Come Into The Deep End... with ImHisServant (2)

[ImHisServant]

I'm SOOOOOO sorry that I didn't get the opportunity to get online this weekend and share in this.... I had some things I was wanting to pray for as well.

I wanted to let everyone know that as I sat here and read the prayer requests this morning... I prayed for each and every one of them.

I have had a very hectic weekend and will share more on that later after I get the kids off to school.

 

[ImHisServant]

Monday 1/22/07
Who's Number Two?​

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or
vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each of you
should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4​

A Christian youth camp used to give an award every summer to the camper who best lived out the theme Jesus first, others next, self last. They encouraged yourng people to always put Jesus first in their lives. Knowing Him and obeying Him was to be their number one priority.​

The number two priority they encouraged is sometimes a little harder: considering the desires and needs of other people over your own. This verse is a flashback to Jesus' words that real love means laying down your life for a friend. Serving others should truly be important to you.​

If you look honestly at yourself... who is your number 2?? How do you serve others in your house?? Outside your house??​

 

[cristianna]

I too prayed for everyone while reading through the pages of postings.

Burdens:

• My sanity. I'm finally wrapping up on deadlines for work, but my patience level with my children are rapidly diminishing due to their lack of care, concern and respect when I ask to not be interrupted for bursts of time. Each year is very hard for me when tax season starts to come about because I go from very little hours to what feels like full-time with no transition, and this year has by far been the worst.
• My marriage. Our marriage is great but we are unequally yoked. I feel like I'm fighting a battle day in and day out and each time we take a step forward.... we fall three or four behind.
• Tied in with our marriage is the fact that religion wasn't really introduced to our oldest daughter until she was older. I don't feel as if she has faith or belief.
• My car. It's in the shop right now. Long story short... we've had problems with it basically from the beginning, but due to the warranties we've always been covered even though it's always been a fight and hassle. We paid it off several months ago, and now it's really falling apart. My warranty expires in less than 20K miles. And from what I've read regarding the class action lawsuit, mixed with our problems are absolutely identical, I'm concerned about the dealer properly diagnosing and fixing the problem because they always tell dh it's my fault, my driving, AND I'm the typical soccer mom who went from a Honda to an SUV.
• Our dog who is neurotic and cannot be trusted. He really is a great and awesome dog-- well trained on voice commands and hand signals and 99% of the time fully obedient. But any time we have company it's not safe to leave him out. Any time we go out for walks or to exercise him we have to be on guard at all times predicting movements of others and their dogs. The bond we have with him is incredible, but it's been labeled a dangerous bond. He feels it's his duty to protect each of us from everyone and every thing. We are slowly learning tips and tricks such as no one can look at him or touch any of us until we touch them. For someone reason he lets down his guard if we've touched someone, but that's just not a realistic way to cope and handle it.
• And finally strength, patience and perseverance for myself in all areas and daily battles from my back to my weight to the stresses of work right now to my relationship with God.

For today's excellent post by Gina....

I can honestly say the majority of the time I am on the bottom of the totem pole. I do believe He comes first in my life, but I'm sure I could be better at that. Sometimes I listen to His whispers and other times I feel like He has to scream it at me before I fully listen and obey.

Then it would be followed by dh, dds and the dog. Most of the time it's fine, but at other times I really crave the desire to be selfish. Such as when I'm the only one who cleans the house, I'm the only one who does laundry and mine is always the last to be done, I'm the only one who walks, feeds and grooms the dog, I'm the only one who knows how to operate the stove (this is so funny... dh thought he'd treat me to cooking one night last week until he had to call me down to tell him how to turn on the oven and burners-- we've had this stove for 3.5 years, help him manage time and all that fun stuff no one really thinks about if they don't cook routinely, etc.).

My desire to be selfish would be a month away... okay maybe just a week... for them to see how much I do and how very little they do to help me. DH nor the girls ever ask "what can I help you with", yet that's a phrase I should have recorded and able to push a button my watch instead of always having to actually ask it. Really, I should speak up when I need the help, but then I do feel as if I'm being selfish or intruding on their activities and time.

It does begin to wear on me when I'm the sole listener, advisor and mediator for everyone's problems and venting needs, referee of bickering children, coordinator of activities, chauffer, housekeeping and personal chef, etc. I've always loved the commercial of the invisible mom where the laundry and feeding and things were being done by no one.

Right now it's wearing on me hard because I'm more stressed than I am any time of the year and you'd think someone... anyone... would say "let's be nice and vacuum mom's cars so she doesn't have to at 7:30 a.m." or "mom has a lot on her plate today, let's ask what she needs help with". I always have to find comfort and strength elsewhere. Who do I turn to? I have no choice but to turn to God and ask for my needs. Thankfully He's awesome and provides!

 

[woman.at.the.well]

Monday 1/22/07

Who's Number Two?​

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or
vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each of you
should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4​

A Christian youth camp used to give an award every summer to the camper who best lived out the theme Jesus first, others next, self last. They encouraged yourng people to always put Jesus first in their lives. Knowing Him and obeying Him was to be their number one priority.​

The number two priority they encouraged is sometimes a little harder: considering the desires and needs of other people over your own. This verse is a flashback to Jesus' words that real love means laying down your life for a friend. Serving others should truly be important to you.​

If you look honestly at yourself... who is your number 2?? How do you serve others in your house?? Outside your house??​

And I can honestly say it isn't others who are number two. Which really has me thinking. I know we are to serve others but that is truthfully one of the things that hasn't exactly been a major priority for me.

I usually try to serve God and do what I think and feel is best to do for Him, as He leads me. But I don't think about how I can serve others in any tangible kind of way, sadly.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. It is definitely something I will be praying about and asking God to help me with.

God bless you all. I hope you have a blessed day.

 

[cristianna]

• My car. It's in the shop right now. Long story short... we've had problems with it basically from the beginning, but due to the warranties we've always been covered even though it's always been a fight and hassle. We paid it off several months ago, and now it's really falling apart. My warranty expires in less than 20K miles. And from what I've read regarding the class action lawsuit, mixed with our problems are absolutely identical, I'm concerned about the dealer properly diagnosing and fixing the problem because they always tell dh it's my fault, my driving, AND I'm the typical soccer mom who went from a Honda to an SUV.

UPDATE:
Just got off the phone with DH and God is GREAT! It was a sensor still under warranty, but we have to pay the deductible. Never knew there were deductibles with warranties though.

And of course they tried blaming me once again stating it was secondary to the under-thing-a-ma-bobber that is all dented up from what "looked like 4-wheeling" and could not be covered. Then dh politely told them it had to have been from my accident three or four years ago and he wasn't sure why it was missed except that maybe they didn't put it on a lift looking for damage in that area. They are willing to cover it, but now I have to schedule again for the body shop.

 

[tiradas]

I certainly always try to put God in the #1 position, but I know at times I don't A prime example of this is when I chose to allow my son to wrestle on the traveling team this year. The meets are always on Sundays. In the past I didn't allow him...the meets were every Sunday December - February. Then this year they changed it. They made it dual meets do they were every other Sunday. I still shouldn't have let him join. It's over now. Yesterday was his last meet. Now we only have tournaments he can go to on Saturdays.

As far as second...rarely do I ever put myself second...or third...or fourth...and on. I do encourage others...uplift them...put their needs over my own.

 

[pilgrimage]

 

[jenrenee]

Monday 1/22/07

Who's Number Two?​

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or
vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each of you
should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4​

A Christian youth camp used to give an award every summer to the camper who best lived out the theme Jesus first, others next, self last. They encouraged yourng people to always put Jesus first in their lives. Knowing Him and obeying Him was to be their number one priority.​

The number two priority they encouraged is sometimes a little harder: considering the desires and needs of other people over your own. This verse is a flashback to Jesus' words that real love means laying down your life for a friend. Serving others should truly be important to you.​

If you look honestly at yourself... who is your number 2?? How do you serve others in your house?? Outside your house??​

I'm going to be completely honest when I say that I TRY to put the Lord first - and I believe that I do most of the time - but I know I do not always put Him first. Church, for example: to put God first, would be to go to church every Sunday. My hubby is not a regular church goer... I usually have to beg him to go with me when he does. A lot of the time, I just get tired of being in church alone and so I just don't go. I know that technically, I'm not alone - I have our church family, but I guess I feel jealous sometimes that some families go AS a family - and we don't. That is a bad excuse, though, for me not to go - and that is one area I need to work on. I have tried to improve in that area - but I do good for awhile, and then all of a sudden, I find that I'm not going as much. I would hope that I put others second - and I think I try to, but I know that there are definitely times when I don't. I think my hubby is one who sometimes gets put after me. I generally try to put my family before me - and I know that I have done so many times, but I think this is an area that we can all work on. We should all strive to be more like Jesus, who put his people before himself, by sacrificing himself on the cross.

 

[powerofprayer]

Today is a great topic. I definitely try to always put God first but I feel I need to work a little harder in this area. I do go to church every Sunday - even without my hubby - and I do daily devotionals with my girls every night but it is SO easy for me to not read the bible or do my bible study everyday even when I have the time. I'll tend to put housework or phone calls ahead of it. As far as #2, that would be my family. #3 would be my friends. I'm not sure where on the list I fall. I do tend to serve others very often...even when I don't feel like it. Right now I am caring for a sick 3 year old (she's been here for 2 days) because her mom is staying at the hospital with her little sister who has pneumonia. Having all teenagers, this is VERY trying for me. Feel free to pray for me!!!!

 

[ImHisServant]

It's getting harder and harder to get online and participate in these discussions... My schedule is getting so different and so crowded that my time here is suffering bad... all I have is about an hour in the morning.

 

[cristianna]

Is there anything we can do to help?

If you have a collection of dailys I could certainly help you out by posting them if you email or pm them to me either routinely or as a back up for when your time is limited.

 

[ImHisServant]

Tuesday 1/23/07
Choose Your Path


Blessed is the man who does not walk in
the counsel of the wicked or stand in the
way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2
​

You have the freedom to choose the direction of your life. You can choose to follow those who try to influence you to live your life outside the realm of obedience to God, those who care nothing about Him or His values.

Or you can choose to obey God's law and spend your time with others who also love Him.

It's a better choice to surround yourself with friends who want to know God in a deeper way. Together you can encourage one another, study His Word, and hold one another accountable in your walk with Him.

Who do you surround yourself with?? Do you have a friend you can pray with, do bible studies with or even worship together with some good Christian music?? Do they hold you accountable??

What are the values of your friends?? What do you do together??​

 

[cristianna]

I surround myself with ALL types of people. The consequences are good and bad. Good because I can show them God through my life and experiences, answer any questions they have or advise them who/where to get answers from, etc. But at times it's bad because once religion gets brought up, it can change the relationship.

A prime example that goes both ways is my neighbor across the street. She desperately wants to involve herself and children in church, but the husband adamantly refuses to allow it. It's good because her and I can talk religion and she sees me leaving for church with or without dh. It's bad because her husband arrogantly professes his views quite proudly to me. I'm more than well aware he's doing it to get a reaction, but he's never been successful in his attempts, nor have I ever judged him, told him he was wrong, etc.

Many people are shocked about my decision to associate with many types, but I believe I'm just fine. I'm befriending them, yet I'm not allowing them to influence me. God intervenes and shows me when to back off and when to push forward. But I firmly try to show people we Christians are normal people who also make mistakes and more.

I definitely have my friends I go to for Christian advice. There is a small group in which I really respect their views. Then I have friends in which we just talk about the bible or pray for one another. So as you can see I have friends with values all over the board which causes me to do different activities with all of them from just shopping together to going to the park with the kids and littler things to my Christian friends where we swap neat churches to check out and attend services at.

 

[jenrenee]

Who do you surround yourself with?? Do you have a friend you can pray with, do bible studies with or even worship together with some good Christian music?? Do they hold you accountable??​

What are the values of your friends?? What do you do together??​

I also surround myself with a variety of people. I don't believe that we should only spend time with other christians, as it is also our duty to bring others to Christ. My best friend has told me that she does not believe in anything when it comes to religion. Although there have been times in her life when she has gone to church or mentioned believing in something... she had a child two years ago and chose not to have him baptized - she said he could decide later in life if that's what he wanted. While I don't agree with the way they live their lives - I don't feel like I should abandon them either. I don't try to push my beliefs on her - as she is the type of person that would be pushed away if I did that. Instead, I throw things into our conversations about our last church service, or an activity my church did. I let her know that I am a christian - and she knows that the invitation is out there, if she ever wants to talk to me about it. She lives about 11 hours away, so we don't get to spend much time together anymore - but she has been a great friend to me for 16 years - ever since 2nd grade! We mostly talk on the phone - our conversations rarely last less than an hour and a half.

I also consider my sister my best friend - and she is a very strong christian. We share stories and beliefs all the time - and it does help me to grow spiritually to have someone like her that I can talk to and worship with, along with my parents. Unfortunately, as I've mentioned before, my husband does not go to church, has not been baptized - he is a christian, but it seems as if he always has more important things to do than dedicate his time to God. I want so much to be able to have daily devotions together, but he refuses. I don't know how to get him more involved, but I've lately been trying to say prayers out loud before we go to bed - so that he at least listens to me, which thankfully he does. I hope that someday, he will take part. As of now, we sometimes have spiritual discussions - so at least we have started somewhere.

 

[Maharg]

Well, at the oment I don't really have any close friends who are Christians. there are some people at church I get onquite well with and we meet up every so often and I also go to a small group each week. I find it hard at the moment to work on my friendships because my worklife is busy at the moment, but my mum is a Christians and I do have opportunity to share with her and pray with her which is lvely.

My closest friends at the moment are not Christians, but I can sense that one of them is getting closer to wanting to know God!

 

[LivingLifeHisWay]

Tuesday 1/23/07

Choose Your Path​

Blessed is the man who does not walk in
the counsel of the wicked or stand in the
way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2​

You have the freedom to choose the direction of your life. You can choose to follow those who try to influence you to live your life outside the realm of obedience to God, those who care nothing about Him or His values.​

Or you can choose to obey God's law and spend your time with others who also love Him.​

It's a better choice to surround yourself with friends who want to know God in a deeper way. Together you can encourage one another, study His Word, and hold one another accountable in your walk with Him.​

Who do you surround yourself with?? Do you have a friend you can pray with, do bible studies with or even worship together with some good Christian music?? Do they hold you accountable??​

What are the values of your friends?? What do you do together??​

Hi Ladies!!!! Sorry I missed you all yesterday.

The friends that I spend most of my time with are Christians. We do a bible study together, are involved in children's ministry together and we have a prayer chain going. However, at least a few of them are struggling in their walk. They are finding it hard to read the bible daily etc... and I am praying for them. I do have non-Christian friends and family and it is hard to be around them sometimes b/c of their behaviour. But I just keep my eyes on Jesus and let His light shine.

~Christina

 

[woman.at.the.well]

Tuesday 1/23/07​

Choose Your Path​

Blessed is the man who does not walk in
the counsel of the wicked or stand in the
way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2​

You have the freedom to choose the direction of your life. You can choose to follow those who try to influence you to live your life outside the realm of obedience to God, those who care nothing about Him or His values.​

Or you can choose to obey God's law and spend your time with others who also love Him.​

It's a better choice to surround yourself with friends who want to know God in a deeper way. Together you can encourage one another, study His Word, and hold one another accountable in your walk with Him.​

Who do you surround yourself with?? Do you have a friend you can pray with, do bible studies with or even worship together with some good Christian music?? Do they hold you accountable??​

What are the values of your friends?? What do you do together??​

appropriate for where I am at right now. I have been majorly struggling with this same thing. I know I need to be an influence on non believers but prefer the company of believers who are mature Christians.

I seem to be going through a very strange time regarding being surrounded by others. I have recently even pulled back from my family because they are all in some way, making choices that are not congruent with where I am headed (on God's path). I haven't shut them off completely; but I certainly don't hang around them like I used to. I've seen some of their values really change and not in a good way. My one time VERY conservative strict parents have gone to the other extreme. All of sudden things that were not acceptable just a few years ago; ARE acceptable. Things that are very anti-Christ in my book.

Then, the Christian family I was fellowshipping with (at church and socially) seems to have been showing a side that is less than what I thought it was. I know they love the Lord, as I do; but somehow their actions aren't quite lining up with what I would consider Godly values always.

I know none of us is perfect; I for one "fall" into that category too sometimes. I guess I just get frustrated when people act one way at church and one way at home.

For that reason, I've been spending quite a bit of time alone. Although that is not good (for any length of time) and I don't plan on it staying that way. I am in search of a little different support group. One that can help me learn and grow and DEFINITELY hold me accountable. I've been looking for that for almost 2 years now at my old church and didn't find it. So I'm looking elsewhere for what I'm lacking there.

Just to give you an example of where the folks are at (spiritually) at my old church here is one of the things I noticed:

When we were all driving to our last Ladies Retreat (almost 2 years ago) I told the 3 other ladies I was riding with that I really felt like the Lord telling me our ladies bible study group needed to lean more towards being a group that keeps one another accountable; one that helps each other put into practice what we were learning in a more tangible way.
It seemed to fall on deaf ears. They looked at me like I had 3 heads. Like, "what do you mean, keep each other accountable?"

Then, at the following bible study, once we got back into town - interestingly enough, the leader of our ladies group, at the end of bible study that night said the most interesting thing. She said, "ladies I feel like the Lord is telling me our group needs to be one that holds each other accountable and becomes are more close knit type of group."

I just about fell out of my chair. I knew God was doing something - or TRYING to do something in this case. I looked around the room and saw much the same look that I got scratch: ) and began to speak and tell her MY promptings from the Lord as well. It again fell on deaf ears though sadly.

Needless to say, nothing ever happened. Needless to say the church is unraveling.

So I can definitely see the need for accountability. Otherwise we're just off on our own little trails. And we see where that gets us.

 

[Maharg]

Praying for you woman.at.the.well I had a wonderful experience when I first joined my church. I wasn't working on Tuesdays and could go to a ladies' life group. It was such a blessing. Praying that you would find somewhere just as good for you as that was for me (if not better). It is important to be somewhere where we can become the women and men God intended us to be and grow spiritually.

Hugs

maharg

 

[cristianna]

jenrenee... The picture you have through your camera icon has to be the coolest picture I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!

 

[jenrenee]

jenrenee... The picture you have through your camera icon has to be the coolest picture I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Christianna!! I can't even remember where I got it from - I think it was in an e-mail someone sent me - I thought it was pretty awesome too!