The naked truth

I'm sitting on a plane as I type this...
The thoughts are running in my head so thank God for in-flight mode because I don't have to wait till I land to capture my thoughts!

I had a very pleasant visit from a friend I haven't seen in years. It was really refreshing! We spent the bulk of the conversation with her marveling at how 'grown' I am now. Basically, that means the fact that I'm married with 2 children! Lol! It is humbling to know that people see our daily lives as something worth aspiring to. Thank you, Father, that You choose to use me on the regular. We both know that I'm nowhere near perfect!

This brings me to my post. So often we fret over what others have to say about our successes - or lack thereof. So we spent unnecessary effort on living lives that are pretty on the outside while they have mould on the inside. Behind closed doors we're struggling to breathe and can barely cope with our stuff. God's offering a hand; asking us to let go and let Him deal with our mess, but we'd rather pretend that we can't see Him than to admit failure, lest someone hear us. Why do we do that?? Who benefits from that? So I've resolved to just be me. All about my Father's business - even though I know it might make me unpopular. I know full well that some people get annoyed when I attribute every single aspect of my life to His presence. But I'ma do it anyway!

I read an awesome, challenging word today. Something along the lines of "One of the best ways to guard the truth is to put it into practice."
So the truth about me is that (1) I love Jesus! He is the center of my everything. He is my light and my salvation. I also think you should know that (2) I love my husband. Living under his godly headship brings me much joy. We don't always agree on stuff but I trust that my heart is safe in his love. That's enough for me. I really really (3) love my children, Mackenzie and Mickaela. They are a gift from God. They aren't always quiet but I rejoice in the fact that they are happy and healthy! But it's nice to hear fellow passengers telling us that we should conduct a crash course on how to fly with drama-free children! Lol! Parenting is a daily lesson so we're looking to The Lord for help in raising godly children. Even in the testing times, we love them. I'm another breed of human because (4) I'm scared of the dark, failure, lack and wet buttons! Don't ask. (5) I'm sometimes judgmental so I have to make a conscious decision to look at every situation through God's eyes. I expect a lot out of people - that's why I get disappointed often, but I have lots of compassion. (6) I believe that the fact that we are human and make mistakes is NOT a license for us to live sinful lives, because we know better. (7) I don't like Christmas! All the glittery, shiny stuff does nothing for me. I love the reminder of Christ's birth and life, but the Santa and tree vibes... not so much. Deal with it!

So that's my story for today! And we're landing now so...

Mrs DeeDk

Marriage is a great discipleship tool!

Greetings, fellow bloggers!

I had such an awesome talk with someone recently - yesterday, really! I thought I should share...

So often, we go through things in relationships (particularly marriage) that we think no one can relate to or understand. However, I can guarantee you that at least one person in the world can relate. So it's important to live your life in such a way that others can learn from it. Now I'm not in any way implying that you must pretend to have a perfect marriage/relationship. Lord knows we all have our fair share of challenges - some of which we ourselves are the guilty party! But there's such a grace in sharing your life with others. It is both liberating and encouraging.

Now onto yesterday's conversation...
I was chatting with a young man who has intentions of getting married in the near future. Both he and his lady are still studying, but he knows exactly what he wants his life to look like. I was absolutely impressed by his desire to be a godly boyfriend, despite all the temptations that life presents. It reminded me of our courtship days! So you can imagine my excitement when I was able to share with him that there is hope! It would've been even better if Kgabo was there as well, but I rate I did okay in the "big sis giving advice" department. Ha-ha!

We talked about everything from love languages (primary and secondary needs) to saving for the future to honest, open conversations with one's partner to planning the wedding. We even talked about rings! Those who know me well will know how excited I became when we spoke about wedding planning! This is truly the one thing besides my God and my family that lights up my life; I know I have found my purpose. I'm passionate about beautiful, dreamy weddings and, most importantly, long-lasting godly marriages. That is the legacy I want to leave behind for my children. And for all my brothers and sisters in the world! MARRIAGE IS FROM GOD SO IT'S MEANT TO BE AWESOME!

So please don't stop sharing. Talk about your relationships - the highlights as well as lowlights. So many people can learn from your mistakes and milestones as a couple. Take it upon yourself to mentor younger couples - whether by speech or action. Each testimony brings hope and life to any relationship. And to those who are not sure about how to conduct their relationships, ask! Help will surely come. Keep your actions in the light so that you always have a spiritual covering. In that way, the devil has no hold over you!

Side note...
Enter a relationship with an open mind. We have not all walked the same path. Let's avoid being judgmental since no one is good. Give your partner room to open up without feeling like he/she is being judged. And if we're aiming for long-lasting marriages, let's avoid unequally yoked relationships.

Word.

Mrs DeeDK