Striving for a Heart Like Butter

When you are 34 years old, still single and you experience a dry spell of dating, it’s not unusual to wonder two things: 1) Will I ever get married and is the single life meant for me? 2) What’s wrong with me? Rather than to ruminate on whether or not it is God’s will for me to be married, I will focus on what’s wrong with me.

Other than the fact that I’m seriously flawed- a sinner saved by grace, I can’t pinpoint why I am still single. Recently, I was having lunch at a friend's house with people from church that I didn't know. After being introduced to a married man and his wife, he asked me why I wasn’t married. What a question! I couldn’t answer him completely, but this I know: God has me in this place and while I could be in a holding pattern, I may have also reached my destination. So, the question is not “What is wrong with me?” but “How can I change?”

I know that some people are defensive or it may "grate" on their pride to have someone bring to their attention areas where spiritual growth is needed. However, one of the benefits of marriage is to have a godly spouse who will hold you spiritually accountable. While it may hurt to be told that you’re lacking somewhere spiritually, you at least know that you were told out of love. Marriage also brings a sense of security knowing that your spouse still loves and accepts you even when you’re in need of a heart change.

When you’re single, it can be difficult to see your own spiritual weaknesses and it’s not uncommon for family or close friends to hold you accountable. When I’ve had a family member or close friend gently show me where I need spiritual maturity, it’s hard not to feel embarrassed, defensive or outright indignant. Over the course of the years, I’ve had to work on having a teachable heart and to be receptive to my family and friends so that I don’t perceive that I’m being personally attacked or that I’m a victim. I need to remember that when someone confronts me, they are truly being a friend to me-they are telling me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. While it sometimes feels that the accountability may be out of spite or malice, I must remember that it is out of love and that God ordains these confrontations to occur.

On the other hand, there are times when that family member or friend says something that is not totally true. Instead of arching my back like a cat, I have found it easier to be humble and prayerfully go to the Lord about it; I know He will faithfully convict my heart and cause true change if I need it. The Lord has been faithful to get me to this place even though I know I still need improvement here.

Yesterday morning, I was doing my devotions and while I was praying “A.C.T.S.”*, I was stuck on the area of confession. I kept wondering if there was sin in my heart since retreating to bed and waking up. For a brief second, I thought, “I haven’t had much time to sin, how could it be possible in such short a time?” I sometimes forget that all of those “little” sins count too. Oh, you mean when I had that horrible thought about someone, that was sin? Oh, you mean when I thought that I was so great when I completed that task, that was my pride rearing its ugly head? Due to my spiritual blindness to my sin, I prayed and asked the Lord to examine my heart and to show me. Do you know what? We have a faithful and compassionate God! By the end of praying, He brought to my attention an area that indeed needed attention and confession. While I’d love to believe that I’m practically perfect in every way, I know that God is continually sanctifying me daily-there’s kind of a need for Him to do this.

When confronting our sins, it is important to be honest about them-I can’t have an attitude of “Oh well, if the Lord wants change, He’ll make it happen”. While this is partially true, we also have the responsibility to work out our salvation so that change can take place. I am learning (slowly) that if I am honest about my sin and truly want change, the Lord will make it possible for the sin to either disappear completely or that I will have such an aversion to it, temptation to avoid it becomes stronger.

My life as a Christian is not hunky dory, nor should I want it to be this way. I must strive for spiritual maturity and have a desire for the Lord to change my heart even if I may be initially hurt when I’m confronted. So, during this holding pattern of the single life or if singleness is my final destination here on earth, I need to continue to be faithful in softening my heart for His ways-not my ways.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another-Proverbs 27:17

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy-Proverbs 27:6

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you-James 4:10

One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor-Proverbs 29:23

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!-Psalm 139:23

Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind-Psalm 26:2

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure-Philippians 2:12-13

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it-Philippians 1:6

*A.C.T.S. is a tool you can use when praying and is modeled after "The Lord's Prayer". A is for adoration, C is for confession, T is for thankfulness and S is for supplication.

You've Got a Friend in Me

Growing up, my sister and I were best friends. We were close and at night in our bedroom, we'd talk or giggle at the most inane things. Just like any sibling, we'd fight but it was always quickly resolved. We always had each other's backs, she accepted me and we have remained good friends even to this day. However, when my sister got married, our relationship changed. She was in a different role and her goal (other than pleasing the Lord) was to be an excellent wife. This impacted our relationship and spontaneity was a thing of the past. This new change took a while to get used to, but I knew that I needed some other friends if I just wanted to hang out.

When I was in my early 20s, I had a hard time making friends. I knew a lot of people, but our relationship was more friendly than friends. I observed other women quickly become close and to me, it was such a foreign concept. I always thought it was kind of silly to get that close to someone so quickly- it was like they were junior high girls who'd giggle at the most inane things(sound familiar?). I'm not sure if this was a true observation or one that came from envy.

I had a couple of friends but I started to learn that my expectations for a friend might've been unattainable. My ideal friend would be faithful, committed, loyal, supportive and accepted me despite my many flaws. It seemed that many friends wanted a relationship when it was convenient for them. I had a friend who didn't like to plan anything in advance because she wanted to see if something better came along. Sometimes, she flaked out on some of our plans too and I'd start to wonder if there was something wrong with me. I started to see this type of friendship as the norm and frankly, I wasn't fond of it.

When I think of really good friends, I am reminded of my grandmother and her best friend. It is truly my loss that I never got to know my grandma (she died when I was a baby) and her beauty as a person. However, her best friend stuck closer than a sister to my mom for at least thirty years after my grandmother's death-until she herself went Home. She loved my grandmother and was there for her whenever she could. How rare it is to find friends that accept, love and are faithful to each other as these two were!

Oh, how I longed for this in my own life. As a single person, it is easy to become lonely when you don't have a close friend. I had to try and rely on the Lord for acceptance and faithfulness and love. Many days I would come home from work, eat dinner, do more work, go to bed and do the same thing the next day. Don't get me wrong, I was involved in church and other activities but I didn't have a really good friend outside of my family.

When you're single, it takes almost no effort to focus on your loneliness and have a pity party. I'm not discounting the times of discouragement and the natural feelings of sadness we experience but sometimes the focus becomes too myopic. For me, I had given up hope in finding a good friend. I decided that I would be a good friend no matter what but that I wouldn't have many expectations in return. I didn't want to turn off anyone from my high standards and I knew that it wouldn't be a hardship to be faithful, loyal, supportive and accepting without anything in return.

When I started to take that focus off myself, I came up with ideas in how to reach out to people like me. Since I'm fairly good at cooking, I started inviting new people over for dinner before our singles group met. I also invited people I knew so that the "newbie" would feel comfortable in a setting that promoted fellowship rather than just worship. Having dinner at my house became a habit every Thursday night and it was a joy to serve and get to know these fellow Christians. I finally felt like I fit in and even though I didn't have a close friendship with anyone, I was able to serve and take the focus off myself. I experienced true joy because I was serving the Lord without my own flesh getting in the way.

At the end of 2004, I invited a new woman to my house for dinner and as I got to know her, I realized that we had so much in common. We grew up less than three miles away from each other, we had mutual friends growing up, she lived in the same type of house that I did, she was really easy-going, etc. That foreign concept of becoming friends quickly just happened to me. I had no idea what it was like to have a friend who'd do anything for you-even if it was inconvenient. I had no idea what it was like to have someone accept you despite your many flaws-unless of course you were family!

It was evident to me that my friend, Megan was a keeper when she picked up my car from the airport with her sister. Megan hadn't known me for more than two months and she helped me save money by volunteering to get my car while I was away in Colorado. I couldn't believe it, I finally had a friend that would do the same thing I would do without expecting anything in return!

Meeting a friend like Megan was something unexpected and it was a total gift from the Lord. I believe that when we seek the Lord's will, we are blessed by Him. His blessings are not always what we ask or what we originally wished for, but He is always faithful to us.

Please don't misunderstand, the Lord is sovereign and our relationship with Him cannot be "tit for tat"-we must surrender everything to Him. While it is easy to rely on husbands, family and best friends, ultimately it must be on Jesus. He is our Rock and must be our "only". I am reminded of the worship song, "Only Jesus"*. The lyrics commend us to make Him our great delight. We must long for Him! When I was lonely, I was brought to my knees. He was my everything-He accepted me bar none, He loved me, He fulfilled my every need-no one could do this, not a husband, family or best friend. Jesus is the Pearl of greatest price!

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother-Proverbs 18:24

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity-Proverbs 17:17

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me-Matthew 10:37

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ-Philippians 3:20

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth-Colossians 3:2


*Only Jesus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPkO5pLG8d0

One of the Rewards of Heaven: Sweet Fellowship

This morning, I woke up in a grumpy mood. For one thing, I was really tired because I went to bed with a bad headache and had to take some ibuprofin in the middle of the night. Thankfully, the headache was gone when I woke up but I still felt kind of groggy. Also, I knew something was bugging me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it and decided to spend some time praying and reading the Word.

I realized that I have been fighting discouragment this week in regards to my job. In June, the school district attempted to apply for an authorization for me to teach American Sign Language but they were told that I required another piece of paperwork. HR or the California Teaching Commission was not able to give me any idea as to how to obtain this paperwork. However, the good news is that I don't need this paperwork to be re-hired this next school year. While I am glad that I at least am eligible to be re-hired, I don't like having these kinks hanging over my head.

Sometimes I want to hide under my bedcovers and grieve over this hand that God has dealt me. In my head or at God sometimes, I ask, "Why is it so hard? Why must I always deal with bumps in the road to teach? Why me?" Of course I know the answer and so, rather than dwell on my questions, I've learned to say, "Because this is part of God's plan-He has caused all of this to happen for a reason..." In the same breath, I also say, "...and I'm not thrilled with it but I'm going to try and trust Him."

A few years ago, my response to my trials was utter despair. Now, I'm trying to embrace it even though it's not exactly fun. When I use the word, "embrace" I'm not running up to the trial and welcoming it like the Prodigal Son's father. However, I'm not digging my heels in and fighting the trial as if I'm playing "Tug of War" with the Lord. I'm trying to accept what He has in store for me, pray for a trusting and thankful attitude and then leave it at His feet. When I was praying this morning and reading the Bible, I felt a sense of peace afterwards and I had clarity on what was going on in my heart.

The other issue that was bugging me was that I was going to attend a barbecue with the singles group tonight. Normally, when I hang out with my friends, I enjoy the sweet fellowship and their authentic relationship. However, when I attend the single events, there is almost never sweet fellowship because interacting with some of the people is awkward. I'm not trying to come across as this perfect, I've-got-it-all-together single, but I know how to carry a mature conversation. It's hard to have fellowship and depth with someone who is not regularly in the Word and may be socially off.

I know that I am coming across as a snot, but if you ask any single about attending these events, many entertain the same thoughts in their own hearts. I am definitely not justifying my thoughts or feelings, but I am trying to get a grip as to why I dislike attending single groups in general. In the case of most events in my life, I may dread it but when I get there, I leave with a different attitude and am glad that I went. Unfortunately, this is almost never the case when I attend single group events.

So, how does one overcome these feelings? How do you find the balance in the way you spend your time? What about being a blessing to others? Over the years as a single adult, I've gone back and forth in whether I should attend these events out of obligation and sometimes have attended them because I've felt guilty not doing so.

I know that I am already committed to a lot during the course of the year and am involved in my own community group and other ministries. I cannot let guilt or obligation dictate whether I will attend singles events, but I do want to be open to whatever God wants me to do. If He wants me to chat with someone who is not on the same level as me socially, I want to fully obey Him and will try to keep my heart in check with His will.

A few months ago, our pastor reminded the congregation that we are to love God's people, the lovable and UNlovable. To me, that means that I need to reach out to the weird, awkward, single adults and if the conversation stops, I'll talk to another awkward person and continue to make my rounds. I am reminded of Jesus' example when he spent time with the tax collectors and "common" people. To the Pharisees, these people were beneath them to just hangout with and they considered them the rejects. Jesus wasn't concerned with being blessed or having a good conversation-the Father fulfilled all of Jesus' needs.

Tonight and future events, I am going to try to have a different mindset and not worry about finding fulfillment or sweet fellowship. I will try to fix my eyes on Jesus and how He would've handled these situations-He will take care of all my needs and if sweet fellowship doesn't happen now, it will in heaven.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”-Joshua 1:9

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men-Philippians 2:5-7

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eatb with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:13-2:17

My brothers,a show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors-James 2:1-9

'Course it's Ten Minutes to Wapner

Last week I was taking an afternoon nap (can you tell that it's summer for me?) and right before I fell asleep, I had a strange memory from when I was six years old. It was strange because it was something that I observed as a kid and it has stayed with me up 'til now. I remember when my family was checking out a house to rent and when the owner showed us the bedrooms, there was a man taking a nap on a bed. When this memory popped up last week, I wondered if it was true. Later in the week, I asked my mom and she said that she too remembered the man napping on the bed.

When someone gets to know me, they will learn three things: 1) I'm really observant 2) I have a penchant for remembering dates of past, present and future events and 3) I have an excellent memory. While these are great traits to have, they can also prove to be detrimental for me.

Having a good memory means that I almost never forget birthdays, appointments (I don't even own a calendar), bills that need to be paid, food in the oven (no timer for me) and deadlines at work. These are all great aspects of my elephant-like memory. However, the downside is when I have trouble forgetting when I've been wronged. There was a time when holding grudges was easily a second pastime for me. Over the years though, the Lord has helped me work out those feelings in my heart and forgiving isn't as much of a struggle as it used to be. What does one do when this happens within the body of Christ? To me, it seems easier to forgive someone who is not a Christian because they are living in the flesh-what else can be expected when someone's "number one" is themself?

When we are wronged by someone outside the body of Christ, we tend to forgive and learn-meaning, we don't usually set ourselves up to be vulnerable or repeat the same situation. We may distance ourselves from that person or if we must have contact, we guard our hearts when dealing with them. On the other hand, with a Christian, many times we will seek ways to reconcile and may give them additional opportunities to prove themselves as our friend. I struggle with giving someone additional opportunities because I don't want to be hurt repeatedly and then of course I am reminded of Peter's conversation with Jesus about forgiveness-really, I'm supposed to forgive someone at least 490 times?!

I cannot count the times where I've wanted justice and would love for others to know how I was offended by that individual. Before I am able to fantasize any more about getting my revenge, the Lord has this way of holding the Mirror of Conviction that reflects, "You too, do the same thing to Me". Touché Lord, touché.

There needs to be a balance of forgiveness and natural consequences. Yes, we are called to forgive but we are not necessarily called to have the same kind of friendship as before. Would it be pleasing to the Lord to carry on as if nothing detrimental ever occurred in the relationship or would it be more pleasing to Him if we showed wisdom in continuing the relationship more conservatively? This is one of those gray areas that should be handled on an individual basis and yet we should always be ready to do what the Lord asks of us.

Sometimes I don't "feel" like loving this person but when I obey the Lord, He tends to give me a supernatural love for them. Feelings can be good indicators of when something is right or wrong but they are not always true. I cannot base my life on feelings because I would only be pleasing myself and never bring glory to the Lord.

I am so grateful that the Lord will not only perfect and restore those Christian relationships when we go to heaven, but He will someday reign with perfect justice here on earth. Those are two reasons I'm ready for Him to come back now!

So, with my keen memory, observation skills and "Rainman"* penchant for dates, I'm going to use them for the good because I know that that would be most pleasing to the Lord. I will make it a point to complement that person if I see a change in their appearance (like, "Oh, I like your hair"), I will make it a point to say, "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Anniversary" and lastly, I will remember that they (like me) are far from perfect and that they need the Lord's grace daily and I will pray for them. Lastly, with that keen memory, I will remember all of the times that the Lord has forgiven me (when I never deserve it) without any strings attached. He's gone so far as to bury my sins into the depths of the sea and as far as the east is from the west. And with that, I better remember to have a heart of thanksgiving!

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven-Matthew 18:21-22

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit-Psalm 103:2-4a

He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth,so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west,so far does he remove our transgressions from us-Psalm 103:10-12

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things-I Corinthians 13:4-7

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you-Proverbs 25:20-21

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us-Romans 5:8

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness-I John 2:9


*Rainman is a movie about a high functioning autistic man who has a penchant for routine, counting and dates.

The Case of the Snappy Turtle

I like the summer but I'm not a huge fan of the heat. I don't understand why some people love the heat but maybe they grew up with a cool house. Growing up, we didn't have air conditioning and I remember trying anything to stay cool. Sleeping (or not sleeping) during the heat is the worst and flipping my pillow to the "cooler" side was my attempt to not succumb to the inferno that I considered my bedroom. I remember literally tossing and turning angrily as I tried to sleep and sighing loudly. Now that I have A/C in my own house, I don't hesitate to use it if the temperature has reached the low 70s. A "side" effect of the heat is that my true personality comes out. If my house gets too hot, I get really cranky and my roommate has been known to give me a nickname: Snappy Turtle.

Last night, it was a bit hot and I wasted my time attempting to make an origami magic ball. Origami? Yes. I've always liked doing crafty stuff since I was a kid and thanks to a fascinating documentary (recommended by my mom) on origami, my interest was piqued. However, it's not like I'm talented at mountain, valley or water bomb folds and to create something intricate, requires tons of patience and perseverance. Oh, and practice would be another small requirement needed for successful folding.

I have tons of patience and perseverance when it comes to challenges and quitting is not usually an option-at least in my mind it isn't. Unfortunately, this patience doesn't always crossover when it comes to family or in my case, my roommate Megan. You can probably surmise where this is going: Heat+frustrating origami issues=Snappy Turtle.

This year, God has been convicting me when I indulge in being impatient. Typically, my impatience likes to rear its ugly head when I'm tired, I've had a bad day, if I have a headache or when I'm around someone who makes ANY noise while eating. Why is it easy to be short or impatient with those whom you love? How astounding is it that I have the patience of Job with the personalities of over 100 teenagers each day and yet, I let more than my hair down when I arrive home?

If I succumb to my real emotions at work, I'd probably be out of a job. When I get home, I have the security that I will be loved whether I'm patient or not. In the past, I have failed to recognize my impatience and worse, I haven't given it the gravity it deserves as a sin.

Regardless of what triggers my inclination to be impatient, I must be patient all of the time. As Christians, we are called to a higher standard than those around us who are "allowed" to let it fly. How am I being different if I'm being short or easily perturbed over someone crunching their cereal?

I'm a biblical counselor at my church and putting an end to our sin is much simpler than screaming into a pillow or counting to 10 or going for a long run. If I were to counsel myself to control my impatience, I would first recognize that God doesn't tempt us and that He provides a way of escape. My reactions to any annoyance is not out of my control. Secondly, I have to recognize that the Lord has given us tools to fight these spiritual battles and that we can do all things through Him. We are without excuse in how we respond to any sin.

I am thankful that the Lord didn't make this too complex for us-it's a choice we have to make in quenching our sin. This reminds me of Bob Newhart in a skit on "Mad TV"*. A patient comes into his office for therapy and after explaining all of her problems, Newhart starts to explain that there's a cure for her problems. The ecstatic patient eagerly awaits his solution and then Newhart yells, "Just stop it!". I know that as a counselor, we obviously go much deeper to the heart of the problem but ultimately, we must do as Newhart advises,"Just stop it". When the world wants us to dissect ourselves and come up with explanations for how we act, the Bible has taught us this: 1)We have a sick heart that is desperately wicked and 2)With God, all things are possible.

So even though I can avoid all of the "triggers" to my impatience, I must practice patience when I just don't feel like it. I cannot imagine hanging on the cross and then having the forbearance to make sure my mom will be taken care of by John, forgive the thief who was mocking me earlier and then die for those that don't deserve it. That's kind of a hard act to follow-my reasons for impatience are not worthy compared to the sufferings of Christ's on the cross.

What a wretch am I- but God, right? He was rich in love and lavished His mercy and grace on me so that I may have life. Is there even a need to indulge in impatience? Nope.

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing-Romans 7:15-19

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the bodya and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—Ephesians 2:1-5

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it-I Corinthians 10:13

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God-Ephesians 6:10-17

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength-Philippians 4:13

You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God-I Peter 3:4

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude-I Peter 3:8



*Bob Newhart on Mad TV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0lr63y4Mw