Helping Our Teens - What exactly is a teen?

As a parent we here from our teens, "My parents just don't understand me!" Parents, maybe we don't, how do you treat your "young adult" You know when they are 13 they are just leaving childhood, when they are 14 they are maturing a little more, at 15 they really want their independence. At 16 they are very close to being an Adult, at 17 many are going to college and need mom and dad to understand their dreams, at 18 and 19 they are Young Adults!

I personally am at the stages of 13, 16, 17 and 18. Do you know how hard it is to work with all these stages at once? I will admit It does get a little easier as each child reaches the stage another has gone through. Although my only girl is the oldest so I learned one thing with her, and then my 17 was different in that the rest of the kids are boys. I do have to adjust things according to each child. NO two children are the same, I'm constantly amazed at this when all 5 of our kids have the same mom and dad but yet they are SO SO different!!!

Here are some suggestions Dr Jack Hyles gives in his book "How to Rear Teenagers" on how to understand and deal wit these precious people we call teenagers.

1. Remember that a teenager is nearer adulthood than childhood.
They are maturing not only in their actions but their bodies. The young person is becoming an adult.

2. He should be treated more like an adult than a child.
A wise parent will do all they can to resist the temptation to treat him/her as child but rather as a young adult. You say I have a teen who's troubled. If you deal with a troubled teen, your teen WILL say, "I'm treated like a child!' Our children have been our child since birth, we have done all the different things needed as an infant, then toddler, then child, now you have to realize your Child is NOT a child anymore, He or She is teen which is a Young Adult!

3. Exhibit patience with him.
Remember they are learning the ways of being an adult, they have limited experience. A wise dad and mom will do everything possible to exercise the most difficult part of being a parent manners - that of being patient with the teenager.

4. Remember his potential.
What can your teen do? Challenge him to reach his potential! Does he have music skills? Art? Athletic? Whatever it is challenge him to reach his FULL potential in that area!!!

5. Give him proof.
You may say what? Proof for what? Well, Teens want to know why? I was told this one time and I found it to be so true. Think about your son/daughter was 3, what was a favorite question they asked? It was Why? Now look at your teen, what seems to be their favorite question? Why!! So we need to NOT blow off our teen when they say, "Why can't I........ or Why is it that......." Whatever the question you answered

Remember You Are Somebody!!!

I'm copying this directly from the booklet I've used some throughout this series of lessons.

Go go Psalm 139 often, and read that wonderful passage again and again, realizing how much God loves you. You are somebody! God sent His son to die for YOU. You are priceless. You are forgiven of every wrong thing that you've ever done. You don't have to compare yourself to anyone else because you are special in your own right. You can fill a place nobody else can fill.

You need to get up tomorrow and dress one who is going to rule someday - not a dunce, not a nobody, not a person without talents, not a person with no worth, but someone who will rule someday. Self-worth is a necessity of life.

Begin today loving yourself. You will still feel unworthy at times, but you need never feel worthless.

If you fail to plan you plan to fail. Don't plan to fail in this matter of accepting whom you are in God's eyes. Doing so will help you reach out to others because you have accepted who you are in God's eyes. YOU are somebody!

Jeremiah 31;3 b "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friends, wives, moms, children, husbands anyone who reads this please realize YOU are somebody and you were made by God.

I pray that this short series is help to someone somewhere.

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Attaining the Poised Beauty of Self-Acceptance

How do you attain poised self-acceptance?
1. Accept God's evaluation of you!
Think about it we need accept who we are because of whose we are!  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
God gave his son for who? YOU! So we should accept ourselves!!
Luke 12:27, 28 "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith."
Can you imagine God loves us so much that he would cast things into the oven, to care for us!! WOW
"YOU ARE a beautiful, precious pattern God intimately created.'

2. Accept God's forgiveness.
God has forgiven us already, accept that and don't feel that he's still holding the sin or guilt over your head. "He accepts me just as I am. He love me unconditionally, and  He thinks precious thoughts about me."
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."
God has forgiven us not YOU need to forget it!
Jeremiah 31:3b "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee."

3. Quit comparing yourself to other people!
"No one can take your place and do what you were meant to do."
II Corinthians 10:12 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."
God wants you to be your BEST not compare yourself to other people.
I can't be you and you can't be me!

4. Learn to walk as one who will rule someday!
YOU ARE SOMEBODY!! You can do things!!!

5. Take care of the outward self as a person who is somebody.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's"
a. Purpose in your heart to do it.
Daniel 1:8 "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat nor  with the wine which he drank."
If you fail to plan then you plan on failing!
b. Have a no-no list of foods.
If there are things you know you should not eat, make a list and follow it!
c. Don't ever eat standing up.
Just because food is left on the plate doesn't mean you have to eat it. So make it a choice NOT to eat while standing!

Remember friend YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!!!
Read Ps 139 and have your mirror there. Tell yourself GOD MADE ME AND I AM SOMEBODY!!!

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Loving your neighbour! That's not always easy, and the thing is your neighbour isn't just the person who lives next door. It can be anyone! Those of you who read this, are my neighbours even though I may not personally know you. I'm to love you!

So why are we to love our neighbours? Did you grow up thinking I'm not suppose to like myself? or I'm suppose to put myself down? You NEED to change that! You are suppose to like yourself and be think positive about yourself!!!

God does not want any of His creatures to continually make statements like:
~ Uh, I can't do anything.
~ I don't have any Talents.
NO that is not what God wants from us!!!!
What if God gave you:
~ Good looks
~ Maybe a talent
~ Maybe your really smart
God gave you these things don't criticize these things so you don't have and whatever it is.

We are to love our neighbour! The reason we want to have a healthy self-esteem is so we can forget ourselves and then reach out to the many who need us!!

Do you have your mirror? Look in it and say, "GOD MADE ME!!" GOD MADE ME WHAT I AM!!!
Forget self, and look to the needs of others!
People who need your help - the sick, elderly, a friend, your spouse!
Show someone kindness! Do something for that neighbour who never smiles, the child who comes to your place to play.
Say loving words to others!

We are of great value because God made us. We are His marvelous works - fearfully and wonderfully made! Because  God made us so valuable, we need to have self-acceptance.

So dear wife, mom, daughter who ever you are. Read again PS 139 and look for 15 sec in the mirror and say GOD MADE ME AND I ACCEPT ME FOR ME!!!

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Good Evening, I'm having a fairly good day. This would of been out sooner but I've had a major headache most of the day and I also was trying to get ready for my daughter. She came home from college today and it's been WONDERFUL having her here and it's only been since 6:30 this evening!!!
I'm loving it cause some of her friends have already stopped by to see her.

So on to our lesson today, remember to get your mirror and your Bible, and Read Psalm 139. After you are done with that then we'll cont on.

Decide to Accept Yourself, you say, But Paula you don't understand! Maybe I don't, but I do understand that you have to Accept yourself for who you are. God made us as we are, Read Psalm 139: 14 "....for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:...." God made you special!!

If you say but I don't like.....Keep in mind somethings cannot change!!!
Maybe you don't like your nose, yea you can have cosmetic surgery but will you truly be happy with it?! Why not accept the way God made you! He made you tall, short, big feet, or however, it's because he see's you as YOU!! GOD MADE YOU!!!!

Take these things and say, "All right, Lord, I accept them. THis is how You chose to make me. I now recognize that YOU made me with certain strengths and weaknesses. Every other person You ever created has them, too. I now accept the ones I cannot change. I call this decision self-acceptance!!!

One you do this you WILL be able to look in that mirror you have beside you and say, THANK YOU Lord for makeing me the way you did!

Now what are 2 Great Commandments that Jesus gave us in the Bible?
The one we want to look at is, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Lev 19:18
Look at this commandment: Since God commanded that we love our neighbour as ourself, we realy don't have choice but to obey it.
As a wife you don't have a choice to obey your husband.
As people we don't have a choice to love our neighbours.
Then we notice, "as thyself" so this is a 2 fold commandment.
First - a person to like, accept and love yourself as God made YOU>
Second - You are to love your neighbour in the same way!

So over the next 24 hrs see what you do, or change in your thoughts on how to Accept yourself. I have a dear friend who has some self-esteem problems and I will never say or indicate who he/she is. But I believe that this person through the way they dress, present themselves, change maybe attitudes, could get to where they accpet who they are. God has a purpose for you and for me.

However if you are constantly cutting yourself down, think negative about yourself, convincing yourself you are not worth it. When you start feeling or thinking this way Read Ps 139 I don't care if you have to read it 10 times a day. As Christians YOU/I NEED to Accept YOURSELF!!!

Ladies, or men. It's so important that we accept who God made us as. Do you believe God makes no mistakes? Then why would you say, you can't accept who you are?! You are saying to God, You made a mistake when you made me. How untrue is that?! God Made You! Look in your mirror and way it God Made Me! God Made Me! God Made Me! You will eventally believe it if you don't already! YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!!!

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Before we start get your Mirror and Bible and get ready for another lesson on how YOU are Somebody!!
As we go into this decide now that you will read it with an open mind especially wives! If you are engaged and reading this, you too need to read it with an open mind.

I love the wedding vows and I love what they mean. When you, lady, said to cherish, honor and obey till death do us part. Did you mean it? Or was it just a bunch of words? I've watched TV shows and even heard people say I will NOT say Obey, or till death do us part. Why bother getting married if you aren't going to keep the Wedding vows? Marriage is a blessed thing and part of that is be submissive as a wife to your husband. I understand that if for some reason divorce comes into the picture, you may not have any say over it. Lady, please make sure that you have done your part that you did your best to honor, obey, love, submit to your husband. Let's make the stats of divorce lower and Men and Women who stayed married high!

Submission isn't always easy to do, but since we're told to as wives, we have to Obey the Bible. In today's world the woman who submits to her husband is looked at as a crazy person. However you and your husband are fearfully and wonderfully made, marriage is/was made in heaven, and God wants us to honor and obey his word!

So now Read Psalms 139, and look in the mirror for 15 seconds and ask yourself how God and your husband see you as a Special Lady. Today lets write down the positive things and make sure to keep the paper close by, you'll need it again.

Seek to Please

As I have said earlier women have a more difficult time with self-esteem for the simple reason we are to be submissive. Did you know submission is role that God designed? Submission simply means Seek to Please.

Because so many women have a lack of self-esteem, it causes many problems in our lives. Look at your marriage, has your lack of self-esteem hurt the marriage. Do you think this about yourself?
~ I can't do such and such, like she does.
~ I wasn't born with such and such talent like that person.
~ I don't have any character. (THAT can be changed if you only try)
~ I'm not the prettiest person in the world. (Guess what you don't have to be the prettiest person in order to have self-esteem) Why? God See's us all as beautiful and "....for I (you) am fearfully and wonderfully made....'

Change comes when you decide you can and will change. For instance, if you're overweight, work on that area. Suppose you don't have the character to be on time. Begin to work on arriving early; that character flaw can be changed. Maybe you don't keep a clean house, start today in one room and decide that you ARE going to be a good house wife.

Before closing out today, Please take your mirror look in it and say, "God made me!" "I'm a beautiful person" and "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Now go have a great day and enjoy who you are!

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

I'm going to start today's lesson with a story from the booklet Mrs Hyles wrote on "I Am Somebody"

Don't Dress a Dunce!

     Upon entering school, a young boy was told by his teacher, "You're just a dunce! You're really beyond learning. You have no brains. I suggest you go home and don't come to school anymore. Don't ever try to learn."

     That boy believed his teacher. (Just as we have believed some of what people have said about us.) He went home, never again tried to go to school or tried to learn. After 17 yrs, this boy was administered an I.Q. test. The results? He was a genius!

     How sad to me that for 17 yrs this boy had gotten up every morning to dress a dunce. However, from the day of his I.Q. test forward, he got up and dressed a genius.

What can we learn from this story??? Let go back a minute....

Based on what we believe on, we should believe in God's Word! We can ALWAYS accept it as truth. However people are human, they make mistakes, do you have to believe everything that a person tells you? NO!!

Self-Esteem

Self - A person regarded as an individual apart from everyone else

Esteem - To think well of; to regard highly; to value

Read Psalm 139 now

Now that you have read Ps 139 and you've read the story we stared with, take your mirror and look at your self!

1. YOU are a person, apart from everyone else

2. How is your esteem? Do you see yourself as regarded highly? As a value? One that is thought well of?

If you can't answer yes to these questions then you need to Re-read PS 139 and look in your mirror saying, I AM SOMEBODY!!! I am made for purpose! God made me special not like anyone else!

Then go back an ask yourself those questions again. If you still say NO to them repeat this section till you can say YES my self-esteem is good about myself.

You know I see people and know people that have low self-esteem and if they are saved have no reason to feel like they are of no value, or that they aren't regarded highly or even that they aren't thought well of. You know people say hurtful things and many times it's all because they are hurting!

Again Read PS 139 and look at yourself in the mirror for 15 sec and then list the good about yourself!

Self-esteem is a deep sense of worth to God, and an honest evaluation of your gifts or talents, and potential to perform your unique ministry ~~~M.E. Gravens 

"If I could write a prescription for the women of the world, it would be to provide each of them with a healthy dose of self-esteem. Take 3 times a day. I have no doubt this is their greatest need."

The lack of self-esteem is a detriment to American women today!!! The person who wrote the "prescription" recognizes the GREAT need for women to get their self-esteem back.

Mom, wife, teacher, student, child anyone.....Don't let your self-esteem destroy you! Let it build you instead!

Think about it when a baby is born does he/she lay in his crib saying:

"I'm ugly"

"I have no talent"

"I can't do anything"

NOPE!!! I know that sounds silly because they are babies, but you know what we don't have to say those things when we get older either! I have an Uncle that was told, You are lazy, you are good for nothing and you will NEVER amount to anything. You know what? He's done exactly as he was told. Why? he heard it all the time.

Mom, Dad be careful what you say to that child. If you say something enough he or she will begin to think that of themselves. Which comes back on you, you are destroying that child's self-esteem.  If you are a care taker, babysitter, teacher don't do as the teacher in our story did. You maybe destroying a genius!!!

So I'm going to ask you to one more time look in your mirror and say, I AM SOMEBODY, I can do what I'm meant to do! Why can I do this, because, "...I am fearfully and wonderfully made...."



For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Good afternoon! I hope you are having a great day! I know we have :) House is cleaned, school is done for the yr, school room/living room cleaned out doesn't look like we ever home schooled in here :) Love the change for the 3 short months. I certainly hope as you prepare for your summer that you too can see changes in your home, your life, the way you look at yourself. So are we ready to go into the next lesson? I pray you read yesterdays and let me remind you, you will again need your mirror and Bible for today's lesson.

Before we start take the time to Read Psalm 139.

Question for you... Are you locked in a Cocoon?
Do you feel like the caterpillar who is looking for his food?
Maybe, you feel like the unattractive caterpillar who's in the cocoon who's waiting to be a butterfly or moth. Remember, no one can make you what you need to be or ought to be, there's not another human who can do that for you. Only you can break out of the cocoon and spread your beautiful wings.

Does your church have Ladies meetings? Maybe you should attend them and reap what you can from the teachings. The Lord has blessed ladies with the ability to teach and help others. Now this won't change you unless you allow the Holy Spirit to work through you. Remember YOU ARE Fearfully and wonderfully made. You can read books, listen to tapes/CD's now :) They will inspire you, however YOU have to realize that you are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made and that YOU have to decide to make the change.

May I remind you: YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!!!!! God made you dear lady to be the wife you are, to be the mom you are or maybe in the future, to be the teacher you are, to be the friend you are, YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!!!!

Dear lady, Guess what???? God, himself, no one else Made You! He chose to Make YOU! He made YOU, with say a crocked nose, or freckles, or maybe you think your hair is the wrong color HE made YOU! GOD MADE WHO????  YOU!!!! YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!!! You were fearfully and wonderfully made!!!!

Say the following as you look in your mirror: GOD MADE ME!!! GOD MADE ME THE WAY I AM!!!! Now you just need to accept who you are.

Some of you maybe have decided that you're no body that you aren't needed. You are WRONG!! You are needed why? YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!!

Some of you say what can do for the church, I go as I'm suppose to, I tithe, that's enough. NOPE!!! You ARE SOMEBODY and you CAN contribute ALOT to the church, the world, Your family. Remember YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!! Why? because God made you and you are fearfully and wonderfully made!!!

As you end today Read Psalm 139: 1-17 and see what God has done and thinks of you.

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Good morning! I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but it's rainy and sunny at the same time here in WV. We're under flood watches in area, our drive floods very easily so it's a constant watch to make sure the garage doesn't flood :) Never a dull moment AMEN!! You know what I like about blogs, us ladies can say Amen and not be out of line :D LOL  love it :)

Well, I'm excited about this new lesson I was packing up somethings an came across a booklet written by Mrs Beverly Hyles, I was surprised I'd never read it. So I sat down and read it, and as I go through life from day to day I see wives, moms, teachers, friends, women in general who really are depressed, and act as though they really don't know who they are or why they even exist. It's so sad when we are "...fearfully and wonderfully made...." Think about it God made each of us as a unique individual, if your an identical twin the two of you are unique in your own way. Back about 4 yrs ago I was really going through some things and my Pastor, a very wise and godly man suggested I read Psalm 139 every day finding something different each day to learn from. I did this for almost 3 mo and WOW!! Now I read Psalm 139 once a wk. You may ask why do you cont to read it like this? Well, you will see as we go through these lessons and prayerfully if you are having/going through something it will help you also. I promise you, it was amazing how it helped me and changed me. Some of what I'm going to share with you is from my own life and some will be from the booklet that was written by Mrs Beverly Hyles, a very godly lady and a lady whom I greatly admire, my former Pastors wife.

You say, Paula, really I'm no one special. Wait, you are special! I believe you, even though I may of NEVER met you, are special in God's eyes and he made you so that's reason enough to decided today that YOU ARE SPECIAL.
You say, but I'm not pretty.
I'm not smart.
No body ask me to help with _________________ and whatever it is.
I never get ask to be part of plays or weddings or whatever.
You know what? I use to think if I wasn't asked to be in things or help with things that it was because I was plain, not popular, I was (for some you, you'll say what? You?) shy so nobody thought I could do whatever the job or request was. That was wrong, you don't have to popular, or out spoken or pretty to do the things God has for you.

So as you read these lessons you will need with; your Bible and a mirror.
The mirror is so you can look at your outer beauty as your read this.
The Bible is because EVERY Christian lady needs to examine her heart!

Read Psalm 139: 1 - 17
Every lady should read this and memorize it. (I'm working on the memorization part now)
In these 17 verse's you'll see how much you really mean to God.

Over the 3 months that I was reading this passage every day, God did a work through me that I honestly believe was due to the fact I realized that even though my husband and family had been hurt emotionally and spiritually God let me see that He LOVES ME and cares for me and thinks I'm a wonderful person. I won't go into detail, but we moved to WV from another state and we basically had been told we would never make it, and that we were not good enough to do what we were going to do. The Devil was winning and we were low. BUT, a man of God saw good in the Seavey family and saw a family who needed to "rebuild". As I met with my Pastor he lead me to this passage of scripture and he lead my husband to a passage our teen children in a direction. Our family is now a thriving, growing family who loves the Lord. Now we never stopped loving God and we knew he was in control. However now we are stronger and we all know that we are "...fearfully and wonderfully made...."

As you look at your life and what God can and will do with your remember:
He's everywhere; omnipresence is an attribute of our wonderful God.
He's behind us; He's beside us.
He knows our thoughts - every little things about us.

Ps 139:14, God says that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Each of us! No one is not in this realm. God didn't say ok, you, you, and you can't be included this verse. NO he included you and me!!!

Now did you get your mirror? If not go and get it now. You need to pick it up look at yourself for 15 seconds (time it). As you look at yourself think about what you notice as you read verse 14: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."
WHO is a marvelous work of God?
WHO is fearfully and wonderfully made?

Congratulations! IT"S YOU!!!! The person you stared at for 15 seconds in the mirror was YOU, YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made! YOU are somebody!!!

The things that God did through me in this passage he can do for you! Start today reading Psalm 139 every day, maybe you need to read more than once day. Please read it and help yourself realize you are special!!

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

In the next day or so, I'm going to start a short series of lessons on Psalm 139, verse 14 will be our key verse "I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works: and that my soul knoweth right well."

As an wife, mom, friend, Interpreter for the Deaf I see people who honestly wonder who they are and why they are here. I pray that as I prepare to post these lesson that someone out there who feels their life isn't worth living or that simply doesn't seem to figure out "who they are" that these lessons will help.

Even before I start posting the lesson's I'm praying for ALL who made read these.

Silk and Purple - Provision

God's provision in a world that believes we're falling apart, no way to make it, no possible to come out of this financial mess. Well, if you are reading this guess what? There's hope through Jesus Christ!

Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.'
This is one of my favorite verses!! Notice its says "need" not needs, why is this? From sermons I've heard and from what I believe is the reason is because, yes, we have many needs; however, God sees it as a NEED! God will supply ALL your NEED he doesn't need to show that it's plural because he will simply care for it ALL! I love that fact that I look to God, yes, I'm to do my part in helping care but our wonderful Lord sees, Knows, and cares for us.
Read II Kings 4:1 - 7
II Kings 4:2a "What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?...." The story here is about a widow, she did all she could then went to the man of God for more help. She saw the NEED to get help. She knew to depend on God and God's people to help care for NEED.

1. God provides for the Preachers family.
2. God provides for the Preachers wife.
3. God provides for the woman who's husband fears the Lord.
4. God provides and sends his blessings and provisions, all he ask is that we follow Him.
5. God provides for the godly wife and mom!

A challenge for you is to get a piece of paper and just start listing the things God has provided for you.
Then don't just stop there, but thank him for all his provisions.
God is a God of provisions! He wants to provide your every NEED! Let Him.

Silk and Purple - Purity

As warmer weather started coming I was noticing as I do ever yr how young people, as well as adults started wearing less and less. There's 2 things that aren't real pleasant about summer for me, one is the extreme heat (i"m not a hot weather person) the other which is the biggest of all the lack of clothing. Parents today wonder why their girls are stalked, or get physically hurt or even raped. Yes, I said it! We NEED to be put on the clothes and stay pure! There's also many ways to stay pure not just sexually but also through our thoughts, what we say, do etc.

Proverbs 2:19 "None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life."
Read Genesis 39: 7 - 24

This lesson deals more with Potiphars wife and Joseph but I'm going to go a few other directions with purity. What does Purity mean?
Definition of PURITY

1: the quality or state of being pure

Examples of PURITY

purity while surrounded by wickedness>

Even in the dictionary it says a struggle....if we as wives and mom would simply dress right teach our girls AND boys to dress right we wouldn't have these problems, or at least we would have a lot less problems with young people staying pure.

Purity begins with yourself, at home, with your children. How do your children see you from day to day? Do they see you flirting with other men? Do you dress to please other men or do you dress to help them their minds pure? Pretty strong questions!!

Now I will say I dont' think we as ladies, and girls need to wear clothes that go all the way to the floor and clean to our chin, to our wrist and show NO skin whatsoever. Yea, maybe that is a sure fire way of keeping men from lusting after you and not keeping their thoughts pure. Seriously though are you wearing glorified pants with what you wear or are you wearing what God says a woman is to wear. I'll not go down this "rabbit trail" that is on a different lesson. How we dress does affect a man though and it does affect his thoughts, he can be lustful and not pure in our thoughts.

Now in this lesson it was the woman who was being lustful! Joseph however did as he should and he fled from the wickedness and evil. Genesis 39:7 "cast her eyes upon Joseph" She was trying to get Joseph to go to bed. Praise the Lord he took a stand and he fled and didn't look back. You and I can do the same.

How can we stay pure:

1. Must learn to stay grateful and content. You ask how can one stay pure by doing this? I'm glad you asked :) Are you grateful and content with your husband? Or do you constantly wish you were with this man or that man instead?

2. You must stay busy! Yep busy!!! We must stay busy and not be idle. Don't let the things of this world cause you to lose your purity.

3. You must learn that luxury and position cannot make up for neglect in our marriages.

See if you are a "cold fish" in bed, guess what? Hubby is going else where!!! Now Lord willing hubby is a strong man and will seek council but you know what Most men, REAL men struggle with purity if their marriage is bad.

4. You must learn accountability.

Are you naive about your marriage and what it needs? Do you need help for marriage, WIFE do you make sure your accountable for things you do?

5. You must be careful what you see on TV, billboards, magazine racks....OH my word!!! TV today is AWFUL it has come to the pt I almost don't even want my boys watching it, EVEN Disney!!! YES I said Disney they have so much rock and roll, teens making out, teen girls parading around in their 2 piece bathing suits. Do your BOYS NEED to see that???? Do you need to see men running around in their underwear? NO NO NO NO Be careful what you bring in to your home what you see. I know in today's world keeping pure thoughts is almost impossible. This is why I do one of two things when I'm out.

1. I listen to sermons while driving

2. I listen to GOOD Godly music! Not this so called contemporary or christian rock. For one things ROCK and Christian DON"T go together. IF you don't like what I'm saying about this. Don't read my blog. I won't apologize for standing for what is right.

6. You must recognize temptation right away.

"Avoid all appearances of evil."

7. You must not be forward in your behaviour.

Did you know the way you talk to the opposite sex or the way you act can say ALOT!!! Be careful.

8. You must realize that the desire to be unfaithful stems from lust and not love.

Potifars wife didn't love Joseph she was lusting. Why? Maybe her marriage wasn't what it should of been. Maybe she watched one two many "romance" movies, or read one two many romance books. Those books and the Majority of those romance movies are G-A-R-B-A-G-E!!

9. You must realize that dishonesty and stubbornness lead to impurity.

Maybe you how is that? Well, think about it you go out on a Girls night, which is fine right? Basically yes, however you don't tell your husband that you went to the bar or the strip club. All you say, is we went to dinner and the mall. DISHONESTY!! it can lead to impurity!

Stubbornness- does your husband ask you to do this or that, an rather than submitting you let that stubborn streak come out. Maybe say, "You aren't telling me what to do!" "I'll do that when I 'm good and ready!" STUBBORNNESS it can lead to impurity.

10. You must realize you hurt your Saviour when you do immoral things.

Are you saved?

Do you read your Bible?

Do you pray?
Do you LOVE the Lord?

Why then would you grieve the Holy Spirit who lives in you by doing immoral things?

11. You must realize how much you hurt others with your immorality.

Who do you hurt? God, Your husband, your children, your parents, your pastor, ALL those who have invested in YOUR life!!!

Stop

Think

Don't do it!! Don't ruin your life with immorality, by not staying pure!

This lesson literally took me 3 days to post. You may ask why, but in a few area's here we have had to deal with something in our family. I won't say who or what because I would NEVER hurt the one who has had some problems. I will however say,  Much prayer went into this, and as I mentioned I WILL NOT apologize for what I have said. This is what I believe and God wants us to be pure he wants us to keep our minds clean, he wants us to be the right kind of Moms, wives, ladies, girls!!!

Philippians 4:8

"Finally, brethern, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever thing are lovely, whatsoever things are good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

 

Silk and Purple - Faith

Good Morning! I pray you have had a good a week. I've been sick since Sunday and finally feel a little human today :) Well I can at least breath without having problems. I was looking over the lesson I had wanted to post 3 days ago, and I got to thinking about it and it seems any series of Lessons I've done Faith has always shown up. I do believe that no matter what we do in life we need Faith and the Lord is trying all he can to make sure we learn about Faith. I have thought of doing a word study on Faith, for now though we're going to look at Faith and how Sarah applied it in her life.

Mark 8:35 "For whosoever  will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."

Hebrews 11:11 "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive see, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."

I love reading Chapter 11 of Hebrews I've heard it called "The Hall of Faith," "The Faith Chapter."
I love verse 1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." My husband has a sermon that he preaches on this and I love how he applies it. We have faith in the an airplane, we have faith in a chair, we even have faith that we can walk outside and be fine. So why can't we have faith in God! We don't know that the plane will stay in the air till landing time. We don't know that the chair we sit in won't fall. We don't even know what will happen when we step outside. BUT we apply our faith in each of these things to do as they are to do. That when we walk out side that we'll get to our next destination etc. So why then can't we have faith in the creator of earth, in the one who died for us. Pretty silly if you ask me that we have faith in worldly things but not in the one who gave his life for you and for me.  (taken from my husbands sermon on Faith)

Each verse in Hebrews 11 either starts with "Through faith...." or "By faith...." I was thinking about to the day we packed up all our things, putting a lot in storage. Saying bye to my family and all my friends. Taking a step in faith that what I was doing in following my husband to travel the US and Canada would work out. Was it easy NO! We loaded up our 5 little ones ages 3 to 10 in the van, each having just a little space each, a small trailer with everything else we thought we would need. Drove away trusting and having Faith stepping out "BY Faith". Oh the stories I could tell on faith an how we, The Seavey Family, literally lived "BY FAITH" day by day!

Now on to the lesson Read Genesis 12, 16 and 21
In the story of Sarah, Did she have little faith or great faith?
To start she probably had little faith, but she submitted to her husband! She followed him and did as he ask.
So by obeying the Bible and submitting to her husband maybe it was something like this
Sarah had little faith but she obeyed which gave her Great Faith.
The key here wives is: for a married woman having great faith is found in her obedience to her own husband!

You say, Paula, I really have some of my own dreams and I know my husband has dreams. What about those? Well lets look at the following pts:
1. God will replace your dreams with something better!
You may have a dream of living someplace all your life and raising a large family. Part of the dream my remain such as the large family but God puts in a different place doing something completely different than you had planned.
I had a dream as a young married lady, I had wanted to be married 2 yrs, have 2 children about 16 to 18 mo apart, then wait 2 yrs and to more, wait 2 yrs and have 2 more. LOL
I have no intention of hurting anyone, I pray that if you are a wife and God hasn't given you children that you would see this as an opportunity to take you faith in God and apply to how you can be blessing to others.

2. God will replace your dreams with a special relationship in Him.
Sometimes our dreams will not take place because God wants us closer to him. Do you have a daily walk with God?

3. God will fulfill the dream.
If your dream isn't what God has for you, he will replace/fulfill that "void" for you! Just have faith in God.

Sarah had faith in God, she obeyed her husband, and then God blessed her!
"Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Silk and Purple - Worldliness

How often do we allow the things of the world to pull, draw, entice, amuse, us into doing what we as Christian wives and mom know we shouldn't do. Now I realize that things such as blogs, Internet, facebook, tv, movies are all things of the world BUT you can have control of those things.

Our lesson today is about a Lot's wife.
I John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him.'
Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife."

Read Genesis 19: 1-26
We all know the story of Lot, how his wife looked back to Sodom and turned to a pillar of salt. If we as individuals look at our lives, really, we are JUST LIKE LOT"S WIFE! Maybe we've not done all that she did, but we all, have allowed worldly things "capture" us.
Lets look at some things that would/should determine what we choose:
1. Never choose a place to live if it's not God's will.

I know of a family that has shared something with me and I will not even mention their names, they were doing what they believed to be God's will. Later they moved and the wife started having various health issues. To this day they believe that this is due to the fact they left God's will. They went where they wanted and now are dealing with things that maybe could of been avoided.

My husband and I are making some big decisions and one of the things we want to make sure is that it's God's Will!! We don't want to do anything that could be bad for our family. So when you are making decisions and looking into making a move, or changing a job or whatever. Stop and make sure it's God's Will.

2. Have your priority, in your life, to influence others for Christ. Don't be afraid to take a stand.

3. Stay away from that which will harden your heart to sin. Such as TV, Internet etc.
Wives, moms do you realize that watching the soaps will turn your heart hard to sin? Did you realize that there are things on the Internet that will make your heart hard to sin. BE CAREFUL!!!
Oh be careful little eyes what you see,
Oh be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful Mom what you watch,
So be careful Wife what you look at.

4. Place people before things.
Do your children come first or your favorite TV show?
Does  your face book page, blog or whatever on the Internet come before your husband and children?
I'm not perfect, but I try to make sure my family is cared for, before I sit down at my computer, or sit down to watch anything on tv. I have slipped and let things take first priority, we are all human and need to very careful of that!!

5. Remember Lot's wife.
When you are more interested in things stop and think about Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's Wife"
Maybe, just maybe you'll change what you are about to do.

So as we start our days, think "Do I want to be like Lot's wife or do I want to be different?" IF you ask yourself this question daily, it can and will change your life it you allow it to.