Elisa Pulliam- "I expected my usually happy teenage daughter to bounce into my office singing VBS songs from her morning spent serving at church.
Instead, her sullen face conveyed another story. She was battling feelings of betrayal, insecurity, and jealousy after receiving a message from a friend about something that was happening in a completely different place. (Google image, Moody tween girl)
Let’s just say this mama llama wanted to spew more than a few unpleasantries about social media and towards the adult involved behind the scenes.
Yet I could feel God urging me to not be so easily offended. I’d been down this road enough times before to recognize what was happening. Satan was busy writing the story in my head according to his own agenda.
Can you relate?
The Holy Spirit prompted me to take hold of my thought life before doing or saying something I might regret. While I’ve been practicing taking my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and asking God to align them with His truth (Romans 12:2) for the last decade, I’ve come to see that I have a harder time doing this when a relationship is at stake.
It’s hard to find your voice when you’re already wounded and fear more rejection. Yet, avoiding conflict never leads to relationship restoration.
So I skipped the easy-out texting approach and took the risk with an old-fashioned phone call. I put into action the best communication tactics anytime conflict is brewing. I prayed for God to speak through me and asked the open-ended questions I’ve been trained to use as a life coach. It worked!
As I listened and affirmed my commitment to our friendship, her voice softened. Her defenses dropped. And the truth rose beautifully out of it all.
Turns out that there was no reason to be offended. There was no intention to hurt my girl or betray us. There was no ill will. There was a perfectly good explanation that social media failed to capture. I should have known!
Satan is the King of Drama ready to destroy every relationship God created for His glory and kingdom purposes.
Maybe that’s why Paul urges the Colossians and us to clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, making allowance for each other’s faults. Instead, her sullen face conveyed another story. She was battling feelings of betrayal, insecurity, and jealousy after receiving a message from a friend about something that was happening in a completely different place. (Google image, Moody tween girl)
Let’s just say this mama llama wanted to spew more than a few unpleasantries about social media and towards the adult involved behind the scenes.
Yet I could feel God urging me to not be so easily offended. I’d been down this road enough times before to recognize what was happening. Satan was busy writing the story in my head according to his own agenda.
Can you relate?
The Holy Spirit prompted me to take hold of my thought life before doing or saying something I might regret. While I’ve been practicing taking my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and asking God to align them with His truth (Romans 12:2) for the last decade, I’ve come to see that I have a harder time doing this when a relationship is at stake.
It’s hard to find your voice when you’re already wounded and fear more rejection. Yet, avoiding conflict never leads to relationship restoration.
So I skipped the easy-out texting approach and took the risk with an old-fashioned phone call. I put into action the best communication tactics anytime conflict is brewing. I prayed for God to speak through me and asked the open-ended questions I’ve been trained to use as a life coach. It worked!
As I listened and affirmed my commitment to our friendship, her voice softened. Her defenses dropped. And the truth rose beautifully out of it all.
Turns out that there was no reason to be offended. There was no intention to hurt my girl or betray us. There was no ill will. There was a perfectly good explanation that social media failed to capture. I should have known!
Satan is the King of Drama ready to destroy every relationship God created for His glory and kingdom purposes.
Yes, it’s always beneficial when we choose to seek forgiveness and extend it. It’s God honoring when we put on love in the pursuit of unity.
When we live according to God’s design, we get to experience a whole lot less drama along with the blessings that come from real-time relationships restored by His love and extravagant grace.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, thank you for Your Word that speaks timeless truths into our lives today. Please give us the conviction and courage to live it out. Please make us aware of Satan’s drama and his antics designed to divide us. Enable us to put on love as we walk in Your truth in real time.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen"
Dear Lord, thank you for Your Word that speaks timeless truths into our lives today. Please give us the conviction and courage to live it out. Please make us aware of Satan’s drama and his antics designed to divide us. Enable us to put on love as we walk in Your truth in real time.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen"
Real-Time Relationship Restoration
106 - 110 of 200 one-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more this week-
106. Matt. 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
107. Eph. 6:11 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
108. Ps. 32:11 "Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart."
109. Is. 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing, shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."
110. Num. 6:26 "The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."
(This is absolutely great for our young ladies to read, as there are many points to consider while looking for a husband)
Words of wisdom-
Words of wisdom-
~ Our confidence in Christ's death and resurrection is to be the basis for confidence in our transformation.
~ If your vision for your life doesn't require the help of others, it's too small of a vision.
Today's special marriage link-
Sharon Jaynes, author of the new book Lovestruck: Discovering God’s Design for Romance, Marriage, and Sexual Intimacy.
"In our sex-saturated culture, we are constantly bombarded by destructive, unrealistic depictions of romance and intimacy. But is the real problem that we focus on sex too much—or that we value sex too little? Do we really understand, let alone practice, the wondrous gift of intimacy between a husband and a wife? In Lovestruck, Sharon takes us back to the Bible’s beautiful picture of romantic love, a picture that is explicit but not illicit, sensual but not sordid, daring but not dirty."
Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)
You can pray a simple prayer like this for salvation
You can pray a simple prayer like this for salvation
Helpful ways the Lord helped me in my marriage
Upcoming posts-
#7 Experiencing Life in Him
19th- Tuesday's post by Andrew Murray
#8 Begin with Praise
24th- Thursday's post by Andrew Murray
Jesus in Disguise
26th- Saturday's post by James Banks
#9 The Seal of the Spirit
29th- Tuesday's post by Andrew Murray
29th- Tuesday's post by Andrew Murray
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