Filling our hearts and homes with the love of God!

I mentioned in my last blog that I think I just survived last year. When I say that, I mean I know without a doubt that the Lord taught me numerous lessons and was working in my life and my husband's life to His glory, and yet...I think instead of cherishing the moments in the midst of my present "career" I just got through them.

So I've been trying to refocus lately, I want to give my absolute best to my husband and my children, I want to reach them first for Jesus, and then others. I know that may sound a little self-centered...but think with me on this, how can I as a wife encourage my husband towards Jesus? Simply by loving Christ and giving my all to Him...and in doing so..my husband reaps the rewards of a wife living in submission to Christ. Which looks like a wife who submits to him out of obedience to Christ, a wife who offers wisdom in life changing decisions, godly encouragement in the midst of it all, and I think above all, a wife who is on her face before God fighting the schemes of evil one for my husband. Crying out to God for a passion and a purity to route itself in my spouses' heart. Then, I want to be prepared to share Christ with my children in how I parent them daily. This is a tough one. It means that I do not have the freedom over my schedule as sometimes I would like. It may mean that I don't nap when they do, it may mean i don't get to workout that day, it may mean that instead of checking my email I am playing "fire trucks" or "solider" It may mean that the television never comes on to a show that is not animated during the day. It may mean that even though I want to do certain ministry things, at this present stage of life, I simply can not. It means, that with every action I am making a decision...to either model living Christ or living in the flesh. O, Lord grant me the grace that it would be living for Christ!!!

As I was reading through Psalms today the Lord just spoke to my heart, "For the word of the LORD is upright and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD." Psalm 33:4-5

I need to be more loving to my family and I want all my work to be done in faithfulness! I want my family to know beyond a doubt that I love them, and not because I say it all the time, but because my actions show them that I love them and these four men are the most important four men on planet earth to me, after Christ Jesus! So as I'm reading this Psalm, I began to meditate on the last part, "The earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the LORD!" Meaning dear sisters, that there is an ABUNDANCE of the steadfast love of the Lord!! The earth is full of His love. This just struck me so deeply, I am going to start praying that the Lord Himself would fill our home with HIS love! Within each one of ours hearts, that we would live out the love of Christ towards one another. Besides obvious reasons why do I want my home, and why should you want your home filled with the steadfast love of the Lord? Well...there are no better words, "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

And when you aren't feeling like being loving and you're having a bad day, or you are just in a bad mood, pray that the "Lord would cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people." 1 Thes 3:12. Asking Him to first give you a love for Him, and His word, and then for your spouse and your children!