Day 30: Forgiveness Challenge

This is the last day of the forgiveness challenge and I want to take the time out to thank you for participating in this challenge.  I hope that you found this challenge to be a rewarding one.  If you still have any unforgiveness towards the person that you have been praying for after this challenge, keep praying for them. Sometimes the path to forgiveness may take longer for some. If you happen to see my forgiveness challenge for the first time, the good thing is you can start whenever you are ready to.  This link will give you all the information you need to begin your 30 day challenge if you are new to my page. Also, on the right side of my page you will see the word "Topics" and you can click on the link that says "Forgiveness Challenge".

As Always Take Care and God Bless!!

Day 29: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 28: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 27: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 26: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 25: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 24: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 23: Forgiveness Challenge

You Loved Me Anyway By Sidewalk Prophets

Day 22: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 21: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 20: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 19: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 18: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 17: Forgiveness Challenge

Day 16: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 15: Forgiveness Challenge

 Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 14: Forgiveness Challenge

                                                          Forgiveness by Matthew West

 Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 13: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 12: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 11: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 10: Forgiveness Challenge

 

 Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 9: Forgiveness Challenge

Forgive Me by Anthony Evans
Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 8: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!!

Day 7: Forgiveness Challenge

. Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!!

Day 6 Forgiveness Challenge

Losing by Tenth Avenue North

Today's devotional is a little different as you can see. I wanted to share with you a song by Tenth Avenue North that talks about forgiving those who have hurt you.  It's a beautiful song to help encourage you as you do this 30 Day Forgiveness Challenge. Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 5: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 4:Forgiveness Challenge

 

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!!  

Day 3: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!! 

Day 2: Forgiveness Challenge

Note: If you are interested in participating in the Forgiveness Challenge, click here to find out more information about it. Remember it's never to late to start the Forgiveness Challenge!!

Day 1: Forgiveness Challenge

 

30 Day Forgiveness Challenge

Hello Everyone!!! I hope all is well with each and everyone of you!  Ok, so some of you are probably

wondering what in the world is this forgiveness challenge and what it consists of! Well, I will explain to you in details what it is later on in this post.  We all know that forgiving people who have hurt us in ways that sometimes seems unforgivable is one of the hardest tasks we will have to do. When we hold a grudge against someone, don't you know that person has some power over us? What we have done is we have allowed them to have control over our emotions. For example, when we see this person, anger stirs up in our hearts as the memory of what they did or said plays out in our mind. No one should ever have that much control over us in a negative way like that. 

This challenge also includes not only forgiving other people, but ourselves. Some of us have problems with forgiving ourselves of things we have done in the past, but the word of God says,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" ( I John 1: 9). 

I've been there and trust me it's not a good feeling when we are beating up ourselves for things God has already forgiven us for.  

I remember one time that I thought it would be almost impossible to forgive this particular person. Well, for me it took a lot of prayers to be able to forgive them, but God allowed me to love this person freely without having anything in my heart against them. I am telling you if it wasn't for the grace of God, I wouldn't even have thought about forgiving this person or would have been capable of forgiving them. God shifted my perspective from my own hurt to see the bigger picture that people who hurt others intentionally are hurt and broken people themselves. 

I think sometimes we fear that when we truly forgive someone, we are allowing ourselves to believe that what they said or did is okay. No, it's not okay!! We are just freeing ourselves from their power. The Lord placed this idea of doing a 30 Day Forgiveness Challenge in my spirit about a month ago. How does this work? I want you to pray everyday for 30 days for the person who have hurt you and you can't seem to forgive this person. Also pray for yourself if you can't seem to forgive yourself for things you have done in the past.  If you feel the Lord leading you to fast during this time, then do it.  Each day I'm going to put scriptures or some type of encouragement to help you along the way.Some of the scriptures that I will be posting will be talking about love and not necessarily forgiveness, but love is part of the forgiveness process. We must learn to love like Christ wants us to in order to forgive ourselves and others.  I can't guarantee that you will forgive this person or yourself in 30 days. However, this will lead you on the path of forgiveness and clean your heart of any strife or malice that may have taken root.

This challenge will commence on today. If you are interested in participating in this challenge, please email me at jesussaveseva8@gmail.com.

Your Sister in Christ,

Being Free In Christ

Naypong

What does it mean to be free in Christ? Does it mean that we can do whatever we want now? Paul addresses this issue in Romans 6. The first verse of this chapter proposes a question, "What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" This is a question that many wanted to know during Paul's time. Paul answers the question in the second verse by saying, "By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" In order to be free in Christ, you must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. When you accept Christ in your life, you are no longer slaves to sin. You no longer have those evil desires to ignore Christ and do whatever you want, but to please the Father. Does that mean you will never sin again? No, of course not. This is bigger than our own willpower, but it's about the grace of God who gives us power through the Holy Spirit to live a righteous life.

Let's look at Romans 6:16 ,and it says, "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey-whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness?" I can say this for myself that once I came into Christ I did become a slave to righteousness. Most of my decisions are based on what God wants me to do even if it may not be exactly what I want. Being in a relationship with Christ is like being in a relationship with a significant other. When you are in a relationship with someone, you will try to do your best to please the other person.

Some nonbelievers feel that when a Christian follows the Word of God that they are in bondage because of all of its' do's and don'ts. No, actually by following the Word, you are setting yourself free from the bondage of sin. If sin is not bondage, then why do we have so many alcoholics, sex addicts, drug addicts, and the list goes on? When you ask an alcoholic to stop drinking, they can't unless they are delivered from it. Why do you think the word of God says in Ephesian 5: 18,"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit?" It's because God knows what excessive drinking can lead to.  If God tells us not to do something, it's because it's for our own good. It's not because he doesn't want us to have fun.  Christ is much wiser and smarter than we are. When we don't follow the word of God, there will be consequences to disobedience.  Let's take fornication for example.  In 1 Corinthians 6:18, it says,"Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." When a person commits fornication, there are consequences to this action. The consequences are guilt, shame,an unwanted pregnancy, or some type of sexually transmitted disease.  Do you think that God wants this for us? He loves us so much that he tells us to avoid this so we will not have these consequences. The good news is that if you have committed fornication or any other type of sin and you want to repent of that sin, God can forgive you. 1 John 1: 19, it says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

In conclusion, being a slave to righteousness brings peace and joy unlike being a slave to sin which brings guilt and torment. Choose life by following Christ and your life will never be the same!


Your Sister in Christ,
 

GREAT NEWS!!!

Hello Everyone!! I have some great news as you read on the title of this post.  One of my posts will be featured on blogsbychristianwomen.com!!!!!!!!!! God is so good because different websites are wanting me to write articles for them. All glory belongs to Him! If you are interested in reading my post, click this link to go to their website http://blogsbychristianwomen.com/2014/10/will-trust/.

Your Sister In Christ,

Is Speaking in Tongues Real? My Testimony

Listen to this message by clicking this link:Is Speaking in Tongues Real? Podcast

Here is a great video to check out on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZbQBajYnEc


Your Sister In Christ,

Am I Serving God In Vain?

 

Photostock

Welcome to my first podcast!!! I realize that in this fast paced society that it may be easier for you to sometimes listen to my words of encouragement rather than actually read my articles. You can listen to me on your way to work or while you are doing your everyday tasks such as cleaning, cooking, etc. So I hope you enjoy today's topic "Am I Serving God In Vain?". Click on this link to listen to my podcast.  https://soundcloud.com/singlesliving-4him/am-i-lerving-god-in-vain


Your Sister In Christ,

My Top 5 Songs: September 2014

1. Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) By Hillsong United- I absolutely love this song right here!!! Do you know how after a while that once you keep playing a song over and over that it becomes old and you become tired of it? I've been listening to this song since last year when it was released and I have yet to get tired of it. This song is about learning to trust God and wanting to learn how to trust Him.

2. It's Working by William Murphy- This is another one that I could never get tired of listening to. I love William Murphy's songs because they are very anointed and not just inspirational. When you listen to him, you might just start speaking in tongues because you can feel the Holy Spirit in his music.

3. Greater by MercyMe-I have always been a big fan of MercyMe and this song is another one of my favorites.  This song reminds me of old time hand-clapping, tambourine-shaking, foot-stomping church music. It is based on I John 4:4 in the Bible that says, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world".

4.Who You Are by JJ Heller- JJ Heller is a new artist that I have recently started getting into.  I remember when I first heard this song, I fell in love with it. The lyrics basically paints a picture of a 41 year old woman who wants to have a child but God has not blessed her with one yet and a man who has a dying daughter.  The essence of the message is that they don't understand why they are going through their difficult situations, but they know who God is and what He can do in the midst of their circumstances. 

5. Beautiful Day by Jamie Grace- "Beautiful Day" has been one of those pick-me up songs that gets me up in the mornings. It talks about just enjoying the day that God has made and not to worry about our current circumstances. In her song, she sings about how she's going to worship God despite whatever is going on in her life.  

If you have any spare time during your day, I want you to check out these amazing songs.

Your Sister in Christ,

Updates To My Blog: September 2014

Hey guys and gals!  I just wanted to share with you some updates on my blog!  I have recently added a "Resources" tab which is located at the top of the page next to the "Contact Me" tab which includes all books and media that are mainly geared towards singles. This page will be updated frequently, so don't be alarmed by the small amount of resources that are currently on my page. Currently, the books are woman-focused self-help books, but my plan is to have books that are for single men as well because I do know that some men read my blog as well.

I am also planning on doing a list of the top 5 songs that I am currently listening to. I think people underestimate how songs can have such a powerful impact on an individual's life whether good or bad. There have been times when I have been down in the dumps and then I hear a song on the radio that ministers to my spirit. Hopefully,  they will encourage you as they have encouraged me.

Anyway, that is enough of my ramblings. Take care. Love you much in Jesus Name!

Your Sister in Christ,

5 Important Qualities that Every Christian Woman Should Want in a Husband

Stock Images

Some women today, including myself, have the future husband list. This list consists of all the qualities and sometimes physical traits that we desire in a husband.  I began writing my list when I was in middle school, and as I became older, my list has gone through several revisions. I’ve noticed that as women we become so fixated with every single detail on this list especially when it comes to the physical traits. Some may want a man that has a six pack and is at least six-feet tall.  It’s nothing wrong with desiring these things but they should not be deal breakers. Deal breakers are things that you fail to compromise no matter what.  

Actually I think it is very imperative for a single woman to write a future-husband list because it allows us to think and write down what we will and will not accept from a man. In  Habakkuk 2:2 it says,” And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”  Write down what you desire in a mate.  I have listed five deal breakers that should be on every Christian woman’s list.  

Christian-The first item on the list is that they should be a Christian. I’ve already spoken on this topic in previous articles, so I won’t go into much explanation on this quality. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, it says,” Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” Moreover, if your boyfriend or fiancé is a practicing Buddhist or Muslim, it would be wise to end the relationship.

Godly-The second item on the list is that the person should be godly.  There are individuals today who claim they are Christians, but yet they do not live a godly lifestyle.   In other words, they claim the Christian title, but do not live according to the word of God.

Possess the Fruits of the Spirit-The third item is that the person should possess the fruits of the spirit. In Galatians 5: 22-23, it discusses nine attributes of a true Christian which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.  Why are fruits of the spirit important? I will illustrate why with this example.  When we look at an apple tree, we expect the tree to produce apples. If it doesn’t produce apples, but instead produces pears, it is no longer called an apple tree.  When a person says they are saved or a Christian, but does not produce the fruits of the spirit, then they are not who they claim to be.  Remember whatever is in you will eventually come to light.  If you claim the title of being a Christian and live according to the word, the fruits of the spirit will be evident.  Yes all of us may not be perfected or mature in all of the fruits of the spirit, but that is why we need to continue to grow in grace and perfect our faith. 

Committed or Devoted to You-The fourth item on the list is someone who is committed or devoted to you. You do not want someone who has a wondering eye or just simply acts like they do not know what they want.  Abraham was very committed to Sarah even though she could not have children. He could have thrown in the towel and said, “Forget this and forget you, Sarah. I am through.” No he was committed to God and therefore he was committed to Sarah. You do not want someone who is going to leave you when situations get rough. Joseph was another good example of a young man that was committed to Mary. At this time, it was said that he was espoused or contracted to marry Mary. In those days, a woman could have been stoned for being pregnant and not married. (Deut 22: 23) He could have worried about what others said about him and left her, but no he stood by her. In Matthew 1:19, it says, “Then Joseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a publik example, was minded to put her away privily.” How do you know if this person is going to be committed to you? Observe how they treat you.  Are they committed to you before you are married?            

Respect for Women-The fifth item on the list is respect for women. Listen to the way a man talks about other women. A man is not going to come out and say that he doesn’t respect a woman. This is why you have to read between the lines.  Pay attention to how he treats his mother and other females in his family. 

I would caution you not to become so caught up in the physical traits of the person because I personally feel it limits you from getting to know someone who may not be exactly what you have on that list physically. For example, you may have on your list that you want someone who is dark skin, but then if someone who is of a lighter complexion wants to get to know you, you may dismiss them as not being a potential mate. My advice is to be open when it comes to the physical traits of potential guys. I recently heard a testimony of a woman who said that she always loved dark skin men.  Those were the only types of guys that she dated. Well, the Lord sent a light skin man in her life whom she ended up falling in love with and marrying.  

If you haven’t started writing your list, these are five qualities that you can write down.  There are more deal-breakers that you can add. When making this list, be honest with yourself. For example if you want to have children in the future and that is something that is very important to you add that “they must want children”. After you have completed your list, I want you to reevaluate those traits that you want in a spouse and ask God to help you grow in those areas as well. For example, if you wrote down that you want someone who possess the fruits of the spirit, ask God to help mature you in this area.  We want the husband to be this amazing Godly person, but we have to make sure that we are ready to be that wife that God has destined us to be.

Your Sister in Christ,

 

Book Review: Love Out Loud Devotional by Joyce Meyer

I haven't always been a devotional book type of person until I started reading Joyce Meyer's Love Out Loud Devotional. Before this, I normally read passages of scripture from the Bible on most mornings. My mom started telling me about Joyce Meyer's Love Out Loud book which I bought for her a couple of years ago for Christmas and how it really encouraged her. She kept raving about it, so I decided to give it a try.  Well, I am so glad that I did because it has been a tremendous blessing to my life. This morning I prayed to God about a particular situation in my life. I nearly dropped the book from my hands because it was discussing the same situation that I was praying about.  God really uses Joyce Meyer's in this book to encourage Christians everywhere.  If you are looking for a great devotional book, click this link here Love Out Loud: 365 Devotions for Loving God, Loving Yourself, and Loving Others.

What are some of your favorite devotionals? I would love to hear from you, so reply in the comment box below.

Your Sister in Christ,

What Do Christian Men Desire in a Wife?

Sattva

Many women have thought about this question, "What do Christian Men Desire in a Wife?" and yet many go to their girlfriends seeking advice about how to be a woman that would attract a Christian man.  Well, although your girlfriends can give you some advice, they are not men.  They do not know what men really want.  I've had the privilege of asking two saved young men to tell me what they desire in their future wife. Their real names will not be revealed for privacy reasons. I asked both of them to give me five qualities that they desire in their future wives. Below are their responses.

Marcus, 25

1. Physically Attractive. First and foremost, she would have have to be physically attractive. I obviously would not be pursuing her if I am not physically attracted to her.

2.Godly. Secondly, I would desire that she has a heart for the things of God, meaning she would have to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It would not work for me to have a wife that is not godly, let alone spiritual. This is knowing that what God has called me to be which is being that of a preacher of the Gospel, I would need a woman who is as much on fire for God as I am.

3. Mature. Next, I would desire to have a wife who is understanding and not necessarily always on the defensive. So with that, obviously her being mature in her actions would be a major quality that I would desire to see at work and quite evident in my future wife.

4. Athletic. Fourthly, I would love to have a wife who is athletic, but not so to the point that she forgets to be feminine and lady-like. I personally run eight miles every other day and also I love to play tennis. So to have a wife that wouldn't mind joining me in a run, every now and then, and also to be able to play her in a tennis match and let her win, not, lol that would be ideal for me.

5. Culturally Aware. Last but definitely not least, to have a wife who is open to good, wholesome diverse experiences and even diverse environments would be what I look for. Sure we all are more comfortable in most cases, when we are around our own race, but I am not one to be so "stuck" on events or outings norm to my race. I love diversity whether it's in my worship experience, my choice of restaurant or even events. I believe it broadens one's worldview and makes for allowing for understanding of other cultures to be brought about.  Now, of course, I'm not going to go to the extreme so to the point that I'm doing things that would be displeasing to God. For it's all things in moderation and careful consideration.

David, 26

1. Honesty. Honesty should be a given simply because if she is a "Christian Woman" then her daily conversation should exude and exhibit complete honesty at all times. Honesty can be also looked at as trust. Is she trustworthy just as Jesus would be?

2. Confident. I believe a woman should always be self-confident, not condescending but confident in her ability as a woman to be a woman and a help-meet to her husband. Nothing is worse than a woman who constantly needs validation from others when she should have validation from the Father and herself alone.

3. Approachable. A lot of woman today are not approachable. Can I talk to my Christian wife about anything? I believe I should. Also, when a man is trying to approach you, do you even give him an idea that an approach will be invited by you?

4. Not Loud and Clamorous. Honestly, I can't see a woman truly being a Christian if she is loud and clamorous. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3: 3-4 "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. But let it be of the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and QUIET spirit." Also look at Proverbs 25:24; 27:15; and 21:9. Loud and obnoxious women may be a turn on for a foolish man but not for a true and godly living and Christ believing man!!

5. Godly. Last and certainly not least she must possess the godly character that she claims to be . At the end of the day she must be godly, not a churchgoer, not a choir singer, but a godly living individual. Her life should be as close as possible to the life that Christ demands for all of his children. This godly woman will believe what the Word says even if it shames her and she will place the Word of God as her guide for her everyday living. Her life is not made worthwhile because she has a man, but because she has God!!

From the responses, one characteristic that they both desired in a wife is a woman who is godly.  These young men do no know each other and have never met but they chose to use the word "godly" which to me says something.  Many Christian women claim that they are saved, but they are not godly. The Greek word for godly is eusebeia which means one who is devout and it "denotes that piety which, characterized by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him" ("Godly").

In summary, what are you doing to become more of a godly woman? Are you reading the word like you should and applying it to your life.  Are you seeking God with all of your heart? I encourage you to be a better woman for God not because that's what a Christian man wants. You should become a better woman of God because that's what the word of God wants from us. Then if it's God's will, the right person will come along and will be attracted to that godly character in you.

References

"Godly" W.E. Vine's M.A., Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. 27 Aug. 2014. http://www.menfak.no/bibelprog/vines.pl?word=godly

Samson and Delilah: Lessons From An Unequally Yoked Relationship

Since I've had a large amount of positive reviews on my recent article, " 4 Reasons Why Being In A Relationship With An Unbeliever Is Not A Good Idea", it prompted me to write about Samson and Delilah and the effects of an unequally yoked relationship. Many of the stories in the Bible are lessons that we can apply to our daily lives. They are warnings that will help us realize that when we go outside of the will of God, we will encounter adverse consequences.

Before I begin with the story of Samson and Delilah, it is imperative that I discuss who Samson was. Before Samson was born, he was chosen to be a Nazarite. A Nazarite is someone who was called "holy unto the Lord" (Numbers 6:8). This person could not take wine or anything made from grapes; he may not cut the hair of his head and he may not touch the dead (Jewish Encyclopedia.com). Today, Christians are called to be holy. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:15, "Be ye holy for I am holy". This is why we cannot do whatever we want and date whomever we want. We are called to be separate from the world.

From my readings of Samson, I discovered that this young man had an issue with the spirit of lust. Before he met Delilah, it says in Judges 16:1, "Then went Samson to Gaza and saw there an harlot and went in unto her." His lust began in his eyes which led him to sleep with her. This young man was called to be a Nazarite, but he gave into his lusts. For a man to sleep with a prostitute denotes that he had a big problem with controlling his flesh.  Many of us blame Delilah for Samson's downfall; however, if Samson would have dealt with his inner struggles, I really believe he wouldn't have fallen for Delilah. Many of us know the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Joseph didn't yield to his flesh when Potiphar's wife asked him to have sex with her. Although she asked Joseph multiple times to sleep with her, he refused to give in to her request.

In Judges 16:4 is where we are first introduced to Delilah. Delilah was a Philistine woman who Samson was deeply in love with. The Israelites were not allowed to intermingle with people of a different faith, but Samson clearly ignored what God said about being unequally yoked. Samson failed to guard his heart and this caused him to fall in love with Delilah. When we fail to guard our heart, we will find ourselves hurt and miserable.

Samson was so blinded by love that even when Delilah tried to seduce him into telling her where his strength was, he just ignored her conniving ways. When people are in an unequally yoked relationship, they sometimes ignore the obvious. The signs that the relationship will not work is right there before them, but they ignore the signs. Later, if the individuals decide to marry each other, the saved spouse might say I didn't know this person was so incompatible and then they are stuck in a miserable marriage that God never intended for them to be in.

In the end, Samson finally gave in to Delilah and told her where his strength came from which was his hair. Samson had this special strength from God, but when he cut his hair, the Lord left him. Because of Samson's disobedience, he lost his strength, became blind, and eventually had a premature death.

Let us not put ourselves in the same situation as Samson. Let go of that person who is going to be a hindrance to us spiritually. I know this may be a very hard task to do, but it's something that needs to be done. I think it would be fair to have a conversation with the person before ending the relationship. The proper thing to do is sit down with the individual, explain that you feel this relationship is against God's word, and end the relationship. If you feel that you are in too deep with this person, you may have to make some radical changes. If that means deleting this person's phone number from your phone, then do it. If the person is on your job, you may have to find another job somewhere else. Most of all be prayerful about the situation and God will work it out.

In conclusion, there's one thing that I have learned about being attracted to someone. Just because you are attracted to someone does not mean you should be in a relationship with that person. I don't care how attractive this individual is, walk away if you know they are not going to be beneficial to your spiritual growth. You may have to run  :)


References

"Nazarite." JewishEncyclopedia.com.19 Aug 2014. http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11395-nazarite


Your Sister in Christ,

Feelings of Unworthiness: Too Messed Up to Be Saved?

David Castillo Dominici, 

Have you ever felt that you were too unworthy or too sinful to give your life over to Christ? Or have you felt that even though you are saved you made some big mistakes along the way that makes you feel unworthy?  Well, guess what? There is no sin too big that God will not forgive.  I've heard people say that God does not want anything to do with them because they feel they are too messed up.  THAT IS NOT TRUE!!  Let's read what the Bible says about this.

 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

While we were sinners, Christ thought about us and loved us enough to die on a cross. Yes, He knew that when we were born into this world that we would sin. Are you still not convinced? Paul before he was converted was a persecutor of the Christians.  He also approved of Stephen's death, a follower of Jesus Christ.   Paul was ruthless when it came to the Christians during his day.Yet, after he heard from the Lord, he then became converted to Christianity.

If you want to read more, read Acts 7-9. God turned a murderer into an apostle.  This is what my God can do.  Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." He felt that he was chief among sinners because of his past. It doesn't matter what you did or do, God can forgive you of all of your sins.

To anyone who battles with unworthiness because of mistakes, read 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". Also, if you read Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Do not let the enemy tell you that you are unworthy of Christ's love and His plan of salvation. 

There is hope for you today.  Let Christ into your heart and you will never be the same. Once we become saved, we become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). You will have a peace about you that is indescribable. Whatever I am telling is something that I have experienced for myself. The gift of salvation is free and it is not something that can be earned but given.The joy of the Lord becomes your strength whenever you go through perilous times with the aid of this precious gift.  If you desire to give your life over to Him, send me an email at jesussaveseva8@gmail.com and I would love to talk to you. 

Your Sister in Christ,

Book Review: Waiting For Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury is a Christian fiction in which a young woman, Hannah Ryan, appears to have the perfect life in Los Angeles, California. She has a husband and two teenage daughters who all love her. On a Sunday evening, two police officers bring heart-wrenching news on her doorstep that would change her life forever.  As a result of this, she becomes very angry with God. She even states, “Couldn’t believe God was real…that he’d done nothing but watch as her family was ripped apart.” Throughout this book, I literally cried because it was so painful to see Hannah battle with grief.

When Christians experience grief or loss, they may question God about why He allowed this to happen to them. Hannah questions God about her loss and claims to stop believing in Him. Karen Kingsbury is an awesome Christian writer that makes her characters seem very authentic. Along the way, the author teaches us a few valuable lessons. Although we may undergo the roughest struggles in life, God is always there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. She also indicates that bad things do happen to good people. Hannah was a devoted Christian who served God with all of her heart but even she was susceptible to life's hardships. This is the first novel in the Forever Faithful Trilogy.  I would give this book an 8 out of 10 and I look forward to reading more of the Forever Faithful Trilogy.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click Waiting for Morning (Forever Faithful, Book 1).


Your Sister in Christ,