Complaining and Arguing

There is a family I spend a lot of my time with. As I was sitting on the couch listening to the kids reasons of why we can’t go to the beach, why we should go to MOA and why the oldest should just stay at home a Bible verse popped into my head. I decided to share it with the kids. We’ve gone to church together before and over the course of the years we’ve prayed together and read Bible stories but we’ve never done anything like this. I shared with them Philippians 2:14, “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” I shared how this verse applied to my life when I was their age. I shared how this verse still applies to my life. For example, Do I enjoy doing the dishes and then finding more dishes in the sink minutes after I have finished? No, but I try and do the dishes without complaining. I'm not saying I never complain, but it is something I am working on.  I asked them to share examples of times when they were asked to do something they did not want to do. Our conversation also led to the 10 Commandments in particular the 5th Commandment, “Honor thy Father and thy Mother.”

I thoroughly enjoyed having this conversation with the kids and I never would have done it if I had not felt God’s prompting. Like I said, we’ve never had conversations like that before, but it brought our relationship to a deeper level. How have you seen God work in you or another individual's life this month?

Right Person Myth

Check out last weekends message at EBC here. Seriously, you won't regret it!!

- Marriage is less about finding the right kind of person and more about becoming the right kind of person.

- Divorce rate is 50%

- Divorce rate is 33 to 151% higher (depending on the study) if you live together before marriage

- Women desire intimacy and oneness of a relationship but end up settling for cohabitation.

- Women who live with their significant other before marriage are 3 times more likely to be depressed

   - If they do get married, they report marital conflict and less marital happiness

- 40% of EBC is single

- Don't follow your heart.

  - Jeremiah 19:9

  - Proverbs 14:12

  - Proverbs 3: 5-6

- Don't blindly follow your heart or feelings

- Ask yourself, when the infatuation wears off how capable is this person of going through a life crisis? What is their character and integrity life?

  - Infatuation will answer yes to the questions above

- We are never called to find a person that we can have an emotional infatuation with. He calls us to find a person that we can share a mission with.

- Give God your undivided attention.

- 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

- Being single is your time to give God UNdivided devotion

- God can bring the right person while you are serving Him and focusing your attention on Him.

- Singleness is not a time to despise, it is a time to embrace.

- Pursuing marriage should never become your primary pursuit.

- Choosing the wrong guys? It's because you are doing the choosing.

- Don't marry a fixer upper.

- Buying a fixer upper is risky, dating a fixer upper is foolish.

- 2 Corinthians 6:14 "Don't team up with unbelievers."

- Don't marry a wiener.

- Do you trust that God is able to provide for you a Godly spouse?

- Only God can change a persons heart.

- Become the kind of person you want to marry.

  - Selfless, humble, generous

- Spend energy from looking for the right person to becoming the right person.

- Couples who read the Bible and prayed together on a daily basis have a divorce rate of less than 1%

- Spiritual growth indicators: Christian friends and personal ministry (help others know Christ) 

- Pray to God to change character trait and find Bible verses to help you change (anger)

  - If you get two people in marriage who do this, that is when marriage gets good, it gets fun!

- Jeremiah 29:11

WCAGLS and Bob Goff

Bob Goff is hilarious and so full of wisdom! I loved his stories and could have listened to him talk for at least another hour. He was great! I think him and Patrick Lencioni made the Global Leadership Summit. I bought Bob's book, Love Does months ago, but have not gotten around to reading it yet. But now, after hearing him speak, I am more eager to read it than ever! Just like my other posts, below are notes from Bob's session. 

Love God. Love People. Do stuff.

Let it develop over time. Do not rush it, it ruins it.

Live a life worthy of the call you have received.

See people for who they are becoming.

Say to people, "It's good to see ya!" 

Let all that you do be done in love.

I want to hear God say, "You are who I made you to be."

Put the exclamation point after the right stuff.

I used to want to fix people, but now, I just want to be with them. 

Nothing will ever separate us from the love of God.

God's ability to forgive us is not limited by our ability to get it.

God wants to blow your minds. He took the foolish things of the World to shame the wise so that no one can boast. 

If you create some margin, Jesus will shove some terrific things in that space. 

Too often, we are posers. Don't be afraid. Be you. Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Leadership is more than giving pointers.

If we lead strong, we will lead people towards Jesus.

1 John 3:18

Overwhelmed

Ever had one of those days, weeks or months where you feel completely overwhelmed? Last week was finals week for my summer classes. Instead of having 16 weeks to complete four classes with labs I had four weeks. I was overwhelmed from day one, but kept reminding myself to take it one day at a time. This week, I started an internship for school. On Sunday night, I wrote out my schedule and just looking at it made had me stressed out. The only thing getting me through this crazy month of June is God’s Word. Below are some verses from Scripture that have stood out to me these past few days and maybe they are just what some of you need to read too!

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” Psalm 28:7

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” Psalm 94:19

“From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3

“For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God.” John 14:1

Joshua 1: 9

At least once a week I wake up around 3am with song lyrics or a particular Bible verse running through my head. This morning, it was Joshua 1: 9, “This is my command- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The phrase do not be afraid is written in the Bible 365 times. That’s a daily reminder to live everyday fearless. I struggle with fear everyday. One of my biggest, and probably most petty, fears is snow. Yes, I know I live in MinneSNOWta, but driving in snow is a fear I just can’t shake. I find comfort in Joshua 1:9 and many verses like it that remind me not to be afraid and when I am, to remember God is with me wherever I go. What Bible passages do you find comfort in when you are afraid or discouraged?