Skip to main content

"What Is This Teaching You?" - Be Encouarged

Ok, I know this isn't a typical question, but it really should be! What am I learning about love? What am I learning about Bill? What is being engaged teaching me about myself?!?

I still want to participate in encouraging people this week, as I have done many weeks before this.
 
I want to encourage selflessness.

I truly believe it is the key to success in relationship – yes, in a romantic relationship, but also in friendship and family and all that comes in life.  While my current excitement revolves around a wonderful romantic relationship, I have tried to concentrate on the other relationships in my life and giving them as much attention as I give my time with Bill.  I am truly engaged (lol) in all he is saying when we are together and I give him my full attention as much as possible.  I have even talked to him recently about putting my cell phone in my purse and leaving it there when we are together.  Media can be so distracting in this current society! 

I am learning that love, of any kind, takes tons of work and energy.  More than that, it takes devotion and dedication.  Being fully present and open about what is going on in your brain is of the utmost importance.  No one can read your mind – family, fiancé, or friends – and we should not get worked up and expect people to know why!  Communication is key.  How can this encourage you?  It is for freedom Christ set us free.  Look for freedom in the ability to be honest.  I know my relationships at this time are some of the strongest I have ever had because I am not afraid to be honest.  I know my marriage will last because I hold nothing from Bill and I know where his heart lies because he holds nothing from me. 

Be encouraged – honesty produces freedom.

My relationship with God should always be number one, and it is easy to get wrapped up in the high time of being engaged.  However, what I am trying to learn while things are good, is there is no time where I should be questioning God.  Right now, his favor seems on me.  But life is not a series of highs.  Lows are to come, and focus on God being the one sending the blessings now will help later when I am questioning the reality of him and his love for me. 

I know this seems like a series of ramblings, but I hope it encourages you in some way.  Focus on your relationship with God in the good times, so when tough times come you are strong.  It is the same with Bill.  I focus on my relationship with him now, so when we struggle or fight, I already have his character on my heart.  It is the same with my family and friends.  When someone offends me I know where their heart and head are, and I do not write them off instantly.  These symbiotic relationships are key to success in life. 

Be encouraged today friends! God has wonderful relationships in store for you.  Stuff absolutely does not matter.  What matters are the people surrounding you.  They are there for a reason, and you must invest or you will miss out.  I may not be engaged if I did not invest in my relationship with Bill! 

Take a chance on someone in your life – not necessarily in a romantic way, but just try to look at someone in a different light.  Everyone deserves forgiveness.  Live without bitterness..



Labels:

Comments

  1. LoraNovember 29, 2011 at 1:58 PM

    so true! I blogged about something similiar today, too. "He must become greater, I must become less!" thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In the Nursery: Whole Hearted Parenting Manifesto

I recently finished a book by Brene Brown titled, DaringGreatly .  It really moved me, and I am definitely still processing it. At the beginning of the book I wasn’t resonating deeply with the topic of vulnerability, as most people will tell you I am an “open book”.  I will answer most questions without holding back and love to deep dive into good conversation.  However, what I came to realize through her many examples is that we all wrestle with vulnerability, guilt and shame throughout this book even if is more momentary than constant.  I gleaned SO MUCH from this book that I did not anticipate, and I thought I would share this Parenting Manifesto that she put right at the end of the book.  I am printing it and framing it for our nursery, as I think it communicates some deep parts of my heart cry for parenting my kiddos well. I hope this resonates with someone else as much as it did with me.   I needed these words to remind me that parenting is not a checklist,
2 comments
Read more

A Penny For Your Thoughts - Looking Back & Missing Italy

 I took this my first day in Italy, and will always remember my town just like this... I realized something about my writing the other day, and that is that I am much more present in my writing than I am in my brain.   I am constantly thinking back, but I never write about my past.   Sure, I write a story here or there reminiscing on my African travel, but rarely do you hear about my life pre-California unless it is in reference to my family.   Lately, I have found myself pining for Italy.   Did you know I lived there?   Probably not, because I rarely mention it! I knew I was going to love it there, but it has stuck with me since the moment I left.   I have wanted to go back every   minute of every day since then.   The simplicity of life, the emphasis on slowing down, the architecture, the food, the flowers, the people, the color, the trains, the bikes, the gelato, the smiles and laughter, the wine, and the cities are only scratching the surface of things I love from the bea
Post a Comment
Read more

At the Library - May through September 2019 Reading

We had another baby in May (SO much more on that later) and blogging has obviously taken a back seat, but I am still reading for pleasure and have managed, in my sons first four months of life, to complete these 8 books!  Y'all, I remember a time when even completing 2 books a year would have sincerely sounded daunting, much less with a newborn.  If you want to read more, you can find the time!  Take stock of your days and see where you are wasting hours.  For some of these, I listened to the audio book while I was pumping or watering the garden.   Rather than give you an individual breakdown of each of these books, I just want to report I found them all incredibly enjoyable.  A total cross section of a food memoir to a psychology deep dive to nature centric novels, I would recommend them all in different capacities.   We have fallen a bit behind on our Bible reading, but we WILL finish by the end of the year. You do not make it to September
2 comments
Read more