In Christ Alone

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”.  Col. 1:9

Do you remember the feeling you had when you first received Christ as Savior? Perhaps it was a combination of exhilaration, joy, and maybe even a little confusion as you wondered, "What am I supposed to do now?"

Lover of My Soul

I have another Lover in my life…

Now that I have your attention, let me explain.  

I wish I could say that I have had the storybook, romance novel marriage since the moment we said, “I do”. As I’ve shared in previous posts, the spiritual foundation on which we began our marriage was indeed a sandy one. My husband had scarcely stepped foot inside a church building outside of our wedding day, and though I had been raised in the church, my life surely did not reflect any signs of true Christianity. 

Therefore, as things began to deteriorate in our marriage within only a few years, we had nothing on which to stand for stability.  Our only guidelines were our feelings--anger, sadness, fear, and bitterness, resentment. A friend of mine suggested marital counseling, giving me the number of one she and her husband used. I called the counselor and set up the first appointment for myself—alone. 

I entered his office to find two chairs placed about three feet apart, directly opposite the other. He politely seated me in one, and with yellow legal pad in hand, took his seat in the other. After the customary exchange of pleasantries, he began his routine, but not before throwing out this odd disclaimer: 

“I am extremely attracted to you, but I am not going to allow that to distract me from counseling you.” 

Okay, what am I supposed to do with that? 

Train Up Your Child, (and not your mini-me)

 “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." 

 Prov. 22:6

I remember a conversation I had years ago with an individual who shared their concern for the teenage son of a couple who appeared to be living vicariously through him. My friend shared of how this boy had very little, if any, free time. Even summers were laden with one camp after another, turning down opportunities to partake in family events which may have taken one or two days out of his rigorous schedule.

Granted, my friend admitted, though it was still overload, the grueling schedule was plausibly understandable if the son was indeed a star athlete—an A-string player who oozed talent and ability from every pore. But bless his heart, he could barely walk and chew gum at the same time.