Posts Tagged ‘grace’

Marriage Monday – Marriage is a Continual Journey

by Julie Gorman

We’re friends right? And friends can be honest with one another…right? So…can I just say…very honestly…I’ve had a lot of trial and errors all through out my marriage, even recently?

Don’t get me wrong…I love my husband implicitly…but he sure can tick me off…and he has a few times lately. LOL.

In the past few week I have travelled well over 10,000 miles…driving from Texas to Missouri…to Kentucky…then flying to the Ukraine…back to Kentucky…then flying to Florida…then back to Kentucky…then driving to Missouri…and finally back home to Texas! Whew…just thinking of it gives me jet lag all over.

Along with all the travel, I am packing boxes. We are moving our family from Texas to Florida in just 3 short weeks. We are doing all of this and still haven’t gotten the final approval our rental lease for the next year has been finalized! AGGGH!

All in all…we are under a little pressure. Now combine in the mix that I’m finishing the last 3 chapters of my next book and awaiting final approval from my publishing company…well…you might just say there’s a little stress in my life right now. :-)

So, Greg and my temperaments have been tested. Our friendship has been stretched. And, the grace we need for one another has been magnified. I say all of this to remind myself and you that…

Marriage is a continual journey; if you struggle you are not strange. Every couple hurdles obstacles within their relationship, but resolving to press on produces healthy, satisfying relationships.

Thomas Edison once replied to an interviewer’s question (concerning his light bulb invention), “I never failed once. It just happened to be a 200-step process.” Our marriages won’t fail if we embrace the same attitude and commitment Edison held concerning his inventions. He never gave up. He kept trying until he succeeded.

Marriage is a journey, demanding our constant effort of “giving” not “taking.” Prepare for the twists and turns in the road. Prepare for the occasional accidents and detours. Position yourself in prayer. Study the road map of God’s Word and you’ll discover direction for your journey. You can’t stop. Keep driving. In the hazardous seasons, slow down. Remember, every journey has a starting point; your marriage started with a vow before God. Occasionally, you find yourself at the starting line all over again remaking and reconfirming the vows to love, honor, and cherish. Put your spouse’s needs before your own and watch God move.

In the Seven Conflicts, Tim and Joy Downs write: “Each of us is born with an instinctive ‘me first’ attitude. But in marriage, each husband and wife has to cultivate a ‘we first’ mentality—and each needs to know that his or her partner shares that value.” (2003, Moody Publishers, pg. 40)

Don’t give up—God is near. If you have breath it is not too late to experience your “happily-ever-after.” Marriage takes a lot of hard work and you may feel as though your life hangs by a delicate string, but God is able to mend and restore. Put your hope and confidence in Him and He will navigate you on your journey.


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Posted in Daily Living, Julie Gorman, Marriage, Marriage Monday | 2 Comments »

National Donut Day & God’s Grace

by Kim Avery

Last Thursday was National Donut Day. It doesn’t get much better than that. (Okay, maybe National Receive a Free Million Dollars Day would come in first, but somehow I never quite get the date right on that one.)

So, Thursday in a fit of extreme patriotism and unselfish love Krispy Kreme gave away one free donut to every customer and Dunkin’ Donuts gave a free donut away with any beverage purchase.  Woohoo.

This was not a holiday to be overlooked, and I planned my strategy well.  I wouldn’t go first thing in the morning, around breakfast time, because the shop would be mobbed with the hungry donut-eating throngs. And I certainly didn’t want to wait until evening because what if, heaven forbid, they ran out of donuts. All would be lost.

Early afternoon would be the ideal time. I jumped in the bright red hummer, ran my errands, all while promising myself the treasured donut as my reward at the end. Now, why I need a reward for doing errands I’m not sure – but it did make me feel better about the calorie-fest to come.

1:30 – bingo.  The parking lot was full but the drive through line (who would want to get out of their car and walk all the way in) only had three cars. Let the dreaming begin.  Should it be chocolate covered with the sprinkles that literally danced on the dough? Perhaps a cake donut rolled in nuts to get my added protein for the day?  Or maybe the one with pink frosting to match the prayer chair that I didn’t buy.

It was a tough decision but the Bavarian Kreme took the prize. My mouth watered as it floated into my car. Behold, a lightly glazed donut infused with heavenly cream and dusted with powdered sugar angel wings. I’m in love.

It really doesn’t get any better than that?  Or does it?

Isn’t it odd how my world comes to a halt to wait in line for a free .99 cent confection yet carelessly turns its back on so many of God’s free offers of grace?

  • strength when I am weak
  • peace instead of worry
  • beauty for ashes
  • joy for mourning
  • a way of escape when tempted to partake of Bavarian excess

Could it be that God’s magnificent gifts of grace are so freely, so lavishly, so frequently proffered that I overlook the holy and treat it as common? If His gifts were only offered once a year, how long would that line be to receive such grace? If only one day out of 365 honored His name, how much more worship would come His way?

This left my sugar coated lips (and slightly bigger hips) much to think about on that most special of days – National Donut Day.

What gift of God’s do you appreciate most today?


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Posted in *Kim Avery, Daily Living | 10 Comments »

Diplomatic Immunity

by Susan Fleming

I was watching one of those Law & Order type shows a few weeks ago, and the bad guy was very smug in being able to defy the law because he had diplomatic immunity. As a diplomat of another country, he was not subject to the laws of our country – but of course they managed to get him anyway. Hooray for the good guys!

But it got me thinking… Scripture tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. And we know we are living in the kingdom of darkness, even though we are not a part of it.

When I’ve heard “ambassador for Christ” taught about, it has primarily been with an evangelical message, and that is entirely appropriate. But I think there is another side of it as well.

Because we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, we have a certain amount of “diplomatic immunity,” as well. We are no longer under the reign of the law of sin and death, but under the law of grace.

And what does that mean, practically speaking? Here are some examples:

Your friend gets a new computer/car/house/husband, and the law of sin and death (SAD) says you have to be jealous — but YOU can rejoice.

You sin against your friend, and the law of  SAD says you have to wiggle out of it, cover it up, shift the blame — but YOU can be honest.

You had an abortion, or did drugs, or got divorced… SAD says you are guilty, condemned, unworthy. But YOU are forgiven, free, and greatly loved.

YOU have diplomatic immunity from the law of sin and death. Will you still be affected by it? Yes. Will you still be hurt? Undoubtedly. But it does not have to control you. You live by the laws of a different Kingdom.

Leave a comment below and let me know how you will use your diplomatic immunity in the service of your King today.


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Posted in Daily Living, Devotional, Susan Fleming | No Comments »

Frugal Friday – Coupon stacking = Retail grace?

by Mary O.  Moss

Some stores allow shoppers to “stack” coupons. Coupon stacking is using more than one coupon on one item. Coupon stacking is a store-specific opportunity to save even more money. The blog, (Freebies 4 Mom), provides comprehensive information about this.  The three stores in my area that allow this practice are Target, Walgreens and CVS.

Target and Walgreens both allow you to use a “store coupon” (with the store logo/name on it) plus a printed manufacturer’s coupon (either from a sale flier or printed off the internet) for an item. Both coupons must specifically state what they are for and they must “match.” In other words if one is 50 cents off and the other is $1 off, it won’t work.

I’ve found Target coupons in inserts in the Sunday paper, and on line HERE at A Full Cup.  When you get to the site, you’ll also find an awesome Target Shopping List to match coupons to products and other manufacturer coupons. When you get your Target receipt, be sure to check for “Catalina coupons.” These are coupons printed on the back or bottom of your receipt. Sometimes there’s even a chance to take a quick survey about your shopping experience and receive a discount on your next trip or to be entered in a drawing for a gift card.

Walgreens is another great place to stack coupons. I have been doing this for years and saved tons of money. Like Target, Walgreens has an insert “magazine” in the Sunday paper and midweek.  At the front of the store you can pick up a Walgreens coupon booklet so you can plan your purchases for the month, matching up store and manufacturer’s coupons to save a bunch.

I typically wait until the mid-week ads come out to shop using these “stacked” coupons because they restock the shelves in anticipation of another rush of shoppers.

CVS goes one step farther in the stacking department, though! They allow you to use a CVS coupon, manufacturer’s coupon AND “Extra Bucks” coupons. CVS runs special promotional ads each week indicating you can earn “Extra Bucks” for purchasing select items. These are coupons you can use on ANY item in the store just like cash on your next visit! You can click HERE to learn more about this great money-savings method!

I chose this frugal living topic today after reading rather lengthy forum discussions on whether or not it was ethical to do this, if it was “cheating” or being greedy. That’s up to each individual to decide, of course, but if the store allows it, they do so because they know (or hope) you’ll spend even more money on “non-coupon” items.

“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (John 1:16 NASB).
“From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16 NIV).
“We all live off his generous bounty,  gift after gift after gift” (John 1:16 The Message).

I choose to think of these opportunities as “retail grace.”  We receive more than the store needs to give us in the hopes we’ll shop there.  Isn’t that kind of how grace is? God offers it and makes it so appealing we just can’t resist His invitation!


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Posted in Daily Living, Frugal Friday, Mary Moss, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

The Rest of God

by Susan Fleming

And to whom did He swear
that they should not enter His rest,
but to those who were disobedient?
And so we see that they were not able to enter
because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:18-19

Therefore, let us fear lest,
while a promise remains of entering His rest,
any one of you should seem to have come short of it…
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest…
Hebrews 4:1, 11a

Paul Harvey popularized the phrase, “… the rest of the story.”  What I want us to think about today is “the rest of God.”

Now this isn’t a deep theological discussion – what I’m about to write probably isn’t even theologically sound.  But words intrigue me, so I’m just going to chase a rabbit today.

This part of Hebrews pulls from the Old Testament, where God swears that the Israelites, because of their disobedience, will not enter into the Promised Land.  Here it is called, “His rest.”  God’s rest… the rest of God. The part they don’t already know.

Everyone, at some point, will know God.  They will finally know Him for Who He is – His holiness, His sovereignty, His fearsome power.  But only Believers will know the extent of His mercy, the reach of His grace, the depth of His love, the delight of His favor… only the Believer will know “the rest of God” – the fullness beyond what those who have been disobedient will know.

And so, when I read that those who are obedient will enter into “His rest,” my mind wanders beyond the concept of resting from work, to imagining what “the rest of God” will be like.  We know He calls us to walk deeper with Him, to know Him more intimately.  I am confident our quest for the rest of God will fill eternity – and we still won’t know Him completely.

For Further Consideration:

1.  What part of God are you looking forward to knowing more?

2.  If our quest for the rest of God will never end… is that a comforting thought for you or not?  Why?

3.  In what ways do you think you need to be more “diligent to enter that rest”?

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