by Phyllis Ducey
pfdoriginalartworks
Soul mate pendant by pureoxfaith
"this sweet sterling heart is stamped "soul mate" . ..there is a tiny sterling cross that hangs with it representing the owner of the soul."
(I don't normally include what the seller writes about their item but this was so beautiful I wanted to make sure you understood the meaning of the pendant.)
Oh my! It is 10:00 pm Sunday night and I just realized a little bit ago that it is the 2nd Monday of the month which means I need to do my monthly blog post. I have not been online hardly at all this week but all week I have been itching to write. I just did not know what to write about. Even this afternoon I was restless but still could not think of what to write. But I have been praying about it.
The day you will be reading this is Valentines day and I know many singles are cringing inside at the loneliness that they are feeling. Personally, I think it is all a bunch of unimportant hype (and I am married 39 years to an awesome man but the V-day has no significance to that love). Love is either there or not. For us who know Christ personally, it is always there! He is our Lord, lover, confidant, rock, salvation... the beginning and end of all we are and all we need.
This week I turned 60! Who would have ever thought I could get that old? The strange thing (I know many of you my age and older would agree) that inside I feel much younger. I remember when I first started to get to know my Lord. Some people have a sudden life changing experience but I did not. My Lord was patient and courted me. He allowed me the grace to slowly discover the wonder of who He is and how He could become a part of me. I was particularly slow and it took almost 13 years to fully grasp that my life was all about Him... but He was patient and waited.
I was so afraid that over the years I would drift away never to return but I learned how to draw closer. When I drifted I found myself restless but when I worked to be closer to Him, I found peace. He taught me to count the victories and forgive myself the failures. That was big for me. Every time I stumbled I would tell myself that I was not a true Christian and could never be after all I kept messing up!
Jesus taught me to look at the times I did right. Once I began focusing on my victories and forgiving my failures I began growing by leaps and bounds in my faith. I understood grace and God's great love. Truly as much as I love my husband, children and grandchildren... none of that would have any value without my love for my God.
So if you are a person who cringes over the dreaded V-day... ignore the advertisements of worldly love.
Take a few minutes to enjoy the greatest gift you could receive for any day. Enjoy the love of Christ and allow His grace to seep deep into the depth of who you are so that you may realize how special you are to Him. He created you for a reason and He knows your struggles and will guide you through them. He wants you to be who you are because He created you to be His.
Giant paper clip by SomCreations
Pendant by GBMBdesigns
pfdoriginalartworks
Soul mate pendant by pureoxfaith"this sweet sterling heart is stamped "soul mate" . ..there is a tiny sterling cross that hangs with it representing the owner of the soul."
(I don't normally include what the seller writes about their item but this was so beautiful I wanted to make sure you understood the meaning of the pendant.)
Oh my! It is 10:00 pm Sunday night and I just realized a little bit ago that it is the 2nd Monday of the month which means I need to do my monthly blog post. I have not been online hardly at all this week but all week I have been itching to write. I just did not know what to write about. Even this afternoon I was restless but still could not think of what to write. But I have been praying about it.
The day you will be reading this is Valentines day and I know many singles are cringing inside at the loneliness that they are feeling. Personally, I think it is all a bunch of unimportant hype (and I am married 39 years to an awesome man but the V-day has no significance to that love). Love is either there or not. For us who know Christ personally, it is always there! He is our Lord, lover, confidant, rock, salvation... the beginning and end of all we are and all we need.
This week I turned 60! Who would have ever thought I could get that old? The strange thing (I know many of you my age and older would agree) that inside I feel much younger. I remember when I first started to get to know my Lord. Some people have a sudden life changing experience but I did not. My Lord was patient and courted me. He allowed me the grace to slowly discover the wonder of who He is and how He could become a part of me. I was particularly slow and it took almost 13 years to fully grasp that my life was all about Him... but He was patient and waited.
I was so afraid that over the years I would drift away never to return but I learned how to draw closer. When I drifted I found myself restless but when I worked to be closer to Him, I found peace. He taught me to count the victories and forgive myself the failures. That was big for me. Every time I stumbled I would tell myself that I was not a true Christian and could never be after all I kept messing up!
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
1 John 4:16-18
So if you are a person who cringes over the dreaded V-day... ignore the advertisements of worldly love.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
1 John 4:4-5
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
Psalm 139:13-18
WOW... what a great gift of Love! And that Love message is not just for one day a year but for every minute of every day!
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When I started writing all I knew was I was itching to write... So I scratched that itch and hope it blesses you as much as it did me!
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I am blessed to be a part of the CAST Team and always in awe of the wonderful talent that each one of us possesses. Please take a minute to check out these great shops!
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When I started writing all I knew was I was itching to write... So I scratched that itch and hope it blesses you as much as it did me!
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
I am blessed to be a part of the CAST Team and always in awe of the wonderful talent that each one of us possesses. Please take a minute to check out these great shops!
Giant paper clip by SomCreations
Pendant by GBMBdesigns
Comments (10)
Wow Phyllis! We certainly share similar testimonies!! I know, for me anyway, the patience the Lord shows me daily has helped me with helping others take that step of faith. It adds such an element of reality! I'm so glad you decided to scratch that itch. This is definitely a hard day for many but when we really realize and believe that we are the Bride of Christ - this Hallmark nonsense is just that - nonsense!
Blessings today! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Clare
clarepackages
Phyllis I am sure missing your "weekly " wisdom and you "itchiness" to write.
What a thoughtful testemony, thank you for sharing yourself with us.
Monika
Wonderful post indeed, Phyllis! Thank you for sharing your heart!
Counting it all joy,
Angela
"Once I began focusing on my victories and forgiving my failures I began growing by leaps and bounds in my faith."
This is the difference between those who succeed and those who fail in almost anything! What a great,uplifting post!
I am so glad to begin my day, my week, reading your post.
Thank you so much, Phyllis and Happy Birthday!
♥♥♥
Sue
So uplifting. :)
Happy birthday!
This is a great start to my week. It is all about Him, (my soul mate) Love this post!
This blessed me very much, thanks for being obedient to scratch that itch!
The perfect post for Valentines Day. Happy Birthday! Thanks so much for sharing your gift with us!
Phew, Phyllis. What sanctified perspective I see here. What a wonderful itch Holy Spirit creates when He wants to inspire us! And our response (the scratch) causes the whole process to unfold so that when we see it, it's all brand new because we did not create it. the Breath of God did. We see it for the first time when it's finished. (a prophetic word) It's just as much of a blessing to the one who delivers it as to those who "eat" it. We have responded to the Creator. He does it all.