Love & War

Yesterday I was having my QT when I watched my cat, Sally jump up on my couch and cuddle herself right up next to a couple of books that I am currently reading (Beth Moore's, So Long Insecurity & Eldredge's, Love & War-both great reads!) Anyways, right away, my sweet, Lucy jumped up and snuggled herself right up beside Sally. I was taken back by such an adorable sight...until I watched Sally bite Lucy. Ha. The fight quickly ended and then they both snuggled in and went to sleep. It was a sweet, peaceful and loving sight. (Of course my little Linus wanted nothing to do with either one of them. He is a bit of a loner and Momma's boy.) Well, I went about my QT (having no idea what that scene would later represent to me) and then had to run out the door for a YL meeting. That's why I have been vacant lately. YL has been pretty busy. And I also feel that I am just a sponge right now. I am learning a lot, but the words aren't quite ready to be squeezed out (so to speak) just yet. Anyways, after a long day I returned home to find my Love & War book ripped to sheds. Oops...I know better than to leave things at my "farm's" direct access. I just laughed. Serves me right. I grabbed the book, tried to salvage the cover, and then sat down to read another chapter from it. Lo and behold, it was a chapter about how God loves marriage and uses it as a symbol of His love for the Church. But b/c of that fact, Satan of course wants to destroy it. Kinda like my book looked...Ripped to sheds but still readable. Hmm...so true. He only goes hard after things b/c he knows the threat that they can be to his kingdom. So why do we let him win? Why don't we fight harder?

I read a quote from Oswald Chambers yesterday that said, "God doesn't give us overcoming life-He gives us life as we overcome. If we will take the initiative to overcome, we will find that we have the inspiration of God, b/c He immediately gives us the power of life." Amen! I find that Christians either do nothing and wait for God to fight. Or they feel they have to do it themselves, help God out, and are fighting all alone. Both are wrong and I've tried both approaches. We need the balance that Oswald refers too...that the Bible speaks of. After reading that chapter, I felt inspired. Yet only minutes later I discovered that a loved one very dear to me had just been served divorce papers. Aahh...I hate the enemy! I pleaded with my loved one...."Fight, please, fight! God hates divorce! Don't give up! This is not the end! He can resurrect anything!" I really and sadly don't see either one of them fighting, so of course why victory. God, please help them, to the glory of Your Name! (Psalm 44:26.) Please pray for these loved ones of mine bloggy friends! Thank you!

This situation breaks my heart, but this is not a new story, folks. The Bible begins with a marriage and the serpent bent on destroying it. And it ends with a marriage and the same serpent. Yet, this time, at the end, we know Who wins! We have the victory in Jesus, friends! Don't put down your sword! Don't get weary! He is fighting for and with you! I am evidence of that in my own life! It's just like all my favorite, classic movies like: Braveheart, The Lord of the RIngs, the Rocky's attest too. Give God your heart. Against all odds, these people won! I am learning this too. As my man and I talk about marriage, (please pray for that!) we are preparing ourselves for all the battles that too come with it. We are truly a story of, "Against al odds," YET, in that, we see victory b/c we need Jesus and it's all to His Glory that we would work! Hence why I am reading the book, Love & War. It's like when you first become a Christian. I watch YL kids all the time want God, yet when the battle heats up, they bail b/c they thought life with Him would be a fairy tale. Well, life with God is actually a fairy tale...but do we forget that every fairy tale has a villian? Yes, there is happily ever after, but it's a battle. So it is with Christianity. So it is with marriage. When we say I do, we must be aware that we are signing up for war...but we have each other, the victory in Jesus and His love.

I don't pretend to know it all or to have it all together. I don't! In fact, just as John 15:5-8 attests too, I am nothing without Jesus! I NEED Him: in my life, in my struggles, in YL, in my relationships, with my boyfriend, in my future marriage, in EVERYTHING!!! I know that! And in HIm, I am victorious! And so are you! In this war, you may get bit, but you have Jesus and in Him, you have victory! The underdog, like in the movies, in the Bible, with my man and I, as my testimony attests too, ALWAYS comes out on top with Jesus! Don't give up!

If you read my blog often, you know how God loves me so tenderly, and all the time, through Psalm 23. Well, may the following song encourage you as it does me...

House of God Forever, by Jon Foreman

God is my Shepherd
I won't be wanting
I won't be wanting
He makes me rest
In fields of green
With quiet streams
Even though I walk
Through the valley
Of death and dying
I will not fear
'Cause You are with me
You are with me

Your Shepherd staff
Comforts me
You are my feast
In the presence of enemy
Surely goodness
Will follow me
Follow me
In the house of God, forever

God is my Shepherd
I won't be wanting
I won't be wanting
He makes me rest
In fields of green
Like quiet streams
Even while I'm walking
Through the valley
Of death and dying
I will not fear
'Cause You are with me
You're always with me

Your Shepherd staff
Comforts me
You are my feast
In the presence of enemy
Surely goodness
Will follow me
Follow me
In the house of God, forever
In the house of God, forever