A Letter from One Unequally Yoked to Another

I want to welcome Adriana today. She recently shared a powerful letter on our 1Peter3Living loop. I hope you are inspired and encouraged as I was ~Lynn

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As we step closer to God, the spiritual battle steps up too because the enemy absolutely hates to see us mature as Christians. When you feel deflated and that God is not listening, that's just junk from the enemy. God is listening and welcoming you closer. Rejoice that your moving closer to God has the enemy bothered! 

I've been in my spiritually unequally yoked marriage for 22 years and at times my husband was very difficult and I had close friends asking why I was sticking with it (even got this from his own family members). But I knew that the Lord was doing a work in me and through me was doing a work in my husband as well. 

I love how God always works both sides of an equation. In our unequally yoked marriages, He is maturing us, doing deep steadfast things in us as we walk through the difficulties. In my marriage I have learned and am still learning to depend on God, to look to Him to fulfill (for now) the things I long to be receive from my husband. I have learned to pray more deeply, to trust and believe more deeply. My quiet faithfulness to God benefits my husband even if he is unaware of it. My husband has God's presence in his life just because God is in me and I am with him. He may not yet be surrendering to God but God is at work as I am a light and reflection of God's steadfastness, love, mercy, forgiveness, and even at times correction in his life. I am God's instrument to be used in His way to woo my husband to Himself. And I have seen Him do some amazing things and move in behalf of prayer. 

I know the loneliness you speak of, always doing things solo. I live that too. The thing is to be faithful to God in what he would have YOU do for Him and to trust Him with the working in your husband. Seek to do everything as unto the Lord. When He shows you to love your husband, love your husband for Him. When he shows you to forgive your husband, forgive your husband for Him. When we do things for others for Him and we don't get appreciated for what we have done, we can endure it because our praise and reward is from the Lord, not the person. We can rejoice in that we have pleased our first love. What freedom there is in that! It's difficult at times to live with this attitude (especially with a difficult person) but oh the rewards when we do. 

Love and prayers,

Adriana

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.’

Out-Love your Spouse - Sowing and Reaping

Well how was the first week? 

I have to tell you that I have been on this journey for a few months already and I find it extraordinarily difficult. So don’t become discouraged. There are lessons to be learned and God surely had to teach me a few things this week. Sometimes He must show us how our words really affect our spouse. 

This is exactly what happened to me. Ugh! 

Last week my husband and I went for an early afternoon walk. We walk the dog several times a week when he is not traveling. We had little Peanut leashed and were just setting off down the street when God decided it was time. 

Lynn Donovan was about to discover you reap what you sow. 

You see, two weeks earlier, I’m ashamed to admit, I had a meltdown and zinged my husband with some unkind mean words. They were intended to hurt and to slam my point home over whatever we were arguing about. They did……. And similar to most men, he just quietly took the words in and didn’t rise to the bait. 

The next day I felt horrible about the things I said. I apologized. He said, “It’s okay.” But, you know what???? I said them. They hurt him and once they left my mouth, there was no taking them back. 

Well fast forward again to the dog walk. We rounded the corner and my husband was talking with me about something that happened during the day. I let out a tiny little comment (dig???) about the situation. 

He stopped dead in his tracks, right there on the street corner, pointed a finger at me, “I hate it when you do that. Don’t you ever say that to me again. You are out of line.” (I’m paraphrasing because I don’t remember the exact words.)

What I distinctly remember is becoming immobilized on the spot, completely stunned into silence. I felt like a hot knife had been plunged through my heart. Well needless to say, the rest of the walk was strained and very, very quiet. We didn’t speak a word. 

I walked and I began to process his unexpected and very emotional response. That is when God said in His still small voice, “Lynn, the pain you are feeling right now is exactly what Mike felt two weeks ago.” In fact, my little dig was about the very issue I zinged him with a few weeks earlier. 

I grieved as we approached our home. 

I looked up at my kind husband and just whispered, “I am so sorry. I have so much more work to do on this journey. Please forgive me. Please be patient with me. I promise to do better.” 

My friends, I have never been so convicted in my life that the area of my speech to my husband is a rotting, stinking pit that I MUST begin to pray and surrender every…. single….. day…. Sometimes hour-by-hour. 

But now more than every I am determined to do what is right. What is noble. What is pure. What is excellent (Phil 4:8).

Marriage is all about a heart surrender. It’s about forgiveness. It’s about loving Jesus more than I love myself. 

O Lord, I want to love you more than I love myself. I’m asking you to remove my old heart, of unforgiveness, unkindness, selfishness, and pride. Please, Jesus, please put into me a heart of flesh and fill it up with your supernatural love, grace, goodness, kindness, peace, joy, self-control, and more. I humbly ask in the name of my Redeemer, The Redeemer of a girl with a speech impediment and a broken heart. Jesus, Amen. 

On Monday, I have a special gift for you to give to your family, marriage and your husband. Over the weekend, find/purchase a candle. It must be big enough to burn for eight hours. Don’t forget, you won’t want to miss this. 

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 

Amen, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Love, Lynn

Revealing the Lie

One of the things we talk about in our book is walking out of the guilt and shame of our pasts. Whether you knowingly married an unbeliever or came to faith after you married, God has a plan for your marriage.

But if you’re still carrying around guilt over how you wound up in your marriage even though you’ve already confessed and sought forgiveness from God, you can’t walk into that plan.

Why?

Well, here’s the thing about condemnation. It paralyzes you. It blinds you. And it keeps you ineffective in the lives of those around you. That’s why the Bible warns us about the enemy condemning us—this is one of his most effective tools to negate your influence in your mismatched marriage.

One of our most well known, if not THE most known, pieces of Scripture is John 3:16, but have you ever really looked at verse 17?

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

So here’s the truth to dispel the lie. If Christ didn’t come to condemn you and make you feel shame even after you have confessed your sin, then that feeling of shame isn’t from God. It’s actually quite the opposite of His truth in Psalm 103:12 that tells us He’s removed our sin from us as far as the East is from the West. And how about Galatians 5:1 that tells us that Christ came to set us free?

If you’re still doubting, take the Scriptures and insert your name into them.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn me, (name), but to save me through him.”

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed my (name) transgressions from me.”

“It is for freedom that Christ has set me (name) free.”

Don’t let this lie that the enemy has inserted so stealthily and cleverly into your life keep you from stepping into the plan God has for you and your marriage. We hold a very special place in our marriages. We are on the front lines and part of God’s team to battle for our unbelieving spouse’s salvation. And for the salvation of our children. The enemy would like nothing better than to make you think you aren’t up to the task.

The beauty of it is, we don’t have to be. God has that all taken care of. All we have to do is say yes to His plan. He is our strength. He is our redeemer. He is our FORGIVER!

Every day is a new opportunity to walk in forgiveness and serve our King. Don’t miss out on a single moment!

Praying and believing,
Dineen

One Little Step and Then......

I listen as she wept softly.

I spoke to this young wife on the phone recently. She found herself in a place she never imagined could happen to her. Like so many of us, her husband lost his business because of the economy and they are in a financial meltdown. They moved to a new state to find work and now she finds herself facing some of the most difficult choices she’s ever going to make.

Her pain stems from the fact that her future is not what she wants and the difficult choices in front of her are a direct result of the consequences from her husband’s past financial decisions.

Ouch.

Compound this financial crisis with the fact that this woman and her husband are spiritually disconnected, it is a formula for disaster.

But all this aside, what was truly roiling around in this young wife’s heart was anger. She’s just plain mad.

What do we do with our anger?

I will tell you that for years and years, I carried around red-hot anger that rested just below the surface ready to spring on anyone who might push me a little. I was mad about everything in my marriage and my anger was justified. Unmet needs, disappointment with many of my husband’s decisions, fury over his intentional harsh and cruel words birthed resentment in my heart and anger became my constant companion.

But do you know what happens slowly and subtlety when anger takes up residence in your heart? It will surely be joined by its insidious cousin, bitterness. And that evil and vile creature is a dangerous threat to our very soul.

For me there came a day where Jesus said, “Enough. What have I commanded you?”

Matthew 18: 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

"O, Lord, I want to obey ut how do I make myself get over my anger? It’s not as if I can just flip a switch and turn it off."

But God is faithful and He slowly revealed what I had to do. I began to pray this sentence, “Lord, help me to WANT to forgive.”

Spiritually Unequal Marriage is all about equipping you with the truths from God’s word to thrive in your mismatched marriage. Stepping out onto the very difficult path of forgiveness is one path that’s “required traveling” to find your way to the Promised Land. I’m sharing my personal experience with you on how I stepped on to that path, because I know so many others need to find healing.

Forgiveness brings healing… to you…..  to your spouse….

As I listened to the weeping on the other end of the line, I wanted to cradle this young woman in my embrace and rock her as if she were my daughter. Her pain and confusion poured from her. I hurt for her with my whole heart.

I’m not certain she heard what she wanted to hear from me but she did hear what would really help her. Fast and pray, ask the Lord to show you His will for your immediate future. He truly loves to answer those kinds of honest and humble prayers.

I also told her it is unlikely God will answer her in the way she expects. I explained that in the many, many years walking with the Lord, He often is intentional about doing the unexpected, just to prove to us that when it works out, it was Him standing right next to us all along.

Walking with Jesus can be a difficult call to duty. But walking with Jesus is a sure road to freedom, hope, joy, love, peace and ultimately a life that is transformed before the eyes of a broken and lost world. Oh, let Jesus move, let him show you authentic living through forgiveness and humility. Pray and seek His will. It will always be good for your life, your marriage and your family.

That first step on to the path of forgiveness is the beginning of the most fantastic journey you will EVER have. I promise you this: you won’t be disappointed.

Be blessed, Lynn

I share so much more about the amazing journey through the Land of Forgiveness in chapter eight of our book. I pray that the words that God gave me to share here and in that chapter are used to bring healing to many, many marriages. Hugs, Lynn

If you haven't visited our new website and registered for the marriage basket, hop over there today. Winninghimwithoutwords.com

 

A Very Different Post

Today’s post is different.

What is living on earth really all about? Can you say that you honestly understand why you are here and what your role in life is? Do you know that there is only ONE thing that is of concern to the human race?

Only one singular thing must be our focus?

I’m about to share an excerpt from the book, A Divine Revelation of Hell. This is a controversial book in that it’s one woman’s telling of her visit to hell. I agree that there is no way to “prove” that her experience was authentic, however, I believe hell is all she describes and even more terrible. I understand that this post will disturb many yet I’m compelled to provide a glimpse of what waits for those who are unsaved.

Page 31 &32 Jesus is walking with Mary Baxter (author)

    I could feel fear all around. Sorrow, cries of pain and an atmoshere of death were everywhere. Jesus and I walked in grief and pity to the next pit. (the pits of fire stretched out for miles, as far as the eye could see.)

    In the next pit was a woman on her knees, as if looking for something. Her skeletal form also was full of holes. Her bones were showing through, and her torn dress was on fire. Her head was bald, and there were only holes where her eyes and nose were suppose to be. A small fire was burning around her feet where she was kneeling, and she clawed the sides of the brimstone pit. The fire clung to her hands and dead flesh kept falling off as she dug.

    Tremendous sobs shook here. "O Lord, she cried, "I want out." As we watched, she finally got to the top of the pit with her feet. I thought she was going to get out when a large demon with great wings that seemed to be broken at the top and hung down his sides ran to her. His color was brownish-black, and he had hair all over his large form. His eyes were set far back into his head, and he was about the size of a large grizzly bear. The demon rushed up to the woman and pushed her very hard backward into the pit and fire. I watched in horror as she fell. I felt so sorry for her.

    Jesus knew my thoughts and said, "My child, judgment has been set. God has spoken. Even when she was a child, I called and called her to repent and to serve Me. When she was sixteen years old, I came to her and said, "I love you. Give your life to Me, and come follow Me, for I have called you for a special purpose." I called all her life, but she would not listen. She said, "Someday I will serve You. I have no time for you now. No time, no tme, I have my life of fun. No time, no time to serve You, Jesus. Tomorrow I will." Tomorrow never came, for she waited too long."

The story goes on the explain this woman's desire for beauty and money became a tool of satan and how even to the end she knew God was pursuing her. But, she always thought she would turn to Jesus some day. She was killed in an automoblile accident.

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For far too many years, life was all about me. My need for love, for significance, for validation constantly drove my behavior. My unquenchable need to feel beautiful in the eyes of others and to be important, esteemed in the minds of my work colleagues and my neighbors fueled my thoughts. These deep wants drove my decisions and manipulated my love and kindness for others.

Jesus said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

When you boil it down, ALL of our needs are met in Jesus. He is our provider, our strength, our love, our pride and our hope in every circumstance. He is our significance in this life.

The only thing that matters in life is Jesus.

Jesus wasn’t offering a suggestion in Luke 9:23. He is calling, pleading with us us to take up our cross. That means get our “self” out of the way. Be totally sold out for Him so that we can help others, our spouse, our children our neighbors, to be saved from an eternity in hell.

Today I convinced He is calling us to surrender self.

Self-exaltation
Self-will
Self-serving
Self-absorption
Self-sufficiency
Self-protection
Self-loathing
Self-promotion
Self-delusion
Self-righteousness
Self-worship
Self-pity

He is calling me. He is calling you so that our lives are a witness to others. We have the answers and we know the truth. And the truth is Jesus and He will set us free from hell and the truth will set our unsaved spouse free, an entire world free.

From an eternity in hell.

What are your thoughts about this post? Did you feel a stir in your soul? God is moving with power. Who in your life needs Jesus? Give their first name in the comments and a prayer for their salvation.

Be blessed, Lynn

What Do You Think?

"Bitterness is the poison you drink

while waiting for someone else to die."

 

What happened in you when you when you read this quote?

I wonder if you heard a still small voice of the Savior and what did you hear? 

Have you experienced the truth of this quote and what did God do in you?

Looking forward to your stories. Share from your heart as your words will likely help encourage someone else.

Hugging you this Monday.

Lynn

A Roly-Poly and a Great Big God!

Have you ever prayed this scripture? 

Psalm 139:23-24 (Amplified Bible) Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

A couple of weeks ago, my alarm sounded at 5:15 a.m. Ugh! 

I shut it off. Shrugged into my robe. You should see this robe. It is thick and fuzzy and fat and I look like a warm roly-poly all tied up in it. But, no one is awake in the house at that hour except Jesus and he doesn’t care what I look like. 

 I shuffled to the coffee pot where a fresh brew was waiting. (One of God’s greatest blessings to humanity is the auto brew feature). I pulled my Daily Bible from the drawer along with my prayer binder then moved to sit on the end of the couch under the lamp on the table. I tucked my cold feet under me and I begin to read and sip from the steaming cup. 

It’s funny what will happen when you just sit with Jesus. You find out just how much you really don’t know. 

It’s been years since I overcame my disappointments in my marriage. I discovered peace and am happily married to the best guy on the planet. But on this particular morning, God was going to have a WORD with me. Yikes! 

As I sat and scribbled a few requests in my prayer book, I immediately stopped in mid-sentence as a thought came to me. 

"Lynn, you have unforgiveness in your heart.” What, Lord? Are you talking to me?” 

I sat and listened. 

And then, I was overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. It was true. Way, way back in the cobwebs of my heart something was lurking. I honestly didn’t know it was there. 

It was anger. 

Anger with my husband. I was still mad at him and to top it off, I wasn’t even really sure what I was mad about. Just mad. Angry. 

“O Lord, Lord, LORD, you are so right. It is there.” 

To my utter surprise, I was still allowing anger to linger in my soul. I was SHOCKED! But I knew in that instant it was there. What’s crazy about this is the fact that God has known it was there all along and decided it was time to clue me in. God freaks me out sometimes! He is amazing in His love and care for us. 

Now here is the wild part. 

I prayed, “O, Lord. There IS anger in my heart. I didn’t know I was saving it back there. I confess it to you. Forgive me.” 

Immediately I felt a physical release. The best way I can think to describe it is as if a rope was tied around me. It had been there so long I didn’t even know it. It had become part of me. But, in that instant I felt like a knife sliced clean through it and released the tension. I’m not kidding, I felt a physical little pop. I jumped. 

Then I sat there stunned. What in the world just happened? 

I’ll tell you what, God knows me so well, certainly better than I know myself. He yearns for every part of my soul. In that moment, I understood for the first time just how sin binds us up over time. It slowly intertwines itself in our skin, deliberately tightening, shutting down our circulation – life in Christ. Real freedom comes from confession and forgiveness. 

Unforgivness, the need to be right, having the last word, selfishness, bitterness, hatred, held against anyone is a bitter root, a rope of bondage, that will impede our full relationship with Jesus. 

I realize forgiveness is difficult. Many of us carry deep woundings, placed there by people who should have protected and cared for us. 

My journey to forgiveness started with a simple and honest prayer. 

Lord, help me to want to forgive. 

I’m sure you have heard this before but unforivness and bitterness rarely affects the person to whom you are harboring these feelings. Forgiveness comes through the supernatural power of Jesus Christ. I have found the path to freedom from my bitterness through Jesus. 

So I have a scary challenge for you today. Pray this scripture. 

Psalm 139:23-24 (Amplified Bible) Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

But expect Him to reveal some things to you that He want’s changed and then …… 

Do it! 

There is freedom in Jesus. There is happiness in mismatched marriage. Let His name be praised. Be blessed, Lynn

I Am THAT Woman

Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. – unknown 

I am in an unequally yoked marriage because of sin.  

Most of you know my story. I married my atheist husband during a time of great rebellion against God. I knew better. Raised in a Christian home, I knew what the Bible said in 2 Corinthians 6:14. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 

I walked away from the light. I thought I knew better than God what was best for my life. I lived in a dangerous and shadowy world of Las Vegas. In the darkness of clubbing and all matter of indulgence. 

I am THAT woman.

John 8:1-6 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

I stood bare before Him. He was well aware of the decision which brought me before Him. My self-justified choices. Decisions that hurt others. Bad decisions. Jesus listened as the accusations flew from those around me. Voices of my past. Hurtful words, I believed were true. 

The accuser arrived shouting:  

     Believing in God is for the weak.

     You are a coward.

     You are a fake Christian. 

     You can't do anything right.

     When will you grow up? 

     You'll never get it right. 

     Why can't you be more like........ 

     You are a cheater and a liar.

     You'll never be a great wife. 

As the shouts came so did my shame. The accusers paraded my sin before Christ in a mad effort to somehow make them feel better about themselves. I looked at Jesus as the accusers finished, "Now what do you say?" 

I hung my head and admitted my sin waiting for the death penalty, which surely would follow. "In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women." 

Time stood still and the universe shifted as Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 

I can't be sure but I think he was scribbling the names of my accusers. Fear, insecurity, loneliness, failed friendships, greed, idolatry, selfishness, wickedness, satan. 

In that moment, brilliant light flooded my heart. Jesus refused to hear the words of my accusers. Instead, He drew all the wrath and attention away from me and placed it upon Himself. 

As the accusers shouted louder, demanding my soul. Christ confronted them saying, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

He scribbled the sins of the accusers in the dirt. Their lies exposed, they drifted away. 

Jesus straightened up and asked, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 

"No one, sir," 

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin. 

I looked into the face of Jesus and saw unconditional love. 

In an instant, Jesus redeemed my past. Not a tear wasted. I stepped into a future filled with adventure and laughter. He birthed new dreams that far surpassed my feeble imaginings. He gave me a new heart. 

This is what Friendship With God is all about. 

I AM THAT WOMAN. That very blessed and thankful woman....

My friendship with Jesus is everything. 

Are the accusers shouting at you, heaping the lies upon your soul? Look into the face of our Jesus this very day and hear the words of truth. 

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; 

        I have drawn you with loving-kindness 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, 

      "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

 Be blessed, Lynn

*This post, Inspired by Josh Clark. Sunridge Community Church 5/23/2010

Friendship with God Through Confession

We've covered some amazing ground so far in our Friendship with God series. If you didn't get a chance to read Angela's post on Friday, be sure to scroll down and read it. It will change your outlook. Today I want to encroach on a subject that seems to be overlooked too often, yet is a vital part in seeking God.

Confession.

Now don't run off quite yet. I promise this post isn't a hand slapper, but confession is something we need to talk about here at S.U.M.

Years ago I had a wonderful mentor who helped me move into the discipline of daily time with God. Another discipline she taught me was confession. Not to be confused with condemnation, because we know that there is no condemnation in Christ.

Confession is an opportunity for us to "clear the air." If you're a parent, compare it to a time when your child came to you and confessed something he or she did wrong. Though you're pained by what they've done, your love doesn't waver, and your sole desire is to move your child from this place of guilt to forgiveness (with consequences as needed, of course).

Now take a look at your child. Once the situation was dealt with and you extended that love with mercy, along with the consequences, your child probably seemed relieved. They released themselves from carrying this burden and opened themselves to you the parent for examination.

From my own personal experiences with my children, I find my daughters draw closer to me afterward and our relationship is even strengthened. And that's in an imperfect world with an imperfect parent.

Our God is a perfect parent. He wants nothing to stand in the way of closeness with him, but sin does. Sin is a barrier that clogs communication, and without communication, there is no relationship.

This mentor I had taught me the importance in making confession a part of my daily time with God. I'm not perfect, and I know I fall short everyday. I may not even know it. This part of the time I spend with God gives him a chance to show me where I didn't hit the mark and gives me the opportunity to learn from it. I can confess my selfishness, self-centeredness, self-entitlement, self-reliance—all those "self" issues to God, because in doing so, that allows him to take more residence in my heart. Less of me and more of Him.

And that is a key ingredient to this amazing opportunity to be friends with God. We allow God to shine his light in those dark places in our hearts so that there's more room for Him to live in and through us.

God's Word gives us the promise of the righteousness of Christ.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." — 1 John 1:9

Through confession we can walk in the righteousness of Christ as God’s friend.
Praying and believing,
Dineen