Friends

Friendship Part IV

Friends and Bitter Fruit

Friendship Part III

I struggle with bitterness. I have a great memory and sad to say I have to work to forget when I have been wronged. This article on Bitter Fruit helped me. I hope it helps you too!

Friends

Friendship Part II

Friends

I am always looking for articles on friendship. I have said here before that I wish all friends would carry a tag telling you things like -how long they would be your friend, would they move and still keep up with you, will they leave you for another friend- just to name a few, but then I doubt any of us would ever be friends if we knew the heart ache involved. Here is the first in a series on friendship. I hope you enjoy Friendship part I

Happy July 4th!

I love Scotty Smith's prayers. Enjoy this one with me!



SCOTTY SMITH|5:24 AM CT
A Prayer for Even More Freedom in Jesus

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Dear Lord Jesus, it’s the morning of the 4th of July, and I’m very thankful to be living in the “land of the free.” But I’m still not as free as you intend, nor as joyful, for that matter. Though you’ve already freed me from trying to earn my salvation by anything I do or am; though you’ve already liberated me from the illusion that I can earn more of God’s love by doing more goodness and less foolishness; though the chains of condemnation have already been obliterated and the fears of death, judgment day, and the future have been sent packing by your perfect love—I’m still not as free as you intend.

As I read the Scriptures and reflect on my relationships, I feel very much like a babe—a neophyte, a raw rookie in so many gospel freedoms. Only the gospel helps us see and own our sin, brokenness and bondage. Only your grace keeps us from going to shame and self-contempt as we do so. Hear my prayers and bring more grace.

Jesus, please free me for loving others as you joyfully and relentlessly love us. There’s no freedom more central and powerful for revealing your glory. Help me return kindness for coldness, pursuit for avoidance; gospel for gossip. I want to be less irritated less often with fewer people. Help me to use fewer words and more listening when talking with others. Please unshackle me from the illusion of control in my relationships and annihilate my commitment to a pain-free heart. To love well is to hurt often.

Jesus, please liberate me from thinking about the next thing, so I can be present in the current moment. Help me make better eye contact and heart connection with others. Please help me to be more intrigued with people that I don’t know and less standoffish around strangers.

Jesus, break even more of the shackles of my insecurities. Empty my closets of all fig-leaf coverings and clothe me in the garments of grace. Liberate me from grave-clothes of shame and feelings of incompetence. Unfetter me from thinking too much about what I’m not by showing me more of you and who I am in you.

Lord Jesus, grant me greater spontaneity, louder laughter, saltier tears, and quicker repentances. Hallelujah… it is for freedom you have set us free. So very Amen I pray, in your most compassionate and powerful name. Amen.

Books Books Books

The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel - I am not finished with this book yet but I am learning so much. The book is about the men and women that helped find all the art that Hitler acquired before and during WWII and how they returned it. I read some and then I am on the computer googling the art that they are discussing. I have learned so much! At the beginning of the book you meet The Monuments Men with a little bio of them all and at the end of the book you find out what happened to them all. I was reading the bios of the men and low and behold, one man, Robert Posey was from the state of Alabama and you guessed it, graduated from AUBURN!

Emily and Einstein by Linda Francis Lee- I have written about this book before and it is good enough to mention again. A man is about to divorce his wife but she doesn't know it and he dies. She learns lots about him as she goes through things after he dies and she learns a lot about herself too. Very clever

1000 gifts by Ann Voskamp- very interesting read about viewing what God gives us.

A Being So Gentle by Patricia Brady- This author wrote a wonderful book on Martha Washington that KimT and I read years ago. This book is equally as good. This one is about Rachel Jackson, the wife of Andrew Jackson. This is a quick read. I want to read all the books this author has written.

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova- another book I am mentioning again. An encouraging book about a woman who has a massive brain injury. The author has really done her research, I learned lots.

Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers- this book was long. It was a good sequel to Her Mother's Hope.

Summer House by Nancy Thayer- a beach book about a family that deals with the loss of the mother, grown children and an interesting stranger. I enjoyed it.

As Husbands Go by Susan Isaacs- Her husband dies or was he murdered and she finds out just how. It was an interesting book. I would read another by this author

The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier- I saw this in a publication about local authors. The first chapter was really fascinating but then it went down hill for me. KimT or someone read this book and let's discuss it!

The Wednesday Letters by Jason Wright- a couple dies and their grown children find letters that their father wrote their mother, once a week for their whole married life. Very clever way to move the story along. Great story about forgiveness.

The Brides House by Sandra Dallas- her books are always good.

The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe- First I must say that my mama loved Monarch Butterflies so anything dealing with that has a soft spot for me. This book was great. A young women makes a trip physically and emotionally to find her family and who she is. You can't go wrong with this author.

Vittoria Cottage by D E Stevenson- beautiful story as usual. HeatherT recommended this one to me. Sweet story!

The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship by Lisa Verge Higgins- Four very different women are friends. Upon the death of one, the other three get letters from her that change their lives. Interesting. I'd like to read more by this author.

Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton Frank- I believe this is her best book to date. Very clever devise she uses to tell this story. A widow finds love, family, and a new career.

Happy Reading!!!!

Pray and Apply

Interesting article about the knowledge that is at our fingertips and what we do with it. Do you live Second Hand?