God's Design for the Family

The family is of monumental importance to God and extremely influential in shaping the hearts and minds of children.
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When a home has genuine Godly characteristics, and the foundation is built on Jesus Christ, the byproduct is going to be love, grace, identity, security, and significance. However, when a family is built on anything other, it’s going to be unstable and unsafe and will produce shame, fear, guilt, neglect, and abuse: unmet needs that cripple children emotionally, into adulthood.
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What is poured into the soil of our hearts, then, determines the health of our roots; or, our beliefs; which affects how we view ourselves and the world around us.
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The nourishment we receive is going to have a huge impact on our tree of life. If we are nourished in God’s light, we will receive the breath of life and believe that we are precious, valued children of the living God; but, if all we receive is darkness, we are going to believe what darkness breaths: lies about ourselves and others.
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Despite your background or the family heritage you received, you can be the one who applies faith in the Cross of Jesus Christ, and bring healing to the hurts that have plagued your family. Choose life!

Our Savior, Our Friend

Jesus, You are our greatest, truest friend. You laid down Your life for us and spilled Your Precious Blood, so we could come to know You.

You are the Counselor on High and The True Physician. You are our Advocate, Shepherd, Savior, Bridegroom, Rock, Salvation, Strong Tower of Strength…

And, LORD Jesus, we run to you!

John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.

Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Mark 2:17
On hearing this, Jesus told them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever--

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.

Cure for the Troubled Heart

May we turn to The Lord when our hearts are heavy...for He alone is The Rock and the source of our joy, rest, peace, healing, and everlasting salvation.

The Father designed, created, and breathed life into us; only He knows our need and has the capacity to fix and fill us eternally. He is faith and hope perfected...and we can absolutely trust Him to shield and strengthen our heart.

Run into the arms of the God of all comfort...invite Jesus into your troubled heart. He sustain you and fill you with incomprehensible, eternal peace. Selah!

Psalm 61:2
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Nehemiah 8:10
Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I will thank Him with my song.

1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Philippians 4:7
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Never Rejected

Have you ever felt rejected, abandoned and unloved? Jesus will never leave you. He is incapable of suddenly deciding that He doesn't want you.

Nothing you can do will cause Him to reject you. Believe what God's word says about Him and about you. You are defined by the love and acceptance of the One who formed your inward parts - the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He thinks you are worth loving, cherishing and keeping.

Find your identity in Him. Apply His love to your wounded heart and let His word renew your mind and penetrate deep in your heart.

Deuteronomy 31:6, Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or 

terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; "He will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:5

No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Psalms 94:14

“For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance."

Isaiah 42:16

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I  will do; I will not forsake them."

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A Hardened Heart

A deep wound, a broken heart, disappointments, bitterness and unforgiveness can cause the heart to become hardened with time. It causes us to put up walls. Our defenses go up. We self protect and we don’t let anyone in including God.
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Self protection leaves us running on reserve and is the cause of intimacy issues and conflict in relationships. It seems that it’s easier to be hard than soft and vulnerable, because we don’t want to get hurt. But you were not created to live that way. God made you to be tender and responsive.
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It’s hard to shape stone. As long as your heart remains hard you will miss out on the abundant life Jesus came to give. So let the living God come into your heart, heal your wounds and tear down your self protection and defenses.

The amplified version of Ezekiel 11:19 says “And I will give them one heart, a new heart, and I will put a new Spirit within them and I will take the stony, unnatural hardened heart out and give them a heart of flesh, sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God.”
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Give your hurts to the Lord. Let God shape you. When you do that…He will leave His fingerprints all over your heart.

Give It To God

Resign yourself to the will of God and seek His counsel; walk not in fear or frustration.

Run to and rest in His eternal arms.

Lay all that burdens you at His feet and take His yoke instead.

He will fight for you; He will sustain you and uphold you with His righteous hand.

Surrender it all to Him...be still...and know that He is God.

Psalm 55:2
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Isaiah 28:12
...to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest," and, "This is the place of repose..."

Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Complete In Christ

Every human being is born with three basic God-given needs for love, security, and significance. When these needs aren’t met it creates a void begging to be filled. Wherever there is a void, it is going to be filled with something even it’s destructive.
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When basic needs, especially for love, aren’t met this causes people to have faulty core beliefs about themselves and therefore often settle for relationships that are emotionally unavailable and imbalanced which creates conflict at all levels leading to emotional pain and frustration.
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It’s not your job to fix someone else. It’s not their job to fix or complete you. It’s God’s job.
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Only the One who created us has the power to change, fix, complete, and satisfy us with His unfailing love. Don’t set others up for failure to do what only God is able to do. You will live with constant disappointment.