Monday

I Can't Hear You!

I have a very fiesty aunt and for the sake of privacy I shall refer to as Aunty Anne (Yes, like the pretzels). When I say fiesty, I mean she is a firecracker and on more than one occassion I have witnessed her pull a troublemaker up by the collar and give them a good talking to.  She bites her tongue for no one and if you weren't rooting for her favorite football team on Sundays, she will kindly (or maybe not so kindly) ask you to remove yourself from her home. However, as fiesty as she is, she is twice as loving. When times get tough, she is the one to pull my family up by the bootstraps, lend a helping hand, invite you over for a home cooked meal, a laugh, or a shoulder to cry on.

A couple of years ago she began to search for a church to in order to cultivate a relationshiop with God. To say she had a difficult time adjusting was an understatement. In particular taming the tongue. In the weeks that followed her new found faith, lots of other trouble came knocking at her doorstep. The devil came looking to stir up trouble, and he had a merry lot to help him.

One afternoon while scrolling through Facebook I saw she had posted one of her troubles and how she had amazingly enough handled herself calmy. In the few minutes that it took for me to type up a word of encouragement, it took the enemy less time to have her children, friends and other family members do his bidding. After all was said and done, of all the comments posted, only TWO had been encouragement.

To make matters worse, her children and friends began then adding their own posts (all stemmed from her trouble) where they began threatening others, being hateful, and generally fueling the firecracker in my Aunt that she was trying to tame. It wasnt long before Aunty Anne was letting others have a very large piece of her mind.

My point is this:
The enemy will try and use ANYONE, especially those have an actual impact on your life (like family and friends) to get you to wander off the path of righteousness, and he will waste no time at all in doing so.

Like Peter, the moment we take our eyes off Christ, we begin to drown in non-relevant details, circumstances, doubt, and hearsay.

Are there people in your life feeding your doubt or adding to it? Is the enemy using them to get you to speak negatively about your situation? Are they aiding you in cursing yourself with negative talk?

Shut them out.

Fix on your eyes on Jesus! Speak life about your situation, to your situation and to others about their situation. Only you can keep yourself from drowning.

FYI: Aunty Anne is has attempted several more times to cultivate a relationship with Christ. Pray that one day her seed will be planted in rich soil and not the rocky ground.


Saturday

Salvation Saturdays


The greatest gift we have been given is salvation. We all know at least one person who has yet to accept or receive this precious gift. However, it is with sincerest hope, that together, through prayer, we can change that. I would love to stand in the gap and intercede with you for the lives and souls of our loved ones. Join me every Saturday as I pray for my loved ones and yours. Please add the name of the person you would like me to pray for in hopes of salvation. Ex. John in PA or J. Doe. Names sent after 12 noon on Saturday will be added to the following week's Saturday Salvation List.

 I promise that when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you. Matthew 18:18-20 CEV

Saturday, March 28th Salvation Prayer List


L. Chambers
DonTimDavidBrandon
ToniaAlexMarlonWarenS. Connor
S. McBrideFranBradTashaunaBrad
Josh M.MarinoAndiJamesJoe
NobiaAshleyAlbertJeromeIvan
DeangeloSondraColtonDelorisAnne
EmilyZacTerryJoseMatt
Harley S.Randy C.MalikDiane R.Chris M.
ShandaCharlesMichaelRickyRandy S.
BrookePaulPeteT.R.Chad
TervelleZakkShondaClintCain
HubbyBarryCaseyWesley



Your Name :

Your Email: (required)

Please Pray For: (required)
  

Thursday

The Waiting Game

The waiting game is probably the least fun "game" I know. In fact at times in can be downright exasperating, lonely, depressing, anxious and full of doubts and fears. I don't know anyone who likes to the play the waiting game. In this microwave world, we want it all right here and right now. Who has time to wait for anything?

Or maybe it's the pain your circumstance is causing that makes the waiting so difficult. We want things to go back to the way they were to a time when it didn't hurt so badly. To a time where you felt that things were good or at least not as bad as they are now.

The unknown can also make the waiting game a scary time. Are you awaiting news that can turn your world upset down or confirm a fear like divorce papers in the mail or your prodigal spouse to call or "come to his senses"? Days can seemingly feel like weeks and weeks like months and months like years during the waiting game. 

Now while I could tell you that God's timing is perfect (it indeed is) or wait upon the Lord (you really ought to do so) that advice can sometimes feel stagnant, overused, obvious and honestly not enough. So this morning while searching for scripture and praying, this is the scripture that lit up my heart with hope. Are you ready?

"Love is patient and kind;" 1 Corinthians 13:4


You are probably wondering how that applies. That verse is the first line used to describe what God says love actually is. God chose to tell us first and foremost that love is patient and kind. He goes on to tell us a whole lot of things that love is not and then ends love's description with how we should truly love...

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endure all things. Love never ends." 1 Corinthians 13:7-8


Are you loving your spouse this way? Are you being patient and kind during the waiting game? It's during the difficult times that you prove your love, even if your spouse isn't deserving of it. Ultimately you are only responsible for your own actions and reactions.

I am not naive and not without feeling. I know what it feels like to have your spouse leave and tell you that he isn't in love with you anymore. I know the hurt of hearing that I am no longer his wife and to move on with my life. And yes I know the pain of seeing his interest in someone else.

However, I also know that not once does love say anything about feelings and emotions that are unstable. True love ENDURES ALL THINGS.

So during this waiting game, I urge you to LOVE your spouse, not with the intention of getting anything in return (including restoration) but love your spouse because that is what a good spouse does. Love with patience, kindness and endurance during the waiting game.




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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Wednesday

Are You A Precious Vessel?

As a wife, I have made it my business to seek out what the bible says about being a wife. Words like submissive, obey and meek made me cringe. I grew up with a docile mother, but ten dominant aunts and meek is the last word I would used to describe any of them.

Plain and simple, adjusting to being a Christian wife was difficult for me. But I am a living testimony of old selves passing away and all things becoming new...the loveliness of truly being born again into a wonderful new creature. Through God's word and guidance I was able to become a better Christian wife. Just ask my hubby!

But there was always that one pesky little scripture that bothered me. Gosh darn it, for the life of me I really didn't like the phrase, "weaker vessel" as stated in 1 Peter 3:7. Submission I understood. Obey, I understood. Even meek I understood. I get why the Lord told us women to just shut up sometimes.

On a quest for better understanding, I checked a few versions just to make sure that I was reading it correctly. It got worse before it got better. "Weaker partner, since she is a womna, weaker physically, etc... I tossed it up to sucking it up and decided to wait for that "mystery" to be left alone until the good Lord himself, could explain it to me.

Spoiler alert...I'm not dead, but the good Lord did indeed clarify this for me.

Are you ready?! Here it goes...

Beautiful Christian woman, you are not less than your husband. You are, however, fragile (JUB) and delicate (ISV). You are a precious vase that God wants your husband to treat with the utmost care. You are priceless and no mere object. Delicate and fragile aren't meant to offend but to praise you as a work of art that is to be treasured and not mistreated or taken for granted.

It occured to me after learning this from a minister I admire that God tells us this more than once. He tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that we are His clay and He is the potter. Do you honestly believe that God could create anything that was worthless or second best?

The next time you hear someone refer to a wife as a "weaker vessel," smile with pride because you know that you are God's perfect work - delicate and fragile- a precious vessel that was made to be treasured.

Do you see yourself as a treasure?



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Tuesday

A New Journey

Hello World,


You can call me Erica. I am so honored and pleased to be be given the opportunity to reach out to you. Having a purpose is so awesome and a purpose that helps glorify God, well there just aren't any words.

Who am I? Well I'm just an ordinary wife and mom who had an encounter with God many years ago and haven't looked back since.  Some of you may already know me as the author of Erica Kramer. Thanks to all of you who have read the book and reached out to me with your kinds words and feedback. I could never express how moved I am EVERY time I read how my journey has helped someone who is now going the journey of separation or divorce.

Have no idea what I am talking about? Here is a link to the updated book releasing on Tuesday, March 31st with a new title - My Restoration Journey: The True Story of Erica Kramer. If you are interested in getting a paperback copy, use this $1 off coupon - UA23KYGV

Back to the purpose of this blog. For a few years now I have wanted to be an encouragement beyond my book and it has taken several years but I believe now is when the Lord has positioned me to blog for the purpose of encouragement.

I admit that I was a little fearful to have the task of lifting spirits and offering guidance, but God has placed the desire within me as well as the tools and I refuse to allow fear to rule me. So here I am. I hope and pray that you come along this journey with me and that the Lord will use me to speak to you.

As a thank you for those who choose to follow my blog, A Precious Vessel, I am having a drawing and giving away 1 Kindle eBook and 1 signed copy paperback of my book My Restoration Journey: The True Story of Erica Kramer along with a $25 Amazon gift card.


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