The Return of Devotionals - December 4, 2011

So, by popular demand, I am resuming the daily devotional posts with the intent of doing them daily. I initially stopped the posts because I was bed-ridden with a horrible flu/strep/stomach flu and I couldn't even find energy to haul my rear out of bed. Of course this led to Josh running the house which is NO good at all! I spent the next few months trying to regain control...and I'm still losing at that challenge!

I thought I would give a quick background on myself so anyone following the blog will know where my influences, knowledge-base, and opinions side from.

The early years of my life were spent with my Granpa and Granny McPherson 1/4 mile south of our farm house...Granny and Granpa would always make it a point to tell me about Jesus and God even though we never attended church. "Farm work always has to get done, but the Lord's work has to as well." is what they would often say. They prayed for rain, they prayed for a good crop season, they prayed for the rain to stop, they prayed for safety...they prayed. I learned all the hard work that anyone would growing up on a farm. But, I learned to trust God despite it all.

My parents divorced when I was 7. This was hard for me to handle, but I trusted God. I knew that He would bring me through. There were perks to it. My parents weren't fighting all the time and we only lived 30 minutes away. However, I think living through a divorce at a young age can make you have one of two opinions: 1) Marriages will never work. If my parents who were madly in love can't fix their problems, how will I be able to fix any my husband and I have? or 2) I will make my marriage work because I don't believe in divorce and I believe a marriage can work...especially a Christ-centered marriage.

When I was 9, I was sexually molested by a family friend throughout one summer. This happened to my cousin, a friend, and myself. I, again trusted God. (For those wondering why I didn't go to my parents, it wasn't fully that I didn't think they wouldn't believe, but it was more out of embarassment...which is what you will see of any child who goes through this.) I asked that He remove this summer from my mind as much as possible and that He just let me move on with life. God is a faithful God and I all but forgot the summer. Over time I came to forgive the man "'...for vengence is mine,' says the Lord." My cousin didn't do this and unfortunately has a very large black mark on her heart that has not left yet. I use this experience to help others who have had a similar experience or who an adult might think has had this to help them. God gave me this situation to help others and oddly, I'm thankful for it as I'm the only one in my church who works with children who can spot this type of abuse.

In 5th grade, I met my best friend, Becky, and her family. After spending time with them, I decided being baptized is where my path was leading. Through the fellowship and love of my "other" family, I grew more faithful and trusting in my relationship with God. Becky often called me a "roast beef eating Christian" as compared to those of my age who were eating "Gerber". I guess God called me to a more intellectual understanding of the scripture at an earlier time. I was also very interested in the missionary field and doing good for others...afterall, that is what Christ did while on earth.

When I went away to college (earlier than any of my friends), I was worried that I would lose God. However, I found a great church in KC (Holmeswood Baptist) where I have been attending since my first Sunday in town. With the help of great leaders like Rick and Keith, and many adult friends who showed interest in me, I have been able to keep up with God.

It was on my first Sundat at Holmeswood that I met my future husband, Josh. The story about Josh is long and somewhat arduous at times, so let's just say, we married on August 13, 2005 after knowing each other for 4 years. Josh and I decided we would not have any biological children of our own but would become foster/adoptive parents. We have had two placements since becoming foster parents last year. Our first placements (Daeon 13, Adriele 9, & Mondrea 1) lived with us for 6 weeks before being successfully reunified with their mom. We see them weekly for chuch! Our second placement is still in process and has been for over a year (Jamion 5, CJ 3, CeKariya 2, and London 1). We are currently praying about child #5. Pray for us.

So, the to sum it up: 1) I was born and bred on a farm, 2) My parents divorced when I was 7, 3) I was sexually molested when I was 9, 4) I grew up in small town America, 5) I moved to a big city, 6) Was 3rd in my high school class and 7th in my college class, 7) Have my Bachelor's of Business Administration - graduating when I was just 21, 8) Have worked in sales, marketing, and business administration all in the corporate world, 9) Love to help others, spend time with family, and travel, 10) Believe God can overcome all my minuscule things to bring me to greater glory in him.

Now, the devotional: Wounds from a Friend - December 4, 2011

Scripture: Proverbs 27:6 - Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
So, this is a little deep. Who wants friends who are going to cause wounds? Who wants enemies that kiss? Well, the answers are we do and we don't. We all should want friends who are going to cause wounds because these are the tried and true friends who will tell it to us like it is...not the kind who will cover it over.

Take a quick survey of all your friends...young, old, new, or existing. Do you have the kin dof friends who will tell you the truth? Will they hold you accountable for your actions? Will they tell you when you're going to make a mistake and still love you when you ignore their advice? Will they tell you if you have salad in your teeth, or lipstick on them, or that you forgot to zip your pants, or that the static electricity is causing your skirt to rise? Will they go deeper when you answer, "Fine"?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then you've got friends who are going to cause wounds. But their wounds are not intended to tear you down, but to help build you up and heal your pain. "They will never exploit your weakness, but they won't allow it to be your excuse either. They challenge, they encourage, they love, they laugh, and they don't walk out when things get tough." These are the friends who are in it for good or bad.

In doing my evaluation, I find I only have a handful of friends that I can say this about...It's a very small handful as well. (I can't even think of 10 who have stood by me in all the things I've been through!) And yes, I've had screaming matches with each of these friends, walked out during fights, said mean things to them, and cried over them. But with each rough patch came a much greener and brighter patch...the kind you find in paradise alone! These friends (yes, some are men) have seen me on my best days where nothing will bring me down and on my worst days where I cannot redeem myself or even get out of bed. They have hurt me to my core, but when that wound heals, I'm a better person for it.

On the flip side, I've had many friends who fall into the latter part of the verse "...but an enemy multiplies kisses." These friends are only there while the good is there to get. They want to be there when you're on the up and up and things are sunny and bright. They would be the friends you go party with, but bail when you get pulled over on the drive home. Or the friends who stay with you through some of the bad...like when it's raining only because there's always a rainbow, but they won't stay if a blizzard hits. I guess I've had more of these friends because sometimes we all need superficial love to feel justified at some point. But the older I get, the more I realize that I'd rather have fewer friends willing to inflict wounds when needed than have more friends who shower me with kisses as a falsehood for their selfish desires.

So, remember when your friend who has been there for over 20 years looks you in the eyes and makes you cry, it's because they love you. And remember, you should be a friend willing to wound them when it's needed.