How does one become “purposefully present” in a digital age where technology is one of the main sources of how people work, play and communicate these days? As for myself, in order to accomplish that objective, it’s taken tons of prayer to learn how to guard my heart above all else, as Proverbs says, knowing it is the wellspring of life! Personally, this means making the commitment to eradicate some things in order to give people my full, undivided attention! And in my search for answers, I have found that focused intentionality is the only route for me towards becoming distraction-free and purposefully present!

This Thanksgiving season and beyond, regardless of where you’re at on your personal pilgrimage upon the planet, my plea is that you’d reunite with God’s perfect will to be purposefully present today! For, even in the darkest and most desolate of times, when we abide in the Lord, we discover His presence is paramount! Jesus’ sweet Spirit teaches us how to slow down and pause long enough to relish in the relationships around us. And subsequently, He surprises us with the simple things that were hidden in PLAIN SIGHT all along… like how a meaningful, romantic stare into our spouse’s eyes brings with it mutual endearment. Or when we secretly study our children’s features and expressions with delight, we receive immense joy into our hearts and smiles upon our faces. Or how about those times we show a fondness for a family member or friend’s stories? It often leads us to closer companionship with them! The point here is unmistakable: fully present equals fully gratified! When we are deliberate about resting in each other’s company with the intention to contribute towards someone else’s betterment, in return we can experience such merriment!

Isaiah 64:8

I’ll share a useful Kingdom nugget of how sometimes appreciation and joy proceed pruning. Unfortunately, even as a believer, there’s been an overabundance of times where I ran off and did my own thing.  Those faux pas were undeniable because confusion and exhaustion accompanied them. Striving breeds stress. The clues which confirmed I was “running on ahead of the Spirit” instead of “with the Spirit” were the undeniable symptoms of irritability and unrest. On those occasions, when I’d already ran myself ragged, it became evident how I was pushing my personal agenda opposed to yielding to the Father’s purposes for me.  The final result of those blunders usually led to a “crash and burn” outcome. After licking my wounds and accepting the appropriate discipline, I’d be led to prayerfully pause! And it’s always in that place that I’m met with the sweetness of stillness where joy is recovered!  There’s no greater pleasure than when we halt with the hope of returning to the One who is our Shalom in the first place!  More often than not, I believe the sorrow and regret I endure from straying strips me of self-reliance. And in the progression from selfishness to selflessness, the Spirit beckons me back into the arms of Jesus’ welcoming embrace. Whispers of His love accompanied by His pleasant counsel help me make a course correction as if I’d never even veered off the road! This time, though, upon learning my lesson from those recent mistakes, I move forward on the path marked out for me with an increase of wisdom aiding as a guide. Wherefore, I reunite once again with the joy-filled life!

Another key to the Kingdom is to picture each task as a sacrificial offering sent straight up to the Throne Room for the Glory of God! This is worship, and where sincere worship abounds, the “over it” attitude must concede to the overjoyed soul! With all the demands one day may bring, our portion may seem quite cumbersome but when we seek God’s face bidding Him into our daily walk, joy immerses! My children and I have been meditating upon this Scripture verse from Psalm 16:11 lately: “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy!” Whether washing dishes, folding laundry, wiping counters, cleaning toilets, making beds or preparing meals, doesn’t David’s proclamation promote your passion to joyfully worship in the presence of the Living God?!

An added Kingdom gem is to rememberthat the secret to transitioning from “over it” to “overjoyed” includes a changed mindset from grumbling to gratefulness! We read in Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit”, so we know not to depend upon our meager strength and ability but rather Christ living through us! Sure, one may reply how between the pulls of wifehood and mommying, there are tons of titles we hold like janitor, maid, cook, taxi, teacher and nanny to name a few. But God’s Word says His yoke is easy and burden light!  How much then are we putting on ourselves compared to what He is really asking of us? Chores will continue, children will get hungry again and the house will always need to be picked up, so why not enjoy the work as a labor of love where you wait and tarry with your Best Friend during your daily grind and draw closer in as you listen for Him throughout your day. If God has blessed you with the honor to even keep a home and serve a family, view the time as a gift of His grace where you get to meditate on His Goodness and thank Him for those things! And sing about His character, knowing full well how He delights in our praises and inhabitants the songs of the saints! In this there is joy!

My objective here is to incite women to meet the Lord in those menial moments moving you from “over it” to “overjoyed”! Once you become sensitive to the truth of how Emmanuel is with us all of the time everywhere, watch how your demeanor changes. Peace, joy, hope and rest abide in the soul of the devoted and faithful child who merely wants to please their Father in what they do.  When we develop the habit of occupying our thoughts with Him, there’s a supernatural contentedness to follow! So, put on the mind of Christ where the complacency over sweeping and dusting diminishes. Verily, even in the midst of the mundane, much joy may manifest!

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with ALL JOY and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

My husband Aarron and I have had our fair share of troubles within our marriage.  We have gone through everything from illnesses, troubles with friends and family, surgery for a sick toddler, no money, a teenage prodigal and the list goes on. With brutal honesty, I admit my own struggles from rage to perfectionism to anxiety with panic attacks, extreme weight gain because of self-hatred and on. In a nutshell, it’s been an exhausting battle for mental, emotional and spiritual freedom! Obviously, I am not yet made perfect this side of Heaven, but today I CAN write about the struggle since now I’m better equipped for the fight. Throughout my warfare to continually conquer the flesh, God has given me my spouse as a “safe place”.  When I face the demons of the past that lead to emotions spiraling out of control, my husband has been by my side.  When I communicate to him how I sometimes find myself in dark, hidden and “scary” tunnels of doom within, he is there to help.  The Lord has enabled this man to love me back to life when I am at my worst!  

When I would “have an episode” of anger, Aarron wouldn’t get mad but rather he’d say things like “Wow, it must be really loud in there for you.”  Or “who in your life hurt you that bad to make your reaction be a 10, Babe?”.   Most times, he would pray for me and minister to my heart by reminding me of Jesus’ love and how I have my value and worth in Christ REGARDLESS of what I think of myself or others have said.

But, you see, while caught in those “dark nights of the soul” I didn’t believe I deserved the Lord’s love nor my earthly husband’s. In retrospect, flailing out was the most accurate way I knew to express the pain I felt. When the enemy wants to bring up all the reasons I’m useless and uncared for, my man gives me much needed time alone to witness Jesus’ presence rush into my soul like a flood! Other times took longer for me to “come back to” (nursing term used while waiting for the unconscious person to become conscious again). Aarron would watch the children so that I could tantrum or have a good cry (or both) in solitude. If I was really in a bad way, meaning my unrelenting heart was hastily hardening, Aarron would come hold me and rock me while saying “come back to me!” God’s love through his warm embrace would comfort the hurt, so I’d come out of hiding deep inside myself. Elated to know I was once again ransomed from the pit, he would exclaim “Aaaahhh, I KNEW you were in there!”

Before you think “Well isn’t that just jolly and grand for you, Cristine because my husband has not been the one to lead me back to the Lord in my times of doubt and despair”, I challenge you to finish reading this blog.  The reasons I share about the secret depths of my marriage is double fold. First off, I’m all about honesty, therefore I never want anyone to think I have it all together because surely, I do not. Why did the Great Physician Yahweh Raphe give me the gift of a caretaker for a husband? No clue. Maybe He knew that the rest of my life’s pilgrimage here would be too overwhelming for me without Him interjecting Aarron into it. And for clarity’s sake, Jesus alone is the One who mends my many wounds, but the tangible extension of His Spirit works through my other half. Empowered by the Spirit of the Living God, Aarron has fought the good fight of faith to nurse me back to spiritual health and mental well-being during each intense growing pain.  

The encouragement here is this: whether it’s your husband or mom or best friend who has been your Kingdom co-laborer (as Paul tells Philippi of his dear Brothers and Sisters) someone(s) at some point will be your “faithful minister, fellow servant and the one wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” Also, in the Book of Philippians, we are promised full recovery from our tattered souls in this verse: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  

Without a doubt, trust my words when I say that the multiple hardships our marriage has faced only led us to a closer bond with each other and more so, with God.  Colossians 4 shows Paul exhorting a Brother when he says “see to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord”.  Burdened for other women who close themselves off to their husbands, I ask you to marinate on this verse from Colossians until you see your marriage as your ministry (a service of love) to one another.

In conclusion, I pray you open your heart to our Redeemer Who will repair the damage done by the enemy of your soul! Trusting Him as your remedy aids you in opening your heart to your spouse, too. My prayer is that you will cooperate with the Maker’s plan for marriage by remaining fully committed, devoted and in passionate pursuit of both relationships; keeping your marriage covenant with God and vows to each other. The Lord will always be my first Love, and oh how I thank Him for my number two!

Okay, so one may ask “But where do I begin with discipleship?”  1 John says the Holy Spirit will teach you all things, therefore trust God’s Word by reading about your Heavenly Father with the sole intention for your soul to know Him more.  Then, you will understand about His love, grace and mercy where you want to actually obey His Word because you know the Author better, hence putting His lessons into practice. He’ll help you will find such friendly fellowship as He assists you in life like a good Teacher would in any classroom. Upon requesting from the Lord that He realign your will with His you’ll have to give up what you think is right for what is Truth. Correction as well as direction will proceed, but the results are astounding!

So much is out of order in our world. And there are many reasons for that but today I come you, Woman of 2017, passionately expressing how my heart has found joy so that you may too. “Yours truly” had (still has) a rebellious, angry, carnal nature which needs to be brought to the Cross and nailed there daily. Miraculously, by His power, this 40-year-old Sister of yours now has a desire to be my husband’s helpmate, zest for raising my children and fervor to homeschool them to boot! Unswervingly, I press into God’s mission for me here because He is my Faithful Mentor, Trustworthy Guide, Nurturing Shepherd and Omniscient Teacher.  

Are you Jesus’ disciple? Well, test yourself to make sure you’re in the faith, as John recommends.  Because disciples put their faith into action moving from a hearer to a “doer of the Word” like James says. If you are not sure you’re yet a disciple, be reassured that the Counselor and Comforter Himself is willing to meet you where you’re at with an eager embrace!  Open your heart by faith and mutually apply what He’s given you. Once the transition to true follower occurs, you’re used to advance and expand the Kingdom of God on earth with a love that drives you to disciple others such as your children. Then your family can disciple your neighbors. And the neighbors may disciple their friends and so on, spreading the surge of the Spirit! 

(Side note for women with unevenly yoked partners: Pray for your husband to follow the Lord wholeheartedly so both of you may learn of the Lord together. Only then will the two of you be able to disciple/teach your children God’s ways in one accord. While I know there is no perfect situation in marriage, the Word is clear on how the prayers of the righteous are heard.  For this very reason, wives, if you are the more spiritually mature one in your marriage, it is imperative that you approach the Throne on our husband’s behalf requesting that they’d rise up as the spiritual leaders of your homes. This is called interceding for them. And please remember how that in the waiting stage, before they begin to show evidence that the transformative power of Christ is changing them, live out 1 Peter which says our behavior toward them can win them over without words. This is opposite of the nagging wife who tries to get them to move by force, of course! Until hubby is there, you be the one to gladly and graciously teach your children what you’ve been taught. But do this without holding it over your husband. Openly I admit, even though my spouse is the more mature one spiritually speaking, there have been many times where I’ve worked in my own strength in attempt to make him see something Scripturally my way, and it usually NEVER goes well. Prayers are the answer every time.) 

Ladies, assess your hearts so Sisters around the world may agreeably and amply be aroused towards their determined destinies as disciples! There’s an entire generation who need us out there! The picture of why we are here is bigger than you can imagine but the photo below is a clue. Hugs, Cristine 

Journey with me where I compare farmers to believers in how to handle things under our care accordingly:  “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”  2 Corinthians 5:19

Most touchy topics are avoided in conversations between family members similar to overgrown gardens !  But like a garden that needs groundskeeping for efflorescent vegetation, family problems won’t alleviate themselves either!  It’s not the farmer-less field that flourishes but rather the one well-kept which is plush! The Lord may not be rectifying that situation with your spouse or your kids right now because your pasture is unkempt. He desires you to put in a good effort towards what I call “trustful toiling.” God wants your faith in Him to be put into action like a farmer who can have high hopes of an abundant harvest but unless he puts his hand to the plow, barren the ground would remain! 

Jesus is the only real place one can go for the remedy to revive relational turf! During the excavation process, the practice of humble confession and gentle confrontation is necessary.  Oh, what a grace it is to tend to those relationships in need of intentional attention more faithfully!

So many people think their problems will just go away.  But like God uses the farmer to plant, water and work the ground before a harvest is produced, the Lord uses you to do the same!  Some keep getting thistles and thorns because they’ve simply let their plot of land go.  And where you cannot always control the outcome, like the farmer has no possible way of knowing if it’s going to be a budding crop or not after all his labor, he still works his land as if there will indeed be a bountiful harvest! 

Sincerely, sweet soul satisfaction appears like the newness of spring when the time, energy and effort goes into settling mutual matters.  Although initially it may be laborious like plowing untouched, rocky earth when approaching hard subjects & difficult issues in attempt to mend relationships, it’s always worth the work!  Admitting your offense frees you up to wait patiently upon the other person like a farmer who’s finished for the season finds rests in knowing he’s done all he can presently do.  And after that time, if the other person responds with clemency, the delight is similar to seeds sprouting in spring! After we’ve made an honorable effort to enrich the dry dirt (attempted to find resolve in our relationships which have been left long parched), we wait and trust the Master Gardener Who gave us the plot to care for in the first place! Thus, EVEN IF the person does not reciprocate, we have peace with God in knowing we’ve done everything required of us like a good farmer.  This is called reconciling with both God and man!

So, go spruce up the pasture and have those overdue conversations now! Remove the weeds.  Start where you are without looking back.  Use the tools you’ve been given to get in the grind!  I promise, you’ll never know true joy one can receive until you engage with your spouse and children on a deeper level where the rich soil lies.  Sure, you’re taking the same risk a diligent farmer takes every time he puts the plow to the field because promise of a full crop isn’t guaranteed!  And yes, sometimes it seems as if the ground won’t budge. But other times, the farmer gathers a greater measure than imaginable!  And how will you ever know which it will be until you first determine to cultivate the land?!

Let us not merely limit our love and appreciation to special occasions like graduations, birthdays, weddings, and sadly, funerals.  One must express how priceless people are WAY beyond these crossroads in life!  To wait in celebrating the impact someone has had here to so few “noteworthy” junctions is flat out wrong.  We need to weigh the cost of withholding our different displays of love & appreciation to such isolated events.  I mean, we say we’ll get around to doing that thing for them, make that important phone call, or find time to write that letter/email before it’s too late.  This should not be the case.  Do it now as a pleasure before it turns into an obligation because the yearly Christmas get-together is coming up or their anniversary is near,and it would be awkward for you to show up without a card & present, right?And while I do not mean to diminish monumental moments meant to be acknowledged throughout one’s journey like those mentioned above, God’s children are worth way more than some ritualist gesture of acknowledgement.  

God commands us in this life to put loving Him and loving others front & center.  Well now, what does that look like?  Can we spend an hour with a lonely friend?  Can we listen to a story told by a family member for the 100th time?  Can we make someone soup when they fall ill?  Can we watch others’ children so a couple can go out on a date night, or a tired mommy can finally have a break?  

What does “capturing the canvas” look like to you?  This is the title The Lord gave to me.  I believe it is meant to illustrate how we could paint our own pictures of love for Him by loving others.  My children draw, color & make pictures for me everyday to portray their love for me.  This is what it looks like to the Father when we use our gifts, skills & personality traits for good to help bless others.  

We don’t serve our neighbor to gain God’s love- no!  Jesus sacrificed it all on our behalf.  Therefore, in light of Our Lord offering Himself up, on a small scale we follow suit when we give of ourselves on behalf of a Son or Daughter.  When our own actions depict how that Brother or Sister is worth our time, money & efforts it honors God and reflects who Jesus is too!

We follow our Saviors example in serving others with charitable hearts when we encourage them, comfort them, keep them company, buy them an unexpected gift & so on.  Drowned in this knowledge, one cannot resist responding to the needs of others with such contributions in light of the God’s great love having been so generously poured out for us on that Cross!  We did nothing to deserve salvation.  In turn, with gratitude for receiving the best gift ever given, when we commit these kind acts of service to our fellow man, we likewise freely give just because of our love for them!  

So, don’t wait on that trademark moment.  “Capture your canvas” today and let your life be His artwork!