Weekend Devo — A Godly Wife of Influence

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. — Proverbs 31:10-12

In the NASB version, that first part of verse 11 reads:

The heart of her husband trusts in her.

The Hebrew word for heart used here is leb and means inner man, mind, will, heart. Our actions play the dominant role in winning our husband's trust--to winning anyone's trust. Yes, our words come into play, but our actions will speak the loudest and will confirm what and when we do speak. If our actions don't back up our words, we lose credibility.

In today’s world, we often hear things about winning the trust of others but it’s usually to gain something for the person, company, or organization set upon this quest to bring results.

But Proverbs 31 shows we, as godly wives, have a higher motivation. Verse 10 describes us as a wife of noble character. Our motivation is not for ourselves but to serve God and our husband.

Personally, I know I can't fulfill this calling as a wife without God's strength, wisdom, and a whole lot of grace. The longer I've walked this path as a spiritually mismatched wife, the more I've learned how little I'm capable of on my own and how much more I can accomplish when I follow God's lead.

Speaking of following His lead, I'm still planning to give my hubby a signed copy of The Resolution for Women for Valentine's Day. I'm still nervous but I'm stepping out in courage and faith that when God leads us to a specific action, He'll take care of the rest as I do my part. God has me stepping out a lot right now. I'll fill you in when I get back from an unexpected road trip from Florida to California. I'm on the road right now actually...more stories to come!

Praying, believing and DRIVING!
Dineen 

Weekend Devo — Be Strong and Courageous

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

 

The mother of a friend gave me this verse when my husband told me he’d decided he was an atheist. This verse would come back to me time again over the years.

Almost seventeen years later I can testify that it is true. God has been with me where ever I went. From the US to Europe and back again, from places of discouragement and despair back to courage and hope, from life threatening illness to health, God has kept His Word—His promises—to me.

God is with us, always. Believe this truth and walk in it and you won’t feel alone. And even when you do, remember this truth so that you know in your heart that God is ALWAYS with you.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Weekend Devo — The Gift of God’s Word

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees...” — Deuteronomy 17:18-19  NIV

Starting in the Old Testament, God set a pattern of instruction and expectation for His people to read His Words on a daily basis. It wasn’t about rituals or fulfilling duties. It was about learning who God is and respecting Him. It was about a king learning from his true King how to be a leader to the people of Israel.

God carried that message into the New Testament. Paul explains to Timothy in his letter that Scripture is vital to equipping us for our lives:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” — 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Even James has something to say about what we do with God’s Word:

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” — James 1:22 NIV

God spoke the world into being with His Words. First John 1 describes the deity of Christ as the Word, which was with God from the very beginning. God’s Word is a gift, just like his Son. So not reading the Bible is like having a gift from God that you never opened.

Don’t miss out on what God has waiting for you right in the words of the Bible. It’s the greatest adventure you’ll ever take because the Holy Spirit is the one who opens the meaning of every page and word. Ask for His help to delve into God’s Word with an unquenchable hunger. I know from experience that is one prayer He will answer with gusto!

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Weekend Devo — The Promise

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

—Acts 2:36-39

I emphasized that last line because of the truth it holds. The Truth. It holds the promise of Jesus Christ. And right here, Peter tells us that this promise is for us and our spouses and our children and grandchildren and so on.

All who are far off...

Amazing! No matter how far off our unbelieving loved ones might be today, this promise is for them. Jesus is for them and He's calling them. We can trust in that promise.

Praying and believing,
Dineen 

A Christmas Legend??? I Believe

This story was written by Rev. Howard C. Schade, pastor of the First Reformed Church in Nyack, New York. By the time the story was anthologized in Alice Gray’s Christmas Stories for the Heart in 1998, Rev. Schade already had passed away in 1989 and could not be contacted to verify the details of the story, which is why Snopes calls this story a “legend.”

I choose to believe!

By Rev. Howard C. Schade

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On December 19, a terrible tempest — a driving rainstorm — hit the area and lasted for two days.

On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor and, not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.

On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea-market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later.

She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet….

“Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?”

The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials EBG were crocheted into it there.

They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.

The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving.

The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.

He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

Weekend Devo — The Greatest Gift of All

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

I love these two parables because they show a “sold out” mentality for Jesus. The man is willing to let go of everything to obtain the greatest treasure of all—the kingdom of heaven.

Our salvation is our most precious gift, but do we live like that? Do we live everyday in the awareness that we have been saved by the Son of God and now wear His righteousness as our own? It is all because of Jesus that we can embrace this most precious pearl as our own highly prized treasure. And nothing can take it away!

As we welcome Christmas into our homes and the Christ child into our hearts, sit on that thought a moment and let it seep into your heart and spirit. Wow...we already possess the most valuable gift of all. Priceless!

Jesus gave everything for us. Let’s live our lives as an offering of thanks to Him and a reflection of a heart sold out to Him.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Don't Get In a Twist

A visit to my local nail salon is always fascinating. Now, please don’t think poorly of me. This is the one pampering I allow myself. I visit the local Vietnamese nail salon for a pink and white fill. Don’t do the toes, nor the anything else much but this one thing. But I am so glad I have this one little luxury because a one hour visit in that place is simply fascinating, illuminating and shows me so much about what Jesus teaches.

First, when you walk in the door you can’t miss the gold-platted Buddha that sits of to the left. Yep, now don’t get your undies in a twist because I visit a salon with a Buddha. Think about this. Jesus went where the lost, broken, and unsaved went. He ate with the sinners. I find out more interesting things in this place and delve into a sub-culture of America, steeped in a faith of tradition but does little to bring healing and help to the individual.

I’m a regular there and most of the men and women know me. They know I wrote a book, a Christian book, and boy do we have some great conversations. Like today.

I sat with Ken, his American name and he's new to the salon. He spoke very good English. Most of the time I must listen very closely to understand some of the gals and I really try hard to understand because when I breakthrough that language barrier I find they are truly interested in my perspective and thoughts. Ane I am interested in them.

“Ken, what is your real name?” I asked knowing that they all have American names because most American’s can’t figure out how to say their Vietnamese name.

“Hein. Like the ketchup. But I don’t like people to call me ketchup.” He snickers. I giggle.

“What does it mean?”

“Peaceful One.”

“That really fits you.”

“Yes, it does.”

At some point in our discussion, I ask Ken about how he arrived in America. He went on to describe five different boat trips, one without food or water for over four days. One boat, which was intercepted by the Russians. The death a suffering of those trying to find a better life. Of a mother whose child died but she carried it around with her because she couldn’t give it up. (hard to read, I know)

Ken looked up at me and said, “That’s why I don’t get upset about some of the silly stuff people get upset over. I have seen the very worst of living. I have gone without food and water. Shivered at night and feared for my life on many occasions. The minor complaints around this place just don’t bother me.”

I just sat and listened. Very humbled. Thinking of all the stupid little things I complain about.

“As long as I have my daughter and wife, that’s all that matters.”

Sometimes I need a reminder about how good I have things. Often I need God to hit me upside the head and have a man from Vietnam remind me how very fortunate I really am. It’s funny that God often does this in the nail salon.

I wonder do they see God in me while they set the pink and white on my nails. I’m praying they do.

I praying that I will never allow my undies to get twisted up. I want to go where the people are who need the truth of Jesus.

My conversation with Ken will continue in the future. We briefly discussed his faith background. He is Catholic and Buddhist. I find that fascinating in itself. So, you can bet Jesus has me getting my nail done in the future. I can’t wait to see what we talk about next.

Be blessed, Lynn

To Pray of Not To Pray. That is The Question for The Unequally Yoked

Football rages in the family room, the aroma of a roasting Bidzilla satisfies the kitchen, kids play outside, red cheeked and with hands frozen. Ahhhh, Thanksgiving.

This is my favorite traditional holiday of food, family and ……stress.

 

Read more at the Internet Cafe Devotions, Marriage Counter.

 

You Thought You Weren't One

The most unexpected thing happened to me yesterday.

Seated next to my daughter and her best friend, I opened my Bible to the passage and listened as the pastor began to read Luke 15. While he was reading this familiar passage, powerful emotion rose up from some place deep within me. He arrived at verse 24 and it was as if the world around me went into slow motion. Every part of me was engaged and experiencing this sentence. He spoke slowly and with purpose, each word emphasized and as I listened, tears welled. I felt the full impact of my salvation all over again.

With eyes spilling, I struggled to control the tide washing over me. I teetered on the verge of becoming a blubbering idiot right there in the extremely quiet worship center. But I determined to spare my 16-year-old daughter the uncomfortable reality of her mother becoming a complete spectacle in front of 500 people.

The 15th chapter of Luke is one of the many stories told by Jesus. And if you read our book, Winning Him Without Words, my introduction begins with this very passage. You also know that I am the epitome of this wayward son. I am the prodigal daughter. It’s no wonder as I sat there in church and the words….

…. was dead and now is alive again. Was lost and now is found…..

My heart lurched, my spirit soared, my mind humbled, my throat constricted. For Lynn Donovan was once very lost in her selfish life, lonely, scared, and deceived.

But…..

God loves redemption stories. His Son, Jesus, refused to let me go. He waited for me on the road, looking, calling out to me, just like the father in this story in Luke. He never gave up on me. Never. Ever.

Hear me now.    Don’t make the mistake and believe this story is not about YOU.

We all squander our inheritance.

We have let fear replace faith.

We have traded exceptional living for mediocrity.

We have replaced God’s truth with lies.

We have exchanged freedom for captivity.

We have handed over our miracles for apathetic safety.

Today, I say, “No more. That is enough.”

I want to be reacquainted with the God of love, the God of mercy, the God of grace. I want to know Him this season in an intimate and personal relationship that I haven’t yet experienced. I want to encounter this Father who waits on the road, scanning the horizon, calling to me, to you, “Come home my child, come home.”

What is your pain? What is God asking you to surrender? Our great God has so much for all of us Prodigals. Every…. Single…. One.

God loves redemption stories. We are His redemption story.

Be blessed, Lynn

Share your praises this season with us here at SUM- Join us next Monday for a unique way to honor God and give thanks. (PS. Get a Twitter account….hint…hint)

Inspired by Keith Potter. Thanks Keith

The Picture-Story of the Foolish Son Who Spent All His Money

Luke 15: ¹¹ And Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, let me have the part of the family riches that will be coming to me.’ Then the father divided all that he owned between his two sons. ¹³ Soon after that the younger son took all that had been given to him and went to another country far away. There he spent all he had on wild and foolish living. ¹⁴ When all his money was spent, he was hungry. There was no food in the land. ¹⁵ He went to work for a man in this far away country. His work was to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He was so hungry he was ready to eat the outside part of the ears of the corn the pigs ate because no one gave him anything.

   ¹⁷ “He began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, ‘My father pays many men who work for him. They have all the food they want and more than enough. I am about dead because I am so hungry. ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am not good enough to be called your son. But may I be as one of the workmen you pay to work?”’

   ²⁰ “The son got up and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father saw him. The father was full of loving-pity for him. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to the workmen he owned, ‘Hurry! Get the best coat and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. ²³ Bring the calf that is fat and kill it. Let us eat and be glad. ²⁴ For my son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Let us eat and have a good time.’

Weekend Devo — The Journey from Atheism to Belief

This is a beautiful testimony from one of our readers about her husband's journey from atheism to belief. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Jennifer!

I accepted Christ in the 4th grade and grew up in a Baptist church. I have always had a strong relationship with Christ, but my walk blossomed exponentially over the past 2 years as I became intimately involved in Kay Auther's and Beth Moore's Bible studies...finally, I was IN the Word and allowing our relationship to be two-way.

God knew exactly what he was doing, as He was preparing me spiritually and scripturally for what was about to take place in my marriage. Jim and I married in 2005 and he had, since we started dating, proclaimed to be a Christian. Born and raised Catholic, he had never been exposed the "love of fellowship and worship" aspect of a Southern Baptist church girl. His church upbringing consisted of Easter and Christmas mass and the extent of his relationship with God was a string of fox-hole prayers. (He would tell you all of this.)

Over the years, I have longed to get involved with a Sunday school class and participate more in couples activities in the church, but he always balked. When we had our first baby, my longing to fill my home and my life more with the Word and life of God became more intense. This was the first sign of push-back, because all of the sudden I was wanting more than a Sunday morning commitment.

Jim is a physician...a scientist. He has always whole heartedly believed in evolution, the big-bang, the radical theories of science and disregarded the magnificent truths in the Bible as folklore and exaggerations. He would even laugh at the fact that I believe in Noah's arc and creationism. He is real big into pod casts, too. Financial, spiritual, how to, etc. I noticed spring of last year (2010) that part of his pod cast mix included Buddhism, meditations, zen...you know, all kinds of New Age stuff.

It was sometime last summer that we were sitting in my therapist's office. I am in recovery for an eating disorder that I have struggled with since I was 11. I have been to treatment several times, but seemed to maintain and hide it pretty well until 2009. My poor health erupted and my intestines prolapsed. My 10 day hospital stay was prolonged because of my nutrition. Long story short, I had to go to treatment September 2009 for 6 months, leaving my precious babies and husband behind.

So back to my therapist's office...We had gone for a couples session desperate to learn some relationship tools. We were really starting to argue more than a married couple should. In a heated debate he blurted out, "I don't even believe in all this church stuff. I am an atheist and have been all along. I just go to church to appease you."

He stormed out. I have had a lot of lows and hit a lot of bottoms in my life, but that day, I don't think I have ever felt so wounded. It was hard to breathe. I cried out, God, I don't know what to do. You can only imagine what this did to our marriage and my heart. I clung to 1 Peter 3 and hit my knees with prayer for my husband and his heart. I sought counsel through my spiritual mentor and Bible study leader, Ruth. His mocking of the Bible and questioning of my faith only became more blatant. I questioned him...how can you read every text book under the sun, yet blow off my belief system without even reading the Word it's based on?

I think he took that as a challenge. He came across the most amazing podcast of all, The Daily Audio Bible (Brian Hardin). The intro sucked him in and he was curious, so he began to faithfully listen each day. At first he scoffed at the stories and dug thru the law of the Genesis and Exodus, but something began to stir. In Feb of this year, a friend of mine gave me 2 CDs of Mark Cahill speaking at a Joshua Conference. I casually turned it on in the car during a family road trip to visit family. As we listened, he kept pausing and rewinding the message. He began asking questions and his wheels started spinning.

He asked to hear the 2nd CD, which we listened to twice! Praise God that He had brought me to a maturity that I could speak truths and scripture to him. He decided to sign up for the Fight for Manhood Bible Study at our church, and the men in his small group began to minister and witness to him. The gentleman who led his group approached him and said, "God has put in my heart to disciple you," and they began meeting together.

I remember the day he proclaimed, "Jen, it's true. It's really true. I want to follow God's word. I prayed the sinners prayer."

My husband has been born again...he is so hungry for the word of God, and he is growing like a spiritual weed! Our marriage is flourishing and our hunger to seek Him only grows stronger with each passing day. God is so good, so very very good. He is sooo HOLY!!! Oh, how I love Him!!!

Jennifer