I have been avoiding you. No, not you the reader, you...blog number 100. You see I need to evaluate why I post what I post and if anyone is out there reading. So, it has been a battle to find time to think. When we started this (Richard and I) we wanted to use the experiences and struggles God has allowed in our life to encourage others and hopefully bring glory to HIM.
Finding time to update this or think of what to write about is at times a joy, and at times a battle.
Some days seem like one big battle. If not physically then spiritually. You have battled with us through my Crohn's diagnosis, The loss of my Grandfather, My mother's all clear to breast cancer round two, Richard's knee replacement, Jacob's terrible car wreck, Kaylee's adventures into the world of The Thunder NBA team's intern and college, Joshua's story of craniotomy at birth and now migraines and Jason's precious words, stories and antics with Shadow the wonder dog! I hope you've laughed and cried and rejoiced with us. But mostly, I hope you have come to know how much we adore each other, and you! Don't get me wrong, we are a normal family and have our own battles just as you do.
If our battles are not against the flesh but against the “principalities and powers”
How do we fight?
Flesh is, after all, inherited selfishness. We want something and we want it NOW…Veruca Salt!
Flesh fights battles with the weapons of politics, boycotts, actual weapons of destruction.
I fought a battle with Peanut Butter Captain Crunch at lunch today at Captain Crunch won.
I wanted it….I surrendered with not much of a battle. It says right on the label NOW EVEN BETTER TASTING! Who can stand against that?
I fought a battle with a sharpie that exploded on my dress on my way to a wedding this evening. Sharpie won!
But those things are just small battles in our daily life. What about the battles described in the bible? Against evil, principalities and powers?
If our battle is against spiritual forces, how do we fight?
After putting on the prescribed armor in Ephesians 6:13-17, we must fight with the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
Our weapons will be
Truth
Love
Righteousness
Prayer
The truth is we are flesh living in a world of ugly sins and evil choices. We can’t isolate ourselves and just wait for Christ to return. He put us together on the earth with others who are also naturally selfish. I did not teach one of my four children to cry when they did not get their way. They instinctively knew how to be selfish. I did have to teach them to share, to pray, to read, to wait, to love, to trust. It was exhausting but I had to purpose to do what was best for my children in order that they would grow to be whole, productive human beings.
We will face battles and we must be prepared spiritually to stand….then stand some more. We are taught how to do this through the instruction given to us by God in His Word, the Bible.
Well as I finish blog number 100, I want to thank you for reading about the thoughts and experiences my family has gone through. I hope you have been encouraged to study scripture and trust our Lord Jesus Christ. You encourage us with your comments and feedback and we know as we have prayed for you, many of you have prayed for us.
We appreciate you.
So...I will see you on post 101 but until then...
We must continue to purpose to learn to be strong spiritual warriors who pray.
I’m going to work on it. You?
Just Thinkin’,
Kathy
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