COURAGEOUS!

Hello My Dear Girls,
Wanted to take a moment and recommend a wonderful movie I saw today- the new movie from Sherwood pictures- Courageous! I was so touched. One moment I was laughing, the next I was crying ( and I don't cry often!) If you at all can, view the movie. I am sure you will be touched. Even though I am not a parent yet, it ministered to me in a special way. I love the fact that, even though it is geared more towards fatherhood, it addresses so many things that can benefit us all- faith, family- even purity and letting your Dad guard and protect your heart! I understand some may not be comfortable with the pg-13 rating, but I found it very appropriate and uplifting. The emphasis on faith in God and family life was tremendous. I hope each of you will be able to see this movie- a real blessing! Let us all stand up with courage to be everything God wants us to be!Amen.

Girls and Romance Novels

Ok, let’s face it- we females, as a general rule, are automatically drawn to romance.  We love to hear stories of how couples met and married (often we don’t care if it is a married couple- just as long as we get a good picture of a kissing couple or more). We jump at the chance to see a romantic movie or read a romantic novel.  Today I want to talk about our attraction to these things and how we can rein in our desires so that our lives will be more pleasing to the Lord. I am sure that a lot of my readers will not appreciate some of what I am going to say, but bear with me!!

I was reading the newest book by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar not too long ago and one phrase seemed to jump out of the page at me and I want to use it as the basis for our teaching this week.  “Romance novels are to women what pornography is to men.” Wow! What a way of looking at it. Now before you stop reading this article, hear me out. I want to share with you some things that I believe the Lord has shown me about this subject.

If you think of it, women really are drawn to romance in much the same way men are to looking at unclean pictures/videos/etc. Many of us girls crave it. We hear of the latest romance novel and we can’t wait to read it. A good portion of our mind and attention is devoted to love related themes. I think part of the reason for this is that God made us to want romance and for most of us a big portion of our lives will be with a man- our husbands- and with that comes along plenty of romance! But, let us look at some of the side effects to spending a lot of time in the romance department as single women.

Most of the romance books we read are nothing more than plain fiction. They deceive us and lead our hearts down a path of deception and false hopes for things that do not exist. They give us false expectations of what life is like. Even many Christian romance novels describe intimate scenes that girls should not be feeding themselves on. Recently one of my friends wanted me to read a portion of a supposedly Christian romance novel that she was finding very enjoyable. Well, I read it and while, yes, the part I read was very intriguing, it was also explicit about how the unmarried couple fit together while they hugged, how their bodies felt against one another, and what the kisses were like. It may have had a good story about a couple who had to unlearn some of their pre-conceived notions in order to be able to truly live and be together, but everything that went along with it made the book worth little. To make it short, romance novels are just that- novels. Pure fiction that is threatening to rob us of the thrill and awakening that God has for us to share with our husbands.

This also goes for romantic movies/comedies. I usually am not much of a reader, so the romance books do not draw me that much. But, when it comes to movies……… I can quickly be drawn in just as easily as someone can be to books. In a way, I believe that romantic movies can be even more deceiving and damaging to us than the books. Why? Because with a book, we are reading the words and our minds depict the images we see associated with what the book is saying. With a movie, the images are already there and then our minds are free to take it even further- what happened after the camera turned away.  This is why we also need to be careful what we watch as well as what we read.

Also, one thing we need to have extreme guard over is the fact that most romantic novels, movies, etc support behavior that is only meant for married couples- even a lot of Christian entertainment supports inappropriate images. And the longer you feed yourself on these scenes, the more your values will decrease and soon you will not see anything wrong with doing these actions yourself before marriage. And if you continue to let it go, then eventually you won’t see anything wrong with acting unholy with every man that comes along. Another reason why we have to guard what we put in us- ‘Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?’ 1 Cor. 5:6 Unlike in the fiction books and movies, where even when you make mistakes, you leave feeling so good and everything works out anyway- in real life there is real pain and regret following actions that displease our Father.

So, what can we do to avoid these pitfalls that have been set for us- sometimes by people that truly have meant no ill by it? As I said before, we ladies are going to be drawn to the romantic world and if we don’t give ourselves something clean to take the place of the bad, then we will fall back into the pit of lies and deception given us by the romantic thieves of the day. The good news is that we can read and watch pure things pertaining to the romantic nature- things that will not defile us but strengthen our desire to live humbly before the Lord.

As for books, try reading true stories of couples that lived their lives in purity before the Lord, waiting for each other till God brought them together. These stories are real romance. Read books that encourage you to wait in purity for your man. Read books that will strengthen your walk, not build fantasies about a world that doesn’t exists.

Be very careful in your choice of movies. I for one appreciate the Jane Austin movies. There are different versions to each story and some are better than others, but I find Jane Austin to be appropriate and even a good lesson to go along.  I haven’t read the books, so I can’t vouch for them, but I am sure they are good in nature. BBC has put out some good movies as well.  

But don’t let Jane Austin or other more appropriate books or movies become your obsession. Broaden your horizon by reading other topics. Don’t let your world be so full of romance that you don’t have time for other subjects. Most importantly- make Jesus your obsession. Only He can fill the void places in your mind and heart.

“Finally sisters, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE PURE, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

In Christ love,

Anna Ruth

noregrets@fromfathershearttoyours.org

Having Faith For the Little Things In Life

It’s been about a month since I found out our family dog was pregnant again for the third time. I felt a little panic about it, but I became more frustrated last night when she was giving birth. See, her past two births she had nine pups both times. And last time I found it increasingly hard to find homes for each of them. Six months after they were born I still had puppies! I spent lots of money on dog food, time into advertising them, but people just weren’t interested. As Dixie gave birth last night, I felt a little dread over the next little while as she popped one puppy after the other out. Ugh!!! Nine homes to find! I thought to myself, it was so hard last time to get rid of them, how much harder this time? There are only so many people around here looking for a puppy. And its coming on winter time- the possible homes will be even fewer as folks will not want to take in a dog with winter setting in. Sigh….

The moral of today’s story is that while I was complaining to myself, I felt the Lord speaking to me telling me he would provide. YES! Even for Dixie’s puppies, he would take care of them too! My God, who supplies all my needs, will take care of this one as well! I felt such peace about it and could smile with more ease at the excitement of the children with each new addition!

So, I wanted to share a quick reminder with you, my friends, to have faith in the God that will even see that those little issues we come across in life will be taken care of. Yes, he does care about every detail of our lives. So trust him with all your big and little problems- He can and will take care of them all!

By the way, Dixie had 10 this time instead of the usual nine! Smile! One more home needed, God!

“But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19

Anna Ruth

In Daddy's Shoes

Recently I was working with my little brother in the chicken area of our family farm. For those that don’t live on a farm, cleaning out the roosting and hen houses are not pleasant jobs! Needing some extra help, I went in the house and asked my mother, “Who all is not in school?” Immediately, memories began to flood my mind. That was the exact same question my Dad would always come in and ask my Mom when he needed help on the farm! He hardly works without children around him. As I was serving my family and doing something for my Dad that he needed done, I was un-intentionally doing just like he would do if he were working instead of me.

Lately the Lord has given me a greater vision for family and his purpose for the family. And I feel my heart being drawn even more so towards my own family. I feel blessed that the Lord has given me an opportunity to serve them more for a little while. And while I serve I know that I am helping carry out my Dad’s vision for our family farm. I know that the time is coming, in fact it will come soon, that I will be onto the next phase in life and will not be around all the time to help out like I am now. So, I want to make the most of this time.

Part of our job as daughters is to carry on our Dad’s vision and to help him fulfill his God given roles in society. When we marry, our duty will be switched from helping our Dads to helping our Husbands. For me, part of that duty is to help run the family, the other part is ministry. As I was working in that chicken lot, I felt like I was in my Dad’s shoes- doing his work with lots of little ones around me.

Girls, I want to encourage you today to look around you and see what you can do to serve God by serving your family. Ask your mother what you can do to ease the load. When your Dad comes home from work, inquire what you can do to really bless his life and the lives of your family. You will find satisfaction by embracing your God given opportunity to help carry your family through whatever season of life they are in.

That’s not to say you can’t do other things. Of course you can! But, by getting your priorities right and putting family first, you will find great fulfillment and will be even happier when you do get to do other things.

So, just a little encouragement to not be so busy living your own life that you don’t take time to serve those that need you as well- your family.

‘Remove not the ancient landmark, which they fathers have set.” Proverbs 22:28

Love in Christ,

Anna Ruth

Inspiring Article

I was blessed by the latest article from the Young Ladie's Christan fellowship, "Spoken Identity." I found it very thought provoking. Follow the link and enjoy!
http://ylcf.org/2011/09/spoken-identity/

Trust

Trust. It is something that has been taking on a very special meaning to me lately. There are so many things in our lives that require trust in Almighty God. Trust doesn’t mean that you have all the answers or that things will go just as planned or how you would like them to. Trust is to “to allow to do something without fear of the outcome, to believe, to have confidence or faith; as trust in God, to have faith in.” Just about every area of our lives requires some trust if we are going to live with total reliance on our creator.

I have to trust that somewhere out there, there is a man that is going to be my husband. Nearing 20, there are many days when I feel lonely and sad and tempted to fret for my future. After living for Jesus, my desire is to be a wife and a mother- to raise a family and to have a happy home for my man to come home to each day. When I am having a rough day, I have to trust that God is preparing me and using me in this time. I have to trust Him with my future, knowing that I have committed my life to Him and only when He allows my husband and I to meet and start a life together will it be.

I choose to trust that the Lord knew what He was doing when He asked me to leave a very good job recently to be more available for my family. It went against a lot of common reasoning. But, even when I cannot see the big picture, I can trust that as I have stepped out in obedience to His calling, He will take care of the rest. My future is in his hands. I cannot allow myself to fret, thinking I have no future. For my future is sealed with Jesus- if I had nothing else but Him, it would be enough.

As I work on my family farm, I have to trust that God will give me the strength to do what I must. That I won’t expect perfection from my brothers and sisters, but also not require less than what they can do.

When I look at my Dad, who has spent the whole year sick with heart disease, I trust in my healing Jesus. As I go about doing to work that He used to do, I have to trust someday I will see the manifestation of his healing. I trust that God will take care of my Mother, as she carries twice the load now.

Yes, I am trusting that God will bring back my wayward family member back to the fold- that the good seeds that were sown in him his whole life will bring forth fruit in due season.

I, like all of you, have experienced daily struggles. Sometimes I have to put my trust moment by moment in a God that never fails. The storms of life may threaten to blow me away, but because I am built on the solid rock of Christ, I will not be moved.

Trust in God- just because you have it, doesn’t mean your life will go smoothly. But when the rough times come, you will have someone to rely on and to see you through to the other side.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

So, I encourage my dear sisters today in the storms you may be facing- put your total and complete reliance and trust in the only one that can save you- Jesus Christ. He alone can see you make it across the storm to the peaceful side.

With love,

Anna Ruth

noregrets@fromfathershearttoyours.org

www.noregretsinyourlife.blogspot.com