Growing UP! Monday

Paul and I were visiting a nearby church this morning. We are kid-less, so we decided to head down the hill and listen to one of our favorite pastors, Louis Neeley. As he stepped up to the podium, he began, "Today I feel led to take a break from Romans and share what I feel the Lord has put on my heart. Our Calling."

He shared 2 Corinthians 5:16-20, and went on to remind us that we are ambassadors of Christ. We are chosen soldiers in a foreign land. We all desire to be accepted, yet, ambassadors often times forget who they represent.

I was encouraged, when he reminded me, we are all uniquely made. We are jewels in His crown. God has made every precious jewel with distinct and beautiful characteristics. All to be used for His glory.

Pastor Neeley wrapped his sermon up by reminding us of the charge we are to keep. Ambassadors of the one true King, we are to take each day seriously, seeking out opportunities to share the love of Christ to a hurting world.

As Christians, everyday is important.

And, everyday, holds eternal implications for someone.

Pastor Louis Neeley

Growing UP! Monday

Growing UP! Monday. It's time to get back into the swing of things! How are you growing? What are you learning?

Ok, I'll go first...

How am I growing? Well, I can tell you this, my marriage is growing. We recently attended A Weekend to Remember marriage conference. It was our gift to one another for our anniversary this year.

I know. I know. Crazy romantic aren't we?

You should have seen the look on my husband's face when I told him that's what I wanted to do. Poor guy. You'd think that after ten marriage conferences (two of them being A Weekend to Remember retreats) he'd put his foot down. Except, I'm married to the sweetest man around, and we both know how beneficial they are for our relationship.

There have been years we've gone with specific issues to be worked on. Each year we drive away and take our marriage-temperature.

Do we spend time alone together? CHECK!

Do we settle conflicts quickly? CHECK!

Do we put our marriage first? CHECK!

Do we pray together? Needs Improvement.

On and on we go, checking off areas we are doing well, and making note of those things we need to work on. This year, we really didn't feel like we needed to go. Everything seemed fine between us. We were actually thinking about skipping it. Especially after discovering our two youngest were chosen to be on all-star soccer teams with their games on the very weekend we'd be gone.

Enter MOM-GUILT.

But, after talking with the kids, they encouraged us to go. They realize after all these years that we are better parents when our relationship is strong.

In the end, we were both grateful we went. I can't wait to share with you all we learned. What a blessing.

For now, I will leave you with this, "A family is only as strong as the marriage within it."

If you've never gone away on a marriage retreat, maybe it's time you did.

Growing UP! Monday

Yesterday our church service was AWESOME. It was one of those Sunday services where you could not deny the presence of the Holy Spirit. I told Paul I wanted to stick around for second service too!

Our pastor was teaching in first Peter. The scripture He focused on was 1 Peter 2:7, "Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious..."

He exhorted us to consider how precious we are to Him. To consider His goodness. To taste and see that He is truly good. He reminded us to repent and remove sin from our lives because sin deadens our spiritual appetite for Jesus. (I just LOVED that last sentence. How true!)

Our pastor has a LOVE for the Lord that is contagious. He asked us this question, "What did you do yesterday to show God you love Him?" Wow, what a great question.

Just as the song says, Jesus loves the little children...we are precious in His sight.

And He is precious to me too.


So, what about you? How are you growing? What have you been learning about our great and marvelous God?

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15-16

Growing UP! Monday

Recently, I've enjoyed the company of older Christians. When I first met some of these people I immediately judged them.

I know. Not my job. Sadly, it's the part-time job I ask forgiveness for more often than I care to admit.

After scratching the surface in our conversations, what I first took for weak faith I discovered instead to be quiet faith. Like an old oak tree, unwavering and resolute - not loud or puffed up. I've judged wrongly by judging at all. Especially by thinking a person who peppered conversations with the name of Jesus is a stronger Christian than those who show Jesus in their day to day actions.

As a writer, we are told to "show don't tell". The same could be said about my faith. I believe more people need to see my love of Christ through my outward life. Not just hear me tell them.

I'm learning lately that I've still got ALOT to learn. Walking this road with Jesus, sometimes like a child who just learned to roller skate...I want to think I have things all figured out.

There could be nothing farther from the truth.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Cor. 2:2

So, what about you? How are you growing? What have you been learning about our great and marvelous God?

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15-16

Growing UP! Monday

We are going through 1Peter at our church. Our pastor spoke on holiness and what it means to be holy. A life set-apart for Christ is the first step towards our holy priesthood.

There are lots of ways we can set apart our lives for Him. Reading the Bible and going to church are only a few of them. How about what TV shows we watch, what friends we hang out with, what words come out of our mouths, or maybe what we put into our mouths? (That one really hit a nerve with me!)

I'm up ten pounds and have been just awful at paying close attention to what I eat. Today it hit me that I am not glorifying the Lord by treating my body, the temple of His Holy Spirit, in a way that is far from God honoring. It's time I make a few changes.

So, what about you? How are you growing? What have you been learning about our great and marvelous God? Did your Bible study hit home recently? Or, maybe your pastor or a friend shared a scripture that spoke right to your heart?

Share it on Growing UP! Monday.

Please share the love and add the above button to your site with a link back to Blessed..., so people can find you.

Lets all grow UP together!



"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15-16

Growing UP! Monday

Welcome friends, I thought it would be fun to check in with other sisters and brothers around the world. We are the body of Christ, all of us growing and learning so we can be used by Him and for Him.

The long arm of the Internet has made our huge world quite small. What a blessing it is to talk to other believers in countries all across the globe!

So, what about you? How are you growing from His word? What is it you are learning about our great and marvelous God? Did your Bible study hit home this week? Or, has your pastor recently taught you something that spoke right to your heart? Share it on Growing UP! Monday.

Don't forget to add the above button to your site, and make sure to add your blog to McKlinky below, so we can all grow UP together!



"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Ephesians 4:15-16

Growing Up! Monday

From the moment we are born we begin the process of growing up. As Christians, the spiritual process is much the same. My greatest desire is to grow up in my faith.

I've met many Christians who have been believers for umpteen years but have refused to grow up. They are spiritually stunted, being spoon fed each Sunday at church, but never reaching out for more of Him. These believers fall into what I call the "thirty-year-old-five-year-old" group. If I am a ten year old Christian then I want to be a ten-year-old Christian. I don't want to be a baby-believer all my life. I want to be continually GROWING UP!

So friends, what are you learning? How are you actively working hand in hand with Jesus to mature and grow in your faith in Him? Post about it, allow us to be a part of what you are learning and link up below. Let's grow up together!


***One of the things that helps me grow by leaps and bounds are Bible studies. I'm participating in our women's Beth Moore Fall study of "The Patriarchs". And my teenage daughter and I are doing "Believing God" together. I also purchased Warren W. Wiersbe's "Be Encouraged" study on 2Corinthians to work on during my daily quiet time. Being in the Word is a great spiritual fertilizer for me!***