Sharing a Bend in the Road . . . or Gossip? You Decide

This morning like always I began my day first with reading the encouraging word courtesy of K-Love and then I checked my blog stats and lastly I opened up facebook to see if I had any messages. This is the only message I was greeted with:

Hi Wendy I was quite saddened to read a posting of yours that contained derogatory comments of your spouse. If a husband cannot trust his wife to defend him then what does that say ? The bible gives warning of the destructive power of gossip in several places . Here is one such admonition from Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down to the innermost parts of the belly." Also Proverbs 17:9 "He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter seperateth closest of friends."Proverbs 17:9. I pray the word of the Lord will speak to you itself. Believe we are living in the days of sifting and where God is separating the true from the counterfeit and one has to show genuineness that they bear the nature of Christ and without mixture. No longer place for lukewarmness , it is either serve God entirely or not at all . As far as friendship here on facebook is concerned our likes seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum. No ill feelings just must stay true to my convictions or they mean nothing.Shalom.

I have written this person back but have yet to hear back from them. It was a man that wrote this to me. I took the time to make sure I had the word 'derogatory' itself correct in my mind and according to the dictionary, it states that the meaning is: "expressing a low opinion of someone or something : showing a lack of respect for someone or something".

In my heart I do not feel I have committed this crime. As I re-read several of my posts, I see honesty regarding my situation and the truth that often I fall short of the glory of God. I openly admit that I have much progress to make to reveal Jesus Christ to Mike.

It is my belief that in my being open and honest in regards to my life that I am helping others. We are the church. If we hide all of our troubles behind closed doors, pretending all is well, then we are by all rights harming ourselves and in a way blocking any healing we are meant to receive or deliver. I think that is the biggest problem within our churches today. We sit in our pews listening and pretending that we are living perfect lives when the reality is we all face trials and tribulations. I know the full scope of what goes on behind my closed doors so when I read my own words, I truly feel I am being kind and am not gossiping. If I were to tell everything that goes on word for word, verbatim, and trashed Mike that would be one thing. That is not what I do. In a way, by admitting that he falls short due to his lack of faith and knowledge of God is in a way defending him. By openly admitting that he has no relationship with the LORD reveals the truth that he walks in darkness and does not see the truth in himself. 

I pray for Mike daily. When I talk to him, I often come to the table and share scripture. I don't hide what I blog. I ask him about his thoughts. It is in our discussions that I have come to know several things about the Word of God:

Not everyone gets it. They read without understanding if they read Scripture at all. When they do read and listen, they can twist Scripture in ways that reveal how evil the evil one truly is. It can make your Spirit feel as if it's heart were punched out at times. That is the depths of how sad witnessing such deception can be. It is not completely their fault. The devil can blind and deafen a person, cause them to see what is not there and believe what is not true. Their own Free Will often becomes their worst enemy, for God will not force you to succumb to Him.

(2 Corinthians 3:14, NASB) But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. [15] But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; [16] but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. [17] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. [18] But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 

(Isaiah 44:18, NASB) They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend.

Because of FREE WILL, one has to desire truth to see and hear it. We can only pray that they begin to desire. I often pray this prayer for Mike, "Lord if he so much as turns to you in flash of curiosity, please reveal yourself in such a way that he cannot deny you are His LORD and Savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

I promise you, I have often wished I could take all that is in my heart where the LORD is concerned and transfer it directly into Mike. He would literally be a different person were he to become a believer. I know this because I became a different person. I often say, "You would not like to know me and my thoughts without Christ's input!" 

That is a major reason I also pray for myself! I know that I am a work in progress. I know that since Mike is not a believer the evil one is able to use him as a weapon against me. It is through my sharing my life that often I find myself strengthened through my own testimony for the LORD often takes me to places in the Bible that help heal my soul. 

It is true that often I too fall to the flesh and react instead of turning the other cheek. Those moments do not make me proud, but as I have mentioned before I truly am 'just a girl' walking through life like the rest of you. I am far from perfect. I do my best to wear my armor and to keep my focus on the truth. Being pregnant does not help when it comes to keeping my emotions in check and it is in confessing my own shortcomings that I am able to reset myself as well as forgive myself. 

I refuse to pretend that my life is perfect for I believe in truth. I believe in my heart I have not made derogatory comments when it comes to Mike. I have shared truths from our relationship and truly am curious as to how I am to defend him outside of pointing out the truth that he does not read God's Word, follow Christ, much less believe in Him, and since he does not, how on earth am I to judge him as if he did? It is not my place. I can only pray for him. I can only ask for prayers for him.

I am fully convinced that I am not the only woman who has found herself unequally yoked. I know the battles that are waged when the scale is out of whack. It can be ugly. God takes our ugly and turns it into something pretty. How can He do that if we are all unwilling to share the ugly in our lives? 

When God first called me forth to share my life in written form, I truly was taken aback and downright scared. I had BIG secrets that I didn't want the world to know. After all, 'What would they think of me?' In all honesty, I could not stop myself from obeying the call. Like I literally could not ignore it. The fear of not stepping forward outweighed the fear of what anyone might think of me. Hence, I cared more about how God felt than how I felt. The same remains true today. 

A really good friend of mine told me recently, "God is not calling you to a ministry of normal so what you do is going to look different." 

I have to agree with her assessment. My story is not the norm, but there are chapters that resonate with many. I know in my heart God is using me to reach others caught, who don't have the relationship that I do. How can they get my faith, if they don't understand that I am in their very shoes? There are parts of my personal story that I don't put out there. The LORD has not pulled at me to go into all the tiny details. Since He does not lead me to, I don't. 

It is truly my desire to reveal the glory of God working in my crazy, broken life. It is my prayer that this is what my readers see. I cringe to think I may be viewed as a mere gossip.

If I have offended anyone by the things I share from my life, I apologize. I would suggest that my blog is not for you. I write as I am led by God. It is not the most comfortable thing in the world to reveal my own shortcomings to the entire world. I guess if it was, that would make what I do easy. Sharing my heartache, my shortcomings, my trials and tribulations is often a bit scary, but it is what God called me forth to do. 

Seeing how it is Super Silly Sing Song Saturday and the topic of this blog seems to be on the openness of being 'broken' this is the song I am sharing today:

Broken Together by Casting Crowns:

What do you think about when you look at me

I know we're not the fairy tale you dreamed we'd be

You wore the veil, you walked the aisle, you took my hand

And we dove into a mystery

How I wish we could go back to simpler times

Before all our scars and all our secrets were in the light

Now on this hallowed ground, we've drawn the battle lines

Will we make it through the night?

It's going to take much more than promises this time

Only God can change our minds

Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete

Could we just be broken together

If you can bring your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine

Could healing still be spoken and save us

The only way we'll last forever is broken together

How it must have been so lonely by my side

We were building kingdoms and chasing dreams and left love behind

I'm praying God will help our broken hearts align

And we won't give up the fight

It's going to take much more than promises this time

Only God can change our minds

Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete

Could we just be broken together

If you can bring your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine

Could healing still be spoken and save us

The only way we'll last forever is broken together

Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete

Could we just be broken together

If you can bring your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine

Could healing still be spoken and save us

The only way we'll last forever is broken together

Songwriters

HALL, JOHN MARK / HERMS, BERNIE

Published by

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

Read more: Casting Crowns - Broken Together Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Here is a link to the YouTube video for those that would like to hear it:

If you are someone who has enjoyed this post, I invite you to read my book. It is my prayer that this collection of 36 True Life Stories compiled into one complete book will help all who read it. I know God intends to bless many through my story for that is the purpose of Him calling me to write it! 

Purchase your copy of "You Are Worthy Too: The Proof is in the Pudding" today!

Father, I come before you today asking for more grace. Let my words be words of healing and not viewed as words of gossip Please help my book become a vehicle that helps others, encouraging them to seek You and giving them hope should they need that. Father as always, I ask that you unblind the blind and open the ears of the deaf. Alot each person with more understanding. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, mom of many.

It's a Good Morning!

Good Morning my sisters and brothers in Christ! I hope the day has found you smiling. On my way to work today, I was jamming to the radio. Mandisa's song "Good Morning!" immediately after Chris Tomlin singing "Whom Shall I Fear". Starting your day off with prayer, followed by singing does much good for one's outlook! I know one thing is for sure, it helps me smile and beam as I bask in the Glory of God. Talk about feeling toasty!

So on Tuesdays, I am responsible for providing a marketing tip in a Christian Marketing group I belong to. Today, this was my tip on Facebook:

Good morning everyone! My tip on this Terrific Testimonial Tell-All Tuesday is BE TRUE to Yourself! When it comes to marketing you will enjoy it more if you remain true to yourself. What does that mean you may ask? Well, everything. To begin you must take an account of your personal inventory. What kind of person are you? What are your strong points? Where does your weakness lie?

If you are a morning person, then use that time when you are most cheerful to complete your creative work like your marketing campaigns. Is there a day in the week that always seems to be a more joyous, energetic day? Use that day to step out of your comfort zone and make new contacts. Positive energy is contagious! When you have an up day take advantage of that! If you are having a day when you are out of sorts, before you do another thing, get on your knees and give it to God.

Also, try as hard as we may, remember, alone you are human. Your best asset is your relationship with God. Just like we are advised in Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

I will be blogging on verses 24 – 36 today as that is what was laid on my heart. Very exciting stuff! To check out my daily posts or to find the portal to my blog, simply click on my facebook page and like it when you stop by! https://www.facebook.com/YouAreWorthyToo

Have a blessed day everyone! 

Wendy

So honestly, I know I have to provide a marketing tip on Tuesdays. Monday night I pray for insight on what to share with my group for I am not a professional marketer. I was surprised I was even picked to provide a tip on Tuesday. All the other tipsters help others in a professional sense! Me, I rely on God to help me. So this morning I knew my message was going to include seeking God. What I did not know was that God was going to show me so much more than that! Once I realized that Matthew 6:33 actually started out with the word But, I knew what time it was! To fully understand the importance of 6:33 we must start at verse 24! With that being said, straight out of my MacArthur Study Bible, 

verse 24: No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

verse 25: For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

verse 26: Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

verse 27: And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

verse 28: And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

verse 29: yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

verse 30: But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

verse 31: Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'

verse 32: For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

verse 33: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Verse 34: So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I love the entire message. I love the "You of little Faith!" I always hear it with such a Fatherly exasperated tone. It makes me laugh. I mean in all seriousness, all that goes on after we depart, all that has happened prior to our existence, we have nothing to do with how it transpires. How do we trick ourselves into thinking we have control over such things?

I have found stepping out in absolute Faith is EXTREMELY FREEING. I KNOW MY GOD HAS THIS! I don't have to do anything but be still and KNOW He is God. This is so much easier to accomplish when I am seeking Him. I renew my mind with His wisdom daily and it fills me with a joyous confidence words cannot define. 

I used to view the bible as something I could not grasp myself. I mean in all honesty how many people do you see hanging out on a park bench reading it? Sadly not many. The most read book in the world and we tuck it away and read it out of the sight of others! This must change! 

Today I resolve to be more bold about my relationship with God. He is my Father, my Teacher, my Friend. I love Him. I love singing His praises and reading His word. I love the nuggets of wisdom He has shared with us via those who were willing to listen and in turn share with us as directed. We are so blessed by His grace. It is a message that needs to be heard and understood. No matter where you are today. No matter what you think would keep you separated from your Heavenly Father, as He is Faithful, should you seek, you shall find and the more you seek, the more you will find. The bible has endless wisdom in it. What ever troubles you today, you will find comfort within these pages. Today I encourage you to seek Him with all your heart!

Father, today I come before you and ask that you shine your light into the dark recesses of the world. Radiate it for all to see and feel. I pray my testimony is received and encourages those who feel unworthy of your love. I pray what you give me to share helps them realize the indeed are worthy too. I pray they grasp the concept of Grace and recognize the beauty in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I pray countless lift their heads and look to you to heal their broken hearts and renew their minds. I pray those who are asleep, awaken and begin their journey back home to Faith, Hope and Love. In Jesus name I pray! Amen!!

Wendy, Mom of Many.

© Wendy Glidden 2013