Any Given Day lives on...Jesus is the Man!

I have decided that instead of wasting my time writing about relationships with men, I will spend my time writing about my relationship with THE MAN.  Jesus, the human representation of the Almighty Himself!

I imagine Him with a twinkle in his eye, a sly sense of humor, a self-depreciating style, and a sense of quietness about Him.  He was wise, yet never made others feel ignorant.  Ok, maybe some of those guys that needed a smack upside the head...

He was gentle and kind, yet fiercely protective of his flock.  He respected and admired women, and oh how hard that must have been to fight those biological urges...dang!

My guess is he was pretty hot.  Women threw themselves at him, without a doubt.  Oh to have that self control...we can only pray for it, right?

It's what I am praying for most these days...  patience, kindness, and self control...my toughest fruits.

I need to keep my eyes where they belong...on Him.  I need to be faithful that He will deliver the promised goods, at the appointed time, when I will understand and appreciate the gift.  Like a rose cut at just the right time, it will blossom into the most amazing flower...

Prayer for right now:

Hey Lord, could you give me a little patience and self control, please?  I having a tough time of it right now and it sure is easy to lose my faith these days.  Even in the darkest places of my brain, I know you are there, waiting for me to "get it."  Please help me "get it" and move on, and be who it is you want me to shine as.  With your favor I ask for some kind of sign that I am headed in the right direction and that things won't be quite so tough forever...thank you, as always, from the bottom of my heart, for your version of the perfect man.  Amen.

Any Given Day: 36

Discipline.

Self control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you have accepted Christ, it resides within you. Satan, a powerful enemy, understands this. Our temptations are many and varied. We all have weaknesses, we are all sinners...that does not make us bad people! We make bad choices and there are consequences for those behaviors.

A pathology begins to exist when we surround ourselves only with people who enable the behaviors and refuse to accept help from people who care. Examining why we behave the way that we do or hearing it from others is too much reality to face. It is always much easier to bury the truth under substances and activities designed to numb pain.

Breaking this cycle can only happen with God's help. Accepting that we are powerless over the temptations, asking for forgiveness, and praying for help and healing are key. Discipline then becomes a daily exercise to stretch our faith and flex our Godly muscles. Our relationships with people we love can begin to be restored and we can live with hope and joy!

A prayer for those struggling with toxic behaviors:

Powerful God, you alone know my heart and my weaknesses. Forgive me for the actions that hurt me and the people that I love. I have less control than I would like to have over the dark forces that exist all around me. Remind me to turn to you in times of weakness and assist me in strengthening my discipline and self control. In Christ's name, AMEN.

Proverbs 3:11-12