Leave YOU Behind

April 24, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Surrender.

It’s one word, with a lot of power.

Who do you surrender your life to now?

Is it the One who died for our sins, so that we might live eternally?

Or do you surrender to your career, your hobbies, money, your earthly desires?

I will tell you one thing I know for certain. If you truly surrender your life to Him, you will look back on your life and see drastic changes and movement and blessings. It’s absolutely amazing. I sat in church last night, and thanked God for the unbelievable blessings He has poured out on us over the past year and half. We put a toe into the pool of His mercy and have been IMMERSED. Truly.

In 2014, never having been anointed with oil and healed by God through His servant in my entire life, I have been anointed, prayed over, and had a laying on of hands 3 times now – all because we trusted Him to lead us and guide our steps.

Last night, I learned an important lesson:

Hope is for the future.

Faith is for the here and now.

We don’t HOPE for His blessings. We WAIT on them in FAITH because we KNOW He has blessed us, and is in the process of blessing us!

Have faith in Him. Have faith that if you lay all of YOU behind, He will lead you where you need to be.

You won’t be sorry.

Surrender.

The video/song below says it all. Ask Him to flood your atmosphere – all the time. Live in His Presence, in complete surrender. {view in browser}

Food For Thought Friday

His Death Was For Our Life

April 18, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Today is Good Friday, and in keeping with the theme of yesterday’s post on Maundy/Holy Thursday, it isn’t a time to post about us. It’s all about Him.

He died a criminal’s death on a crucifix, in place of us.

…by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Yesterday’s video…declaring we all are Barnabas – criminals – sinners – deserving of such pain and agony; and HE TOOK OUR PLACE. Do you realize the kind of pure love that is? There is nothing like it in this world. Nothing at all.

This song (video below) is a pre-release edition by Hillsong Live for the movie (we absolutely loved!), “Son Of God”:

And we have a great Good Friday treat for you, you can have this song’s download for free by clicking here. Hillsong will send you an e-mail with the download information.

Here are the lyrics to “Calvary“:

The Savior alone
Carried the cross
For all of my debts
He paid the cost

Salvation complete
Now forever I’m free

Chorus:
CALVARY
Covers it all
CALVARY
covers it all

My sin And shame
Don’t count anymore
All praise to THE ONE
Who has ransomed my soul

CALVARY
Covers it all

No power on earth
Not even the grave
Can separate us
From mercy and grace

He is faithful to save
Oh His blood never fails

CHORUS

No one But Jesus
Can make us pure
Like snow
We stand in your freedom

CHORUS

All praise to THE ONE
Who has ransomed my soul
CALVARY
Covers it all

Mark 15

New English Translation (NET)

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

15 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” 3 Then the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly. 4 So Pilate asked him again, “Have you nothing to say? See how many charges they are bringing against you!” 5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

Jesus and Barabbas

6 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, whomever they requested. 7 A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection. 8 Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom. 9 So Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?” 10 (For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.) 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas instead. 12 So Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!” 15 Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Jesus is Mocked

16 So the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) and called together the whole cohort. 17 They put a purple cloak on him and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him. 20 When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

21 The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). 22 They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which is translated, “Place of the Skull”). 23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 Then they crucified him and divided his clothes, throwing dice for them, to decide what each would take. 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The inscription of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.” 27 And they crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left.29 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself and come down from the cross!” 31 In the same way even the chief priests—together with the experts in the law—were mocking him among themselves: “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 32 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.

Jesus’ Death

33 Now when it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 Around three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 When some of the bystanders heard it they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah!” 36 Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down!” 37 But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. 38 And the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion, who stood in front of him, saw how he died, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 40 There were also women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were there too.

Jesus’ Burial

42 Now when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. 45 When Pilate was informed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 After Joseph bought a linen cloth and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone across the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was placed.

In His Love,

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Who Is Barabbas?

April 17, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Today is Holy Thursday and in light of that, the blog today is a simple one. It doesn’t focus on me, on us, on our feelings or life. It focuses on Christ and His unbelievable love; His unmatched, unstoppable, amazing, zealously powerful love for us.

Watch this video – in a browser, not from the e-mail (if you’re a subscriber – thank you, by the way! 🙂 ). It will give you chills.

And if it doesn’t watch it again, because SOMETHING didn’t sink in.

*Today and through Easter Sunday, let’s all remember we are neither Protestant nor Catholic nor Non-Denominational. WE ARE CHRISTIANS – WE ARE CHRIST-FOLLOWERS. Let’s unite in Him and set this world ablaze.*

In Him,

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Listen.

April 10, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres9 Comments

Oh, the amazing things God has in store for you when you simply LISTEN.

As many of you know, I was raised a Protestant, in the Southern Baptist Church – if you don’t know this, please read this to get better acquainted with our story. Craig was born and bred a Catholic. Luckily, when God asked me to convert, I did so. He asked me at a time in my life when I had pulled away from Him, but through a beautiful friend and co-worker was becoming more and more drawn to the Lord. And the Roman Catholic Church was perfect for me. The routine, the beauty, the ceremony of it all. I found peace in Christ, and while I was oh so far from perfect and the person God was molding me to become, I saw so many changes occurring in my life.

As a child, we went to church every Sunday. We went to Sunday School every Sunday before “big church”. We went to Family Night on Wednesdays. I sang in church. We were very very very involved in church. And then, slowly, the older I got, the more I pulled away – and for the wrong reasons. I pulled away because of PEOPLE, not because of BELIEF. Instead of finding a new church home in college, I just didn’t go to church. Sure, I went with my parents when I visited, but really, I was only “there” – I wasn’t paying much attention.

Fast forward to late 2008-2009, and there I was, in church every Sunday, albeit alone. I began to sing with the choir. I attended Mass during the week occasionally. I had this desire to learn and to grow. My life was changing.

In 2011, God asked me to make a bigger change. He wanted me to stop choosing my own dates. He wanted me to let Him choose for me. He led me to Catholic Match. He chose my husband – and what an amazing choice He made (believe it or not! 🙂 )!

When we first got married, Craig & I were attending a parish in Dallas, Georgia. We really enjoyed the homilies (sermons), but there were some changes being made we didn’t agree with. We felt God calling us. We left that parish and ended up at St. Francis of Assisi in Cartersville, Georgia, where we instantly were welcomed with open arms! We were both immediately received into the choir, and I began to Lector. It was WONDERFUL to be involved again! It was WONDERFUL to have a church family!

As a little more time passed and we discovered the ‘reason’ we hadn’t yet conceived a child, I felt constantly compelled to do more. Seek Him more. Serve Him more. Pray more earnestly. Spend more time with Him. I continued to listen, and I kept feeling that we should attend a Protestant/Non-Denominational church, in addition to Catholic Mass. I kept brushing that thought aside. We were comfortable in our routine, and besides, Craig wouldn’t go to both services with me – would he?

After repeatedly having this feeling, I audibly told God, “If this is what you want, then you are going to have to help me out. You are going to have to work on my husband’s heart.”

A week or so later, I was driving home from work and I felt the Holy Spirit pulling me, “You need to go to Wednesday night church. Don’t you miss that??”

Why, yes, as a matter of fact, I did ‘miss that’! Hmm…Our friend, Julia, goes to church on Wednesday nights… I should ask her if I can tag along.

Lo’ and behold, that very night, Julia texted me…that maybe I should join her for church on Wednesday nights.

Did you just get chills?

I went, and I loved it! In the next few weeks, I continued to go, and then, I mentioned to Craig I would love for him to join me…and that maybe we could go on a Sunday too – in addition to Mass.

And he not only agreed, but appeared delighted and looked as if I had read his mind… Isn’t it interesting how God works? 🙂

And as we continued going to church all over the place 🙂 I felt God pulling at a familiar heartstring…One I remembered feeling a loooong time ago…but had been kind of silent for a little while. I felt God telling me I needed to minister. And the more I discerned that call, the more I knew He was calling me to minister to singles – an demographic I feel is often very much overlooked by the church. And this time, instead of running away, fast and furious, I listened. I heeded His words, and I realized that no matter how inadequate I am, HE IS NOT! And, through Him, I can do all things.

This blog is another example of listening. What began as a way to keep family updated morphed into a daily message. We felt called to turn this into more than a mushy family update, and make it an expression of our faith. We were cautioned by MANY that much of this information was TOO PERSONAL to share, but we responded with our hearts – This is what God asked of us, and we have to take this leap of faith.

I don’t love airing our personal PCOS/infertility details. It isn’t always comfortable to share of beliefs with the world. But God asked us to make this blog about more than just us, so we have, at whatever expense that may bring.

So, as is usual now, last night I met Julia for dinner and had my favorite Salmon with Garlic & Herbs from Chili’s (I cannot get enough!), and then, we drove to Full Turn Church for our Wednesday evening Praise & Worship, and message from Pastor Alan. We sit on the second row, right in the middle. Julia always apologizes for wanting to sit way up there, but I love it. I love sitting in the front of church. It’s a challenge to be less distracted and more attentive to God. As usual, the message was an awesome one. I felt the Holy Spirit on my heart the whole time – mainly about praying over my infertility, and praying for faith and guidance. I prayed and prayed and prayed. And then Pastor Alan stepped off the dais and came to stand right in front of me. And my heart was beating FAST.

He said he was going to pray over someone, and asked for the anointing oil. Then he began to speak about faith and that with God and your faith in Him there is NOTHING that is impossible. He works in the SUPERnatural, not under the natural law. He mentioned Sarai, Abraham’s barren wife, in the Bible. Physical laws told her there was NO WAY she was going to have a child. She was in her 90’s! And still, Pastor Alan was standing right in front of me.

He sought me out, and asked about our infertility (which he would never have known about were it not for our blog!); he said he knew I had the kind of tenacious faith required for God to work miracles, and he said he knew the Holy Spirit had led us to Full Turn Church…and he anointed my forehead with oil, and the entire church prayed over me for my infertility, for our faith, for our future baby.

People, you should have seen me crying, and poor Julia’s hand probably still hurts today – I was squeezing it so hard, as I shook like a leaf.

God is awesome, y’all.

Look how He led us when we listened. From darkness to light, from light to pure joy, from joy to satisfaction and searching, from sadness and depression to HOPE and GRACE and PURPOSE.

And we haven’t even embarked on how I will minister to singles, yet!

Matthew 19:26

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Really, give your life to Him and LISTEN with BOTH EARS when He speaks – and He will speak! He can take you where no one would ever have thought possible, and accomplish through you the IMPOSSIBLE – by man’s standards. It may seem silly, and it may feel uncomfortable, but He has a reason for everything.

We are blessed with Catholic Mass to have a solemn commune with the Lord; We follow that with a fervent praising, worshipping, learning and growing in God experience at Full Turn; Wednesday nights are another opportunity to fully immerse ourselves in faith and praise. And ~~hopefully~~ soon, I will be helping singles in our community stop and listen for guidance from our Lord and Savior all week long.

Truly, where would either Craig or I be if we had turned a deaf ear when He spoke?

In Him,

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Abide With Me

April 3, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

This week. Has. Been. Brutal.

I won’t get into all of the gory details, but let’s just say I have gotten ZERO sleep and am more than ready for my husband to be home this evening. He cannot get here soon enough – too bad that won’t be until after my bedtime…Although, it’s quite safe to say I will be waiting up for him with no issue at all tonight.

I have pondered all day long about what to post here…and then I decided to implant my headphones and enjoy some traditional, old hymns at my desk to soothe my soul and relax my mind… and what should appear toward the top of my playlist but one of my favorites, “Abide With Me“. I knew then and there this is what I should share with you today.

Here are its heart-wrenchingly beautiful lyrics:

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see—
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Ah, those words.

The lyricist, Henry Lyte, was dying when he wrote these beautiful words, and passed away only a few weeks after he completed them. I can imagine he went to his final rest with confidence, faith and peace.

There is no comfort like the Lord – in death or in life, upon waking or sleeping. “O Lord, abide with me.”

{Yes, you have to view that video in a browser 🙂 }

I think sometimes we forget that Jesus is always there. The Holy Spirit is always alive in our hearts. We have nothing to fear, as long as we have Him.

Psalm 23

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The second part of that fourth verse is key: “I fear no evil, for You are with me.“
I know those words give me peace and comfort and a renewed love for our Heavenly Father. Just thinking of Him as a father in this sense is a great comfort –
After all, when your earthly father is around, are you ever afraid? I know I’m not.
Have a wonderful night, friends.
In Christ,

My Choice Monday

The Nativity Stones!

March 24, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

We have such a wonderful treat for you this bright and shiny Monday! A few weeks ago, we were contacted by a company called Nativity Stones, about doing a product review and a feature article on their behalf. After reading their story, we couldn’t say no!

Here it is, straight from The Nativity Stones’ website itself:

On a winter’s night over 2000 years ago, Mary and Joseph traveled the road to Bethlehem. Caesar Augustus ordered a world census to be taken and all subjects were required to return to the place of their birth. Despite Mary’s advanced pregnancy they journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Joseph’s birthplace. Joseph searched urgently for lodging as it was Mary’s time to give birth, but all of the inns were filled. In his desperation Joseph finally found a cave at the edge of town to shelter his wife. It was here, in the Cave of the Nativity, where the Christ Child was born.

Early Christians flocked to worship at The Cave of the Nativity soon after His death. In 325 A.D. Byzantine Emperor Constantine, along with his mother Empress Helena, officially recognized the site of Christ’s birth, constructing churches to commemorate the three principle events of Jesus’ life. One of the churches was the Church of the Nativity, which was erected over the cave where Jesus was born. The cave was then enclosed in an eight-sided structure and the church was built above.

Despite the following years of neglect, wars and destruction, the Church of the Nativity has always drawn faithful pilgrims from around the world. It is the oldest Christian Church in the world and continues to be a sacred symbol to the devout. It was designated an endangered World Heritage site by UNESCO.

In 1963, there was a one-time excavation to allow another exit for the thousands of visitors who come to the Cave of the Nativity each year. During that excavation a portion of a wall just a few feet from the fourteen pointed star commemorating the actual place of Christ’s birth was removed.

The stones from that wall – the Nativity Stones – witnessed the birth of Jesus. These are the very stones cradled in the Nativity Stone heirlooms.

Wow. What a story!

This company has taken these stones, from the birthplace of Jesus, and incorporated them into beautiful Christian jewelry & timeless pieces. We received a wonderful piece from The Nativity Stones, and I am so excited to have this cross and authentic piece of our Lord’s history – just in time for Easter! The cross I am wearing here is the Classic Nativity Cross – perfect to use in prayer, or just to wear as a reminder of the amazing God we serve and worship!

And we have a treat for you! You, too, can have a beautiful Christian heirloom – and with a special discounted rate! Just enter the code “newlywed15” at checkout to receive a 15% discount!!

What a wonderful gift for Easter, Confirmation, no occasion at all! I urge you to purchase one of these special pieces! You won’t be sorry!

We also want to give a shout-out to a dear blogging friend we have featured before here: The Veil of Chastity showcased us on Friday:

We are SO BEYOND BLESSED with great friends and family and their prayers and encouragement. Thank you for your commitment to us!! It means more than you could ever imagine!

I was thinking just Sunday morning…SO MANY OF OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED! Yet, so often, we overlook those answered blessings and focus on the {seemingly} negative things in our lives. God is so good. He is so faithful.

We Have A Winner!

February 24, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Good Morning Monday Folks!

As I mentioned on Friday, we had the pleasure of guest posting Saturday over at Footprints On My Heart, and we would love for you to visit and see this post for yourself! It includes pictures from our trip a year ago (Oh my goodness! It’s been that long?!?!) to Rome, and we think you’ll enjoy it.

In other news, WE HAVE A WINNER!!! The winner of our giveaway is Pamela James! Pamela, please e-mail me with your mailing information, and we’ll send your prize right over! Our runner-up was Beany Lefebvre, and don’t you worry – We have a gift for you, as well! 😉

And our product choice for this week…

…this glass water bottle by Ello! I personally have this very same water bottle and absolutely love it – It’s BPA-free, and dishwasher safe, plus at 22oz, I know I am drinking as much water as possible throughout the day! This little guy goes EVERYWHERE with me – Pure Barre, work, the gym, to the store, on a road trip… The silicone seal means the water stays fresh and the glass keeps it relatively cold. I keep on my nightstand for my 1-2/night ‘wake up in the middle of the night for water’, and have loved that my water is never warm and always tastes delicious! I’m not sure why but cold water tastes so much better in glass than in plastic…but maybe those are just my taste buds. 😉 Try this one for yourself! You won’t be sorry you made this purchase!

Prayer is our other ‘choice’ for the week! We have a LARGE prayer request list, and just ask that you pray for our intentions, as well as let us know how we can pray for you! Fill in the contact form below – It is 100% confidential, and just sends us an e-mail with your prayer requests so we can pray for you! All we ask in return is that you pray for our list too!

Go back

Your message has been sent

Here’s our list:

Pier’s minor surgery this Wednesday
Our dear friend’s mother, who has just been diagnosed with stomach cancer
Another dear friend whose father has just been diagnosed with lymphoma
The healing of a broken heart for someone oh so special to us
Safety in our travels this week
Healing, patience & understanding for all of those facing the pain of infertility
God’s guidance as we go throughout our days to make the choices we should
A couple very very close to us, for continued healing and miracles

Thank you, Jesus, for your healing & blessings!

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”

Isaiah 40:31

“…but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

Mark 11:24

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Happy Monday! We look forward to your prayer requests flooding our inbox! Don’t forget to visit Footprints On My Heart to see our guest post!

All Our Love,

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

His Way Or The Highway

February 20, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres1 Comment

{Note: Please view this post within a browser to see the included video.}

Ah, choices. The famous Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken” was written about our difficulty in making decisions:

The Road Not Taken

BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Choices and our reactions to them are discussed in the Bible, as well.

Mark 8:27-33 says,

“Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.‘ ”

Rebuke. Interesting word. I was pretty confident I knew what it meant, but I looked it up to be sure…because I really wanted to understand what was being said here.

re·buke

verb

to express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions.

So Peter criticized Jesus for what He said…Wow. Can you imagine making that choice?!?!

WAIT A SECOND…

Peter may have criticized the Lord in His physical presence, but don’t we often do the same thing exactly the same thing? And with the Holy Spirit living right in our souls…

How many times have you read or heard something Jesus asks of us as Christians to do and rolled your eyes or talked your way around obeying Him? How often do we doubt His Word and His promises? If you’re human (and I’m guessing most of us are), you are guilty of it every single day. I know I am.

But let’s look at Jesus’ reply:

‘Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.‘

S. Michael Houdmann head of Got Questions Ministries says,

” …we must also see how easily we can become an unwitting spokesperson for Satan. This is especially true when we lose sight of God’s plan for us. This comes about when our focus is on our careers, our possessions, our security, the things of the world rather than upon sacrifice and service and the proclaiming of God’s message. When Peter’s focus shifted to his own desires and plans, Jesus rebuked him in order to get him back on track. May our focus always be on God and His plans, that we may never experience a similar rebuke from our Lord.”

I think our loss of focus on GOD’s will for our lives can sometimes stem from prayer we feel has been unanswered. I know I am guilty of losing grasp of any understanding of His purpose for my life when things take an unexpected turn.

But the more I pray, the more I force myself out of my comfort zone and into my Jesus zone, the more I push myself into scripture reading and singing…the more I fall back into God’s grace.

Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

Let’s make a steadfast effort to make the choice for HIS WAY… because I don’t even want to fathom what awaits us heading the other way…

Last night on my way home this song was on and it brought me to tears and my newly found up-raised arm…How powerful.

Make the choice and the change for Christ.

PS – Here are the lyrics for the song above. I just have a feeling you’ll want to know them, and pray them.

“Keep Making Me”

Make me broken
So I can be healed
‘Cause I’m so calloused
And now I can’t feel
I want to run to You
With heart wide open
Make me broken

Make empty
So I can be filled
‘Cause I’m still holding
Onto my will
And I’m completed
When you are with me
Make me empty

[Chorus:]
‘Til You are my one desire
‘Til You are my one true love
‘Til You are my breath, my everything
Lord, please keep making meMake me lonely
So I can be Yours
‘Til I want no one
More than You, Lord
‘Cause in the darkness
I know You will hold me
Make me lonely[Chorus]

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Christ Will Shine On You!

February 13, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

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About two years ago, I made a decision. Having just gotten married and introducing myself to one of the longest commutes ever, I chose to turn off the argumentative talk radio and the popular music in the mornings, and listen to a Christian radio station. I found that while I was immersing my car interior with God’s love and peace, I was more apt to say a prayer than a swear word at the driver who just cut me off.

Fast forward to 2014. The morning commute is not enough. During the past several months, Craig and I have grown in our devotion to God, and we simply cannot stomach half of the music on the radio or the shows on television.

Read Ephesians 5.

This is why it is said: Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Ephesians 5:14

When you are truly living in the light of Christ, the things of this world – the music, the movies, the television shows… It all seems foreign. It used to pain me to hear a certain swear word, that I feel strongly blasphemes the Lord. Now? Not only does that word sting my ears, the filthy talk we are flooded with constantly, burns. It hurts. It makes me want to cry for the world who doesn’t know the peace that Jesus gives.

We usually don’t plan our posts, but I’ve felt this one coming on all week. Interestingly enough, I read another blog I’ve subscribed to and found her post yesterday to be oh so similar. Coincidence? I think not. Not where God is concerned. Read her post here. God is speaking to a world that has become all too complacent and lax – a group of Christians who need to take a stand.

One of the bands we had the pleasure of seeing at Winter Jam was Tenth Avenue North… Listen to the song below. One of the pleasures of listening to Christian music versus popular music is such beautiful music. After all, anything written to praise the Lord can’t sound any other way.

What's Up Wednesday

More Ice, Winter Jam, Work & A Challenge Met!

February 12, 2014 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

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So, what’s up in your neck of the woods? Here in Georgia, we are shut down once more – but this time, it’s due to an unprecedented ice storm – a storm that woke me up in the wee hours of the morning.

It doesn’t look bad, but even the poor doggies were slipping around when I have taken them out to potty in our backyard. I can’t imagine the roads…They are expecting up to 1″ of ice. Yikes.

Our back deck...That's one of Lucy's HUGE bones - buried in ice! — Our back deck…That’s one of Lucy’s HUGE bones – buried in ice!

In other news, this past week, as you know, we attended Winter Jam 2014:

No rain & not a cloud in the sky...But there were definitely beautiful rainbows peering down on us as we waited in line! — No rain & not a cloud in the sky…But there were definitely beautiful rainbows peering down on us as we waited in line!

Every different genre of music was represented…There were amazing stories and testimonies shared… Georgia Bulldogs’ Coach Mark Richt spoke; Nik Wallenda walked across the Dome on a tightrope; A youth pastor from Minneapolis shared a wonderful sermon…We were SO blessed by the experience! God definitely led us to the Georgia Dome. There is no doubt.

On a lighter note, Monday was my first day as a permanent and ‘official’ employee with CHEP. It’s very exciting – This company is AWESOME and I am so happy to be a part of it!

Oh, and with Craig’s encouragement and expert driving ability during our last icy mess, in January, I completed Pure Barre’s 21 Day Challenge! Yay! Yep, that means, in one month, I completed 21 classes on 21 different days! I won’t say it wasn’t TOUGH (IT WAS!!!!), but it was so worth it!

Hope all of you are having a wonderful afternoon!! Stay warm!!!