MY STORY

LauraLee, at Selah ~ Pause.Ponder.Praise asks us to share our story of salvation. I wanted to share it here, too. It may help you get to know me better.She asks some questions that I thought I'd answer.

1How old were you when someone first told you about Jesus?
To believe in Jesus Christ and to look -up to God for help and guidens in your life was learned to me just like learning to read and write.This is to me a huge blessing and privilege.I got awesome examples by stronggodly woman ( My grandmother ,her sister and"Nene Dina") and godly man My grandfather read my 7 xmas-memories .
I was always prayed for and over even when i left my birthcountry all by myself and the BEST advice my grandma gave me was ALWAYS take "your bible and pray"!

2When did you become open to the gospel?
I was always as a child open to the gospel God was for me a living reality ...I always love reading and telling story's.So the story's from the childrensbible i could tell out of my head...I remember as a teen i wanted to read "the real bible" from beginning to end.My grandfather frequently read passages to me and we talked about it....
In my teen time i went to Youth services in other christian denominations because i start coming up against the "kind of set liturgic services" and the common songs from the 17- and 18 centuries......

3What compelled you to give your life over to Jesus?
Was an vibrant experience of Gods Spirit in a youthgroup in the same denomination i was baptized as a child but now in Holland. I left my birthcountry when i was 18yo age.I did my commitment to follow Jesus when i was 21

4What Scriptures were particularly meaningful to you?
My favorite book is of Isaiah a lot about HOPE to me.....Isaiah 40:31but those who hope 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 be faintI was and am always intriged by the HOPE we can have as Christians for this life to live out of restoration and after this Life with Him and All who died in Him!

5I finally start living it?
In my married life and this last year i was more compeled to hold on to His Promises to His Children.

6What changed inside of you?
I accepted Jesus Christ when i was active in the Youth group because of the experience ..That Gods spirit lives in people...I saw it i felt it i accept the gospel "That He is the only way to God"

I realised also around that time that i embraced other thoughts in my teens going to adolesent, who were not endorsed by The living God the God of Jesus Christ....

7How do you think your life is different since you made Jesus the Lord of it?
When i start living it, it was the moment i stopt ONLY believing in Jesus Christ and began to confess and realize i need a SAVIOR. I can't life Godly out of my own strenght. In that season of my life as a mother ( of toddlers) and married i felt i came totally short...
I found a verse of Apostel Paul and realized than the dept of it....Romans 7:23 (The Message)
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
Gods spirit urges me to grow....,to pray without ceasing for myself for my family...i felt totally inadequate and .I was "housebound" loose contact with my churchfamily.
But in the mids of this my relationship with the Lord began to grow and He start to "weed" in our lifes and plant new seeds so to say...
I found a book along the way "Praying Wife" from Stormie Omaritain....and praying those scriptural prayers helped me to focus on GODSPLAN for me my dh's and my family....I was directed to His WORD and i can testify that God is faitfull He answered in His time each and every prayer that i send up to Him......and also the prayers send up by my "Granny's" who followed and blessed me trough my whole life. My marriage is stronger than ever, My husband is drawn to God more than ever, My kids love the Lord and learn about Him and I'm challenged now more than ever to become the P31 woman and become the best i can be for HIM who restored me and gave me HOPE for now and everyday!

My Husband, My Friend

On this is focused today At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2 by AMY. If you liked to join link to it:

Discussion Questions:

What other scriptures did you find pertaining to
friendship?

How do those scriptures relate to your marriage?

What are some ways you die to self in your marriage?

Do you have
any ideas as to how we can develop a deeper physical, emotional, and
spiritual
intimacy with our husbands?

How do you sharpen your
husbands
countenance?

While reading the discussionspoints different thoughts crossed my mind..

To me a FRIEND is somebody who you TRUST and come CLOSE to you....

This as long as i can remember never came easy to me as specially the "close part"...to say what you think show your REAL emotions.

BUT i must say a long those years the closest people ( on earth) to me are my husband and my children no matter i doubt frequently my own friendship but "doubt " is not of the Lord so i can rather put our relationship and insecurities in prayer ....

I look-up just now the verb FRIEND what that means in language....a person whom one knows well and is fond of; an ally, supporter, or sympathizer.

I was surprised when i looked the definition up because it does not talk about TRUST and CLOSENESS ....

This say's something of MYSELF...

My husband gave me His friendship...He is all of what the definition says and so I can TRUST and feel CLOSE no matter what...

DARE to trust and BE close i learned along the years..

John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 3:29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

The " being fond of "," supporter" and " sympatizer" where there from the beginning

But " THE GET TO KNOW WELL" comes along the years...

The attitude talked about in JOHN 3:29 was put there in my husbands heart from the beginning and buildeth up my trust a lot.......and to open up.....

I had to learn to acguire this attitude it gave a lot of misunderstanding and a feeling of "coldness or not being interested..."

Especially the part of LISTENING REALLY LISTENING...not hearing what you want to hear...or interpretate things.......

JOHN 15:13

Always struck a core in me...when i realized and read about "the Love of Jesus" to us to be and become our friend to life this example was to lay down His Life everyday he was among men and literally on the cross!!

To be able to build up a HEALTHY MARRIAGE a Marriage as how GOD had intended it full of TRUST/LOVE/RESPECT for differences /WILLINGNESS to FORGIVE/OPENNESS to GROW....can only be done i realised by laying down my own Life before Jesus wanting to be His friend and want to accept HIM as my friend and SAVIOR...Only than i was able to start BEING THE FRIEND to my husband as how God intended it....

I died to self by wanting to show my vulnerability....( i'm not perfect can't do all on my own)

Laying down pride and subborness ( My way is NOT the high way!!)

LEARN to foccus not on MY WANTS al the time

What helped to develop a deeper physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy .......

Communication with God and with eachother........

Ask and give forgiveness

Taking time for eachother in means of doing things together (also doing things what is not so my own interest)

I realized now that i "sharpened my husband countenance" by witnessing to him about what i learn from God and not to relent in praying for his salvation and becoming "the head" in our house to give spiritual guidens and example.....

Now after 16 years he tells me the effect of that in his spiritual growth.......I didn't realize what i was doing it was all God's leading.....

With my whole heart i believe that He brought us together and keep us together!

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I reflect on my week vers

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High......Psalm 92:1 (NASB)

If you like to join in this week at "The Power of Your Love"to memorize and reflect on bible versus.

Last week i read this verse everytime i came to my blog it caught my eye......

A thankfull heart is so good for our soul......

God knows what we as His creatures need...

When i start singing a long with praise music my mind and heart changes...to look at God ( and not at circumstances or at self) ...to praise Him to honour Him and to see Him in big and small things.....

I loved this week to be remembered to do this as much as possible and so i cultivated

" A heart of Thanksgiving"

My prayer is to continue with this as much as possible

Our new weekverse is

Jeremiah 17:9 (The Message)
9-10"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out.But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind.I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things.I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be."

This verse choosen for this week connects with my thoughts in my ~ Face to Face~ post from last week......

God is Good and sees us for how we really are!!