Warms the heart

Tea has been warming my tummy lately and so I got a variety pack from Stash on Amazon.  I made a cup of Coconut Mango.  Um...DELICIOUS!!  That's it on the left side of the pick, oh so yummy!

But this morning, it wasn't the tea that was doing the only warming.  God's has been really speaking to me and setting my heart on fire for Him!  And the work He is doing in my heart encourages me and challenges me and asks me "am I going to obey?"

This morning I was reading through an assortment of verses given to us as an assignment for some counseling we are assisting with.  We are being advocates for some people and so what they are assigned we are assigned to do as well.  I'll be honest, these verses were given to us 3 weeks ago and this morning was the first time I read through them.  And ya know what?!  It won't be the last!  Just was the counselor said that the counselees would hear from God through them, I too was given words from God for my life and situation.  I am so blessed!  God is AMAZINGLY good and generous & LOVING!

The verse that grabbed me (from 6pages of verses) was Phil 1:27 "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel."

And oh how God spoke, not audibly but clearly.  What He said to me was:
Kandy, let your life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come or don't I may hear (& see because God is always with us and sees & knows all) that you are standing firm.  That you and John are standing in one spirit, My Spirit, being united in your minds, striving together in your parenting & your marraige, SIDE BY SIDE for what?!  For a better marriage?  so I can say I DID IT?!  No its all for the faith of the gospel!  And that is what I want to live for and live out!  In my marriage, through our parenting.  I want God to hear and see that I am living in His power!!!

I was challenged & convicted.  Parenting is hard!  And it doesn't always bring out the best in couples.  I undo things John does and vice versa which leads to struggles.  I was very convicted of that and encouraged to press on!  To obey God's commands/revelations given to me in His strength and for His glory and our good.  I continued to read the verses and 2 verses down, after I was convicted/challenged, I was so clearly encouraged and empowered how to apply and succeed in striving side by side with my husband.

2 Thes 1:11 "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power."
and this is how I saw it:

Kandy, it is GOD who will make you worthy of HIS calling and HE WILL FULFILL my efforts for good in my marriage, in our parenting.   HE WILL FULFILL every one of my steps/works OF FAITH by HIS power!  Don't you see, it's not your efforts it's HIM in me!  And my eyes were opened that instead of asking IF I was going to obey I can say I CHOOSE TO obey because it's Him in me and it is a work of faith believing His word and when I obey in that way it is God who will see through to the outcome!    Oh it was a great time with the Lord!!

My prayer for whoever reads this is that you too may be encouraged by the Word of God and transformed from the inside out by HIS power in you!