again.

God’s given us protection, too! (From the cold, from the pain, from the hurts, from the blows) Can He protect us without it, of course! Does His mercy provide protection? Of course! BUT are we not putting on the armor because we are counting on Him to do His part without us doing ours? At some point as a parent He is going to let us have our lesson, too. How hard does it have to be for us to learn? If we have had some battles and still forget our armor.....I am wondering if one too many battles without a helmet has caused the insanity.

Ask God to remove the temporary insanity and get YOUR helmet on!! We have to stop thinking our muscles are strong enough to withstand any fight. They might be strong in some areas, but you don’t know until it’s too late that you forgot something. Don’t get knocked out one-time when you should have just had your armor.

A police officer can still get shot even with armor on--sometimes he might even have blood, most often a bruise. The armor protected the most important part. With a shot in the bullet proof armor the wind might even get knocked out of him. Going into battle doesn’t mean we won’t get hurt or bruised, or get the wind knocked out of us, but life is a fight. Without armor, we run the risk of death. How simple to just do what makes sense? We should get to the point where we instinctively put our armor on EVERY DAY!

Let’s say we never need it or use it--tell THAT to the person who’s life was saved by it! Don’t risk coming that close to death to appreciate your God-given protection.

As I have said before--we have to know our opponent. He is sneaking around seeing WHO he can devour easiest. Don’t let it be you!

Standing Up

Standing Up


I get so worn out. I don’t even know how to put into words how my emotions can get so frazzled. I do really well for a long time; I don’t react to the attacks of Satan other than through prayer.....but then all of a sudden, I just lose it. What is this? Well, it’s another attack of Satan that I somehow justified with feeling sorry for myself. Instead of realizing that Satan was trying to attack again, I gave in to my pity party.

Satan is REAL; he is out trying to destroy God’s people. He wants to destroy the destiny that God has placed in each of us. I am getting a better understanding of how much of a FRONTAL attack he has put in place. Look around.....why is it that so many people that you "would never have guessed" are falling away? How is it that someone who unquestionably has felt the presence of God can walk away? Is it that we don’t really know what the true presence of God really is? Can you be in God’s presence and WALK away? Isn’t God’s glory transforming?

I do think that we can be in God’s presence and know Him and then walk away. You know why......because we allowed Satan to sneak in. He is deceitful, and we don’t always see it until it’s too late!!! Stay in prayer. Ask the Lord to remove the blinders from your eyes. Ask Him to reveal to us the ways we are being attacked. We cannot go around being afraid of the enemy. He IS a big enemy, but God is bigger. We cannot go around ignorant of WHO he is. He is the DESTROYER OF DESTINY.

I am fed up with his attempts to destroy me.....are you?