Traits of a Great Man.

A great man is not perfect. A great man is not without sin or fault. A great man does not try to be God.

But a great man does have a repentive heart. A great man leads with strength. A great man is dedicated to his family. A great man is letting God mold him through his weakness and he is becoming a better creation in Christ with each new day. A great man is obedient to his Savior, even when the world is pulling him in a million directions.

I know this because I was raised by a great man. When I think of my dad, I think of a man who is dedicated to his wife and children, through the good times and the bad times. When I think of my dad, I think of a man who always protected his little girl and made sure everyone knew she was precious to him. He encouraged her to follow her dreams, and push her a little more when she tried to give up. He always had her best interest at heart. His home was a refuge from the world. Though he was not a perfect man, he knew what was most important in life, and sent that legacy on with his grown children.

Sound like another Father you may have heard of?

And eventually, that great man would give is daughter's hand in marriage to yet another great man. A man who is dedicated. A man who works diligently to provide a home and safe place for his Bride and her children. He will encounter tough times in this life, but he will continue to be obedient to his creator and the plan He has in mind for his family. He leads with strength and integrity. He puts others before himself, and has a servant's heart. He pours into his family, cultivating them and takes great pride in the legacy he will leave. He is a great man, who recognizes he is in need of a Savior.

He too, is a mirror of the great man that he calls Heavenly Father.

This young man has taken his Bride. Together, they will face this life... one day at a time. There will be good times and there will be hard times. They will make children together and teach them the love of Jesus. They will walk humbly with their God... This great man is helping this woman to be the precious creation her Heavenly Father has in mind for her. Much like her daddy, this man is helping her to achieve her biggest dreams. He respects her, and treats her as if she is more valuable than rubies. He has children with her and helps her raise them up for greatness. He protects her, provides for her and is painting a beautiful picture of Christ's love with her through Marriage. This is a great man.

Lord, these men are a mirror of You. They are leaving a legacy because they are loving their families the way that you loved us. You gave it all up for us. You want the very best for us.

Oh Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing this simple woman with such great men. Thank you for my daddy, who was raised by a great man. Thank you for my amazing Husband, who was also raised by a great and dedicated, hardworking man. Their legacies live. My son has so many great men in his life to look up to... not only these great earthly men, but You. The Prince of Peace and King of Kings. You fill the places of our Hearts that not even our Earthly fathers can fill. My heart overflows with gratitude.

Men, the example you set for your family is important. Whether you had a good dad or not, your Heavenly father loves you and will Guide you. Women, whether you had a dad who loved you or not, your heavenly father thinks the world of you. You are so precious. He wants you to find a man who respects you and takes care of you. Our heavenly father has more love for us than we can even comprehend. Let Him heal your broken heart.

"You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it's deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4: 22-24

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2

Not just a little nice girl.

"You're not good enough...

You're not as pretty as her...

She's a better mom...

You've already made a mess of things...

It's never gonna get better...

You don't deserve to be happy...

You can't..."

Just give up..."

Satan loves putting these thoughts in our head. He loves when we think of such things... And every new self degrading thought just adds fuel to his burning fire... He feeds on destruction.

We have started to believe many of these things. Slowly, the world is engulfing us. There are days when we feel our heads are barely above water. We don't think we can go on...

But there is hope. We have a powerful God on our side. We have the tangible Word of God at our fingertips. We have the freedom to pray, to worship and talk to Jesus Christ every second of every day.

Satan trembles at the thought of that.

Guess what?

Satan does not want you opening your mouth to praise a mighty God.

He does not want you to forgive that person.

He does not want you to pick up your Bible & dig in God's word.

He does not want you to admit you are in need of a Savior.

He does not want you to use your talents to make the world better.

He does not want you to fight to the death for that marriage.

He does not want you to believe in yourself.

He hates the power that prayer has in our lives.

He HATES when we fall to our knees in worship of our powerful God who will break our chains and set us free!

Satan loves that we questions our God.

He loves that we think we can handle life on our own.

He chuckles as we say we can make this marriage work without Jesus.

He smirks as we give up on ourselves and others...

But guess what Satan?

Listen to me good...

I serve a God who is bigger than you. I serve a God who's grace covers me and frees me. I have His word engrained into my heart, therefore living out in my life. I have a God who I can call on at.any.moment. And together, we will squash you and your destructive ways. We claim victory over our lives IN JESUS' name and you are UNDER OUR FEET!

Do you know why? Because Prayerful lives are Powerful lives.

When you tempt me, I will Pray.

I will throw the Living Word of God IN YOUR FACE.

Everyday, I will arm myself with Christ's Word, His armor that protects me and gives me STRENGTH to defeat you in every tempting and difficult moment you throw my way.

.......

Now, You listen to me beautiful one:

Don't you dare let Satan make you think that you cannot be set free from bondage through Christ. You are GOD'S GIRL (Beth Moore).

This is what God says about YOU:

"You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are precious. I have given you the talent to do many great things in this life. You deserve the good things in this life. Every day you breath is so important to me. YOU are important. I want you to know that I am PROUD to be your Daddy... your Heavenly father who loves you more than your Earthly father. You have what it takes. Listen...

I Love You. I Adore you... more than you could even begin to understand. I am with you. Every. Step. Of. The.Way.

Through Prayer, I will flood you with confidence.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am THE LORD YOUR GOD." - Isaiah 43:2-3

I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a woman after God’s own heart.

I hope I never stop looking on the bright side of things.

I have faith that there is always good to be found, even in the worse situations.

I wonder what would happen if people stopped pointing fingers & examined themselves more.

I always smile. (Okay, not always, but most of the time :)

I need Jesus. Everyday.

I adore my husband & son more than you could imagine.

I enjoy a good cup of coffee and early morning walks.

I think every woman should find a man who treats her like a princess.

I never want to stop learning.

I dislike when we complain without doing anything about it.

I admire people who walk humbly through this life, putting others before themselves.

I take lots of pictures.

I give thanks daily.

I dream about what my son will be when he grows up.

I am an optimist.

I write. It is my passion.

I believe every person has a purpose & the potential to do great things in this life.

I know God’s word is the foundation for my life.

I want to make an impression in people’s hearts.

I will encourage someone everyday.

I love living this life that God has given me, through the good & the bad.

What about you?

Are you enough for me?

Quiet moments. Down time.

What do I do with this time? Usually there are plenty of distractions. Busyness, friends, family, facebook, activities, church events, movies, small group, grocery shopping, work. So much to do with so little time. Life is good.. Crazy, on the go...

Do you think that God may stop us for a reason? Does he slow things down or take something away to grab our attention? Are there seasons of life when we don't have much of a choice than to turn to Him? Are there moments of desperation for a reason?

I have such a blessed life. So many people who love me, an amazing husband, a beautiful baby boy, my health, the list is endless.

But I often wonder if HE is enough. If I lost everything, would my God be enough for me? Do I praise my God because my life is so good? Would I continue to praise Him if everything I hold dear was torn from my hands? I say my God is good, but would these words leave my lips if I hit the ultimate pit of life?

Is God just an addition to the wonderful life I live? Or is he the core? Is he the first thing I think about when I wake in the morning and lay my head down at night? Do I breathe Him? Is he closer to me than my own skin?

The answer to this may change from day to day, because life just happens that way. Some days I am so passionate for my Savior that I can feel him seeping through the pores of my skin. Then there are days when he seems so far away, like I couldn't feel Him even if he touched me.

Isn't life crazy like that? Some days are good and some are pretty bad. Life is easy, then life is hard.

My life lately has had a lot of down time. Living in a new place, not knowing many people has been a battle on certain days. I love people. I thrive on being around people and feeling that closeness between humans. Lately I have noticed that my best days have been when I'm super busy. I have a lot to do so I don't have time to miss people or feel lonely or even to seek my God.

But I don't want that. I don't want a life full of activities to make me happy. I want a soul full of Jesus. I want to experience His joy even in those dull moments of life.

I want my focus to be on bringing Him glory. If I stop and think about it, there is no down time at all... I want to grow in God's word; His love letter to me. I want to cultivate my marriage and be the best wife I can be to the man God gave me. I want to teach my son to love others like Jesus did. It is easy to slack on these things in life because we feel "Blah" at times. But praise the Lord that every day is a new day! A refreshing chance to start over and try again.

I want everyday to be about bringing Him glory, not about what activity will make me feel good. I want Jesus to be more than enough. I want to seek His presence passionately. I want to believe His word and rest in the fact that He truly is more than enough. I am open to knowing what God is trying to teach me during this season in my life.

There is nothing in this life that I will have to endure alone. He is walking with me every step of the way. Whether life circumstances are amazing or heartbreaking, MY JESUS IS ENOUGH! Thank you Jesus for making me believe. My joy is in you. I will seek you all the days of my life.

No matter how far you look on this Earth, nothing will ever satisfy the inner parts of your soul like Jesus will.

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith." Hebrews 10:35-37

Three words...

Wherever you are... whatever problem, pain, season, struggle, fear...

You need to know...

God loves you.

Because sometimes you just need to hear it...

He loves you in your brokenness, in your insecurities, in your sin, in your anger, in your confusion...

God loves you.

Because sometimes we just need to be reminded...

The creator of the Universe has called you by name, you are His. (Isaiah 43:1)

Three little words... cliche. But true. Deep. Real.

How amazing... Right where you are. In this moment..

God loves YOU.

Breathe Him in.

....

Our flesh may fail us, but your spirit never does, O Lord.

Stripped.

Money, fancy cars, smiles, high heels, education, status, jobs, etc... all things that help the world go round. Part of life, part of you and I. Material things, Chipper facebook status', a painted face or designer label. The world.

Who are we if we are stripped of these things? One of my best friends pondered this question aloud one day... It made me think, what are people hiding behind? What are people really like when they leave the crowd and sit in their bedroom? Who are they? Where are their thoughts? What are they thinking about?

What is our purpose? At the end of the day, when the lights are out, the make up is off, the party is over, the kitchen is cleaned, the clothes are dirty... what is left of us? Is there more beyond what strangers and acquaintances see on the outside?

Is there substance? Something deeper? A passion? A yearning to live out what our hearts are on fire for? Or do we wake up to get dressed and put on a show for the world, thinking of ourselves.. What can the world give me?

Do we fight for something? Strive for something? Ache for something? Do we think about such things? Can we change the world?

Who can we be a friend to? Who needs love? How can I show others I love them? Will people see my heart through the life I live? Who is hurting? Who is struggling at this very moment? Who is just barely hanging on? Who can I encourage? Who needs a little push? Who needs my time? My money? Who just needs someone?

There are so many distractions... so much going on.. Life is good for me but someone out there is hurting, aching. We are blessed but someone else feels they have nothing. Life is not about us. How can I get ahead? I want the best car... I will prove to them... I don't need anyone... Walls go up.. How can this really fulfill a person?

I need to be a friend, I need to help, I need to give. Not about me but about them, and that makes us. I will help you and you help me... Give and take but mostly give... have my hand, my help, my money, my heart. Let me show you how the Father loves. Let's hold hands and go through life together... stripped. No show, nothing on the surface... but deeper. These are my fears, what are yours? Let's cry together & not pretend life is perfect... then let's rejoice in the name of the Perfect One.

This is me, flaws, sin, guilt, shame, brokenness. All of us, at some point will break, but we will have each other... And the love of Christ. Together. Me and you... them and us... One. Praise God for the love of a brother and a sister.

Praise the Father, who takes brokenness and makes a new creation, takes sin and makes a testimony, takes death and breathes new life, takes flaws and makes art, takes shame and makes a miraculous discovery. Praise to the one who heals, fills, and conquers. Praise. Be. To Him. He loves you and me. We love, because He first loved us. He loves. us. Stripped. For who we are, so shall we love others.

Let us be reminded:

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [2] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Now that is deep. That is substance. That will not fade. I hope I have this. This is what it's all about.

What kind of day are you going to have?

We live in a world that can easily be a dark place. Beneath the surface and in the many cracks of life are slivers of negativity, anger and gossip.... just waiting to engulf us and lead us away from the light. It's interesting how quickly we can become a part of this if we are not careful. We all have a past... we have hurt people we love and we have been hurt. Some might think that since life has dealt them such a yucky hand, they are going to give nothing back but a bunch of "Yuckiness". There are people in the world that complain, they are bitter, they are mean for now reason, and they have this idea that nothing in life will ever be good. Even if we are not those types of people, we still have our moments.

Complaining does not get us anywhere in life. Yes, we all do it and we need time to vent about life, but eventually, we have to move on. If we continue to surround ourselves with negative conversations and continue to dwell on the little inconveniences in life, we are never going to be able to see the good.

I have had many conversations with people about optimism and a positive attitude, and some would say that life is just never going to get better no matter how many times they say life can be good. But I am convinced that what we say, what we think, what we give to others, whether good or bad, is what we will be surrounded with on a daily basis.

There are plenty of situations in life, such as cancer, death, terminal illnesses... that are real problems. These things are not easy and they give us the right to complain, be angry, question God, and to wonder if life really is all that good. It is inevitable that we will all face this one day, if we do not go first. But even in these situations, eventually God will want us to heal and be able to move on and see the good in life again.

On the other hand, there are things in life that we just need to deal with and move on from quickly. I am talking about small everyday things that come up. Every small setback can't be the end of the world. If you say that your day is ruined, than it is going to be. If you say it's just a little set back and it's not going to ruin your day, than it wont.

If we speak words of kindness, encourage one another, practice patience, listen to one another, offer our help, tell ourselves we can do anything we set our mind to... than these are the things that will fill our days, and they will have a positive affect on us. If we walk around with our heads down, dragging our feet, having something negative to say about everything... these are the things that will fill our day... and of course that's not going to be a good day.

In life situations, we can either choose to be a part of the problem or part of the solution. Maybe we need to stop complaining so much about what life isn't, and focus on what it is. Stop focusing on other's flaws, and highlight their strengths. Stop worrying about what could happen, and focus on how to move on from what has already happened. Stop telling ourselves we can't, and remember that with Christ, we can do anything.

Life is short- Over before we know it. Will we spend our time sulking through the imperfections or take those imperfections and make something good? I believe there will be moments of unhappiness, but I do not believe God would want us to go through life unhappy. The one thing life and others cannot control is your attitude and your outlook on life. No one can steal your joy without your permission.

I write this, because I too need to be reminded. When I get down on life, one of you can show me this :) We all need a little push sometimes, because life is hard.

If just for today, let's look at the good and have a positive attitude.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8 (New International Version)