Make Yourself Available to be Used by God
http://www.findaverse.com/kjvbible/index.php?begin=0&keyword=Ephesians+5%3A25-30&search=Search&section=0&lexicon=str&p_display=trad

Have you heard this scripture teaching before?

“Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself up for her…”

Wow! Now that is a hefty responsibility for a husband. To love his wife so sacrificially that he is willing to die for her? Now that’s love, true love. If you continue reading this Galations passage, you discover that the scripture does not work in the reverse. “Wives, love your husbands as Christ loved…” It’s not in there… Really, it’s not in there. This leads to the conclusion that IF the husband can truly love his wife in this way, her natural response will be to truly love HIM in return. It’s pretty amazing how God designed men and women to go together.

However, this command to husbands does not dissolve our love responsibility IF our husbands are not exactly loving us this way.

In fact, the New Testament does provide some specific instructions about loving our husbands. In Titus, the Bible instructs the older women to teach the younger women to love their husbands. This was a new one to me. I mean I had read the passage, but it had never really hit me the way it did this week.

I pose this question, are you the younger woman or the older woman? Maybe, like me, you are both. I’ve been married 15 years. I have knowledge and experience to teach younger women about marriage but I also have loads to learn.

If you are a Christian woman, I challenge you to action. In order to fulfill this scripture, make sure you are available. Don’t be afraid to ask younger wives how it is going. Don’t be afraid to ask older women for help. Be sensitive to the Spirit. Make yourself available to be used by God. Granted, you don’t want to dump “101 tips for communicating with your husband” on someone who didn’t ask, but you want to be there for the younger women who says, "Hey, I’m really frustrated here. What can I do?" Make yourself available to be used by God.

Look at the older marriages you admire. Call someone in your church directory or send them a note. “I notice you and your husband seem to communicate well. From what you shared in Sunday School, you mentioned marriage is work. I wonder if you would be willing to share with me what you’ve learned.”

If you go to a wedding, make a note in next year’s calendar to send that one year anniversary card. Write your “how is it going?” question and include your phone number or email. Make yourself available to be used by God.

If you see an anniversary date for that couple in church who you admire, send a card. Write your “what makes a great marriage?” question and include your number or email. (You already know what I am going to write next.) Make yourself available to be used by God.

My mother called me. She said, “Did you hear what happened to your sister on Easter Sunday?” Sounds interesting, “What happened?” “Well-oh, I have another call. I’ll have to call you back.” Two days later, I still haven’t heard from my mother, but she’s my mother, she will eventually call me back, but I am curious….
Thursday, my sister calls me. “So, what happened to you on Easter?” She laughs, “Oh, that was interesting-well,-oh, I have another call. I’ll have to call you back.” Two days later, I am still curious, but she’s my sister. She’ll call back. . . .eventually…I am really not curious enough to invest in long distance to find out the answer, so I will have to wait….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

I know everyone has seen this viral video (Susan Boyle), but I still think it speaks volumes about the judgmental nature of our society as a whole. It is a great reminder of this scripture, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I Samuel 16:7 Everyone you see is created by God, created in his image, and everyone needs God’s grace in their lives. I pray that God may give us his eyes so we can see.

P.S. I am going to sing like this in heaven one day.

Timothy's AYSO Schedule

Timothy’s soccer schedule
Attention: Soccer Fans! Timothy would like to invite you to attend his soccer games if you are able. Bring a lawn chair. Tim’s fan club would also love to see you there. (Mom, Dad, Sarah, Marc, and Luc). His team is called "The Green All Stars".

Saturday, April 18 Port Sheldon Field 3 11:45
Saturday, April 25 Port Sheldon Field 3 9:15
Saturday, May 2 Port Sheldon Field 6 1:00
Saturday, May 9 Port Sheldon Field 3 10:30
Saturday, May 16 Port Sheldon Field 3 8:00
Saturday, May 25 Port Sheldon Field 3 1:00

Let us know if you need directions.

Five things four year old boys can do.
1. Break light bulbs from ten feet away!
2. Fling sand twenty feet
3. Remove all the sand from the sand box and deposit it in front of the steps (yes, on the
would-be grass) in less than 20 minutes.
4. Plastic seats on tricycles are not good. Packing tape is good.
5. Flood the bathroom by plugging the sink and leaving the water running. Mom, there’s a
FLOOD!!
6. Go through 3 pairs of pants, and wear a hole in the top of one tennis shoe all in the space of
three hours.
7. Speak very loudly very early on Easter morning, "Happy Easter! Mom, the stone was
rolled away! Happy Easter!"
8. Give great big hugs and say, “no, no, no, I love you MORE!” oops, that’s eight.

“My husband is unemployed.”
“We don’t have an income.”
“Our health insurance ends April 30.”

These are such strange statements to make. It’s been one week since Ryan drove to work and found himself without a job. One week of adjustment, unemployment paperwork, and meetings. These statements sound so final, so hopeless, so typical of “the economic downturn” we keep hearing about. So, I offer a few followup statements.

“God is in control.”
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.”

While I am not presently terrified or discouraged, it creates peace within me to know that I am not alone and that God’s ultimate purpose will prevail. If I tell you I am doing well under the circumstances, please ask me, “What are you doing under there?”
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of courage and a sound mind. Praise the Lord for that!



Cardboard Testimonies Broken Vessel Click on link to see video.