Friendship Promises

We all have friends, right? And what particularly makes us a good friend? What would we tell others if they asked us this question?

So this is a new gift book by (in) courage, it is composed of devotions, prayer prompts, and journal prompts on the topic of friendship combined with beautiful Scripture art and graphics. I can easily see this book going from gift to interactive treasure as the devotions, prayers, and journaling prompts (along with the space to journal) invites us to linger and digest these lessons & promises on friendship. Then, as we marvel at the Scripture art, perhaps they are left blank without color so that we, too, may participate in making this book beautiful. 

The friendship promised this book offers are:

I promise to be Authentic, Present, Encouraging, and Rooted in Christ. The entire book is organized by these friendship promises. The reflections are drawn from Never Unfriended by Lisa Jo Baker and Craving Connection (another book by (in)courage). I mention this so that you have an idea of the authors of the book since other than this mention, there is no attributed author.

So for the exterior, we're looking at linen over the board. In person, it is the perfect shade of a coral/salmon color. And is the same size as Open Door Living (another gift book). The cover lettering & design is embossed with gold foil. There's also a ribbon marker the same shade of coral/salmon as the book, which makes me happy. 

I really like this book. I think that in this world of people being so easy to write each other off (and being proud of that fact) we need more resources on friendship. The beauty in friendship and knowing just what godly friendship looks like.

Highly recommend. I say buy in pairs. One for yourself and one for your best gal pal (or more for your best gal group of friends).

{As always, I received this book from the publisher (B&H) in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Open Door Living

How do you feel about hospitality?

Is it effortless for you? Or do you often need a little encouragement and some great tips on ways to show hospitality to others?

Well, me, I fall in the middle of the two. Serving others comes naturally to me. Once we have guests, I immediately fall into service. I think its part of my DNA, although most moms I know are like this. But then there are times when I struggle. Some times it is merely getting everyone in my house on board with opening our home to others (especially when strangers are involved). Other times it is knowing what to do, how to decorate, or what to serve them once they've entered my home.

And enter Open Door Living by Jen Schmidt. I'd already read her book Just Open the Door (which has a companion Bible study). Open Door Living is another companion book to Just Open the Door. While Just Open the Door dealt with getting us to actually be hospitable and invite people into our homes and hearts. Open Door Living is more of a practical, here are some recipes and decor tips with devotions, beautiful artwork and conversation starters thrown in. 

And I LOVE IT. I love the recipes and decor tips, they are easy to follow and tweak to my taste. The conversation starters are great when you're having new friends over and are just starting to learn about them or even having a small dinner/lunch/brunch party. And the devotions are always welcomed. They help get us in the mood and set the tone for each chapter. 

The artwork, though!!! Definitely worth getting printed and put on canvas or framed to put in your home. Your walls will thank me later. 

Feel free to download and frame or put on canvas.

I think this book is great for personal use but also make a great gift. Highly recommend for any gift-giving needs.

(FYI: As always I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.)

Preparing Your Heart for Marriage

This is like only the second couples devotional I've ever come across and yet the first one that is specifically for engaged couples. 

Gary Thomas is known for his Christ-centered books for families. Most of them (especially the ones I've read) are on marriage. My favorite is Sacred Marriage. It has really progressed how I view marriage. 

So recently Gary Thomas released this devotional. It is for 30 days prior to marriage and has a day of the wedding devotional for both the bride and the groom. What I love is that the devotions are not expected to be read by just one person, they are expected to be read by both the bride and the groom. AND there are reflection questions for them to discuss. Also, the devotions are about 3 pages each. The devotions are broken down into 3 groups: God's Plan for marriage, Preparing for your vows, & The wedding vows. If you look below at the photos, you'll see the titles of each devotional in each section. One thing to note is that Gary Thomas is addressing the marriage, not the wedding. He isn't addressing the literal wording of the vows BUT the meaning behind those vows and what it looks like in action. He's addressing engaged couples' headspace going into marriage. He's giving them a tool to help them succeed. To know that marriage is full of forgiveness and grace and service unto each other. 

Table of Contents pg 1

Table of contents pg 2

Back cover

This back cover captivated me because it made me think, was I spiritually ready for marriage when I got married 8 1/2 years ago? Honestly no. I was not ready on spiritually and while I thought I was ready emotionally, I actually was not. And because of that, my marriage suffered a bit under my immaturity. There are days now, when it still may suffer from my attitude.

So I recommend this book along with good godly pre-marital counselling (preferably by a neutral party).

{As always, I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

The Lifegiving Trilogy

If you've been following along, then you know that there are 3 books in the Lifegiving Trilogy. 

The Lifegiving Home (review found here)

Two words that sum up this book: Cultivating HOME.

The Lifegiving Table (review found here)

Two words that sum up this book: Intentional discipleship.

And lastly The Lifegiving Parent (review found here). 

Two words that sum up this book: Intentional parenting.

As you may have read, these are well-written books that expound on being lifegiving. Intentionally Lifegiving in our homes, Intentionally Lifegiving with the meals we serve, Intentionally Lifegiving in how we parent our children. We want to cultivate the intentionality because it does NOT come naturally. It doesn't come naturally for me. If I am not intentional then I will spend entirely TOO much time on social media (if you don't believe me ask my husband). I have chosen to use Lifegiving Table this fall/winter season (along with another book, you can find here) to disciple the hearts around me by simply inviting people for dinner. Inviting my neighbors to Thanksgiving dinner will allow me to use a meal to be intentional in being hospitable and loving towards them. The same with Christmas. I want not only my family but those around us to want to come to our home. And that starts with me. 

I recommend this trilogy to everyone who wants to cultivate something special in their home, in their family. Even if you do not have children, you can still appreciate at least 2/3 of the books.

Thank you, Sally, for this oh so needed reminder! And if you want to know more about Sally or her books, you can connect with her here. And thank you, Tyndale, for allowing me the chance to experience these books! 

You can purchase the entire trilogy HERE for only $24.49 (prices subject to change).

A Memory a Day for Moms

EEK!! I love, love this book!!! So it's set up as a journal but there are prompts for each day and it is dated. For each day of the year, there are 5 spaces with each space allowing you to put what year you are responding for (see the below).

The great thing is that you can start whenever you like! And it prompts you about yourself, about your kids, and about your spouse. It prompts you to leave memories not just for you to reflect on but ones that you can pass on to your children.

This is a hardcover book with fairly thick pages. There's also golden page marker. Then on each page, there is a bible verse that kind of correlates with the journal prompt as well as a prayer prompt.

I've already started filling in the dates from March (since I got it). I plan to pass it on to my kids when they are older and maybe invest in a second one in order to catch about ten years worth of memories for them.

I do recommend this for mamas, especially busy mamas because it helps us remember to stop savour the little things in life that we often take for granted. 

FYI: I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

66 ways God loves YOU

There are 66 books in the bible and they all fit together to tell an amazing story of God's redeeming love. 

Jennifer Rothschild takes each book of the Bible and relates God's redeeming love for us to readily see and understand. It's almost like being able to be read 66 love letters. Love letters from God's word, from each book of the bible. 

There are many times in which we need a very real and very clear reminder of God's love for us and this book provides 66 of them.  I say read them for yourself. Read them to your children, read them to a friend who may be struggling. 

This is from the book of Exodus (I enlarged it so that the words can actually be read)

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher through the BookLook Blogger program in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Redeemed

So this is literally a bible study and that is its full intended purpose. The tag line is "Grace to live every day better than before." The study is meant to be completed over a course of six weeks. There are also corresponding video sessions to go with each week (I do not have access to those to view). 

Week 1: When Love makes a promise. 

Week 2: When Love never fails. 

Week 3: When Love makes a way.

Week 4: When Love changes you.

Week 5: When Love breaks your chains.

Week 6: When Love leads you home.

Even though the word love is used, I can comfortable interject God in place of the it. 

The weeks are 7 days long, I point this out because many studies usually do a 5 day a week schedule. It is quite funny that Angela tries to immediately attack any reason why we would say we cannot do the study. And combat that with the reason we need to do the study.

This is the first page of week 1, of the study. 

 I haven't gotten through the entire study yet. However I think it is worth taking a look at and going through especially if you are even almost near an identity crisis. And to be honest, I have been in that place. Sometimes I revisit that place. And this is the reminder to walk away from that place that I am redeemed. That it only matters what GOD says about me and who GOD says I am.

{FYI: I got this book from B&H Publishers in exchange for my HONEST review.}

Woman of Influence

As a Woman of Influence, we want to be a godly influence on the people around us. 

Even if you aren't married or have children, you have some influence over the people around you. Influence them in such a manner that it brings God glory. We do that by always pointing past ourselves to Jesus. 

We do that by the way that we carry ourselves, the way we act. 

It all speaks for us. 

And how we carry ourselves is a reflection of the ONE who sent us, who we claim to follow. 

The Woman of Influence Tank Top available at www.thejesuscollection.storenvy.com

The Woman of Influence T-Shirt available at www.thejesuscollection.storenvy.com

Are you a fruitful wife?

As a wife my greatest goal is to be the best wife I can be.

Not only so that my marriage is enjoyable.

Not only so my husband is happy.

But because my marriage is an earthly example of Jesus' relationship with the church.

To be a fruitful wife is to embody the nine fruits of the Spirit. Or rather to cultivate the nine fruits of the Spirit.

• love
• joy
• faithfulness
• kindness
• self-control
• peace
• gentleness
• goodness
• patience

Haley DiMarco, addresses the need to be a fruitful wife. Her goal is writing this book is to answer the question: How can you be the woman God is calling you to be, a woman who bears the fruit of the Spirit in your marriage and in the daily grind of life?

She explores and unpacks the biblical significance of being fruitful. Many of us get married and we come to certain passages to help us understand our roles. Proverbs 31 is very popular. So is Titus 2. Ephesians 5 is getting there (although those who do not want to respect their spouses unconditionally may overlook or misinterpret that passage). But then we come to Galatians 5, where Paul gives us the fruit of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, how we will see it in others; how others will see it in us.

I like how Haley shares bits of her personal life in this book, so its not generic. So I, the reader, can feel like she's relating to my daily struggle as a wife and my daily goal as a wife.

I like that I have a visible way to apply the fruit of the Spirit in my life. And the greater beauty is that while I am seeking to improve myself in marriage, it will have a larger impact to extend to others as well. Because I can't truly cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and only use it some of the time, its all or nothing.

#Application is the key to change. It's one thing to read a book and like the message its another thing for that book to give application to reinforce change. Haley gives me meat for change. 

If you are married, get the book. If you are engaged, get the book.

If you are single, STILL get the book.  

This is applicable in ALL stages of life.

{FYI, I did receive this book from the publisher (Crossway) in exchange for my honest opinion.}

Strong & Kind

As a parent have you ever sat down to think of character traits you wanted to instill in your children?

I mean, sure kids have those ingrain traits but all of those traits are not good nor do we want them to sustain those traits. For example, Caleb (our 4 year old) has developed a tendency to be selfish with his things and while if left unchecked could become a very nasty character trait to have. As parents we have chosen to prune his character early and abolish that tendency before it becomes a hardcore character trait.

I'd been reading the book Strong & Kind by Korie Robertson and if you watch Duck Dynasty then you know who she is. If you don't then, here's a quick update: Korie is the wife of  Willie who now the head of the family business. She's been a mama for over twenty years, so I'd say she's got plenty of practice and experience.

I'd made it my business to add this book to my collection because I have yet to read anything from this family that I disliked or disagreed with. I love their principles and how grounded they are in the word of God.

In this book Korie details Strong & Kind, the two character traits that she and Willie decided they wanted to pass on to their children. They agreed while their children was young that they wanted them to be strong to endure in this world and to be kindhearted people.

 And in that choice came the realization that you cannot want to develop those traits in your children without developing & living them out yourself. It is ever so important to make sure that whatever character trait you choose to develop in your children that you LIVE THEM.

The book is awesome because it doesn't just focus on those two character traits but many character traits and the living those traits out as parents. Because as most of parents have realized its a "monkey see monkey do" world not a "monkey say monkey do" world.

Without realizing it, my hubby and I had already been modeling certain character traits for our children. My husband has been showing our children to be hardworking and consistent and to be well dressed. I'd been showing my children the importance of books and reading but also of love. My children will quickly hug you and say I love you. Because that's how their mama is. I like warm friendly welcomes. Give me a hug not a handshake! lol.

And prayerfully the good retains while we kick the bad traits out of all of us. :)

{FYI: I received this book via the booklookbloggers program in exchange for my HONEST review.}

What if Marriage was intended to be sacred?

How often do we go into marriage with the understanding of being made happy by the marriage and our spouse? How often do we hear people end marriages because they were "unhappy?"

Now what if you were to learn that God did not design our marriage with our happiness as its central focus? What if our marriage is designed to make us holy before Him? What if marriage was not designed for our happiness but to completely glorify God?

That is what Gary Thomas is answering for us and opening our eyes to see in his book Sacred Marriage.

When I got married and throughout a great portion of marriage and even at times now, I get angry because of the times when we are unhappy and it is chaotic. I am still learning that my marriage was not designed for me to be happy. Yes happiness can be a by product of marriage. But that is not the original design for marriage. 

This book is filled with examples of couples who had been going about marriage (and in some cases divorce) the wrong way. They'd been consumed with themselves and what made them happy. Yet they either forgot or were completely unaware of the fact that happiness is fleeting and that is not marriage's purpose. That is not our spouses purpose. We cannot burden our spouses with the task of making us happy all the time. Our joy must come from the Lord and when that happens we become content to let marriage be what God designed it to be.

A really good example of this is Hosea in the bible. Hosea was instructed to marry a harlot (a prostitute) who would give birth to children that may not have even been Hosea's children. Yet God had a purpose in this. He wanted to use marriage, specifically Hosea's marriage, to demonstrate His purpose for marriage. God wanted to show that there needs to be constant forgiveness and not human forgiveness but Godly forgiveness. God wanted to show His relationship with the people and how before we get married to our earthly spouses we have a heavenly spouse. And in our submission & obedience & loving to our earthly spouse, we are essentially doing that unto our heavenly spouse. The same goes for the message Paul gives us in Ephesians 5.

Gary Thomas seeks to give this knowledge to the believer. To live out marriage the way God intended for it to be. To stop being prideful and selfish in our marriages. To allow God to use our marriages to make us holy before Him.

 As a wife one of the things my husband is charged to do is to "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:26-27 NKJV) And in response my job is to submit and allow him to do so. No matter how hard that may be or how hard my flesh wants to fight. (And trust me my flesh has been and is fighting.)

That is what I have been learning from this book.

FYI: I received this book as a member of BooklookBloggers for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Grace of God

The Good, The Bad and the Grace of God. 

This was fairly hard for me to get into as a book, as it has a fairly slow start.

It starts off as a narrative of the lives of Jep and Jessica. You know, where they are from, what they were like as kids, what their parents and grandparents were like. However it switches back and forth, with Jep having a chapter, then Jessica having a chapter, and so forth. The book delves into how they met and their first impressions of each other. It goes on to encompass their lives and lessons they've learned along the way.

 I like that they don't shy away from discussing their faith and how their family came to be Christians. I love the connection you feel between them and their grandparents.

I also enjoyed their impressions of each other. It's like wow, they both were smitten with each other although they've always lived near each other and never ran into each other. It kind of reminds me of my husband and I.

I'll be honest, I was interested in reading the book because I like the show and the family. However this is not a book that would warrant a second read from me. When a book is hard for me to focus on, I don't go back to it. 

Although I will say it does not change my view or perception of the Robertson family.

Jep and Jessica Robertson of Duck Dynasty. 

The youngest son of Phil Robertson and his beautiful wife. 

Who God Is defines Who I am

We learn who we truly are in the context of who God is.

I have learned who Kristin is because I have learned who God is and what He has said about me.

God has said that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

He has said that I am to love God and love others. And He said that in a specific order. God first, others second. How can I love others if I have not the love of God in me?

I encourage you to learn who God is and in turn learn who you truly are.

Read His Word and Read what He says about you. In that you come to learn who God is. You learn that He is loving and patient. He is gracious and merciful. He is a faithful and selfless Father. Who sent His selfless and faithful Son to die for our sins. 

And when you understand that, truly accept it, live your life based on that. 

Then you understand your worth and how valuable and loved you are.

The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV)

Women of Influence week 2

This is the last week of the mini-study, Women of Influence, before a 4 week study for Easter on GMG.

(FYI, not all groups are doing this study)

Today's passage: Acts 16:13-15

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Lydia, a woman of influence. I can guarantee if you have a women's study bible there's something about Lydia in it. Why? Because Paul sat down and delivered a message to a group of women, Lydia was one of them. As the Lord opened Lydia's heart to receive this message, she left there a changed woman. So changed that she took the message home! Through her heart's reception of Paul's message, Lydia was able to influence her entire household to receive, believe, and be baptized. 

That's HUGE. How many of us receive God's word and yet have a hard time translating that into influencing our family into believing? I don't know how Lydia did it but she did. Maybe it could have been the way she lived her life. Maybe she shared the message with them. All I can think of is that I want to be like Lydia being receptive to God's Word so that I can be a godly influence in my family's life.

There are more than enough ungodly influences in society. We have to combat that by being the godly influence in our homes. It is detrimental to the spiritual health of our family, our children and husbands. This isn't to say shove God in their face. This is to say model a life of living like Christ, be generous and gracious. Be loving and kind. Be forgiving and humble. Read where others can see and maybe even hear, who knows they may listen or have a question. Play worship music softly throughout your house. And always pray for them. Pray for their spiritual health. Pray for God's Will. Ask the Lord to use you to reach them.

Be the Women of Influence our families are in dire need of. 

Ask God to open your heart to be receptive to Him.

~Kris

Women of Influence -Thursday

So sorry I am late...I intended on posting on Wednesday. 

Today's passage is Acts 9:36-41

"In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive."

This passage is about Tabitha/Dorcas a disciple who had died but was risen after Peter prayed over her. What's most interesting to me is not that Peter prayed over her and she rose in a similar fashion like Lazarus did but that the widows were grieving so much and that they were showing off the garments she had made for them. 

Think about like this, when a person passes away we tend to talk about the good they've done but how often can we show what they're hands have made for us.

Tabitha made these women clothing that they cherished because to do so requires her time and energy, giving of herself to them.

We are called to be that type of woman. To be the woman who gives of herself, of her time and energy to those around us. We can easily give of our money and think its enough. But its entirely different when we give people our time and energy because then they know that they mean something to us. That we are doing more than trying to meet a need but investing in them in a way that really matters.

What we want to leave behind when we leave this world is not just material things but things that matter. Memories that matter, lessons that are helping others in their walk in life. If we leave this world without leaving any non-material treasures then we have not really left them anything.

So strive to be like Tabitha, giving of yourself, of your time and energy. Give your attention to those around you but that's what truly matters and will last.

We are Women of Influence....we must live like it!

~Kris

Loveology

Ah loveology. How many of us don't need a course in loveology? lol.

At first I was a bit skeptical about the book. Then I started reading and it became very interesting to me.

The book tackles love from a biblical standpoint. It tackles different angles of love from romantic love to agape love but it always come back to romantic love.

John Mark Comer views love as the ultimate. It is completely God's design and consistently in use by Him. John Mark Comer takes different stories of the bible and shows where love is inter-weaved in it and how it applies today. For example many of us want to date in a way that is acceptable to God and some defend dating as we know it saying its off limits because its not directly addressed in the bible. Comer goes to show that while dating may not be directly addressed in the bible, the bible does show different relationships as they progressed and how we use that as a model for how we should date.

 In biblical times and even still in practice today in some areas of the world, the parents chose a man's wife. Now of course we wouldn't dream of allowing our parents choose our spouse. Nope we want full control of that. 

One thing I like that Comer points out is how Isaac when presented with Rebekah he immediately married her. He didn't wait a few years to see if he liked her or sleep with her first to see if they were sexually compatible. NOPE. He married her then he loved her.

I think this is where today's generation gets it wrong. They think they need to trial test people. No. If you think this is who you are meant to marry then guess what? You marry them. Isaac didn't get perfection in Rebekah! She's the same woman who encouraged her son Jacob to manipulate Isaac to get Esau's heritage!

You don't need to see if you're compatible by having sex before marriage or living together before marriage! No you know if your compatible by your faith in God. Does he/she love God more than they love you? Are you in agreeance on what you want out of life? Children, living situation, education, church, ministry??

I also love how Comer takes the relationship God wants with us and shows the romantic qualities in them. The bible refers to the church as Christ's Bride. Does it get any more romantic than that? To be referred collectively as His bride? I don't think so. Everything Christ does is with His love for us and obedience to God at the forefront. How much more loving does it get? To have a heavenly husband who pursued us and died for us so that we can be pure and blemish free when presented to Him.

This book, I got from the publisher, is an advanced copy as the actual book itself does not hit shelves until February 4th!! I really recommend you get a copy! Doesn't matter if you're already married, single, engaged, divorced. You need to know the relation of love from the beginning of time to where we are now. It may very well help you make better decisions in regards to your own life.

What do you think of loveology?

~Kris

Women Living Well

Ever have that one blog you enjoy? Well I happen to enjoy Women Living Well and Good Morning Girls, the founder of both blogs, Courtney Joesph has written a BOOK! And it launched YESTERDAY!!!! You can order it on Thomas Nelson website or find it at your favorite bookstore!

 

The book is entitled Women Living Well and its about just THAT. It's geared towards women who want to live, who may need direction in different areas in their lives. I personally have enjoyed this book as a member of the book launch team. 

One of the things that I have gleaned from reading this book has been that it is more than important to take time for self because if I burn out how can I be of help to my husband. Another thing that I have gleaned is how important it is to respect my husband but also the ways that disrespect comes across. I also love that Courtney addresses motherhood in such a way that it does not make mothers feel guilty for their own specific way in raising their children but she gently encourages us to manage our homes without becoming an iron fist and to customize our homes to our specific family members. What may work for my home may not work for the next person. For example, it works best for my family that I don't work although to help out with our current savings plan I do work part-time and only on days that my husband does not work because our children are fully homeschooled.

I like that much of what Courtney blogs about is in her book. Its not as if she deviated from her fan base and what we regularly read on her blog. A great extra that is in Women Living Well is the Completing Him Marriage Challenge, it is a 2 week challenge (5 days per week). It's goal is to help us wives gain a better relationship with our husbands.
The book is sectioned off into four different parts (Your walk with the King, Your marriage, Your parenting, and Your Homemaking) with each section having about 3 chapters within it. I don't really have a favorite portion of the book as each section has very applicable information and I guess its even more so applicable because my home life is set up very similar as Courtney does not work outside of the home, I've only done it for the last 3 months and I will soon stop working outside of the home. I have also enjoyed the companion study guide that Courtney created to go along with the book as the questions reenforces what I've read.

I recommend this book to EVERY wife. It should be apart of your arsenal of books that help you as a wife, mom, and woman to personally grow.

I personally do not have a giveaway going HOWEVER here are a list of blogs who does:
http://www.irisparr.com/2013/09/women-living-well-review-and-giveaway.html 
http://www.sara.rrusselljr.com/women-living-well-a-review-and-a-giveaway 
http://www.jenifermetzger.org/2013/10/women-living-well-giveaway.html 
http://cacinance.blogspot.com/2013/10/giveaway-part-1-your-walk-with-king.html 
http://beechembrightspots.blogspot.com/2013/10/women-living-well-giveaway.html 
http://www.destinationproverbs22six.blogspot.com/2013/10/women-living-well-review-and-giveaway.html 
 

{FYI: I received this book for being a member of the Women Living Well Book Launch Team and as a member of the Booksneeze prgram through Thomas Nelson (the publisher)!}

When's its time to ask for forgiveness

Today is one of those days when I will sit before you in my transparency. 

Have you ever realized when you are in the wrong, and you are so convicted that it stirs you to action? Well I've had a day like that. 

You see, I've been reading Women Living Well by Courtney Joesph and in part II of this book Courtney addresses marriage. And whoa! Talk about conviction, its one thing for my husband to tell me my behavior is one way its another thing for another woman to say that certain behaviors that women are good for is disrespectful. Then not only is it disrespectful to our husbands, its disobedient to God since we are told, Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Ephesians 5:33 NKJV).

Now here's the stickler, I've blogged on this topic before! I've addressed that in marriage its extremely important that for both the husband and the wife to be happy, the husband needs respect and the wife needs love. Neither can be earned but must be given. 

So how is it that I screw this one up? Well try having a person who understands the concept of respect but never really understood what disrespect looked like....until today.

And boy was I ashamed! Courtney outlines what disrespect looks like coming from a woman, and I have to admit that I am guilty of ALL of it. Disheartening right?

I can admit, that my body language many times has been disrespectful, my tone of voice has been disrespectful, even how I treat him in bed has been disrespectful. So now I see that I've been disrespectful and I've got quite a lot of making up to do. Now I go on to read that I am in disobedience to God as this is what is commanded of us, encouraged as godly behavior. So now I am in debt to God and my husband. My number 1 and 2 priority. 

She made me realize that every time I had an attitude was disrespect, every eye roll is disrespect, every time I did not adhere to his leading was disrespect...and it hurt to realize that I have indeed been disrespectful when I thought otherwise.

Disrespect is a sign of a lack of faith in God and disobedience to God. When I have full faith in God and am in full obedience to Him, there will be harmony in every other area of life including my marriage.

So today marks a new journey, a path of repentance and hopefully forgiveness...and start to a refreshed marriage. However only time will tell and I trust God for the best.

Join me on this walk, purchase (pre-order) your copy of Women Living Well by Courtney Joesph here!

 

Journey with me! Comment below with your experience in this area

~ Kris

LOVE

What is love to you? Is it a noun, a verb or an adjective? Are you willing to show love?

        Those are questions you need to ask yourself when you find yourself ready to utter thee most coveted phrase in a relationship. I love you is so coveted because it explains all the different feelings in a relationship. I love you lets a person know that you love them, that you care for them, that you adore them. I love you is the highest form of verbal intimacy between any two people. And even more so in romantic relationships. Yet it can destroy if it is not used properly. For instance people throw around the phrase as though it means nothing and then wonder what happened when someone gets hurt or try to hurt them for lying.

        When you say I love you...you're letting a person know that you trust them not to hurt you, that you trust them enough to love you back and you trust them enough to always be there & do what's right. Have you thought about love like that? Did you know that when you say I love you, you are entrusting another person with your heart.

          For Instance I love my husband (YES I GOT MARRIED!!!) and really truly love him. I am in love with him. To be in love with him is to trust him to always be honest, to care, to be there, to love me in return, to love my (our) daughter.

        But LOVE is more than that. Love can be a noun...when you call someone your love. Love can be a verb...when you show your love through your actions. Love can be an adjective....when you're describing how you feel.

         I FEEL love everyday. I feel it in his kisses...I feel it in his hugs. That exemplifies my kind of love. He also is sure to verbalize how much he loves me everyday. So not only do I feel it...I hear it everyday. Love puts a smile on anyone's face when they are the recipient of it.

           Love is meant to be shared. You can never be stingy with Love because it's a gift from GOD who commands us to love HIM with all of our minds, hearts, and souls AND to love people. Who shows us how to love. Love can be consistently generated, you are never given just a set amount of it, when you need more, you can instantly have it and give it.