We Are Bankrupt Without Love

No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. 1st Corinthians 3:4 The Message

We need to set a good example for our children to follow

I get to speak with a lot of women. I also speak with women who are “married single.” They are living in a household with their spouse, but have no intimacy or communication with them.

My son’s father is a wonderful man. We were together for thirteen years and although we had our challenges before we got divorced, he is an awesome father and a good friend. I didn’t always feel that way, but as we know, feelings are the most unstable things in the universe and subject to change. It is so important to look at ourselves and the part we play in every relationship and always remember it takes two people to make a decision to build up or tear down a marriage. We are good friends now because (on purpose) we stopped pointing the finger at each other and (on purpose) we give more love, understanding and compassion to each other.
As a mother, we are often the first person to connect our children to God. I remember when I was growing up, my mommy would make my brother and I sit down and spend at least a half an hour a day reading our Bible and then talk about what we read. She made us go to church every Sunday. She made us drop our envelope of money in the basket. She made us do our chores and rewarded us for doing them. For years we watched her get down on her knees every night before she went to bed in front of an “altar” she made. Sometimes we would giggle from upstairs watching and listening to her pray. I didn’t know what she was doing then, but as a mother, now I understand she was praying for our future and protection. She would pray for a long time too until she was in her eighties and could no longer get down on her knees. More than anything else, I remember how she treated people. I remember how generous and loving she was. We always had people over our house. The entire neighborhood would come over sometimes and “Momma Ivy” (as they called her) would cook for everyone. She never complained and never said a bad word about anyone. She is in Heaven now and I really miss her.
That is the kind of example I want to set for my son. I want him to see me loving others (especially his father) and going out of my way, not only for him, but for everyone I meet. I want him to remember seeing his mother always smiling and laughing and being thankful for everything.

Momma Ivy adopted my brother and I when we were babies. I remember when I got the privilege to take care of her before she died. She was in a wheelchair. I made the decision to keep her in my home for the last three and a half years of her life on earth. One day I brought her a glass of water. She said thank you like I had just given her a million bucks! That’s the kind of person she was. I saw Jesus in her every single day of my life, even when I was a rebellious teenager and didn’t recognize it. Jesus is who I want my children to see in me.
At her funeral, I got to sing and talk about her. I also had the privilege of leading a standing room only crowd of her family and friends in the sinner’s prayer. I made a flyer for everyone to take home with them with Mommy’s favorite white Lily flower stapled to the corner of it. I used the scriptures 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 from the Message Bible and replaced the word "Love" with "Ivy" because that is who she was to everyone she met.

Meditate on: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Prayer for Today: Father God, please help me to connect my children to you. Let me be the Jesus they see every day.
Confession for Today: I will do what Jesus did by loving the ones that are in my life.
Take Action: Follow the example Jesus set in everything you do and say.

Thank you for visiting. I pray my blog will encourage you to dream your biggest dreams, laugh out loud, smile when you feel like crying...because it's never as bad as it first seems.So, DON'T WORRY MOMMY, God WILL Provide

“Don’t Worry Mommy” –from a mom-preneur, published author, singer and songwriter helping others prosper by applying Biblical principles to their God-given talents.

Don’t sweat the small stuff!

Are you easily aggravated? Do little things bother you? Today in my quiet time with God, I read this scripture in the Amplified Bible and I hope it ministers to you as much as it did for me.

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] John 14:27

How did God know I would throw a tantrum yesterday because the phone company kept me on the line for an hour and a half without resolving my problem? Did He know the power cord to my brand new laptop would suddenly stop working so I couldn’t even power up and get my work done? I wonder if He knew my child would start tugging on my shirt and crying in the background because I didn’t let him play on the computer while I was talking to a friend about how important it is to walk in love? You bet He did. That is why He sent not only the comforter, who is the Holy Spirit; He left us his Word (The Bible) to give us the answer to every problem we would ever face.
There won’t be an absence of problems in our lives, but if we receive the peace of God that surpasses our own human understanding, we will walk through every storm with victory.

A few years ago, I was going through a divorce while I was taking care of my 88-year-old mom who was in a wheelchair. I was also four months pregnant, working two jobs, borrowing a friend’s car and just got an eviction notice with only a few dollars left in the bank. At the time, I thought for sure there was no way out of that mess, but God had a greater plan. Now, a few years later, I am a homeowner, my son goes to a private 6k a year school for kindergarten, I work a job I absolutely love, I am writing books and songs and I have more peace than ever. Now if God can do that for me, for sure He can help you with whatever you are dealing with. Remember, no matter what you go through, keep dreaming your biggest dreams. Laugh out loud, and smile when you feel like crying, because it’s never as bad as it first seems!

Meditate On: John 14:27, Philippians 4:7,13,19, Hebrews 13:5

Confession For Today: I will stop allowing myself to be agitated and disturbed. I will not permit myself to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled about anything.

Take Action: If you are facing a challenge so big you have no idea what to do about it, get alone with God and ask Him what to do. Then hang around faith-filled believers.