**W A R N I N G**– Bible usage can be habit forming. Regular reading can cause loss of ANXIETY and FEAR;
-Decreased appetite for LYING, CHEATING, STEALING, HATING, ANGER and ENVY.
-Symptoms include: Increased sensation of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, COMPASSION, and CONTENTMENT.
-If symptoms persist, just PRAISE GOD!
-Side effects are forgiveness, grace, and love.
**Copy and re-post if you don’t mind the side effects of the WORD!**
Things I can’t stand:
1. A liar.
2. A liar who tries to convince others that you are the crazy one by telling more lies.
3. The people who enable the liar because they are afraid to get on the liars bad side.
4. When you share how the enabler makes you feel and they make excuses for their behaviors. Like saying they are just trying to keep the peace.
News flash…we live in a world full of narcissistic people because of fear. Does anyone else see the dangers in not speaking the truth in love?
One day God will hold all of us accountable for what we did or didn’t do. Isn’t it time we take that promise seriously and really pray about how God would want us to respond to the evil in this world?
Maybe it is time to ask yourself this question: Who am I enabling because I am afraid of their response? Or who do I need to break ties with to show that I will no longer tolerate their behaviors? Or who do I need to share truth with that may have never had someone confront them in love?
God gives us his word so that we can go out and heal this world one broken soul at a time. As Christians, we have Christ in us and he will work miracles through us. We just have to be willing to take a risk. A risk that has the potential to produce great rewards!
God continues to remind me that he is in control. Today I made a choice to let go and let God repay what was stolen, knowing he will do so in only ways that he can. Then I get a phone call from a friend giving me something of great monetary value that will open the door to an increase in income. But God didn’t stop there. Then I received this promise:
“I Am Releasing You From the Hardships that You Have Encountered”
The Lord says, “The time of weeping is coming to an end, and a time of rejoicing will begin. For those of you who have been burdened for so long, your mouths will surely be filled with laughter, and your tongues with songs of joy. I am about to release you from the weights and the cares that have been weighing you down.
“I am releasing you from the hardships that you have encountered. You will learn how to make the adversity drive you deeper into your purpose and destiny rather than bring you into despair. Don’t allow discouraging thoughts to imprison you any longer, but allow Me to turn everything around for good. You have not been created to carry burdens but I have created you to be a carrier of My glory.
“I am rebuilding the walls that have been torn down by the enemy. Those things that have been demolished in your life will be rebuilt and restored. I will remove the heavy burdens and break the shackles that have held you captive. The strongholds that have held you prisoner are coming off. I am releasing the prisoners of war, and returning them home once again. I will heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free.
“As you continue to press in and stand on My Word even through difficult times, you will soon encounter this time of rejoicing. I will release you from the hurtful memories from the past that brought pain and sorrow. I will set you free from the things that war against your soul that brought fear and confusion. This is a time of refreshing to those of you who have been weary.
“Don’t allow anything to restrain you from this joy set before you. Don’t allow anything to hinder you from receiving all that is available to you. Allow Me to fill you with this joy and peace and bring comfort to your soul. I will give you beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning so that you will begin to walk in victory,” says the Lord.
Psalm 30:11-12, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”
Never underestimate the power of God. He can do anything and everything!!! His love never fails!
https://afternarcissisticabuse.wordpress.com/darkness/what-does-the-bible-say-about-narcissistic-behavior/
This is the most detailed, thorough explanation of the emotional abuse one suffers at the hands of a narcissist. If you are suffering from this type of abuse, please listen: Their is nothing you can do to help this type of person. Stop putting yourself in danger by trying. Your good intentions will only backfire and you will be the one left more confused, more hurt, and more damaged. Protect yourself. No contact is the only way.
The bible is clear on this. It doesn’t say to help them or to go to them in an attempt to heal the relationship. It says not to have anything to do with them.
If after reading this article you find that you have been abused by a narcissist, let me know so I can pray for you. I have lived my entire life under this type of abuse and finding true, soul deep healing requires plugging in to the only one who can repair the damage that has been done: Jesus Christ.
I want to close by praying for you.
Sweet Jesus, please wrap your arms around your precious son or daughter that is reading this realizing maybe for the first time that they have been damaged at the hands of a narcissist. Please open their eyes to truth so that you can heal what only you can heal. Protect them from further abuse by equipping them with your armor, your shield of protection. In you precious and holy name, Amen!
Today it has been brought to my attention that we live in a day and age where people want a quick fix for everything. If we are unhealthy financially, we turn to credit cards to bail us out. If we find ourselves unhealthy physically, we look for the newest miracle pill to get us back on track and expect the weight to fall off within days with no effort on our part. If we are spiritually unhealthy, we go to church and expect someone to greet us at the door, take us in and provide what we so desperately are longing for.
Their are no quick fixes. Getting healthy in every area of life takes persistence, setting goals, changing our way of thinking and doing things that produce results.
If you are struggling financially, start by assessing where you are right now. How much is coming in and how much is going out? If there is more going out than in, figure out where you can cut back to avoid drowning in debt. We live in America and we all can scale down tremendously if we really wanted to.
If your struggle is physical, figure out what your goals are. If it is to lose weight, look at what you are eating. A simple change in your diet and a simple exercise regimen may be all you need to change your life. If it is to start developing healthier eating habits, start by determining what you need to say no to and get those foods out of the house!
If you are searching for something deeper in your spiritual life go straight to the source of life, God’s Word. Church is an amazing place to hear His word but you have to get plugged in. You can’t go once a week for one hour and expect to walk away renewed until the following Sunday. A simple way to start is by listening to Christian music every time you are in your car. You will be amazed at how God uses music to feed our souls. Another way is to reach out to someone who is further along in their walk with Christ than you. Ask questions. Seek Godly counsel. And most importantly, start praying. Prayer is the most valuable tool Christians have and many don’t realize that all it takes is a few moments to cry out to God to start seeing Him move.
Life is a journey and growth in every area takes effort. Without it, we are destined to remain stuck and will never reach our goals or live our lives to our full potential.
It has been brought to my attention that there is someone following me obsessively on Facebook. Some would say this is your standard form of stalking, which is defined as a pathological anonymous follower and tab-keeper of another person. I mention this for one reason only: To help those who suffer from the desire to compare. Keeping tabs on another person, regardless of the reason, only hurts the person that feels the need to know the details of someone else’s life.
God created each of us in His perfect image. We are uniquely different and when we compare our lives, our looks, our jobs, our kids, our parenting styles, our houses, our cars, etc., we are ultimately revealing to God that we aren’t happy or grateful for what He has so generously blessed us with. And when and if we spend our time focusing on what we don’t have or the blessings others are receiving, we tend to lose sight of what God is doing in our own lives. God loves all of us equally. His blessings overflow but in order to recognize them, we must pay very close attention to our own lives and stop comparing.
I am far from perfect, but I am made perfect in Christ. Without Him I am nothing and my fate is death. Thanks to Jesus, His mercies are new everyday and I can choose to wake up and live in regret or live focused on the amazing gifts my Heavenly Father is waiting patiently to give to me.
So next time we (yes we…I too have been guilty of Facebook stalking) find Satan tempting us to see with his eyes, remember that he is the father of lies and his only desire is to steal, kill, and destroy.
Dear God,
Give us a sense of peace. An understanding that surpasses everything we see from a human perspective, allowing us to see through your eyes. Reveal the unique blessings you have specifically chosen just for us, even though we didn’t deserve them. Heal our hearts so that the next time we decide to fall into Satan’s trap, we no longer feel the pains of envy or jealousy but instead, we feel a sincere joy for the blessings you provide to every brother and sister in Christ.
After sharing this, I feel the need to close with this: If you just read this and have never accepted Christ into your heart or need to reignite your relationship with Jesus, please contact me. I want to pray that prayer with you. I can be reached via phone at 214-876-7539, by email at vautbunch@yahoo.com, or via messenger. God never meant for us to attempt to live this life alone. We all need Godly men and women surrounding us, giving us guidance and wisdom in areas where we struggle. We will have days of weakness and that is when we need our Christian friends and mentors the most.
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to start living on a budget, save money and spend less? Here are a few things you can do/stop doing to ensure success.
1. Stop window shopping! This includes opening emails from retailers that fill your inbox every day. UNSUBSCRIBE!!! Their is nothing more damaging to a budget than spending money on things we never needed until we saw they were on sale. We aren’t really saving if we are still spending!
2. Make a list before going to the store and stick to it. I am horrible at this when I step into Target. I can go in for three items and leave spending over $75 every single time. Not wise! Making a list will help you stay focused on what you need so you can get in and get out without getting sidetracked.
3. Cook meals at home versus eating out. Eating out will kill a budget! If you do eat out, order water and split a meal. Most restaurants have portions large enough to share!
4. Use coupons! If you don’t have a coupon, retailers are always offering deals to get customers in the door, so ask what they have available. You would be shocked at how many times you can get up to 25% off just by asking!
5. Shop around and compare prices. Just last Christmas, I was shopping for a specific video game for one of my sons. At one store it was $59.99 and out of stock, so I went online. They were selling the same exact game for $39.99 with free shipping and their big competitor had it on sale for $39.97. Had I not compared, I would have spent $20 more than necessary. Most stores will also price match if you find it cheaper somewhere else within 30 days of receipt of purchase.
6. Never buy at full retail price. Everything goes on sale at some point, you just might have to wait a little longer. But waiting a week to save money is always wise!
7. When it come to shopping for groceries and household items, I have found that buying store brands vs. name brands can save me hundreds of dollars each month. Did you know that name brand companies often repackage the same exact product for specific stores, just changing the labels? Look at the ingredients. More often than not, they are the exact same. So why pay several dollars more for a flashy version when the content is the same?
8. Shop around for insurance rate comparisons at least twice a year. I use to think that staying with the same company for years would ensure that I had the best rate because of my loyalty. Wrong! And you don’t have to wait until your policy is up. Companies like you to think you are locked in for 6-12 months because it ensures that they keep your business for that period of time. That is not always true. Shop around!
9. Same goes for rates with electric companies, compare!
10. Contact companies you do business with and request cheaper rates. This includes your cable/satellite provider, cell phone provider, home phone provider, internet provider, etc. You can simply ask if they have any specials going on that you can take advantage of for being a loyal customer. If they say they don’t have anything, mention that you saw an ad or commercial for a promotion they had going on and ask what the details are. They will most likely honor that promo or give you free services such as three months of free movie channels. All you have to do is ask!
11. And last, but certainly not least. This may be the most important tip. Never, never, never go into debt to buy something you haven’t saved for. I am a huge fan of Dave Ramsey and I have learned that debt is the dumbest things we do as Americans. Debt has become the norm, but it is not wise. If there is something you want, safe up for it until you can pay cash. Don’t use someone else’s money. You can’t be money wise if you are willing to pay a creditor a ridiculous amount of interest just so you can have what you want when you want it.
Five years ago, God placed someone in my life that would become my husband. With him came two boys. I truly believe God placed them in my life for a very specific reason and out of reverence for Him, I take my role very seriously. We now have six children between the two of us. Three daughters from my first marriage, two sons from his first marriage, and one sweet baby girl together.
Have you ever thought about why God gives us children? The bible is very clear. Psalms 127:3 states, “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord.” Another version says, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward from Him.” I grew up with that verse tattooed on my heart. I knew that if I was blessed with a child, God was entrusting His child into my care until He was ready to call them home. That way of thinking allows me to let go of all earthly fears and insecurities because I know His love for them is deep. I even think He loves them more than I because He was willing to loan them to me to enjoy, knowing I am imperfect and capable of making mistakes that could potentially hurt what belongs to Him.
How do you view your children? That question changes everything in terms of how we treat our kids, who we allow to love them, how we react when they get hurt, etc.
I chose to write about this subject matter after the realization that not everyone views their children this way. Due to my beliefs, all of the children God has blessed me with in this life are seen the same way. It doesn’t matter if they share my DNA or not. They are all gifts from Him and I feel that He would be very disappointed in me if they were treated differently. I believe children that are from a divorce should be able to call their bonus parent whatever they are comfortable with. My girls have a step-mom and I feel that if they were to call her mom, it reveals that she loves them like they were her own. What mother or father wouldn’t want that for their children?
Once the ex’s became aware that their biological children were calling their step-mom and step-dad mom and dad, things did not go well. I quickly discovered that they see things very differently. They both believe that every child has one mom and dad and out of respect for their biological parents, should never call anyone by that name except for those who share DNA. After trying to communicate why we believe what we do, we were told that they told the kids it was forbidden and we were to respect them and do the same.
We decided not to honor their request, not because we don’t respect them, but because it is about what is comfortable for the kids. We sat the kids down and discussed the issue because their biological parents had already informed us that the kids were told they were to never call us mom and dad again. We explained that we didn’t care what they decided to do, but the decision was theirs and we would love them the same regardless.
Months have passed and the younger two still call us mom and dad on a regular basis. The older kids go back and forth. The biological mom refuses to speak to me ever again and the biological dad won’t speak to my husband anymore either. I have prayed for insight as to why we are all on such a different page in regards to this and God revealed it all comes down to how we see Him.
Divorce is a unique situation and there is no manual that tells us how to approach issues like these, should they arise. As a standard rule, I try my best to do what is in the best interest of the kids, even if that makes me a little uncomfortable. I have noticed that issues always arise when the needs of the parent supersede those of the children. If we see our kids as our possessions, we will feel threatened by the step-mother or step-father who is now a part of our child’s life. Once we realize that kids can love everyone close to them and are blessed to have two sets of parents who love them, there is no need for territorial control or manipulation. If you struggle with this, remember that your children are a gift. Using them as a pawn to lessen our insecurities only creates more insecurities when we don’t get the response we are looking for. It hurts our children and they should never have to choose sides.
Typically this is the weekend when you can count on an overpriced dinner and safe, if not cheesy, romantic comedy, but what Hollywood has released this Valentine’s Day is far from safe.
Social media and the blogosphere are full of “50 reasons not to see 50 Shades of Gray” articles so I’m not going pile on with another list of reasons we should avoid it when those reasons should already be obvious to any believer or morally conscious individual.
But one thing I haven’t heard much about is the irony of this type of movie opening on this particular weekend. We all know 50 Shades was strategically placed over the weekend we set aside to celebrate love and romance. But what the movie is supposed to portray and what Valentines is supposed to represent aren’t in the same universe. It’s like marketing a slasher film as a Christmas movie just…
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Back in February of this year, I was leading a bible study by Beth Moore titled, “Sacred Secrets”. There was one specific video that brought me to tears. Beth mentioned that even with all of the advances in science, God still reserves the right to be the only one to know that we even exist upon the first 7-14 days of conception. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you, I knew you.” Although I have heard this verse, I never truly grasped the meaning.
Fast forward to now and I am almost fifteen weeks pregnant. There is no doubt in my mind that God shared that with me when He did as a sign of things to come and to prepare my heart to see things from His perspective.
From the moment I discovered I was expecting, dreams of twins have been present. Upon telling both my mom and mother-in-law, they both said, “It is going to be twins.” Last week my husband and I attended my first doctor’s appointment. While my doctor was listening for the babies heartbeat, she asked if twins ran in either of our families. Was this another sign? She ordered me to go get a sonogram that same day. As the ultrasound tech began, he immediately asked if I had two uterus’. Then I saw it. Two sacs, two babies, a miracle none the less. After much confusion on his part, he proceeded to tell us that he thought it was just a mirror image of the baby reflecting off of something. He mentioned that he had heard of this before but had never seen it in his ten years in this profession. He called a fellow tech in for a second opinion. She too had never seen such a thing. After about forty-five minutes of studying the screen, they called a doctor in to take a look. Both babies were moving at the same time, in unison, so although they couldn’t tell us wether it was one baby or two, it seemed they had come to the conclusion that it was one. We were told we would have to wait for our doctor to deliver the results after the radiologist reviewed the findings and submitted them to her office. So the wait began. I have to admit that I am a little skeptical. God doesn’t give us signs for no reason. There is a purpose, a pointing to something bigger.
A sign is defined as an event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else; an indication or evidence of what is happening or going to happen; a gesture or action used to convey information or instructions.
On Sunday at church when I read what the pastor was going to be discussing I thought to myself, “Great, a story that I already know so well I could get up and talk about it.” I should have known that God was going to teach me something that day because just when I think I have something figured out, He shows me something new that changes everything. As the pastor began speaking, he said two words that caught my attention and brought tears to my eyes…A SIGN! I already knew God was at work in our lives through the life of our unborn child/children so He used that to get my undivided attention. The pastor went on to explain that when God turned the water into wine at the wedding in Galilee, he was pointing us towards a new creation that was coming into the world. His sign was revealing something significant beyond the “wow” factor of what on the surface was the first of many miracles. Every time I have heard this story in the past, I thought Jesus was just doing this to reveal that He could meet our needs, even if they were insignificant in the big scheme of things. I thought it was His way of revealing His heart towards His children. Boy was I wrong and God blew me away that day.
I went straight to my study bible to see what other insights I could gain from this story and this is what I read…Through this sign, Jesus revealed His “glory.” John 1:14 “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Radiating God’s presence, Jesus reflected His glory.
I believe that God used the appearance of two babies in our sonogram to remind us that He is and will always be the one we need to turn to for understanding and clarity. No other human or doctor will ever have all the answers. God will reveal everything to us in His timing. Until then, we were blessed with a sign that reflects His glory and the amazing things He is doing in our lives.
Shannon Vaut 