Being his Crown!

This is an exciting adventure that the Homemaker Chronicler and I (The Vine Woman) are on. The Lord has laid a burden on our hearts for marriage. We are seeking to create an open forum where women can learn, grow and discuss the issues of marriage, not often spoke of. The heart of this ministry comes from Proverbs 12:4a "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband" and Proverbs 31:29 "Many have done excellently but you surpass them all". This whole effort is to help women embrace their identity in Christ and specifically concerning your husband.

Dear sister, you are the one your husband has chosen and there is NONE who can or will excel at being your man's woman. You are his crown so adorn yourself with truth, love, strength, dignity and unbridled passion for him to wear! You are “being his crown”!

This is how the partnership works. Every Friday The Vine Woman or Homemaker Chronicle will write a post or direct you to the others site. Homemaker will post the topic on her blog Monday for the upcoming Friday. You will then have the opportunity to partner in dialog as well. We are also in the blogfrog forum. Sign up (it’s free) and connect with us. We desire to hear from you. So let’s talk!

New Faces in Old Places!

On Tuesday of this week I had coffee at Starbucks with a friend. It was a great time of fellowship. While we were there a homeless entered. I was unaware as my back was to him. The barista was mopping the floor. I looked at my friend and said they need to clean that mop water it smells like pee! Then I turned to see the older homeless gentlemen in the corner. We continued to talk then I felt compelled to do something for him wasn't sure what was needed. My friend having a better view of everything said they gave him food and drink. So we concluded he was taken care of at least for that time. We spoke to him as we left and that was the end or so we thought.

Today I was at Target with my daughter. She was blessed with a gift card and HAD to use at least some of it. Well, that brought us to the Starbucks inside Target. What did my eyes behold, it was the man from the other night! So I thought to myself I need to just say hello today. I mean a real hello like I can see you when all the world seem to ignore that fact that you are here because you are different from "normal". Anyway I told Najee to finish her drink and I was going to talk to this guy. I talked to him, his name is Joe. He is indeed homeless and living in the city of Conway right now. We talked for about ten minutes. He shared a part of his story with me. I asked lots of questions and he answered. We both acknowledged that I was all in his business but it was fun for us both. I gave him our phone number and will be looking for him again.

Praise the Lord for this encounter. I am praying for him that the Lord would have His perfect work in Joe's heart, mind, body and soul! We are willing vessels if you choose to use us!

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY!

EZEKIEL 34:11-24
The Lord GOD Will Seek Them Out
11"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
17"As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. 18Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? 19And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
20"Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken.

This text gives me great joy and Hope for today and eternity!

Wonderful Week!

The Lord has blessed this week! I have spent time with a wonderful group of young ladies. This brought an overwhelming sense of joy to my heart! I praise the Lord that these relationships will continue to grow and develop for the Glory of Christ.

Here is the challenge for the next two weeks!
Go somewhere you have not been before and met someone new. Invite them to dinner, a playdate or out for coffee/tea. Here is the biggest thing try to find someone different from you. Either clearly in another financial tax bracket, another ethnicity or someone much older or younger.

I want to hear about your experiences. What were your fears in seeking out someone unlike yourself? Did you find that what you feared most was nothing to be feared? Did you find that you were not only afraid and uncomfortable but you don't plan on trying that again? I want to hear all about your experience.

Blessing in Christ!

My First Post of 2010!

I have had a lot on my mind! MAN O' MAN! So for me to try to put my thoughts on paper (well computer) is going to be difficult to say the least. I will give a summary and hopefully fill in all the details throughout the year.
1. My passion for marriages has increased, so much so that I will be talking about the things most "Good Southern Christian Woman" do not talk about openly. We will be open here this year. We will be challenged in our marriages to step up to the plate. Why does our culture portrait marriage like a death sentence? I think it is because we have problems at the core and don't talk about them! Christian pornography?!?!? Why is it easier to get a married person to purchase pornography then to support a missionary, or the local church, or the homeless person???? Something is wrong and we need to talk about how to get it right! Marriage particularly amongst Christians should be what the world desires! Single people should want to be married because of the joy that married Christians have around them. It should not be the other way around. So this year we will deal with that WAKE UP CALL!

2. The believers joy in serving the poor! The poor are mentioned in scripture over and over and over again. Yet, they are still overlooked by the large majority of Christians today. What is up with that? We need to live out the gospel not just attend church? What good is attending church without a transformed life living out the gospel?

3. I am increasingly drawn to the simple life. Someday I want to purchase a huge plot of land and call all my friends to live there and create a garden, raise goats, chickens and live off the land. Then other days I just want to go to Kroger and buy what I need or even sit down at the restaurant and have them bring it to me. So I am conflicted. I pray this year I will make some changes toward a more simplistic lifestyle.

I think that is enough for right now. I am excited to get moving and talking about the things I have grown passionate about.

Blessings to you this year as you discover the truth of scripture and the direction the Lord is leading you to serve for His glory and Kingdom! AMEN and AMEN