Longing For Love

While recently spending the day at an amusement park, one thing I couldn't help but notice was how many girls I saw---many who were quite young---hidden in guy's arms. A few faces revealed a look of emptiness and others just plain indifference, but I'm sure each were seeking after the same thing: emotional security and ultimately...love. My heart went out to them.

When I see these young girls I can't help but wonder about their individual world's and their home lives. Do they come from broken families? Are they devoid of love where they live? Are their parents there for them? While this can be related to the choices they make and who they become, despite one's background the truth is that if a girl doesn't have the Lord, guys are one of the only things she can turn to.

I know how they feel. All they want is someone to love and cherish them. As I looked into dark, makeup covered eyes with masculine arms around her waist and showers of kisses upon her neck, I saw the pain and the desire for security. My heart grieved for her because she hasn't found it yet. If you don't know the Lord, where else do you go?

As she places herself in his embraces and lets his hands touch her, she thinks it's love, but the man's actions portray an entirely different message. He loves every minute of easy pleasure from someone who will freely give it. She's vulnerable and he knows it. For her this is the price she must pay for someone to desire and care for her, but how long will it last?

What has happened to respect? Why have girls let go of precious treasures? Where are all the gentlemen?

None of these issues can be solved until God is the center. Christ is the only answer to the emptiness of the soul. No guy could ever fulfill a lady's longings. No lady can find true emotional security and love until she has given her heart to the One who loves her most.

A man and woman who love the Lord can display true love because they have been given it, and until the gospel has been shared, emptiness will have no remedy. It's just another reason the Good News must be spread.

Excerpt From My Journal

As I pack away my Bright Lights material tonight, my heart overflows with joy and gratitude of all that God has done. I can't help but smile. I did it...with Him. With God's help I started a group that I have always prayed about and now it is finished. I finally got to discipline young ladies and teach them the truths of God's Word! Oh Praise You Lord! I was so uncertain at first but God has blessed. Indeed God doesn't call us to do anything that He won't help us with. And oh, I could have never done this without His help. There's certain things that are totally out of my power, like the working and changing in the girl's lives. That's the Holy Spirit's job. And there's other things that I rely on Him for, such as the boldness and words to speak for each lesson. It's so easy, though, to occasionally assume I can do the little things---or at least something---without His help. Yet the Bible says, "without me, ye can do nothing."

There's been many times I have sat in front of my laptop ready to write but my mind remained terribly blank--the one thing I thought I was capable of accomplishing myself. I've had to call on the Lord many times for inspiration and He's showered me with ideas and thoughts that I would have never thought of. He's the one who has wrote the lessons, not I.


From what I've learned from leading Bright Lights, the thing that stands out the most would be learning to have a greater dependency on God. This has strengthened my faith and relationship with Him as I've had to seek Him many times to help me. How foolish I am to think I can handle things on my own. When I rely on myself all is fruitless. Leading this group has helped me to see how much I need Him for the big and small things.


Prayer. Oh, how important it is. This has become more real to me over the past few months. You see, prayer has not only been the preparation for the ministry; it is the ministry. A work done for God is only as powerful as it has been soaked with prayer. Every week of Bible study God has answered prayer, and in the process He has grown my faith in the true effectiveness of it.

God is so gracious for each girl He has sent my way and I am so thankful for the opportunity He gave me to be apart of their lives. I love them all so much and they are all so special in their own way. I do pray that the things that they learned will be used in their life and that God will continue to grow them to be strong and godly young ladies for the glory of Him. May I never forget the things He has taught me too, and I pray I will always choose to put my dependency and strength in Him in whatever I do.

Simple Exercise That Will Change Everything

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I have been striving lately to apply 1 Thess. 5:18 to my life and in doing so I have found it does wonders.

My sister and I went to an amusement park with a group of friends and the most aggrivating thing occurred. I put my cell-phone in my pocket before the ride (like I have done a million times before) and when I hopped off the coaster I checked my pocket and my phone was not there. I was so upset. The absence of my cell-phone was not what essentially bothered me (since it can be replaced) but the fact that all my contacts, numbers, notes, and pictures were forever gone.

I couldn't get the senario out of my head when it first happened. My information was lost and my phone probably in a million pieces. How could I be cheerful and enjoy the park again? At that point I had a choice to make. Either I could dwell on my regrets and ruin my whole day, or I could be thankful.

Be thankful?? Yes, when I finally took the time to dwell on what I was thankful for in the situation I realized there were many things.

First, I was thankful that my cell-phone had fallen out of my pocket and not the money and credit card that resided in the opposite one. Between the two I would have definitely given up my cell, so I was very grateful for that.

Second, I was grateful I had some of my numbers written down so not all of them were completely gone.

Third, I was thankful I had a spare phone at home (even though it's not so great) which I could transfer my number immediately incase anyone called.

When I thought about it, I realized the situation wasn't as bad as it seemed. Dwelling on the good instead of the unfavorable changed my whole perspective around. I knew according to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that God has a reason for what occurred and I was to give thanks anyway. Because I did, I was able to enjoy the rest of the day and have a blast with my friends even though I was cell-phone absent.

If only I could remember and apply this to all parts of my life! It makes me wonder that if I can't apply this to the small areas, how will I respond when trials come my way? Will I be able to give thanks (1 Thess. 5:18) or count it all joy (James 1:2)? I need to make the practice of giving thanks in the disappointing things a natural part of my life. I know it would be so much better if I do.


*Note: I recommend an excellent book that focuses on this verse: A Thankful Heart by Carole Lewis. It will change your life.

Is Submission Stupid?

We enjoyed our first women's fellowship at our church this past week. During this time our pastor's wife briefly mentioned the command in Scripture for wives to obey their husbands (Eph 5:22-23, Col. 3:18, Titus 2:5). One lady, a widow at our church, is something else. She's up there in years yet full of spunk and wit. She recently gave herself to the Lord and has much to learn about the Bible but is thankfully very open and curious to know what it says. This part just didn't make sense to her though.

"Obey your husband??" She asked, "I know the Bible says it but I just can't fathom. No, I just couldn't do that..." I told her that God gives us the strength to do what He commands and that He blesses us in return. She accepted the idea yet still said she couldn't have done it. "Well, I didn't know that when I was married," she commented, "now that I do I think I'll just stay single *laughs*".

Submission in the Bible is hard to comprehend to a world going in the opposite direction. Feminist just love to feel sorry for submissive wives and their "oppressive" lifestyle. All I know is that no matter how hard it is to understand, the Bible is the authoritative, infallible Word of God and is the Creator's instruction manuel for us to live a successful life. We will only be safe if we live by it and follow it whole-heartily.

At this stage of my life, I don't have to worry about obeying a husband (particularly because I don't have one), but I am still commanded by God to do the same to my father (Col. 3:20; Eph, 6:1-2). Let me tell you, I am so thankful to be under my father's authority. It is really a blessing to be protected and guided under his leadership.

Because of our rebellious and sinful hearts, it is easy to look at submission through culture's eyes as being legalistic and degrading, but I see it and from experience know that it is not as the world thinks it is. God guides, directs, protects, and blesses me when I respect and obey my father. God leads me through my Dad. I never feel as if I am in bondage or handcuffed from happiness. Quite contrary, obedience to God's ways are entirely liberating. Obeying the Lord and His commands has only resulted in freedom and blessings to my life, plus in return my father trusts me and it strengthens our relationship. Of course I'm not perfect (far from it), but when God helps me to submit to my parents I only gain what's best in the end.

Submission is one of those Biblical paradoxes that most find hard to understand. You see, the more I respect, honor, and obey my father, the more freedom I am granted. I'm not referring to the liberties my father grants (which is certainly part of it) but ultimately from God Himself.

A great deal of young ladies think that they too can earn freedom by parting from their father's headship. While it might seem like they are liberated, in truths they are not. When you exit the position God has given your father as head of the home, you leave God's protection and are left in a very vulnerable and dangerous position. You are no longer safe, no longer blessed, and living outside of God's will is always a very scary thought indeed!

The fact is that authority is simply something we can't run from. It is a element of life we will be subject to the rest of our days. Whether that position is parents, a husband, a boss, your pastor, government, and ultimately God Himself, authority is something we have to deal with, because if we don't life will be pretty miserable.

I'm not saying submission is easy, but in the midst of opinions and controversies, I just have to keep in mind that God's ways are not ours. I am under my father's head and one day I will be under the headship of a husband and I am perfectly fine with that. In fact, I am very grateful. Why you ask? Because my God deeply loves me and He knows what's best. I don't have to truly understand; My job is just to be to obedient. And I can find joy in that because I know when I obey my Dad I am essentially obeying God, and God is ultimately the one I desire to please.