"So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time [IN DUE SEASON] we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit." Galatians 6:9. Use the talents and gifts God has given you and REJOICE in the harvest.
“And take the helmet of salvation. ..” Ephesians 6:17
As women we wear many hats. For me, I have a wife hat, a mom hat, my pastor wife hat, my nurse hat. Somewhere under all those hats is who I am. We are reminded that we are to first put on the helmet of salvation. It is so easy to get up and immediately be drawn to another hat. The children are crying to be fed. Your husband is wanting to spend the last few minutes before facing the world in loving arms. Your to do list is scrolling through your head like a ticker tape.
As a Christian, under all our hats, we are first and foremost a child of God.
The word salvation used in Ephesians, “soterios“, describes salvation that can only come from Jesus Christ. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot live in righteousness with out “the grace of God which brings salvation” (Titus 2:11). All our hats must be filtered through our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is through this relationship that our mind is renewed. We are not to reject or steal salvation, but instead take ownership of the salvation that Jesus freely offers us. The battle begins in the mind with thoughts that lead to action.
It is time to stop and renew your mind.
“Thank you Lord for your saving grace. Thank you Lord that the very love I have for my children and husband is love that You have placed in my heart. Draw me to that strong helmet of salvation that protects my mind and thoughts. Align my thoughts with the word of God. Filter my to do list through your saving grace.” Amen
See, Princesses do not paint their own bedrooms. They do not caulk holes in the walls, which is why my arms hurt. They don’t wash and paint base-boards, which is why my back hurts. Princesses don’t paint their own door frames…which is why mine probably have to be sanded and redone due to dried drips going down the sides….which is why Chuck is laughing his Heavenly butt off!! —– Sara Stophel ( a princess in more ways than one)**
We all have idea of what a Princess is. Is she weak and fragile or strong and harsh. Maybe she is a combination of both, strong when needed to govern and tempered with tenderness and mercy in comforting her fellow men. When we look in the Bible we see women who are strong, confident, gentle, loving, caring, joyful. God created women to be such a mixture of all of these things. I take comfort in knowing that I can
Be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.—- Philippines 1:6.
I love this verse. It means that God is not done with me yet! It means that Sara will eventually have her trim painted and it not drip!! More than that it means that what the Holy Spirit starts……… He completes .! None of this ‘If I only I was……” or ” I wish I could have the personality of……” or maybe if ” I could do…..”. We as women tend to allow God to start His perfect work in us only to pick up and try and complete it by our own strength and ideas of how it should be done. The phrase ‘ that he began’ in Philippines 1:6 is used only once in more in the New Testament, in Galatians 3:3:
Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?– Galatians 3:3.
Lord let us be true princesses who allow You to complete Your perfect work in us with the power of Your Holy Spirit.
I am reminded that Princesses are a compilation of the wisdom and knowledge of the Princesses who have gone before them. Godly women who have instilled their wisdom, love and prayers into our lives. As I have thought about the many women throughout my life who were there when I needed love, support, encouragement, I am amazed, because I see that the Holy Spirit was indeed working to complete that good work. Is that work complete? No, not at all, but I am thankful for God’s grace and mercy that I am not forgotten, abandoned, or alone. I am a Princess of the most high God.
I will be sharing some things I have learned from women who have touched my life. Not that I am anyone special or unique. I am just someone who loves God with all my heart just like many of you. Someone who cannot go through one day without His strength, mercy, love. My prayer is that as you read some of these posts you will also be encouraged and strengthened as I was when these people entered my life. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work God’s perfect work within our lives and we will not be tempted to pick up the reigns of our life and try and complete it with human effort.
** Sara Stophel is a dear friend whose husband is in heaven singing praises to God as he did on earth. Her posts this past year have been humorous and truthful as she is allowing the Holy Spirit to complete His perfect work in her life and the life of her children. She has given me permission to copy and paste her posts in the hopes that they will encourage others.
In Due Season 