| VINTAGE BEDROOM BEATS "CAN'T HELP LOVIN' THAT MAN" JULIE LONDON "FEVER" PEGGY LEE "BLUE PRELUDE" CANDIDO CAMERO "I'VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU" ELLA FITZGERALD "I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU" ETTA JAMES "MAKIN' WHOOPEE" JULIE LONDON "AS TIME GOES BY" KAY PENTON "BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE" NAT KING COLE DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ROMANTIC SONG FROM THIS ERA? PLEASE SHARE IT WITH US HERE! | I don't know about you, but I believe that there is something very romantic about the 1950's. It goes beyond the "cool" design aesthetics in automobiles and home interiors. And as much as I love fashion, I must confess that it also surpasses the level of celebration and honor in fashion trends for both genders. The 1950's were a time when gratitude was high in the hearts of the American people. It was post-WWII, families were reunited, children were safe to play in the streets (even after dark), and although homes weren't burgenoning with material goods, people were less stressed and generally more happy. Faith, marriage, family and the roles of responsibility there-in were still held in high-esteem. My precious father, who was born in 1940, taught me that gratitude infuses all of your relationships with a level of honor and respect. It is sadly very hard to come by nowadays in our entitled, "It's all about me" culture. Speaking of gratitude, I am certainly grateful for all of the modern advances in medicine, technology and living conditions that we get to enjoy. However, there is a part of me that looks back with a sense of longing for a beautiful, more simplistic era gone by, an era that we can only experience now through the stories of those who were blessed enough to live it and live on to tell it. Author, Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos  "LIGHT HIS FIRE" THIS CHRISTMAS |
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 Is romance dead? Some would say that it is completely dead and buried. Our tech-obsessed, sex-crazed, distracted, stressed out and self-absorbed culture might be to blame. Or is it? A very wise man once said, “Your past may explain you, but it does not excuse you.” In this case, I say, “Your culture may explain you, but it does not excuse you.” Before we can truly ponder the question and answer to this dilemma, we must first understand what romance is. We must open ourselves up to the idea that we have strayed from the essential romantic path that leads to a life of true, honorable, and lasting love. Merriam-Webster defines romance as a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love, and adventure, or the supernatural; a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious; a love story especially in the form of a novel and something (as an extravagant story or account) that lacks basis in fact. Lastly, it defines it as an emotional attraction or aura belonging to an especially heroic era, adventure, or activity. When we ask our friends, “What is romance?” We tend to get a totally different variety of ideas. Most people think of what I consider acts or expressions of love versus a literary or historical ideal. Things like sending roses, writing a lover’s poem or song, surprising gifts, extravagant or well-planned experiences, etc. often top the list of answers given. What if we consider the notion that true and lasting romance (the kind that real life love stories are made of) is a combination of both Merriam-Webster’s definition and our collective ideas of love? Many of us long for romance now more than ever. The disconnected way in which we do life and the prevalence of casual sex without emotional connection have left us increasingly lonely and longing. There are more people turning to alternative solutions (like pornography, romance novels, manufactured vaginas and dildos, and high-tech virtual aka “video game” sex) for their “love fix” than any other time in history. Much of this may be due to an ease of accessibility, but what if we are actually sabotaging ourselves by forfeiting the basics? By forfeiting things like human connection, respect, virtue, honesty, chastity, and the like. How do we begin to combat this epidemic and return to REAL romance? First, let’s dive deeper into the definition. Chivalry has long been viewed as an essential component of romance, but I believe that we have lost an understanding and appreciation for it all together (to the point that young men don’t know how to treat a lady and young ladies don’t know how they should be treated). Chivalry was a high example for us all that fell onto the ash heap of history somewhere along the way. Courteous behavior, especially that of a man towards a woman was once the norm. Many men were truly chivalrous in their relations with women. They were models of gentlemanliness, gallantry, courtesy, politeness, graciousness, and restraint. To be otherwise in dealing with a lady, one would be shunned and labeled a classless brut. However, men are increasingly seeing women primarily as sexual objects and treating them with little to no respect whatsoever. Ladies, the weight of responsibility in all of this does not rest on men alone. We too have changed our modus operandi over the course of time. We have lost our appreciation for femininity, mystery, and (dare I say) inherent nobility which lends itself to self-respect. Along the way we were told that we must be like a man to gain respect, but what if we were being fed a lie? What if “respect” was peddled to us as a guise for rebellion and dominance? What if that female dominance was the very thing that robbed us of chivalry? And what if the lack of chivalry robbed us of romance? And what if the absence of romance robbed us of our true tales of life-long love? I’m reminded of the classic and great song chorus by The Fixx, “One Thing Leads to Another.” May we reconsider what our choices are leading us to. May we revisit the qualities that created countless life-long love stories that fill the pages of history. Stories that are not mere literary imaginations of fantasy and legend. They are real and not just a thing of the past. They exist today, and we hold the power of choice to make them our reality for the future if we choose to put down our hand-held devices (phones, tablets, and even sex toys) to reconnect with the humanity around us. Take time to honor and respect, know and become known. Be trustworthy so that your life-long love can give themselves to you with reckless abandon, nothing held back in safe keeping because you are worthy of their all, their most precious self, their true essence and their love…for a lifetime. So, “Is romance dead?” I say, "Not if you CHOOSE to keep it alive and FIGHT for it." Copyright ©2016 by Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos Google the word “dating” on the internet and find a long list to “To-do” items. Things like how many days you should wait before calling, the protocols for texting and facebook, the list of non-negotiable things you are looking for as a potential life long mate, how to impress on a first date… the list goes on and on. Follow Sabrina's Blog: https://sabrinajoseph.wordpress.com
 CHILDREN. Some single women cringe at the word, thinking they could never handle them. CHILDREN. Some married women long for them, hoping that their empty home will one day be bustling with them. CHILDREN. Some men exploit them, selling them on the streets, our streets, for sex every single day. CHILDREN. According to Psalm 127:3, children are a BLESSING and a GIFT, and at Street Grace, we have devoted our lives to ensuring they are treated as such. When Street Grace first opened its doors in 2009, children who had been trafficked for sex were treated as criminals rather than the victims they really were. Traffickers received a misdemeanor, and a mere $50 fine. In May of 2011, House Bill 200 was passed into law increasing the penalties on traffickers to include a possible life prison sentence and a $100,000 fine. Although we have come a long way, children are still vulnerable and are still being bought and sold for sex in our own backyards. As I reflect on the depravity of our culture today, I am reminded that for generations, children have been looked down upon, considered “less than.” We really aren’t all that different from the Roman culture that Jesus experienced when he walked the earth. As Christians, if we are called to be “Christ-followers” then it’s vital for us to understand how Jesus treated children. In Matthew 19, we find the story of Jesus and the Little Children. Jesus is busy going about his business, you know healing people from life-threatening illness, raising people from the dead. It’s just an average day as God’s son when Jesus is interrupted by parents who are bringing their children to him. Imagine the scene. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, are surrounding Jesus, just to get a glimpse of this miracle man. As most parents today, they wanted the best for their children. They wanted them to experience Jesus firsthand. I mean his shadow alone can heal! They push to the front of the dusty crowd and tell little Samuel or little Rebecca to go and sit by the nice man only to be told by Jesus’ closest friends that they are not welcome. They are not welcome? The innocent little children, created in the very image of God, are not welcome? Not only are they not welcomed, but they are rebuked (verse 13) and rejected for trying to get close to Jesus. It’s almost unfathomable. What does this encounter tell us about the Grecco-Roman world and Jewish culture at that time? It tells us that children were not only de-prioritized, but they were considered a nuisance, a bother to society. Children, along with women, old men and slaves were considered physically weak and burdensome. In the time of the early church, babies were often discarded and abandoned along the side of the road to die if they were unable to add value to society. According to Wikipedia, "Infanticide was common in all well studied ancient cultures, including those of ancient Greece, Rome, India, China, and Japan.” From the very beginning, the early church prohibited any such behavior because to the Christian, every infant, male or female, had value. The early church provided social services that the government did not at the time, by caring not only for their own but by caring for those vulnerable populations who could not care for themselves. They did it so well that the Galileans started getting the attention of notable leaders including emperor Julian, who loathed Christians because he suspected their benevolence had ulterior motives. According to sociologist, Rodney Stark: In the fourth century, the emperor Julian launched a campaign to institute pagan charities in an effort to match the Christians. Julian complained in a letter to the high priest of Galatia in 362 that the pagans needed to equal the virtues of Christians, for recent Christian growth was caused by their “moral character, even if pretended,” and by their “benevolence toward strangers and care for the graves of the dead.” In a letter to another priest, Julian wrote, “I think that when the poor happened to be neglected and overlooked by the priests, the impious Galileans observed this and devoted themselves to benevolence.” And he also wrote, “The impious Galileans support not only their poor, but ours as well, everyone can see that our people lack aid from us.” (Stark, The Rise to Christianity) Why would the early church go to such great lengths, at times even risking their own lives, to care for the vulnerable? I believe it’s because the early church closely followed the words and actions of Jesus. After all, according to Paul in Acts 20:35, Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And there’s also the time Jesus said in Luke 6:31 to “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” And that brings me back to the story of Jesus and the children in Matthew 19. The apostles have just rebuked the parents for having the audacity to interrupt and bother Jesus with their insignificant children. Mom and dad are likely hurt, saddened and perhaps even confused. Jesus, like only he can, chooses this time in history as a teaching moment, knowing that Christians for hundreds of years to come would be able to learn from this encounter. His response? “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” As people of faith, we are called to emulate the words and actions of Jesus, which means we too are to embrace, welcome, serve, and love children. Why? Because the kingdom of heaven belongs to...CHILDREN. Cheryl DeLuca-Johnson is the President and CEO of Street Grace, a community-based organization that provides solutions for ending Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) in the United States. Because children are priceless, Street Grace provides programs such as Not Buying It, a demand reduction partnership with Attorney General offices across the country, as well as training initiatives to educate first responders providing protective oversight to children such as teachers, counselors and law enforcement. Street Grace is working toward a day when all children can live happy, healthy, and productive lives that are free from all forms of injustice and exploitation. To learn more, visit www.streetgrace.org. Feel free to share this article with your community action group and church groups. |
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I remember one of the first times I felt rejected.
One sunny day in the suburbs of Georgia, a young girl, age 11, playing flag football with the boys in the street. I was the kid that wanted to be included in on everything. There was no boys or girls club in my mind. We were one unit. An amazing little community of friends we had growing up and chasing adventures together.
This particular day I was on cloud nine. Creaming the boys touchdown after touchdown. Laughing, celebrating, WINNING. Most of them were celebrating with me, except for Tommy. He turned towards me and yelled down the street, “who cares sierra mountains!!! thunder thighs!” All the other little boys laughed and whispered as I stood there clueless. You see, I started developing as a woman younger than most of the other little girls. At age 11, I had what the boys were calling “sierra mountains and thunder thighs.” When I finally realized why they were all laughing I ran home crying, and after that, my relationships with them were never the same, and what I believed about myself wasn’t either.
Shamed.
Rejected.
Outcast.
Instead of belonging, I now believed I was unacceptable.
Many of us have similar stories to tell, and when we look back at these incidents we see that, the tragedy is often not as much the hurt itself, but the places of ourselves that die because of our response. We see that they have shaped and defined what we believe about ourselves and how we interact with community. Once approaching people with open arms, we have now built walls of self protection. We shy away from even small semblances of hurt, and shut ourselves off from others slowly but surely. We isolate because we want to avoid the pain, and begin dreaming about the perfect community.
But what if pain is one of the tools that God uses to reveal His perfect communion with us?
…”And in Him you have been made complete.” (Colossians 2:10)
We find that much of our pain is caused by the unrealistic expectations we have placed on people to love us perfectly and fulfill our longing for significance, value or worth. But, only God has the power to define these things for us. He created us to be each other’s companion, not completion. (Genesis 2:18)
He says that:
We are not incomplete. We are “wonderfully and fearfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
We are not insignificant. We are “God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Drawing our significance and worth from God frees us up to truly LOVE one another despite our imperfections. Now our response can change. We can choose to stay connected instead of isolated.
Staying connected means embracing forgiveness, extending grace and reminding ourselves and each other of our true identity as precious, loved children of God.
At age 11, Im sure I didn't know how to handle the hurt that day, nor did I have a relationship with God to draw my true value and purpose from. But, today I can look back and learn from that story and the many others, to change how I see and respond to hurt in relationships. I am learning to receive my true value and purpose from the word of God and find perfect communion with Him, so that I freely give love and grace to others. For when we truly receive the abundance of love, significance, and grace Christ has for us, we are also able to freely give it, and in that we find that our relationships on earth are truly satisfying. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8
One sunny day in the suburbs of Georgia, a young girl, age 11, playing flag football with the boys in the street. I was the kid that wanted to be included in on everything. There was no boys or girls club in my mind. We were one unit. An amazing little community of friends we had growing up and chasing adventures together.
This particular day I was on cloud nine. Creaming the boys touchdown after touchdown. Laughing, celebrating, WINNING. Most of them were celebrating with me, except for Tommy. He turned towards me and yelled down the street, “who cares sierra mountains!!! thunder thighs!” All the other little boys laughed and whispered as I stood there clueless. You see, I started developing as a woman younger than most of the other little girls. At age 11, I had what the boys were calling “sierra mountains and thunder thighs.” When I finally realized why they were all laughing I ran home crying, and after that, my relationships with them were never the same, and what I believed about myself wasn’t either.
Shamed.
Rejected.
Outcast.
Instead of belonging, I now believed I was unacceptable.
Many of us have similar stories to tell, and when we look back at these incidents we see that, the tragedy is often not as much the hurt itself, but the places of ourselves that die because of our response. We see that they have shaped and defined what we believe about ourselves and how we interact with community. Once approaching people with open arms, we have now built walls of self protection. We shy away from even small semblances of hurt, and shut ourselves off from others slowly but surely. We isolate because we want to avoid the pain, and begin dreaming about the perfect community.
But what if pain is one of the tools that God uses to reveal His perfect communion with us?
…”And in Him you have been made complete.” (Colossians 2:10)
We find that much of our pain is caused by the unrealistic expectations we have placed on people to love us perfectly and fulfill our longing for significance, value or worth. But, only God has the power to define these things for us. He created us to be each other’s companion, not completion. (Genesis 2:18)
He says that:
We are not incomplete. We are “wonderfully and fearfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
We are not insignificant. We are “God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Drawing our significance and worth from God frees us up to truly LOVE one another despite our imperfections. Now our response can change. We can choose to stay connected instead of isolated.
Staying connected means embracing forgiveness, extending grace and reminding ourselves and each other of our true identity as precious, loved children of God.
At age 11, Im sure I didn't know how to handle the hurt that day, nor did I have a relationship with God to draw my true value and purpose from. But, today I can look back and learn from that story and the many others, to change how I see and respond to hurt in relationships. I am learning to receive my true value and purpose from the word of God and find perfect communion with Him, so that I freely give love and grace to others. For when we truly receive the abundance of love, significance, and grace Christ has for us, we are also able to freely give it, and in that we find that our relationships on earth are truly satisfying. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8
WE ARE by Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos
WE ARE Reconciled
ONE with Him
Secure
Authentic
Humble
PURE
Beautiful
Generous
Truthful
Honorable
LOVE
Selfless
Peaceful
Tender
Purposeful
Faithful
Hopeful
Brave
Strong
Determined
Resilient
Victorious
WE ARE HIS WARRIOR QUEENS.
WE ARE Reconciled
ONE with Him
Secure
Authentic
Humble
PURE
Beautiful
Generous
Truthful
Honorable
LOVE
Selfless
Peaceful
Tender
Purposeful
Faithful
Hopeful
Brave
Strong
Determined
Resilient
Victorious
WE ARE HIS WARRIOR QUEENS.
Radical: adjective 1. relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
Love: noun 1. an intense feeling of deep affection.
Matthew 6:24 & 25 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
I was recently asked, "To what extent should I go to show love to my extremely difficult family member?" My answer was, "To the greatest extent you possibly can. Your love should be radical. That's what we are called to as Christians." Easier said than done, right? Loving others can be very messy, painful and nearly impossible at times, but it can also be rewarding, wonderful and uplifting. It's easy to buy into love when it's the latter of those sentiments, but there are two sides to every coin. I have felt the dark side of love in relationships, marriage, and parenting. Haven't we all? There is always light in the darkness and hope in the face of hopelessness with God, though. He works all things for our good when we are faithful and seek Him with our whole heart. I have witnessed God transform the most hopeless, dead and dysfunctional situations into beacons of hope, works of beauty and shining examples of His grace and love.
In Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus shares a parable with us, and we are invited to look inward to apply it. This parable speaks to what we are called to do as followers of Christ so that we might receive our eternal reward. How many of us can say that we have fed the hungry, given the thirsty a drink, invited a stranger in, clothed one in need, visited the sick or imprisoned? When we do these things, Jesus says that we do them unto Him. Have you ever noticed that it's often much easier to love a stranger than it is to love your own family? Why is that? The very nature of the relationship makes it easier because we don't know all of their "stuff," their baggage and flaws. They haven't wounded us, rejected us or neglected us. It's a clean slate.
Did you know that we are called to love others (including our family) even when they feel like our enemies? Matthew 5:43 -46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?" Wow. That's a pretty high standard, isn't it? But, no one ever said that being a Christian was easy. However, it has been said that "great things are worth fighting for."
I believe that we are called to radical love in every arena of our lives and that we must fight for it. I believe that our marriages and families are where radical love can be demonstrated most because that is where we are tested the most. Radical love is a love that will choose to die to self no matter what. It's a love that puts others first. It doesn't mean that we get to pick and choose when we will die to self. It's not, "I will die to myself as soon as my husband dies to himself!" It's not waiting for my needs to be met before I choose to meet the needs of another. It's not choosing to pray for another as soon as they start praying for me. It's not serving another under the condition that I'm shown appreciation. It's not (fill in the blank). We all have something/s, right? Where do you feel like God is asking you to be more radical in your love? In what relationship/s do you hear Him asking you to die to self?
We have a promise in scripture that we can take hold of as we attempt to meet the challenges set before us: Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." We must first look to Christ for our needs to be met and for our hearts to be filled with His love. Only then are we able to fulfill what Jesus calls us to; to give without conditions, expectation, demands, limits… to love radically.
Radical Love is a selfless adventure in trust. Radical love is delayed gratification. Radical love is giving with no expectation of getting. Radical love is knowing what really matters in this life. Radical love is everything. May we be radical.
Love: noun 1. an intense feeling of deep affection.
Matthew 6:24 & 25 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
I was recently asked, "To what extent should I go to show love to my extremely difficult family member?" My answer was, "To the greatest extent you possibly can. Your love should be radical. That's what we are called to as Christians." Easier said than done, right? Loving others can be very messy, painful and nearly impossible at times, but it can also be rewarding, wonderful and uplifting. It's easy to buy into love when it's the latter of those sentiments, but there are two sides to every coin. I have felt the dark side of love in relationships, marriage, and parenting. Haven't we all? There is always light in the darkness and hope in the face of hopelessness with God, though. He works all things for our good when we are faithful and seek Him with our whole heart. I have witnessed God transform the most hopeless, dead and dysfunctional situations into beacons of hope, works of beauty and shining examples of His grace and love.
In Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus shares a parable with us, and we are invited to look inward to apply it. This parable speaks to what we are called to do as followers of Christ so that we might receive our eternal reward. How many of us can say that we have fed the hungry, given the thirsty a drink, invited a stranger in, clothed one in need, visited the sick or imprisoned? When we do these things, Jesus says that we do them unto Him. Have you ever noticed that it's often much easier to love a stranger than it is to love your own family? Why is that? The very nature of the relationship makes it easier because we don't know all of their "stuff," their baggage and flaws. They haven't wounded us, rejected us or neglected us. It's a clean slate.
Did you know that we are called to love others (including our family) even when they feel like our enemies? Matthew 5:43 -46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?" Wow. That's a pretty high standard, isn't it? But, no one ever said that being a Christian was easy. However, it has been said that "great things are worth fighting for."
I believe that we are called to radical love in every arena of our lives and that we must fight for it. I believe that our marriages and families are where radical love can be demonstrated most because that is where we are tested the most. Radical love is a love that will choose to die to self no matter what. It's a love that puts others first. It doesn't mean that we get to pick and choose when we will die to self. It's not, "I will die to myself as soon as my husband dies to himself!" It's not waiting for my needs to be met before I choose to meet the needs of another. It's not choosing to pray for another as soon as they start praying for me. It's not serving another under the condition that I'm shown appreciation. It's not (fill in the blank). We all have something/s, right? Where do you feel like God is asking you to be more radical in your love? In what relationship/s do you hear Him asking you to die to self?
We have a promise in scripture that we can take hold of as we attempt to meet the challenges set before us: Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." We must first look to Christ for our needs to be met and for our hearts to be filled with His love. Only then are we able to fulfill what Jesus calls us to; to give without conditions, expectation, demands, limits… to love radically.
Radical Love is a selfless adventure in trust. Radical love is delayed gratification. Radical love is giving with no expectation of getting. Radical love is knowing what really matters in this life. Radical love is everything. May we be radical.
Do you believe that God made you and your spouse for one another? Do you believe that He brought you together in His perfect time for your mutual blessing and for His purposes? If so, then you must agree that He has great plans for you, your spouse and for your future generations. Confirming that you believe this, you must approach your spouse and marriage with a sense of wonder, awe and reverence. Marriage is God's sacred gift to you both. God has bestowed upon you a high honor and entrusted you with it. Your sacred union and your spouse's heart are precious gifts from Him. The material honors of this world will fade but these honors have eternal implication. It's often hard to wrap our minds around the significance of it. There are so many layers to marriage, many are on a spiritual level with our body and mind being intertwined. Marriages are multi-dimensional, mutually sacrificial works of art that speak volumes to the world around us. God provides the canvas, we hold the brush.
Strokes of true, eternal beauty are made in sacrifice. In John 15:13-14 Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you." Jesus has commanded us to lay down our lives for one another. This is not a command for a one time sacrifice but a lifetime and lifestyle of sacrificing oneself for another. It's about putting another before yourself in every way, thinking of how they feel, considering what they need, valuing what brings them joy, avoiding what brings them pain... in spite of how you feel. This IS love. Every time you lay down your life (your selfish desires, pride, anger, rejection, etc.) for your spouse, God will rush in with blessings for you. He will bless you spiritually, physically and in every aspect of your life. A marriage comprised of two people who are committed to mutual sacrifice is a beautiful and blessed example of God's love and Jesus' sacrifice for us.
You are painting a living work of art with your choices in marriage. What type of art are you painting? Is it destined to hang in a hall of master works or colossal failures? Let me remind you, it's not about past mistakes! We mustn't be defined by them, but rather by forgiveness. You create anew with every brush stroke of love and forgiveness that graces your canvas. The marred ugliness of past mistakes and regret vanish until one day you see only one thing: A shining example of enduring love, a master work of art.
As Christ followers we are destined for miraculous, redemptive and glorious works of art. Above all, may God be glorified in us and in our marriages. May He empower us to love like Christ, for apart from Him we are incapable of even holding the brush.
John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Strokes of true, eternal beauty are made in sacrifice. In John 15:13-14 Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you." Jesus has commanded us to lay down our lives for one another. This is not a command for a one time sacrifice but a lifetime and lifestyle of sacrificing oneself for another. It's about putting another before yourself in every way, thinking of how they feel, considering what they need, valuing what brings them joy, avoiding what brings them pain... in spite of how you feel. This IS love. Every time you lay down your life (your selfish desires, pride, anger, rejection, etc.) for your spouse, God will rush in with blessings for you. He will bless you spiritually, physically and in every aspect of your life. A marriage comprised of two people who are committed to mutual sacrifice is a beautiful and blessed example of God's love and Jesus' sacrifice for us.
You are painting a living work of art with your choices in marriage. What type of art are you painting? Is it destined to hang in a hall of master works or colossal failures? Let me remind you, it's not about past mistakes! We mustn't be defined by them, but rather by forgiveness. You create anew with every brush stroke of love and forgiveness that graces your canvas. The marred ugliness of past mistakes and regret vanish until one day you see only one thing: A shining example of enduring love, a master work of art.
As Christ followers we are destined for miraculous, redemptive and glorious works of art. Above all, may God be glorified in us and in our marriages. May He empower us to love like Christ, for apart from Him we are incapable of even holding the brush.
John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
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