FIT FOR A KING:

When you picture the man for you, what is your prince like? Do you see a man devoted to God? A man of character, teacheable, loyal, faithful, gentle, and kind? What kind of woman do you think this godly man desires to marry, a shallow woman or a woman full of charm who knows how to dress and capture other men’s attention? Is this the one he imagines he will one day want to spend the rest of his life with, the mother of his heirs? No way!

To marry a prince, you must first become a princess. To marry into royalty, you must be a appropriately prepared. Even Kate Middleton had to go through a period of “waiting and preparing” before marrying Prince William. She had to learn how to properly act, dress, and speak so she would honor the royal family. Is it any wonder that a heavenly princess must prepare inwardly for the calling to which she will give her life? As you set your attention on developing godly character, Christ will change you into the beautiful princess He created you to be.

Refer to the story of Ruth in the Book of Ruth and also consider the story of the lovely Rebekah in Genesis 24:16-25.

The “pickins were slim” in Rebekah’s shepherding community. Worse than that, she worked full time for her father tending sheep! As you read her story through, there is good indication that Rebekah was doing more than “just waiting.” Look at the endearing qualities she developed for her unknown knight (Isaac).

Genesis 24:15-16 shows that Rebekah was a hard worker with a “jar on her shoulder” serving her dad’s sheep. She also was “a virgin, and no man had had relations with her.” She had not settled for second best in her wait. She had been under her father's authority and in her father’s home serving his interests. Her respect for others showed in her kindness to a stranger in verse 18: “ Drink, my lord; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink.” This was no slow, lazy woman, but one with the character quality of genuine care for someone in need. She had character like “Ruby” in Proverbs 31:20: “ she extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy.”

So my dear Ladies in waiting, to marry a prince, you must become a princess, develop those of Ruth and Rebekah in you now is you wait for God’s best for you.

God is crazy about you and I am praying for you.

You’re worth so much more than your Relationship status:

Beautiful girl,

You are the apple of God's eye. You are His princess, His bride.

What ever caused you to believe anything different?

You see, the enemy takes exactly what God has blessed you with and uses it against you.

The enemy plants lies in your head that you aren't pretty enough, you aren't lovely enough, you aren't smart enough, you aren't worthy.

But the enemy only attacks anything and anyone with a purpose.

You don't have to dumb yourself down to get a guy to like you. You don't have to let it all hang out. You don't have to ever become something you're not.

You are you all by yourself and you are BEAUTIFUL.

Besides, who else can complete you better than the one who made you?

You are made in the image of God and He thinks you rock.

He has a man set aside for you that will embrace your worth and all that comes with it, but until that time comes learn to wait patiently on the one God has for you.

Life isn't all about getting married and riding off into the sunset.

Yes marriage is great. A marriage designed by God is amazing.

But there's so many things in between that matter so, so much.

Most of all, the best part of this crazy ride called life is being wooed and romanced by an Everlasting, Ever-loving God who has incredible plans for your life.

Wait until the time is right and date someone who will chase God with you.

Settling for less just because you are afraid of being alone is literally breaking your own heart and choosing to go outside of God's marvelous will for your life.

Stop spending your time on things that hold no value in your life.

Stop basing your worth on your Facebook relationship status, your worth is found fully in God alone.

You are worth so much more than your relationship status.

You were not created to just be someone's wife, or daughter, or mother, or sister.

You were designed to be YOU.

You stand out on your own, beautifully and fearfully.

The author of sunsets and stars attentively wove you together in your mother's womb and called even your deepest scars lovely.

The author of love has woven you together in love so that there would never be a day of your life here on earth that you should ever feel unloved.

You have a great purpose, and it is so beyond the limits you put on yourself.

God has bigger plans for you than you have for yourself.

Start walking in purpose. Start walking in the understanding of the depth of your worth.

You are incredible, loved by the Maker of heaven and earth, and you are pregnant with a remarkable destiny.

Your worth has never and can never depend on any man except for the one with scars on His hand's, the one who gave it all for you JUST to show you how much you really are worth to Him.

And THAT is something you can put your faith in.

That is a remarkable love you can rest in.

Wait on the Lord Ladies. God is crazy about you and I am praying for you.

5 things to do when facing conflict:

Most conflicts can be solved rather easily, but unfortunately most conflicts are exaggerated or blown out of proportion just as easily. What may start out as a small disagreement, can easily turn into pure utter turmoil if we’re not careful.  

So before you allow conflict to ruin a relationship, take a look at these five helpful ways to handle conflict:

Get a grip on your emotions:

Emotions can be deceiving as Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” It can ruin relationships easily once you allow your negative emotions to control you.

When facing conflict, you have to decide how you are going to respond. Are you going to build or destroy? If you choose to build, then you must learn to handle your emotions. Don’t let your emotions cause you to respond negatively.

Don’t get sucked in:

In times of conflict, there are people who will attempt to tear you down, but Christ tells us not to retaliate with anger by fighting fire with fire. He also instructs us to only fight the good fight of faith. Satan will always try to find a way to destroy you; he will use people to test your character. But you have to bear in mind that you don’t have to fight in every battle you’re invited to. Sometimes it’s best just to hold your peace.

Choose love:

Choose love because that’s what Jesus demands of us: to love unconditionally. Though it’s painful, we should choose to love through the pain. Never sow anger and bitterness because what you sow, you will reap, so choose to sow love. I know all too well that some people make it painfully hard to love them, but don’t let them block your blessings.

Pray about it:

If you have exhausted all efforts, prayed about it, and still nothing seems to change, don’t lose hope. Perhaps it’s not yet the right time, but stay hopeful.

Pray for the people who have hurt you and also the people you have hurt. Pray that God will intervene and speak to them just as He is speaking to you. 

Forgive your offenders:

You may be in a tough and painful situation now, but always remember how Jesus responded to His enemies. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots.” – Luke 23:24

It may be hard but choose to forgive. At least try. Pray about it. You won’t be able to do it on your own. Free your heart from grudges and allow peace to enter your spirit. Forgiveness will give you the inner peace that you will need to move beyond conflicts. 

If you are in the middle of conflict, just remember to be still and let God bring peace into your situation. Everything will surely come to pass. 

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (James 1:3)

Whatever situation you are in right now, no matter how bad it may seem, let your situation draw you closer to the Lord and make your faith stronger.

6 Habits that will draw you closer to God:

Submitting to God:

James tells us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8). Step one is to submit to God and to His Word.  Then resist the temptations cast at you by the enemy, and finally he will flee from you and you won’t be as easily influenced by the demonic habits that so easily beset you.

Being Broken Before God:

Want to draw closer to God? Certainly you do. And the psalmist gives us a way to do that by writing, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 43:18). We can’t get any nearer to God than when we are broken the most because God cannot fix what is first not broken. Interestingly, we are nearer to God when we are at our lowest point in life. In an ironic way, the way up is the way down, with humility and brokenness and being crushed in spirit.

Fasting Before God:

When we fast we shouldn’t tell anyone because Jesus taught that this can turn into a self-righteous act, even more so if we tell others about it. We should be fasting in private, and it should be between only us and God. Fasting can draw you nearer to God, but check with your doctor first and make sure you don’t have any medical conditions that might cause you harm.

Ministering to Others:

When we are helping the least of the world, we are doing it for Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40). This might include visiting the sick or those in prison, helping those who have little or nothing, and being hospitable to strangers (Matthew 25:35-36), for we are also strangers or sojourners on a pilgrimage to the Promised Land. Doing for others is really doing for Christ.

 

Praying Always:

Want to know the will of God? Many people are praying for and seeking to find God’s will for their lives.  Here it is: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). To draw nearer to God, you must be in more communication with Him, which begins and ends with prayer.

 

Abiding in the Word:

Jesus tells us that if we abide in His Word, He will abide in us. Don’t you want that? Jesus told His disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing”(John 15:4-5). Since we can’t do anything apart from Christ, why not abide in His Word on a daily basis because we can’t live by physical bread alone (Matthew 4:4).

 

Conclusion

To draw near to God, we must first submit to God, which means submitting to His Word; we must come broken before God in true humility because He’s near the brokenhearted; we can fast to see our utter dependence on Him for everything; we can minister to others since it’s really doing it for Christ; we can be praying at all times; and we must abide in Christ and in His Word because without Him we can do nothing. And nothing is not a little something.

Living Next Door to Hell:

Marriage to a non-Christian brings pain to the believing wife. Living next door to hell is how one Christian counselor described being married to a non-believer.

As women, we long to be known and loved for all we are. A man who is spiritually dead can never know the very intimate spiritual part of you that is your heart. He would be blind to much of what you would want to share with him. He could never know and understand you fully.

Be careful when you begin to think that you are “in love” and you “just can’t live without him.” Think again. Think of the loneliness you will feel when your husband will not attend church with you. Think of the angry bickering that may take place between the two of because he can never understand the depths of your spiritual awareness and consequently, your convictions. If you do not think about this now, you may one day think, “Before, I couldn’t live without him; now I can hardly live with him” 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 is very clear:

Do not be bound together with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Oh what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

Please consider a greater consequence than being unhappily married to a man who does not know your Lord. Will you be able to handle the pain of watching your children live with possible rejection by their father, day in and day out? Will you think it is worth the cost when you are the only one who gets up on Sunday mornings to take your dear children to church?

Will it be worth the compromise when your children look up at you and ask why daddy doesn’t love Jesus? They could even reject the Lord for eternity and live a miserable, ill-chosen lifestyle because of the choice you made to marry a wonderful, but lost man. Children will often follow their father’s example, good or bad. Exodus 34:7 gives a warning you cannot ignore: “…He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and forth generations.” You are not just marrying a husband, but choosing a father for your children.

When you marry, you do not choose blessings or curses for you alone; you choose for the generations after you. If you choose to wait patiently for your knight in shining armor, you will be blessed by the heritage that a prince brings. If you choose to run eagerly ahead of God’s plan and marry a man with no conscience toward God, you will reap the life’s course he follows, but not alone. Your children’s lives and grandchildren’s lives will be directly affected by the man you marry.

Consider the following scriptures:

All these blessings come upon you and overtake you if you will obey the Lord you God (Deuteronomy 28:2)

But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord you God… all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you (Deuteronomy 28:15)

God warned His people in Deuteronomy of the long-term effects of their choices. Today other countries may not take our children, but there are many bondages in our wicked generation that could hold them.

Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while you eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing you can do (Deuteronomy 28:32)

Have you seen the yearning eyes of a mother as she sees her son on drugs or her daughter living on the streets? There is nothing she can do but look on in pain.

These verses in Deuteronomy show that God has always desired to bless His people, but He will not force them to do what is best. In His Word He has often warned us to wait, to be careful, and to trust Him. He will not make us wait. His heart of love begs us to listen and obey so He may bless us and the dear ones who will one day look to and follow us. The words He gave to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 shows the love and concern He has for the choices you make.

So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him… (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

You must choose to wait patiently for God’s best. If you have seen patterns in your life that show a lack of patience, commit yourself right now to waiting for God’s best.

You may pray something like this:

Lord,

You are my sovereign God. You know all about me and love me more than anyone else ever could. You know how I feel, what I need, and what my future is. I confess that I have taken matters into my own hands. I confess to being afraid of totally trusting You. Today I commit myself to focus on You and Your love for me. Today I commit to look to You for my future, not my outward circumstances. Thank you for knowing how weak I feel, but being strong for me and in me. I love You. I choose to trust You.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen

I am praying for you and God is crazy about you.

The Joseph, Boaz and David Profile of a man worth waiting for:

You want to marry someone for the qualities he posses now, not for the qualities you hope he will develop. The most common mistake made by married partners is marrying someone they intend to change. Since it is impossible to change a person, you will want to set standards of dating or building friendship, with men who are characterized by the following qualities.

A single woman can side step a lifetime tragedy by seriously considering these characteristics in a prospective steady date;

• Puts needs of others ahead of his own: This man accepts people just the way they are, loving others even when his love is not returned. He will continue to love someone because of his commitment to that person, not because of how he feels.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceits, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

• Rejoices in his relationship with Christ: You don’t have to ask this man if he is a Christian. His Joy in the Lord is evident in his life.

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:11).

• Maintains proper relationships: This man seeks good relationships with everyone, from his friends to his parents. He listens to differing perspectives without feeling threatened. He has the strength to back off from a fight. He works to forgive wrongs done to him and seeks to make his own offenses right. He will not hold a grudge.

Pursue peace with all men… (Hebrews 12:14).

• Refuses to jump ahead of God’s timing: He is not so eager to be something, do something, or have something that he cannot wait on God’s timing. He chooses against impulsiveness so he may be in the exact center of God’s will.

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him… (Psalm 37:7).

• Seeks to meet the practical needs of others: He is not self absorbed that he cannot make time for the needy. He is interested in the welfare of others and is willing to give his time, money, and energy for their benefit.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted… (Ephesians 4:32).

• Stands for what is right: He hates anything contrary to God’s holy character. He is known as a man of integrity by those with whom he works.

There will be… glory and honor and peace to everyone who does goo… (Romans 2:9-10).

• Follows through on his God-given responsibilities: He uses the talents God has given him and realizes “he + Jesus =adequacy for any God-given job.” He is neither overconfident nor absorbed with feelings of inferiority. He is not a dreamer, wishing for more ability, but a diligent steward of the talents he has been given. This man is dependable and stays with even a difficult task until it is completed.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

• Understands the importance of feelings and emotions: Some women may find themselves attracted to a demanding man, assuming that his dominance will be their security. Other women may marry a doormat they can dominate, but inevitably end up despising the man’s weakness. A gentleman is the best of both; he takes the initiative to lead but tempers it with gentle responses towards the other’s feelings.

So, as those who have been chosen by God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).

• Flees temptation to compromise: This man refuses to be in situations that are sensual, immoral, or impure. He does not entertain friendships that lead to drunkenness or carousing. He avoids talk that could c use strife or jealousy. This man does not allow a temper to control him or anger to destroy him.

Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit (Proverbs 25:28).

These qualities are not unrealistic ideals. When a man follows Jesus, the Holy Spirit works these into his life. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fruitfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23)

None of the men you date will have these qualities perfected. All of us are at differing levels of maturity. A man of God is one who works toward being conformed to the character of Christ. But be careful when a quality of God’s spirit is completely missing in a man’s life and he is unwilling to deal with it before marriage. Realize that if character is absent before the wedding ceremony, it will be missing after the wedding ceremony and cause considerable problems during marriage.

Do you want to marry a knight in shining armor? Then set your standards high. To be married to a man who loves the Lord and wants to serve Him is one of life’s privileges. It is worth whatever wait, whatever cost.

Nail down your convictions and refuse to compromise by dating men who are not controlled by God’s Holy Spirit. These standards will stand guard over the castle of your heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard you heart, for it is the wellspring of life”

Without high standards, even Christian girls are easily seduced.

I am praying for you and God is crazy about you.

Avoiding Counterfeits Boys

A counterfeit is a guy whose outward appearance is a façade. It is hard to discern who he really is because of the “makeup and costume” he wears. What he appears to be physically, socially, and even spiritually is just a performance. We have all met these counterfeit guys; the beauty is that it’s very possible to avoid such a clown. Setting high standards and convictions will help you recognize the difference.

Before any girl accepts her first date, she should have established in her heart and mind a biblical alternative to this century’s dating style. As a prerequisite to every date, you should examine your motive. Are you going out with this guy because you haven’t had a date in years? Are you going out with someone who may not really be a Christian because you think a date, even with a counterfeit, is better than no date at all?

Many women spend time with guys who don’t really care for them. They would rather waste an evening with a counterfeit than face another lonely night in a dateless condition. Some women even give up their biblical convictions in order to get a date with a certain guy. Do you feel as though you allow your dating schedule to determine your personal worth? Many single women are prisoners of the world’s dating syndrome. They equate their self-worth with how many dates they had last month.

Have you dated more counterfeits than the real deal (Boaz, Joseph, David)? If your answer is yes, you may need to develop higher ideals. Develop a list of biblical dating standards and put them into practice. Write them down, carry them both in your wallet and your heart, the counterfeits will flee.

Wait for the right man God has for you. Do not settle for anything less than God’s best. And if you feel that wait is hard, look at the following, do you believe you can change any of these characteristics in your future husband?

• Unwillingness to communicate (Proverbs 14:10)
• Dominating ego (Romans 12:3)
• Argumentative characteristics (Proverbs 20:3)
• Difficulty in apologizing (Ephesians 4:32)
• Bad language (Ephesians 5:4)
• Unwillingness to be involved with church (Hebrews 10:24-25)
• Inability to keep a job (1Timothy 5:8)
• Jealousy (1 Corinthians 13:4)
• Self-centeredness (2 Corinthians 5:15)
• Depression (2 Corinthians 4:16)
• Unwillingness to give (2 Corinthians 9:7)
• Always “going with the guys” (1 Corinthians 15:33)
• Wandering eye (1 Thessalonians 4:2-7)
• Lying (Ephesians 4:25)
• Immaturity (Ephesians 4:15)
• Workaholic tendencies (1Timothy 6:7-11)

What does the Bible say about these qualities in reference to godliness?

I am praying for you and God is crazy about you.