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Official Prayer & Encouragement Thread

Kkharmaa

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This could be a good idea. Hope it helps. Maybe if you feel burdened by something or the other or just want others to say a prayer with you or for you...post your needs here:

Mods can we make this a sticky, and even allow anonymous posting?

I'll also post articles on different issues...just for encouragement

And please no matter what the request is...no judgements please!

I also found this thread was very uplifting: http://www.lipstickalley.com/f85/good-prayers-lefting-heavy-spirit-216603/ ...many thanks to the OP


This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).
 

Kkharmaa

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I'll go first... pray that I make it through my last year of school and find peace in every situation, no matter how bleak things look, I trust that God will always be my guide.
 

havelock

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Psalms are good for this.

Psalm 102 vs 1-2

Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry for help come to you. 2 Do not hide your face from me
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.

Psalm 20

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
 

Prttybrnyz

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Great thread :) Pray for me to have a good week and to do well on the GMAT. I'll be taking it in a few weeks.
 

S M A L L Z.

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Pray for my health. Pray that God gives me strength, courage and wisdom through these difficult times.

Thank you!
 

Penny Lane

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Excellent thread. I pray that EVERY poster here stays covered with the BLOOD OF JESUS and grows closer to him every day.

God bless you all.
 

Toni Childs

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Oh I needed this. Can you send a prayer up for me. I need to get through these tough times and petty drama un-harmed. Thanks.
 

Kkharmaa

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Oh I needed this. Can you send a prayer up for me. I need to get through these tough times and petty drama un-harmed. Thanks.

i pray for the Lords favor.

À LA GRACE.;4997523 said:
Pray for my health. Pray that God gives me strength, courage and wisdom through these difficult times.

Thank you!

Great thread :) Pray for me to have a good week and to do well on the GMAT. I'll be taking it in a few weeks.

Just say a prayer for me please..i need them in the worst way..

Lord I pray for everyone who is seeking your hand to move in their life. I thank you that you are faithful even when we are undeserving of your grace. I thank you that you love us more than we can ever comprehend. You are bigger than our problems and even anything our eyes can see. Please touch each life here , in your name, Amen!
 

missann

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Pray for my mental health. I am praying for direction, greater belief, boldness, prosperity, and admission into a business PhD program.
 

Kkharmaa

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Here's a nice video link: Joyce Meyer Ministries &mdash; Encouragement in Difficult Times

and a good article:

Everything's Going to Be All Right! by Joyce Meyer

Did you know that God wants to make a trade with you? He has a standing offer every minute of every day, and it’s amazing how few of us actually take Him up on it. He wants you to give Him all your cares, problems and failures. In return He’ll give you His peace and joy. On top of that, He promises to protect and take care of you.

God really does want to take care of us, but in order to let Him, we’ve got to stop trying to take care of ourselves and worrying about every little thing we can’t control. Many people would like for God to take care of them, but they insist on worrying or trying to figure out an answer on their own, instead of waiting for God’s direction. They wallow around in puddles of their own worry, wondering why God doesn’t give them peace. God will give us peace, but we must first give Him our worries.

We give God our worries by trusting that He can and will take care of us. By trusting God, we’re able to rest in Him, knowing that He has the situation well under control. Worry, on the other hand, is the opposite of trust. Worry steals our peace, wears us out physically, and can even make us sick. If we’re worrying, we’re not fully trusting God, and we’ll never be able to experience His peace.

What a great trade! We give God our worry, and He gives us His peace. We give Him all our cares and concerns, and He gives us His protection, stability and joy. That’s the privilege of being cared for by Him.

Because He cares for us, He wants us to live in peace and not all tied up in knots of worry. He has ways of guiding us toward peace if we’re alert enough to sense His direction.

Imagine that you’re driving down a road. Along the way there are signs that provide direction or give warning. If you pay attention to the signs and follow their instructions, you will safely reach your destination.

In the same way, on the road of life there are spiritual signs along the way. In order to stay under God’s protection, you must obey these signs that tell you to trust Him and not worry. Don’t be afraid; have courage. If you’ll pay attention to these signs, you’ll find it’s easy to stay on course. You’ll experience the protection, peace and joy that only God can provide.

However, if you fail to heed the signs, you may notice that the road seems a little bumpier than usual, and you aren’t as confident in your ability as you once were. You may become anxious about the unknown things waiting around the corner, and even veer off the road.

Anxiety is like putting on a heavy coat on a hot summer day. It weighs you down. It’s difficult to move and stifling to wear. According to Webster’s Dictionary, anxiety is “a state of being uneasy, apprehensive, or worried….” Sometimes this uneasiness is really vague—something we just can’t put our finger on. All we know is that we’re uneasy.

You and I don’t need to be anxious about tomorrow when we have all we can handle today. Even if we manage to solve all our problems today, we’ll just have more to deal with tomorrow…and more the next day.

Why waste time worrying when it’s not going to solve anything? Why be anxious about yesterday, which is gone, or tomorrow, which hasn’t arrived yet? Trade in your worries today for God’s peace. Remember, everything’s going to be all right.




http://www.lipstickalley.com/OurMinistries/HandofHope/News/haitiupdate.htmhttp://www.joycemeyer.org/womensconvention/http://www.joycemeyer.org/dayofprayer/http://www.lipstickalley.com/OurMinistries/HandofHope/medicaltrips/medicaltrips.htmhttp://www.joycemeyer.org/cookie
 

Kkharmaa

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Pray for my mental health. I am praying for direction, greater belief, boldness, prosperity, and admission into a business PhD program.

Lord you know Ann her needs and desires. Help her to be the greatest person you intended for her to be, for I know that you view all your children as kings and queens, show her that she has the ability, give her the courage, and most of all the faith to trust you! Because you are so much greater than we think you are. Help her with her academic pursuits and edify every area of her life. You are so able. Amen.

and go ahead and get that Ph.D Missann:pdance:! Good luck!
 

Jayla

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I ask for prayer for my aunt who is to undergo surgery for a tumor soon. I also ask for prayers for my family and myself to get through the difficult times we are encountering right now. To everyone in this thread just remember that god will never put you through more than you can bear.
 

mountaineyes

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God can do exceedingly abundantly all we can ask or think, so continue to have faith in HIM! He can open doors NO man can shut.
 

4130n7330w

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I'm touching and agreeing with everyone. Please touch and agree for my transfer to go through and please pray my next environment isn't hostile. And this is serious my next statement; I'm at a point if the ignorant racist taunts do not stop I might blackout and hurt one of my co-workers at my present location.... I need this transfer fast because I don't know how much longer I have in me to hold the little peace I have left.
 

HoneyPotTrap

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I pray that I maintain my sanity, be more productive at work and in my life. I pray for encouragement and inspiration. I pray for protection from situations and people adverse to my total well-being. I pray for my health, and that I may be a blessing and encouragement to others. I pray for my financial well-being, and that my immediate family members prosper in their new endeavors. Please God, guide us all. I pray that we are given the wisdom to properly navigate through the obstacles of life. I also pray that we all realize our shortcomings, and work on them.
 

jwill

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thank you for this thread... I just bought a house, and now the people at work are giving me a hard time. I ask for prayer that the lord will guide me in the right direction, and also help me through school. Thanks so much everyone for this positive thread...
 

Kkharmaa

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thank you for this thread... I just bought a house, and now the people at work are giving me a hard time. I ask for prayer that the lord will guide me in the right direction, and also help me through school. Thanks so much everyone for this positive thread...

I pray that I maintain my sanity, be more productive at work and in my life. I pray for encouragement and inspiration. I pray for protection from situations and people adverse to my total well-being. I pray for my health, and that I may be a blessing and encouragement to others. I pray for my financial well-being, and that my immediate family members prosper in their new endeavors. Please God, guide us all. I pray that we are given the wisdom to properly navigate through the obstacles of life. I also pray that we all realize our shortcomings, and work on them.

Nice thread - I'll be back OFTEN !:good:

I'm touching and agreeing with everyone. Please touch and agree for my transfer to go through and please pray my next environment isn't hostile. And this is serious my next statement; I'm at a point if the ignorant racist taunts do not stop I might blackout and hurt one of my co-workers at my present location.... I need this transfer fast because I don't know how much longer I have in me to hold the little peace I have left.

God can do exceedingly abundantly all we can ask or think, so continue to have faith in HIM! He can open doors NO man can shut.

I ask for prayer for my aunt who is to undergo surgery for a tumor soon. I also ask for prayers for my family and myself to get through the difficult times we are encountering right now. To everyone in this thread just remember that god will never put you through more than you can bear.

Thank you all for joining in. Thanks for your prayers for me and the other posters. I said a prayer for you all as I read through your posts here. Keep ya head up!:pkiss:
 

mountaineyes

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I pray for discernment of people, their true intentions and situations that may involve me, intentional or unintentional. I pray that God keeps a hedge around me and let no weapon formed against me or my family to prosper. I pray over my finances and schoolwork. I pray that God blesses me and my family in all our endeavors, whether they are work-related or school-related. All these things I ask in Your name Jesus, Amen.
 

Baychick

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I just sent up a prayer for all you guys. If you wouldn't mind, please pray that I pass this exam, it is only thru G-d that I will pass and I need all the prayer I can get! It's a really hard one but I find peace when I think of G-d so I am staying in prayer.

I'll be checking on this thread, what a *GREAT* POSITIVE idea. Something totally new to LSA!
 

Kkharmaa

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I just sent up a prayer for all you guys. If you wouldn't mind, please pray that I pass this exam, it is only thru G-d that I will pass and I need all the prayer I can get! It's a really hard one but I find peace when I think of G-d so I am staying in prayer.

I'll be checking on this thread, what a *GREAT* POSITIVE idea. Something totally new to LSA!

my prayer is exactly the same!....I know how those exams can be. I also find that thinking of God and what he has accomplished for me recently helps me stay positive. We've got the same need, so your in my prayers sista!!!:highfive:
 

Kkharmaa

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Taken from diamondchic's thread.... thanks Diamondchic!.....this was very inspiring!

http://www.lipstickalley.com/f83/foot-prints-sand-224082/

footprints-in-the-sand.jpg
 

Baychick

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my prayer is exactly the same!....I know how those exams can be. I also find that thinking of God and what he has accomplished for me recently helps me stay positive. We've got the same need, so your in my prayers sista!!!:highfive:

Girl just put one up for you right at this moment I was like "please bless and guide abby4" lol! I know what you mean about finding strength in him. I was in the middle of an exam this morning and thinking I should just get up and leave and give up and he came to me and said "sit your butt in that seat and take this test and DO NOT give up!" So I didn't give up! dont know what I got but I know he gav eme the strength ot get thru it! Next one is one Fri! then a take home over the weekend. I'll keep you in my prayers!! Stay strong and keep the faith! :act-up:
 

Kkharmaa

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Girl just put one up for you right at this moment I was like "please bless and guide abby4" lol! I know what you mean about finding strength in him. I was in the middle of an exam this morning and thinking I should just get up and leave and give up and he came to me and said "sit your butt in that seat and take this test and DO NOT give up!" So I didn't give up! dont know what I got but I know he gav eme the strength ot get thru it! Next one is one Fri! then a take home over the weekend. I'll keep you in my prayers!! Stay strong and keep the faith! :act-up:

Thanks hun... school is no joke, I know. you are in my prayers as well. If there is any are of my life God has continously brought me thru is in my school life, so many times I was to fail classes or get left back a semester and God would just swoop in at the nick of time and push me right thru to the next level. The things I went through that I had no control over and to see God just continously open doors and help me pass was extraordinary for me. He is so good, and ready to help out, it's just our faith in him that we need to work on alot of times. Good luck!:handshake:
 

AMinor Note

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This is an excellent thread, abby. Bless every poster in here and I hope everyone prospers well and has a fulfilling life in 2010+.
 

Healthy4Life

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Just wanted to pass along a little encouragement for today...

Don't let FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real block your dreams...

What would you do if you had no fear?

You block your dream when your
FEAR is bigger than your FAITH.
 

Kkharmaa

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Joyce Meyer talks about finding joy and keeping joy admist circumstances. You can have peace, joy and show love to others despite what is going on. She also explains that unforgiveness is actually more damaging than we think. Forgiving and showing love for others is sometimes what gets us our breakthrough and answers to our prayers. In order for us to receive anything from God, we have to change some things first. 30 min vid.

Joyce Meyer Ministries &mdash; Broadcast

and article: Long BUT Good Read

Overcoming Grief and Loneliness by Joyce Meyer
I&#8217;m told that the number one problem facing people today is grief and loneliness. People encounter major losses in their lives, and sadly, many never get over them. When tragedy occurs and the hurt seems unbearable, Satan sees an opportunity to try to bring a family or an individual into permanent bondage. The death of a loved one, divorce or the severing of a close relationship can cause grief, and most people go through a grieving process. The key to victory is understanding the difference between a normal, balanced grieving process and a spirit of grief that will try to attach itself to the hurting person. One helps the grieving person get better with the passing of time; the other causes him to get worse and sink deeper and deeper into the pit of despair.

I believe that one of the reasons why people, especially Christians, get into bondage during these trying times is a lack of understanding about the grieving process. This process is a succession of events that may occur in a person's life when something or someone that means a lot to them is suddenly no longer there. Obviously everyone doesn&#8217;t experience the same thing to the same degree, but we do have emotions that can be wounded and bruised and must be healed. Healing is a process that God walks His children through step-by-step, unless He performs a miracle.

Shock and denial are two of the first things a person may encounter when tragedy occurs. Actually, God uses them to protect us from devastation. To illustrate, consider an automobile's shock absorbers. They&#8217;re designed to cushion the vehicle from unexpected bumps in the road. Without them, the car would fall apart from the violent blows encountered during its travels. People are often the same way. We&#8217;re traveling on the road of life, and most of the time we&#8217;re not expecting bumps or potholes. So when they suddenly show up, we&#8217;re not ready for them. The Holy Spirit&#8212;our God-given "shock absorber"&#8212;cushions the blow until we can readjust and adapt our thinking to accommodate the sudden change in the ride. Shock and denial are normal if they&#8217;re temporary; however, they become a major problem if people permanently refuse to face reality and learn how to deal with them.

The next thing people often feel is anger&#8212;at themselves. They begin to think of things they wish they would or would not have done that might have made the situation better or even prevented it altogether. Satan wants us to live with regret. There is no one alive who wouldn&#8217;t say, "I wish I hadn't done that!" or "I wish I had done this." Satan seeks to place blame, intending to throw us into a lifetime of guilt, condemnation and self-hatred.

The apostle Paul stated in Philippians 3:13, ...one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. The word &#8220;straining&#8221; in the Amplified translation tells us that whenever we have to "press on" there will be opposition from the enemy.

Endings always bring new beginnings. Satan strives to keep us out of the new place that God has prepared. He wants to trap us in the past and cause us to live in permanent misery, which is what self-anger and self-blame will do.

People may also experience anger at the person who left them&#8212;even if they died. My aunt told me that after my uncle died, she&#8217;d beat his pillow at night and yell, "Why did you leave me?" Obviously, her intellect knew he didn&#8217;t purposely leave her, but her emotions were speaking. Emotions have a voice; when they&#8217;re wounded, they may react like a wounded animal. Wounded animals can be quite dangerous, and so can wounded emotions if they&#8217;re followed.

Grieving people need to know about the grieving process and some of the things they may experience such as not to be led by painful feelings. When a major loss occurs, this isn&#8217;t the time for a person to make serious decisions or deal with other issues that may produce anxiety or be emotionally upsetting.

Being angry with God is quite common. People frequently ask, "If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love for us, why didn't He stop the thing that caused the pain?" This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between God and the hurting person. He seizes the opportunity to say, "God isn&#8217;t good, and He can&#8217;t be trusted." However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satan&#8212;he is a liar and the father of lies.

James 1:12,13 says, Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one. Verse 17 goes on to say, Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

In other words, God is good, and He cannot be anything else. Furthermore, He isn&#8217;t one way one time and another way another time. He doesn&#8217;t change. He is good, and that&#8217;s the way He is. But what about the original question? Since God is good and all-powerful, why didn't He stop this thing before it brought all the hurt and pain? To be very honest, these are questions we don&#8217;t have completely sufficient answers for. First Corinthians 13:12 says, ...Now I know in part (imperfectly).... Trust will always require us to accept unanswered questions! We want answers to everything, but we must come to the place where we&#8217;re satisfied to know the One who knows and place our trust in Him. Being mad at God is foolish because He&#8217;s the only One who can bring the needed help and comfort to the grieving or bereaved person.

People also get angry with the devil. This is normal and even good if the anger is properly expressed. The only way to repay the devil for hurt and devastation in our personal lives is to aggressively and vehemently do the works of Jesus. Romans 12:21 says, ...overcome (master) evil with good.

People experiencing tragedy often go through stages of emotional expressions of sobbing and hysteria. These may come and go when least expected. Even people who are normally quite unemotional may experience a great deal of emotion during times of loss. In general, people are afraid of emotions, and an uncontrolled display of these emotions is even more fearful. I encourage you to fear not because it will pass. Good understanding and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit will bring you victory through this kind of situation.

Confusion, disorientation and fear are also common. Depression and waves of overwhelming feelings are experienced by many, as well as physical symptoms caused by the emotional stress. I believe the key word in these situations is balance.

The Bible talks of how King David was feeling depressed, but he resisted it. He didn&#8217;t sink into it or get into the pit of despair. He described how he felt, but he made a decision not to live by his feelings (see Psalm 42:5-11 and Psalm 143). People have often confided in me how discouraging it is when others make them feel like their faith isn&#8217;t good enough during these times. I believe it takes more faith to go through something victoriously than to be delivered from it. There are some who experience complete deliverance from grief after a huge loss, but that doesn&#8217;t happen to everybody. There are others, and I might even say most of us, who go through very emotionally difficult times when tragic loss occurs. Those who are walking in faith come out of it, and they come out of it better than when they went in.

In closing, let me say, "Do not lose your hope!" If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life, I want to tell you that a new beginning is in front of you. You may go through some things that you&#8217;ll never understand, but trust God to work them out for your good. What Satan intends for your harm, God can turn around for your good!
 

Kkharmaa

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I was watching this video today... I felt alittle down and it helped me to look at the bigger picture and feel secure with trusting God. 30 min vid

Joyce Meyer Ministries &mdash; Broadcast


Some key statements;

-Building your faith up in the greatness of GOd: How much do we believe that God is able to save us from ALL of our problems??

- We need to have a greater view of the GOD we serve. And how awesome (gigantic) he is

- Trusting God may mean that some of your questions may not be answered, NOT because God doesn't care to tell you, but because he wants you to focus your attention on him FIRST.
 

Kkharmaa

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Glad I bumped it. Just to update you all about my earlier post in here. I'm thankful God has answered my prayer, took a while, but his timing is never off, I got what I asked for. Thank you Lord!
 

Kkharmaa

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It's been a while since I posted here, I just wanted to bump the thread as that it has helped some of you. Please remember that this thread is also for encouragement, so you can post any little encouraging quotes, or sayings, or scriptures. It's all uplifting!
 

Kkharmaa

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A nice article:

Is That Your Dripping Towel?
by Joyce Meyer
For years I had low self-esteem and I did not like myself. I hated my personality and I hated the way my voice sounded. Somewhere along the line, through the abuse I had endured growing up, I internalized the shame. I was no longer ashamed of what was happening to me&#8212;I became ashamed of me. I was hurting and, consequently, was hurting other people.

Did you know that if you don't like yourself, you are never going to like anybody else, and you won't be able to help your spouse like himself or herself? You will spend all your time trying to prove your own value. Healing first comes by accepting yourself, knowing that where you are today is not where you will end up, and knowing that God is continually perfecting you, too. We all need to accept the unconditional love of God and acknowledge the fact that God doesn't love us because of what we do - but because of who we are.

One morning, as I sat in my pajamas praying, the Lord said to me, "Joyce, I really can't do anything else in your life until you do what I have told you to do concerning your husband."

The Lord had been dealing with me because I was having problems being submissive. I had such a strong will and was still caught in my defensive attitude from being abused as a child. I was missing out on the blessings God was eager for me to enjoy.

After praying, I got up and went to take a shower in the new bathroom my husband Dave had just installed off our bedroom. Since he had not yet put up a towel rack, I laid my towel on the toilet seat and started to step into the shower.

Dave saw what I was doing and asked me, "Why did you put your towel there?"

Right away I could feel my emotions getting stirred up.

"What's wrong with putting it there?" I asked in a sarcastic tone.

As an engineer, Dave answered with typical mathematical logic. "Well, since we don't have a floor mat yet, if you put your towel in front of the shower door, when you get out you won't drip water on the carpet while reaching for it."

"Well, what difference would it make if I did get a little water on the carpet?" I asked in a huff.

Sensing the mood I was in, Dave just gave up, shrugged his shoulders, and went on his way.

As it turned out, I did what Dave had suggested, but I did it by angrily slamming the towel onto the floor. I did the right thing, but I did it with the wrong attitude.

As I stepped into the shower after throwing my towel on the floor, I was filled with rage. "For crying out loud," I ranted to myself. "I can't even take a shower in peace! Why can't I do anything without somebody trying to tell me what to do?" In my frustration, I went on and on.

Although I was a Christian and had been in ministry teaching others for some time, I myself lacked control over my own mind, will, and emotions. It was three full days before I calmed down enough to get over that bath towel incident.

For those three days, I was the noisy gong and clanging cymbal described in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is the highest form of maturity. It often requires a sacrificial gift. If love doesn't require some sort of sacrifice on our part, we probably don't love the other person at all. If there is no sacrifice in our actions, we are most likely reacting to something nice they did for us, or simply pretending to be kind to gain some control over them. Love is almost always undeserved by the person who receives it.

Our decisions should always have our spouse's interests in mind. Even a mediocre marriage requires sacrifice. It is important to understand that true love gives of itself.

Sacrifice means you are not going to have your way all the time. This means both the husband and wife are called to love each other with unconditional love. There has to be sacrifice of selfish desires if a couple is going to enjoy a triumphant marriage. As for me, every day when I get up, I choose to have a good marriage. I'm not leaving that one for chance to decide!

 

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