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[iframe src=”https://anchor.fm/5minutemarriage/embed/episodes/To-Grow-Old-Together-elt200″ width=”100%” height=”122″ scrolling=”no”]Today’s Scattered Seeds
Have you ever felt as if your life was out of control? Maybe it’s a messy house, maybe it’s a crowded schedule, maybe it’s financial instability, or perhaps it’s your passion for too much of that feel-good food.
We’ve all been there. Some days I look at my life and realize that it’s time to pull back the reigns and regain control. Other days I’m not sure where to start.
With that, I’m reminded of the famous prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr:
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
What I like about that prayer are the three points that help me understand where I’m at where I should be and where God can take me.
First of all, we need to know the difference. We might not be able to clean our house all at once, but there are things we can do to get started. We might not have the time to get everything done, but with wisdom, we can learn what activities to keep and which ones to drop. We might be in serious debt, but we can start spending wisely today. We might not have the willpower to give up junk food, but with wisdom, we can take steps in the right direction.
And so, it has to start with prayer. The Bible says that if you lack wisdom you should ask God for it. Not only will he give it to you, but He’ll also give it to you generously.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5, NIV)
The other thing you need, my friend, is courage. Whatever you are working to change–whether you failed a hundred times before or not, and even if this mountain feels insurmountable–have the courage to get up on your feet and get started. When you combine persistence with the grace of God, you become a dynamic living force.
Remember Bartimaeus the blind man who sat by the side of the road. The Bible tells us that many rebuked him, telling him to be quiet, but instead of heading their voice, he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” The result of his courageous persistence led to the restoration of his sight. (Mark 10:46-52)
And finally, accept things you cannot change, (don’t miss the “but” here) but know that God very well can. Don’t ever underestimate His power to change to transform and restore.
Subscribe so you don’t miss a post:
Tilling the Soil
Read about the persistence and healing of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52.
Planting Hope
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5, NIV)
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Darlene Schacht and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve come to learn that relationships aren’t always easy, but that marriage, the way God intended it to be, is a treasure worth fighting for.
She began her publishing journey about twelve years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.
It was also during this transition that she worked alongside actress Candace Cameron Bure to write the NYT Best-Selling book, Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness. Reshaping it All was the winner of both the 2011 USA Best Book Awards and the 2012 Christian Reading Retailers Choice Awards.
Author of more than 15 books, Darlene continues to write and to minister to her readers through her blog at TimeWarpWife.com.
Connect with Darlene:
Facebook: @timewarpwife
Instagram: @timewarpwife
Pinterest: @timewarpwife
Twitter: @timewarpwife
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife