Category Archives: Christian Living/Personal Growth

Self-help, self-improvement books to help us on our journeys/paths throughout our lives

Friendspiration: What Is A True Friend

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The definition of True Friendship, according to The Free Dictionary, is as follows:

  • The quality or condition of being friends
  • A friendly relationship
  • Friendliness; good will

According to Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Friendship doesn’t need an invite. They can show up at your door with a caring, loving attitude to help us through a situation/circumstance that is going on in our lives without them realizing there is a need. A true friend:

  • Doesn’t unfriend you even if things get messy.
  • Believes and wants the best for you.
  • Accepts you for you.
  • Doesn’t abandon you.
  • Continues the friendship regardless of distance.
  • True friendship is love.

Just recently my husband and I visited with friends that we knew for approximately 20 years but we had not seen each other for the past five years. Yet, when we stopped by unexpectedly while visiting in the area, it was as if we had never lost touch. We discovered that they had their house on the market and would be moving out of state just as soon as their house sold. We reconnected during our time with them and will keep in touch even when they move away.

So it is with God’s love. He sticks closer than a brother and will never abandon us no matter what. We are a child of the King. Let us walk in love and become true friends who show love towards others.

Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other.” This is the basis of true friendship.

May the Lord bless you as you rekindle lost friendships and discover new friends along the way.

Blessings,

Yvonne

Friendspiration: True Friendship

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A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)

The Book of Proverbs is filled with verses pertaining to friendship and how it impacts our happiness and enjoyment with those who are around us each and every day.

At our local church, we have made it a practice to go out for lunch with our “lunch bunch” group almost every Sunday after the service. We have selected three different restaurants that we currently rotate to throughout the month and we welcome any one who would like to join us for lunch to do so. Sometimes we only have a small group of 5 and sometimes we will have a higher number who join us. For my husband and I, it has been a very rewarding and meaningful time; and the fellowship and friendships we enjoy each week have been such a blessing to our lives.

We have been able to talk about various topics from A-Z and no matter what our differences, we have grown to love and respect each other’s opinions and insights.

At this time, I have decided to do a post or two–or three–on what it means to be a true friend and to see what the Bible teaches us about this particular topic. Scripture verses will be from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as friendship quotes from other sources (individuals from the past/present) . My hope is that you will gain some additional knowledge or insight into God’s word as well.

Friendships can be with our spouses, family members, co-workers and those we grew up with but who live a greater distance away and friendships can also be rekindled as God brings us together through various circumstances that happen in our lives (i.e. graduations, weddings, reunions, deaths).

Let us be open to being a friend not only to those people we know but to individuals we meet that we don’t know as well. God will bless your life immensely!

Blessings,

Yvonne

Are You in God’s Hands?

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A couple of weeks ago as I was on my way home from church, I noticed a question written on the back of a white car as it was passing me: “Are you in good hands?” Allstate Insurance was also written underneath this question.

As I thought about these words, I began thinking about being in God’s hands. Jeremiah 18:5-6 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to me; ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” We are formed and shaped daily in the potter’s hands; created in His image and likeness.

There is a song by Kathy Troccoli entitled, “My Life Is In Your Hands” and the words of first verse and the chorus are as follows:

Life can be so good
Life can be so hard
Never knowing what each day
Will bring to where you are
Sometimes I forget
And sometimes I can’t see
That whatever comes my way
You’ll be with me

My Life is in Your hands
My heart is in your keeping
I’m never without hope
Not when my future is with You

What a wonderful testament to God’s faithfulness because our future is in the one who holds our hands in His.

Another insurance company’s slogan is a jingle: “Nationwide is on your side.” Along with being in God’s hands, we also have God on our side. He is our comforter, our protector, our healer, and our provider in our time(s) of need. His Word tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Just knowing that He is always with us as we go through various circumstances in our lives is comforting to the heart and soul. He is our hope, our joy, our peace, our confidant, our loving Father!

As we go throughout our day, let us remember that we are continually in God’s hands and that He is always on our side as long as we continue to trust in the promises in His Word.

Blessings,
Yvonne

Book Review: “Breathing Room” by LeeAna Tankersley

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With so much stress in our lives today on a daily basis, LeeAna Tankersley, author of “Breathing Room”, emphasizes that we should not allow outside forces such as stress to control our lives, and that we need to take responsibility for ourselves.

With an upbeat and positive attitude, Ms. Tankersley shares that being at peace with your inner self and discovering your “soul voice” are very important components in finding your “true self.” Creativity is a big part of who we are; and when we are creative, it gives us a sense of being one with our mind, body, and spirit.

Straight forward, candid, and filled with personal stories of her own struggles from time to time on her journey in life, she encourages us to seek the Creator, the one who gives us grace throughout our life’s experiences.

“Breathing Room” is thought-provoking for anyone who struggles with feelings of low self-esteem and inadequacies. It is truly a breath of fresh air and a worth-while read.

Blessings,
Yvonne

Scriptures to Live by: Praise and Worship

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Praise: “To say or write good things about (someone or something); to express approval of (someone or something); and to express thanks to or love and respect for (God).” Merriam-Webster

Worship: “The act of showing respect and love for a god, especially praying with other people who believe in the same god; the act of worshipping God or a god.” Merriam-Webster

Praise and worship go hand-in-hand and these terms have been used down through the ages and are still being used in our churches today. There are many ways to worship, such as:

On our knees or in our prayer closets;
With raised hands as we sing his praises, and/or
Sitting quietly before God listening for His still, small voice.

There is no right or wrong way to worship, but we are called to worship and praise God as shown in His Holy Word.

Exodus 23:25-26: “Worship the Lord your God, and His blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.”

Isaiah 25:1: “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”

John 4:24: “God is Spirit and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Psalm 68:4: “Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds–his name is the Lord–and rejoice before him.”

Psalm 71:8: “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”

Psalm 150:1-6: “Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet; praise him with the harp and lire; praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with the strings and flute; praise him with the clash of cymbals; praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Psalm 63:1: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Psalm 103:1-5: “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion; who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Romans 14:11: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'”

Psalm 42:11: “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

Let His praise continually be on our lips as we worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Blessings,
Yvonne