Recently...I have been asked to be in a discipleship group and my first meeting was last week...well really it was the previous week but with my pregnancy brain I completely forgot! Last week was such a good meeting and so refreshing...I pulled so much from only our first meeting! So excited for the weeks & months to follow!
We studied LUKE 6 and something that really touched me in this was verse 27-31 about Love for your Enemies:
"But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you."
How HARD is this! It goes against everything I feel, it's the opposite of every action I want to take, it's a huge challenge! But, it is exactly what sets me apart for Christ! What better way for others to see Christ exhibited in a world that is so full of hurt, hate and brokenness than to offer up to my "enemies" the complete opposite of what they expect! It will not only speak volumes about my relationship with the Lord but also the peace I can CHOOSE to have in the middle of conflict!
I truly believe that I don't have to worry about what man does to me because I have Jesus! It says in Luke 6:22-23 "What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven." God KNEW I would go through persecution, hardship & trials and he still says to be happy and leap for joy!
How amazingly positive is my sweet Lord! I love his heart for me and even the others "enemies" who come into my life broken, misplaced, and hurt. He gives me the strength to be able to carry out His love for my enemies!
And in Luke 6:43-45 talks about The Tree & It's Fruit:
"A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart."
HUGE TAKEAWAY: What do I say about my "enemies"? Is it gossip? Is it helpful? Is it hurtful? Is it to get justification for myself? Or is it to show God's peace I have found about them or the situation? Does it show understanding of where that person may be in their life? They way I answer that question will prove where my heart is! I feel like a lot of times I am so quick to jump to conclusions about someone or a situation when really 9 times out of 10 I have NO CLUE about what is going on! I think I know everything and have it all figured out including myself but really God knows far more than I do! He knows my heart and my enemies hearts far better then I ever will. That is why I get to trust and rely on him and "love my enemy" the way He calls me to in Luke 6! And the best part is...that if I am acting out of my LOVE for God then He gives me the grace to be able to extend that love my enemies! I don't have to carry or hold onto actions or hurts caused I can let go and let the peace of God surround!
So the challenge I am placing on my life is to ensure that in every situation I am carrying hurt caused by my "enemies" I am applying Luke 6: 27-31. Looking at the way I feel & talk about those enemies will be my check as to if I am really applying the "love your enemies" concept! Anyone with me? Let's take this challenge together and show Christ in ways that heal the broken hearted!
And my posts wouldn't be complete without a tidbit about our life lately & photos! :)
So it's been a bit of a rough January as far as health goes...right when one of us gets better someone else gets sick. The stomach flu or bug (not sure exactly what is going on at this point) has now started it's 3rd round in our house, the cycle began right before Christmas with Erik. Prayers would be appreciated! :)
Erik went to Dallas last week while I have been trying to get the babes off of their pacifiers (which is a silly challenge when they have been sick so often). But we are finally getting in the grove of things, funny enough I had to take their blankets away after bedtime with their paci cause they always associated one with the other. It's been such a break through though! They don't cry nearly as much (unless it has to do with the terrible twos or Holly's 2 molars coming in) and they play way more than just lounging with their blanket and paci.
I think this weekend we are going to start potty training, we'll see how everything goes! We will most likely being doing a baby boot camp to get it accomplished! I would just like the potty training to be accomplished before we get new carpet! So much change & growing is going on in their little lives but they are learning so much...they are starting to say full sentences! Makes me so proud and sad at the same time! Good thing I'm pregnant with #3 so I can enjoy the baby stages again! :)
This is either due to the fact that she misses her paci or she's learning how to multitask!
Daddy & Hudson time outside! It was the first somewhat nice day we have had!
We had our ultrasound at 20 weeks on January 9th & found out that...
we are having a healthy baby GIRL!!!
We are trying to figure out girl names...feel free to leave a comment below of some of your favorites! We have such an easy time coming up with boy names but really get stuck on girl names!
We painted the twins room and they really wanted to help daddy put in the new outlets.
Playing peek-a-boo!
Enjoying yogurt!
H&H got Birthday presents in the mail from my SWEET and amazing friends in New Zealand! Thanks Lauren, Trish & families!
Boone was also sick on New Year's Eve because he ate a pack of Erik's gum so Holly put her blanket on him and gave him her baby! She's so nurturing!
Adventure walks with Grandma!
I went through baby clothes for our little on the way and clearly I shouldn't have done it around Holly...all she wanted was to wear the clothes and couldn't understand why the newborn size items wouldn't fit!
Hope you have an amazing week!!!