All

Friends,

This morning in my prayer time...I was praying for so many of my friends that are going through difficult times in their marriages. My heart is so heavy to hear so many couples saying the same thing....."we are just Not Happy anymore...." Really??? And let me first say....Been there, done that... I dont have a perfect marriage, but who does??? We are Not Perfect People and why In the world would we expect two Unperfect People to have a Perfect Marriage. In the midst of a conversation with a friend who told me her husband said He wasnt Happy Anymore....I felt the Holy Spirit Rise Up Inside of Me...... WHERE IN YOUR VOWS DID YOU SAY.... IN SICKNESS IN HEALTH.....ALWAYS TO BE HAPPY??? Happy.... is a duedad people! (ITS NOT JOY!) Im sorry... I dont know about you....but I am tired of the devil getting in and making people think that marriage is about Emotions. (once again...been there...done that!)
I read a comment about 6 months ago and sent it to my husband that said..... When I stood at the alter the day of my wedding....I could have done it without my spouse.... (what??? stay with me here ).....
Because My Vows Were to God .... Now sit back and think about this......
I Michelle....take thee Shane....to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold....is sickness and in health....for richer or poorer....in good times and in bad....to love, honor, and protect....foresaking all others..... This is my vow.... (or something like that)

Thinking about that day....and thinking about who I was making that vow to..... well....makes you think. When you got married.....you went to the alter for a reason....you went there together for a reason... You both made a vow...not only to each other....(and when your mad and want to stab that person with a fork....okay...maybe thats just me....LOL) you may not care about the vow you made to them.... (or when they break your heart so deeply...you dont think you could ever trust them again....) you may not care...and think they broke that vow...so why should you care??? But...If you think of the Vow you made to GOD.... it may seem a little different....You know God....the one that laid his life down for you....the one that saved you from eternity in Hell...........The one that FORGIVES you for the MESS you are!!! Are you really going to break that vow to HIM????

I think here is where we lose sight friends... In the book The Love Dare....(I highly suggest all couples read....and not just when your going through trials...read it when things are going good...) Kendrick makes this statement....Placing all aspects of your marriage under the authority of God's Word and prayer is the greatest decision for ultimate success in your marriage. - Kendrick, Dare to Love

You know what really stuck out to me???? One word....One Lil Word....That is so IMPORTANT! The Word....ALL.  And my mind went to racing......ALL aspects of marriage.....
Lets think about the aspects of marriage for a minute....

Prayerfully - Praying for your spouse
Emotional - Committed in your heart to this person to Love and Cherish - Loving them
Mentally - Encouraging, Friend, wanting whats best for that person, Being there for them
Physically - Your love life
Financially - Do you work together to provide and make decisions for you household

and the list goes on and on....Aspects of marriage.....Im sure you could name many more.....

But Do We as Married Couples Place ALL Aspects under God's authority???? Gulp... Look at the list.....

Emotional.... When your so mad.....do you give it to GOD????
Mentally...... When you dont agree with their decisions... do you place it under God's authority???
Physically??? Lets just say it....your sex life....have you placed that under God's Authority???
Financially - Placing it under God's Authority, Meaning doing what HIS WORD SAYS. (YES... Tithing)

Now here is the key... (one WE all get lost at times)....
ALL............
When  you look at this list....can you check 2 items you feel you have put under God's Authority??
Maybe 3???Maybe 4????
Thats not what This says.... It says ALL... Thats what God wants....ALL OF OUR MARRIAGE!

I cant express enough what God is telling me today... and maybe its just for me.... but I hope you hear HIM today in what he is saying..... ALL!

We are not perfect people....but just imagine the marriages that may not have ended up in divorce court...and the children that may not have carried around hurt.... if Somewhere...Someone...would have stopped and said.....ALL. I know this isnt rocket science....and Im not saying anything you dont already know.... but I think its good to remind each other and for us to open our ears to hear what God is saying..... Yesterday or two weeks ago this might not have meant anything to you.... and today maybe it does.... maybe it doesnt....but the next time (you want to stab your spouse with a fork....sorry...just me again)..... think of this statement....All aspects of your marriage under the authority of God's Word.....

I Love You Friends........

blessed to be stressed.............

Michelle Sullivan

My Prayer Today...

Friends,

So today I’m reading Luke 17. And I read….Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. - Luke 17:15,16

Scripture tells us Ten were standing in the distance, all asking him to "cleanse" heal them. But only one turns back to say Thank You. Now immediately most of you will say….yea…I know the story. Well, today as soon as I read it, I began to think not about their healing….but about what Christ did for each one of us on Calvary….and God showed me a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross……For Us….and a crowd turning and walking away from Him….and just one…not me…but someone else….turning and falling at His feet Thanking Him for what He had done. Oh God, my heart cries out today…..how often have I been the other nine? I pray, cry, fast, and ask you God for cleansing, not just in my body, but relationships, finances, things of this world….and as soon as You do them…….have I been the other nine? Do I not carry that praise and thanksgiving on my lips forever? Thanking you for what you have Already Done. Oh God, have I told you lately Thank You for what you did on the cross for me that day?

I want to be a thankful woman, Lord. I want to wake up each day with a Thankful Heart….for what You have already done...You deserve more Lord. I want to be the thankful one, for everything He has already done, I want to turn back and fall at his feet. Have you done this? Today? Not asked God for your need today….but Thanked God for what he has already done?

The next part of this scripture shows us that Jesus noticed….he noticed that only one turned back…..and it affected him. This is where my Heart Broke....I Felt Shameful. He asked "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?" People will argue that it didn’t affect him….but why is it mentioned? Why did he ask the one about the others? He Healed them! How long had some of them had this disease? How long had they suffered? What more did He do for us?

Lord, this morning I’m standing here today waiving my arms in the crowd…..I was one of the nine…..but Lord..I do Thank You! For every prayer that has been answered….for dying for me on the Cross…..for your Word…for your Grace and Mercy, oh God. Thank You for loving ME!.

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases- Psalm 103:2 Have we forgotten? That he forgave our sins…and healed our diseases….for no other reason then He Loves Us! Have we become a people that expect Gods Love and forget to Praise Him for it? Scripture shows us over and over how we are to Praise Him, not for what we want…but for what He has Already done.
Let us be reminded today to "forget not his benefits"…when we are looking at all that is wrong in this world, and everything we would pray to be different….."Forget not his benefits…" Psalm 107 says: "He sent forth his Word and healed them: he rescued them from the grave". Its already been done friends. He has already rescued us by dying on the cross for us. He Loves Us! His Love….So Great…So Wide. Bask In It! Enjoy It! Love It! And Friends…..Praise Him for It! No Greater Love….Nothing else that he could do for you today would be greater than what He has already done. What are you waiting for????

Today this is my prayer, (maybe yours too), I want to Be Thankful Lord, Thankful for what You have already done. Help me to see the good and not focus on the bad. Guard my ears from the things of this world and let me be set apart, Help Me TO BE THE ONE!

I Love You!