A lily of the valley

 "I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.

 Like a lily among the thorns.."

 Song of Solomon 2:1-2a

 ~*~*~*~

  For those of you who know me, you know that my favorite color is yellow. I love all things yellow! So naturally, my favorite flower would my yellow rose bush. It is the most beautiful rose, with  petals that range from a soft butter yellow, to a vivid pink! I've seen a rose to pretty! I've been diligently tending this plant for a few months now, but no flowers have yet to grace it's leaves. Tonight, as I was tending it I was reminded of how this rose is like a young lady's life. As a gardener I am eagerly awaiting that first bud opening. I am excited to see the beauty that is hidden in that bud. Now, I can go out there and rip a bud open to see it's glory, but the petals are so delicate they would rip, and all it's beauty would be gone forever. A good gardener knows to let her plant be and when it is ready, it will bloom on it's own. Each bud blooms at it's own time, each one has it's own beauty, none are exactly alike. It is the same with us. 

      Young ladies, somewhere out there is a man of God just waiting to watch us unfold our petals. A man who has eagerly awaited and prayed for a "rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley." A woman who's purity and inward beauty shines forth like a rose newly bloomed. How do you think our man would feel if he came into our lives to find that we had already started blooming before the season was right- to find us torn and tarnished? Once we start blooming, it is too late to undo what has started. Just like a rose cannot fold back into it's self, so too we cannot. What has been given away can never be taken back. 

        Dear sisters, our hearts are "like a garden that needs to be protected and kept clean." (Sarah Maley)

The enemy will do anything to destroy that garden. We must stand strong in our fight to remain pure, to hide our beauty from that which would destroy it. I know this is hard. As we get older, our desire grows to find our "Prince Charming," to be loved with that kind of love. Trust me, I get this. The wait can often seem unending, and that is when Satan sneaks in to whisper his malicious lies into your heart. THAT is when we must guard our hearts more than ever before! But there is nothing more rewarding than the beauty of a God given relationship, in HIS timing.

 

"The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses." -Ovid 

   I believe in arranged marriages, but I believe that GOD is the one doing the arranging and when the time is right we will get our "happy ending," ( or rather, our happy beginning.) "Can you imagine anything better than a couple who is just right for each other coming together in exactly the right way at the right time?? Only GOD can bring about something so perfect!" -Sarah Maley

 
              "You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; 
                   you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain."
                                  Song of Solomon 4:12
                                          "For His glory!"

Suffering for the cross

I recently read a book about a pastor who challenged his congregation to live according to "WWJD" for a year. Everything about their lives was to be measured according to what Jesus would do. At the end of that year each member of that church had their own story of trial and tribulation but the pastor remained untouched. At the end of the book the pastor is challenged to ask himself, "what have I suffered for Christ?"

 

   These words have stuck with me since I read that book. I heard it said once, that if a Christian's life is easy then they're no giving their all to Christ. If a Christian is living luke-warm they are not a threat to Satan, therefore he has no reason to mess with them. However, when someone dedicates their life to Christ and lives each day accordingly, suddenly they're on Satan's radar. They pose a real threat to his evil and darkness. That's when he starts targeting them, and just as we see in Job, God often allows Satan access to our lives to test or strengthen us. As I pondered these words I realized: my life has been very easy this past year. True, I've had a few hiccups along the way, but nothing that has been a result of my faith. What does this say about my faith? If my life is so smooth, then how strong is my faith really? 

 If I was accused of being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict me??

   I want to be the kind of Christian that makes Satan fear the moment I wake up each morning! The kind of prayer warrior that has all of heaven rejoicing. The sojourner with her homeland ever on her mind. But I have to ask myself:

 WHAT HAVE I SUFFERED FOR CHRIST?

Am I ready to take up my cross, whatever that may be, to follow Him in everything I do??

"...Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." 

Matthew 10:38 

"For the glory of God!" 

                            

 

Changing the world through love

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but     no one thinks of changing himself."-Leo Tolstoy 

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A tree does not grow without water and sunlight. A flower cannot bloom until the weather is right.  In the same way, change cannot happen until someone rises up to set it in motion.

So many people desire to be world changers, to make a difference in this life, but very few of them are willing to make the effort to do so. Being a world changer does not always mean being a Mother Theresa or Bill Gates. It simply means loving those God brings to us. The things we do do not need to be great things, they just need to be done with great love. We might not always see the difference we make in this life, but when we're loving those around us we can be assured that we ARE making a difference.

    ~ SELFLESS LOVE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD~

God has not called us to understand everyone and everything, nor does He call everyone to be a great leader, but He calls all of us to love those around us.

"You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving." 

-Amy Carmichael

         "For the glory of God!"