Day 5: Marriage

Marriage In God's Eyes

• 50% of all marriages end in divorce
• You CAN save your marriage
• Couples owe it to themselves and their partners to learn to stay together, not give up.
• If you are single, do NOT get married thinking it will solve your problems (financial debt, lonliness, boredom, irresponsibility, immaturity)

Problems

• Marriage combines two different people with different likes, dislikes, backgrounds, personalities, etc
• Financial issues
• Different disciplinary styles in raising children
• Lack of knowledge of how to be married, no clue what you're doing
• Too self-centered, expect to get more than they are willing to give
• Wanting someone else to change, yet unwilling to change themselves

*Problems lead to broken marriages and families, violence, emotional issues, infidelity

Good Marriage

• Both partners know what marriage really is
• The marriage improves as time goes on
• Having good insight and clear judgement, making the right decisions for the right reasons
• Sharing a relationship with God
• Partners focus on each other
• Couples give themselves completely to each other, physically, emotionally, and spiritually
• Marriage requires trust
• Pray together
• Have disciplined obedience against sinful temptations such as sexual immorality, addictions, overspending
• Love each other beyond the superficial love
• Forgive each other's past and move on together, exception: abuse and addictions (forgive but move on alone)

Recommendations

• Communicate honestly and openly
• Forgive one another, first with words, then actions
• Re-examine original hopes and dreams that got you together
• Discuss the benefits you enjoy as a couple
• Seek help of counselor if needed
• Read the bible and pray together
• Pray for wisdom and patience in your marriage
• Marriages change as people change, and its ok

Habits of Loving Couples

• Pray for one another
• Take care of one another
• Suffer with one another
• Get help from trained counselor if needed
• Do not compare partner to others unfavorably
• Do not spread stories about partner
• Have confidence in each other
• Talk to each other
• Listen to one another
• Treat each other with respect
• Apologize and make amends when one treats the other unfairly
• Never domineering, abusive, temperamental, manipulative, insensitive or irresponsible
• Remind each other that they love each other, never assume they know

God and Marriage

• God created the human need for companionship
• God made us sexual beings that complement each other
• Marriage and intimacy satisfies the human need for companionship
• Sexual intimacy in marriage is a way to honor God through a couple's harmony
• Sexual impulse is a special creation of God, designed to enrich your life as a means of commnication between married partners and a way of sharing their love with each other

Bible Verses And Quotes

• "Marriage is a process of growing together in love, loyalty and understanding"
• "Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate" -Mark 10:9
• "A good marriage takes unshakable determination"
• "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" -Ephesians 5:21
• "With forgiveness, any marriage can become a good marriage"
• "It is not good that man should be alone..." -Genesis 2:18b



Prayer List

• Raechel: has been getting bad news lately and is on her final appeal for the insurance company to pay for her stem cell transplant
• Tammi: needs some home repairs
• "Sassy": in an abusive marriage and needs to have the courage and strength to stay away
• Joe: needs help with insomnia and substance abuse
• Charlotte: recovering from eye surgery
• Jon: needs guidance and love in his heart
• Ashlee: single mother of 3, two with disabilities, needs love and support
• Marcy: battling Crohn's, needs to be healed and needs positive energy sent her way
• John: recovering from bowel surgery
• Gracifer: dealing with emotional aspects of Crohn's disease..needs prayer that her life can return to normal and that she'll have faith in her future

Day 4: 50 Way to Beat the Self-Injury Blues

Self-Injury

This post is a special one. For some, you might not understand it and may never need it, God willing. But for others, this post could be a life-saver...or a sanity saver.

Sometimes some of us can find it difficult to deal with our emotions in a healthy manner. At times, this can lead to self-injury, which is different for each person. Various forms of self-injury can include, but are certainly not limited to cutting, scratching, isolation, hair pulling, picking at wounds, digesting harmful substances, eating disorders, burning, and so on.

People who self-harm need professional help, such as therapy and rehab. However, overcoming self-injury is a lifelong process and those of us who are trying to recover need to find things to occupy our time and minds when self-harming enters our thoughts. Below is a list of ideas that people can try when they find themselves in a self-injury situation. I hope they help. (Would like to give credit to ArtistMWS from Daily Strength for some of the items on this list...great ideas!)

50 Distractions

1. Call a friend. Always have someone on standby as your emergency "safety" to talk you out of it, or just, well, talk. they don't even have to know you self-harm, but it would be a good idea to tell atleast one person what your going through

2. Sing and dance to your favorite music

3. Go somewhere public, like Wal-Mart or the mall

4. Get a pet and love it unconditionally, people with pets are proven to be happier

5. Play with a rubberband

6. Surf the web, watch funny youtube videos

7. Put up pictures of your nephews, nieces, children, cousins, any small kids in your family, its hard to hut yourself when small children are "watching"

8. Watch tv

9. Clean your house, and re-arrange it..a new look and a clean house can be very uplifting!

10. Pray, God is always listening...and listen back, you may be surprised to know he's talking too

11. Blog, post to a forum, write a poem or in a journal, sometimes we need to just express our emotions in a positive way

12. Be around another person, you can't hurt yourself around another person

13. Paint, draw, color, make something crafty..you dont have to be good at it, just do it and love what you make :)

14. Read a good book

15. Go for a run or walk, OUTSIDE..there are so many positive distractions outdoors

16. Pick up photography..take pictures of everything and see what kind of different ways you can wiew such simple items like a vase, a tree, a flower..find the joys in simple objects

17. Play an online game

18. Find a "feel-good" movie and watch it when you're down

19. Cook (but no knives...avoid this if you're a burner too)

20. Remind yourself how you don't want scars and how hard it is to cover them up

21. Call your therapist (if you don't have one, get one..we all need someone to talk to who knows the professional side of things)

22. Scream or yell about whatever you're upset about (just don't yell AT anyone! that'll only make it worse)

23. Write a letter, email or text to someone

24. Create your own website or blog

25. Pop bubblewrap (love this one!)

26. Go for a drive

27. Go to the park...and go to the playground while you're there and play!

28. Try yoga or meditation

29. Play with clay or playdoe

30. Go buy some flowers, there's just something peaceful about fresh flowers

31. Make a list of blessings in your life..get specific like "i'm alive", "i had a great cookie today", "my mom loves me"

32. Make something, like jewelry or a dress

33. Tie dye..everyone loves tie dye :)

34. Read the Bible

35. Eat chocolate or candy or cookies! YUM!

36. Go get super dressed up...nicest dress, highest heels, curl your hair, put on lots of make up, set your camera on self timer and model! (and don't forget the fun music!)

37. Play a video game

38. Try boxing, even if it's just in the air at home or on the Wii

39. Search funny things on the internet, for example accidental inventions (I love that one! The results are surprising and cool!)

40. Do your nails

41. Smile at atleast 5 people (awesome idea Artist) and strike up a convo with someone at the store

42. Volunteer or plant a tree..do something good for someone else or mother nature!

43. Count to one hundred...and inhale and exhale as you count

44. Make a sock puppet..you'll end up with a little family of them..then put on plays for yourself..come on..sock puppets make you laugh every time!

45. Get a punching bag and use it!

46. Rip up a piece of paper

47. Get a big fluffy pillow, hug it; get a big comfy blanket, curl up under it; now cry your heart out

48. Make lists...lists about things you want to do, things you love, your fave books, movies, tv shows, songs, etc....buy a Listography book (you can find them on Ebay for really cheap) to keep on hand to give you ideas

49. Take a relaxing bath or shower

50. Read this list, or others, by time you're done, you probably won't want to hurt yourself anymore

If you have more ideas, please leave them as a comment. Any ideas are great ones and we all respond diffferently to each distraction so leave as many as you can think of!

Now, I ask that everyone who views this page will pray along with me for all self-harmers.

Prayer: Lord, be with each and every one of us today and every day. Show us all how much you love us. Remind us every day that you are with us, beside us. If we ever feel like we want to hurt ourselves in any way, please take those negative thoughts and fill them with positive ones. When we are down, bring us up. Fill our emptiness with your love. Be our light in darkness, Lord. And if we aren't the ones partaking in self-harm, please help us to help others during their dark times. Guide us through your word and allow us to change lives and save lives. In your name we pray, Amen.

Prayer List

• Charlotte: still grieving over the loss of her pet
• Ashlee: found out she'll have to go on medication to regulate her heart
• Drew: needs guidance and support
• Jon: needs guidance and love in his heart
• Missc: she's struggling through some things and needs a reminder that God is still on her side
• All self-harmers
• The unnamed

Don't worry, be happy!

Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.
Democritus

Never let life's hardships disturb you ... no one can avoid problems, not even saints or sages.
Nichiren Daishonen

Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.
Horace Bushnell

Day 3: It's God's Plan, Not Ours



Thought of the Day

We must remember that the lives we live are not just ours, they are God's. When things happen that our not in our plans and we get so frustrated and think "it wasn't supposed to happen this way", Let us remember, that is WAS supposed to happen this way. Maybe not in our plans, but in God's plans. And let's face it, his plans trump ours any day! :) And I'm ok with that because He knows what He's doing a lot better than I do!

So when things seem to be going all off plan, remember that they are not your plans, they're God's. Have faith in where He's taking you. You may not see it now, but one day you will and you'll be thankful for it.

Think of all the times things didn't go as planned, but if it wasn't for that other things may not have come to you. For example, the high school love that broke your heart would have kept you from the marriage you have today or the children you have today. The doctors telling you that you were unable to have children, opened your eyes for an adoption that saved the life of a child who didn't get a choice. The extra diaper change before you left for work, making you 30 seconds late for work...and a car accident that happened just before you got there.

Take a minute toda yand count your blessings, because if it wasn't for things not going as planned, you may not have them.

Prayer of the Day

 Dear Lord, thank you for taking over my life and giving me those unanswered prayers. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't hav e the many blessings you have put before me. I'm sorry it takes so long for me to see it sometimes, but I do want you to know I am thankful for all you do in my life. Please continue to turn goodness out of my misfortunes or deviations from plan. Your plan is much better than mine, Lord, and I accept it as my own. Thank you for being a faithful and merciful, Lord.  In your beautiful and gracious name I pray. Amen.



Prayer List

• John: his son is at a job interview in a bad neighborhood, pray that he'll be safe, and if he gets the job, he can help the people in the neighborhood
• LillyMaria: needs guidance and good health
• Charlotte: grieving over the loss of her beloved pet, May Abby rest in peace, she doesn't have to suffer any more
• Ashlee: having heart problems and needs to see a doctor immediately but having financial problems, single mom of 3 boys, 2 of which have special needs, help her find a way to be checked out and let her be healthy
• Tammi: having an ant infestation in her front yard, pray they are eliminated and she doesnt have a problem with them
• Kokusgurl: lost her baby 7 weeks ago, her daughter Briana is sick and may be being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, let's pray for their emotional and physical well being
• Carmen: has a tumor on her pancreas, let her be cured; also Carmen is a therapist, so pray for her patients to find guidance though this time and in the future
• Angela: if her meds fail, she will be wheelchair ridden. pray they work better than ever and her medical therapy continues to do her well
• Tanya: please pray for her healing, she has a crushed disc in her  spine from her job and refuses to stop working and they can't do surgery

Quote(s) of the Day

God's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.    Proverbs 10:22

 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'     Jeremiah 29:11

 

Day 2: Let go and let God



If you are battling with something today, give it to God. He is the only one who can truly handle your problems. So if you're already being proactive, and things just can't seem to work out right, then you know it is time to give it to God and let Him handle it.

Remember this: if it's within your control, pray about it and take charge of it. If it's beyond your control, pray about it and let what's supposed to happen, happen.

Also remember if it's not worth praying about, it's not worth worrying about!

Prayer: Dear Lord, please take my problems from me today. I'm handing them over to you now. I trust you with my life. Guide me. Lead me. Take care of me. I'm not strong enough to do it all on my own. I'm only strong enough with you by my side, Lord. Walk with me when I can do things on my own. Carry me when I feel like I can't make it through. You are my rock, my fortress, Lord. Please take my problems, my anxieties, my faults, my depression, everything that ails me, Lord, take them from me and take care of them for me. I put all my trust in you, Lord. In your holy and merciful name I pray. Amen.

Prayer List

• truthlives: has bad throat spasms and needs God's healing
• Charlotte: had eye surgery today and had to put her precious dog down due to kidney failure, she owned her pet for over a decade and needs support through this tough time
• Kelly: pray to guide through through her time in high school
• Jenn: having emotional and physical problems
• Jons' parents: please pray that Jon will call them, I've asked him to several times and he never does, I know they miss him
• Ron: having heart problems, pray for his physical healing
• Diana: has joint pain, pray for her healing
• Kayko: just underwent colon removal, let's pray for her quick recovery and lifelong remission!



Day 1: Prayer List



I'm going to start a prayer list on this blog. It will consist of friends, family members, people I meet on blogs and forums, as well as completely strangers I hear about through others and on the news, etc. In other words, anyone I can think of that needs prayer, will be on the list. So if you or someone you know needs prayer, regardless of how little or large the problem is, please add a comment below and they will be added.

 I will make a new prayer list once or more a week. I hope you will pray for these people along with me.  The prayer starter is below. This idea is 100% from my heart and the prayer comes straight from me so if you want to use it as a starter or not use it at all, thats great with me! If you have any prayer starters of your own, comment those as well please! God Bless.

Dear Lord,

Please help each individual in my list with their problems. Some are small and some are biggr, but they are all enourmous in our hearts and they mean alot to all of us. Please be with these indivuals and their families. Bless them with happiness and peace. Guide them through their lives and keep them in your path. If they are struggling, Lord, please be in their hearts and allow them to offer up their problems to you, Lord. Help us all to keep a positive attitude and give us the ability to count our blessings, not our trials and tribulations. Make your goodness evident to us all, Lord. And thank you for all your mercy and love. In your holy and precious name we pray AMEN.

Prayer List: March 11, 2012 (I left last names off for privacy concerns)

• Linda:  has been having a cough and rough voice, unexplained for months.
• Jon: needs guidance in how to manage his military and home life, show him how to love
• Tammi : needs help financially and is also keeping a respiratory infection lately
• Jasper : has brittle bones disease
• Brady : has Autism
• Alex :  has anxiety and bullying issues
• Timothy: needs life guidance
• Nancy: battling an undiagnosed IBD and financial issues, going through a tough time
• Charlotte: having eye problems, needing surgery
• Christy and Heath: having a baby in May, pray the pregnancy continues well and the baby comes out healthy
• Ralph Stansell: for good health
• Rachael Carr: waiting to get a stem cell transplant for her Crohn's, help her get help quickly
• Patrick Dement: recovering from a stem cell transplant..let's pray for him to continue to be disease free!
• AckMac from Crohn's Forum: stopped responding to Humira
• Marcy from TN, met on Crohn's Forum
• kokusgirl: a young lady who gave birth to a baby girl who never woke up, she's with God and the angels and her parents need your prayer through this tough time
• Dwin: her brother is a Buddhist and always puts down her Christian ways, let's pray he learns to have respect for her beliefs
• MandyJE: pray for her and her husband to have a child soon :)
• Angela's friend: she has a brain tumor and is a coma and hasn't been active in a while

Day 1: First Post

I have another blog, lifeofacrohnie.blogspot.com which follows my medical journey and life issues. Please follow it as well. However, this blog is devoted primarily to inspiration and prayer. If you want someone added to a prayer list, leave a comment. If you have feedback or would like to see something new on the blog, leave a comment. if you ever have anything to say, please please leave a comment!

I'd like to start this blog with a few lyrics from a song I love! "Here I am" by Downhere

"Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am "

This song reminds me that every aspect of my life, even the bad parts are just part of God's plan for the world. It also reminds me that my life was given to me from God and that I should offer all of it back to Him. I want the Lord to use me for His good.



PRAYER: Lord, use me for your good. Take my life and help me do good for other people. Help me to progress daily as a Christian. Help me to reach others. Use me as your servant. Use my life and the events in my life to reach others, Lord. I am yours. Send me.