I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

Warrior Mom Thought

Praise God today and watch the prison walls fall.

Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Warrior Mom Thought

Warrior Moms: when we are being tested, let us not test God’s patience with us. May the fruit of the Spirit bud forth today!

Have you ever noticed that the level of commitment one has is equal to the cost they are paying? You can say it the other way around too. It’s true either way. Think about it, if you own your own business, you probably work long hours, and you are the last one to get paid – if there is any money left over when payroll and bills are paid. If you are a mom, the cost you have paid to be pregnant, endure labor, and spend countless endless nights up taking care of a young life, the cost definitely equals the commitment and vice versus. If people offer to “help” with something for you, they may back out before the event happens. Has that happened to you? It’s because the cost equals the commitment. But let us not judge someone else. The same is true for us, isn’t it? If we don’t really have anything at stake, we aren’t fully committed, generally speaking. Even with counselors who work on a sliding scale fee, research shows that if people don’t have to pay anything at all for counseling, they won’t be invested and they will not show more than they show. It’s because there isn’t a personal cost to them. So, even non-profit organizations will often charge a fee for counseling to ensure the person is invested in their own well-being. I’ve given plenty of examples, but the ultimate example is Jesus. He was fully committed to the cross, and the price was the highest price ever paid. Surely, I say unto you, Jesus teaches us that the cost is equal to the commitment.

Hebrews 12:2-4 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Warrior Moms Unite!

Love,
Kristina

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

Warrior Mom Thought

Let us focus on serving God rather than this world. We must be in the Word in order to do so.

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong tot he family of believers.

Warrior Mom Thought

Warrior Moms sow to please the Spirit. As a result, they witness the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.

Once upon a time, my teenage children brought a puppy beagle home. The event caused quite a ruckus in our home, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. But before we dig into all the details, let me first fill you in on the history of dogs in my life.

As a young child living in an abusive alcoholic environment, I had a puppy that neighborhood boys stoned to death because they thought it was a rat in the bushes. This memory has always been vividly painted in my mind. I must have vowed to never love a dog again because after that, I hated dogs. Mainly, I was terrified by them. I now know I was terrified of being hurt: loving and then losing, so I stayed tough and angry. Fear has a way of doing that to us, creating such a false barrier of protection that we become imprisoned ourselves.

From the age of 7-12, I lived on and off with my grandparents, and there was an evil dog named Thore that lived down the road. He was a pitch black Husky with ice-blue eyes, and as soon as he saw me coming by on my bike, he tore through that unfenced front yard on a mission to eat my leg for lunch. I had to venture passed him every day because his house was on my way to school. His house was also on my way to the creek and to the park too; there was no avoiding this dog. I became determined, quick and resentful towards dogs and towards life.

And around that same age, I went running one day, and I was hotly pursued by two huge white Poodle dogs (not the little ones; the ones that are the size of small ponies). In my opinion, they were more like full-grown panthers! They were lean and mean as they came after me. As I ran quicker, something changed in me. It was if I was “done” with dogs harassing me. I turned and started chasing them. I had a large stick in my hand, and I was going to kill them if I had to. I started screaming like a warrior, and as soon as they saw me turn from being their prey to being their predator, they turned and ran back home, yelping like 3-week old puppies needing their mommy’s milk. I felt more powerful after that, less fearful. But the power faded. I was still scared every time I encountered a dog, especially big ones.

Then, about the time I turned 13, I saw my older brother get chased and attacked by a Doberman Pinscher. The image is vivid as I remember the event. It was terrifying. My older brother was my best-friend, my protector, and my comforter as a child; I couldn’t survive without him. I felt that I was being attacked as I watched him fight off the dog and protect his neck from its jaws.

As I reflect back upon all of these dog instances, I recognize a key point, I could not save or protect myself from the fear and pain that these dogs brought with them. Sure a moment of courage might have come, but it was not long-lasting because it was done in my own strength.

When our children walked in with this little Beagle puppy, an unexpected surge of emotion welled up within me. I felt the intensity of years from my childhood and losses as an adult. I felt scared and I felt hopeful when I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Restoration, Renewal” as the puppy crossed the threshold of my front-door. My daughter, Faith, was holding it in her arms. Somehow I knew the threshold of the physical front-door of this current house of brick and mortar represented the threshold of my heart. I felt an unraveling take place, but I had no words as I looked at the little puppy, my heart welling up with love for it, which surprised me and scared me.

I asked God to help me with all the thoughts and emotions that surfaced with a simple gesture like a little puppy crossing the threshold of my house. God is so kind and gracious, He simply explained that redemption can’t be earned, and that’s a good thing.

^{Isaiah 41:8-10} “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth,from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

God is good all the time, and his righteous right arm is long enough to save!

Warrior Moms Unite!

Love,
Kristina

]]> http://warriormoms.net/archives/5219/feed 0 http://warriormoms.net/archives/5213 http://warriormoms.net/archives/5213#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 04:00:13 +0000 Kristina Seymour http://warriormoms.net/?p=5213 Continue reading →]]> When there’s oppression there’s always a blessing…
                                                                             right around the corner if you persevere

Have you ever noticed that when you feel most like quitting, there’s much at stake? The longer I live, the more I am finding that one thing is for certain…

When there’s oppression there’s always a blessing…right around the corner if you persevere. It is for this reason that it is critically important that I remind myself not to focus on feelings. If I feel like giving up and laying flat on the floor in defeat, I should not! If I feel like yelling at someone for being rude, I should not. I would look like a fool yelling at them for being rude while being doubly rude myself. If I feel like eating a bag of chocolate and having a big pity-party, I should most definitely not! In the moment, it’s hard to not do all the things we want. But, a Warrior Mom knows that she does not steer through her day being led by emotions. Nor does she let her doubt drive the vehicle in which she lives while she sits idly by buckled up with doubt and fear. Why is it that what we “want” to do, we most often shouldn’t. And, what we don’t want to do, we most often should? I’m reminded of Paul who talked about doing what he didn’t want to do and not doing what he knew he should do…

Romans 7:15-25 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Warrior Moms find their strength in the Word and in community with other Warrior Moms.

Galatians 6:9-10 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

When we persevere through trials, maintain a loving attitude during hardship, and hope beyond all doubt, we learn to recognize those silent moments of the aftermath when the storm ceases, and as soon as it does, the blessing that was at stake appears the mist!

Warrior Moms Unite!

Love,
Kristina

Warrior Thought
Warrior Moms do not lack anything because we have Christ who is all we need! Amen. WMU!

Warrior Thought
Reconciled, healed, and sealed! Amen!

Theme: Running the Race; Fighting the Good Fight

I was driving on I-85 where it merges into I-285. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA, but I drive into Atlanta Monday-Friday. It was rainy and I was surrounded by big vehicles. I don’t know how it happened because I make it a point to avoid being next to big trucks or buses. But, all of a sudden, I was surrounded. To my right was a big long school bus and to my left was a Cardinal Freight Truck.  Oh, and in front of me was a big truck and behind me was a big truck. I’m not kidding; I was surrounded! I kinda freaked out for a minute, and then I remembered…

Phillipians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Do you want to hear the funny part? I hadn’t even prayed for the “trucks to be moved in the name of Jesus,” or anything. I was getting ready to pray, but I hadn’t yet. I was focusing on Scripture and breathing for a minute. I figured I better have a calm nervous system, deactivating my fight or flight response, before I attempted to change lanes anyway. And guess what happened? All of a sudden, the big yellow bus changed lanes and created a big open space for me. It was like a wall was just all of a sudden gone!

Isn’t our spiritual journey of faith just like that? One minute we are surrounded on every side, and then the next minute there’s an open space in which we can escape?

One thing I know is that God is everywhere. Whether we are surrounded by big rigs in the rain between I-85 and I-285 or whether everyone and everything is coming against us, God is bigger and God is able to move the mountain in us, through us, and for us.

Look for God in the midst of your everyday, and I guarantee you will find Him.

Phillipians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Warrior Moms Unite!