Wedded wednesday Links

Today, I am giving you a few links to some of my favorite articles on marriage.  These are some articles that really touched my heart and made me think about what I could do better or different in my own marriage.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.
 

-When your husband is not a spiritual leader, it is easy to fall into a trap of bitterness.  If your husband is a great leader, he will still fail sometimes because he is human.  Bambi Moore at Nursery of the Nation writes When He Doesn't Lead as an encouragement to wives to pray for their husbands no matter how they are leading.

-If you know me very long you will probably hear me say that I think all young couples should get married young and have babies!  Those two things are the best things that happened in my life and the greatest tools God has used to work in my life.  Kelly Crawford at Generation Cedar makes a good case for this in Why We Should Encourage Our Kids to Marry Young.

-Marriage is under attack. Marriage has always been under attack. The world, the flesh and the devil are all adamantly opposed to marriage, and especially to marriages that are distinctly Christian. Marriage, after all, is given by God to strengthen his people and to glorify himself; little wonder, then, that it is constantly a great battleground.  Read more about 6 Deadly Enemies of Marriage by Tim Challies.

-One of my favorite articles for women who are married to ministers is 10 Things Every Young Pastors Wife Should Know by Kristi at Little Natural Cottage.

-It is so easy as a mother to make a home child-centered instead of family-centered.  In The Marriage Priority, Amy Roberts at Raising Arrows  says that raising strong families begins with strong marriages. 

Do you have a great article that encouraged you in your marriage?  If you do, please share a link to it in the comments or on  Passionate With a Purpose's Facebook page.

Burrito Casserole/Sopapilla Cake

It's Thursday!  You will have to forgive me for saying that there would be a guest writer today.  There was some miscommunication, but that is quite okay.  For Today, you are stuck with me again!

I said we had needed a creative name for Thursday Recipe day, and I received quite a few ideas.  Will you help my out by voting for your favorite below? Please and Thank you!  Let's hope it works.  You know how good I am with technology! ☺

Click here to take survey

My week has been a little bit of a whirlwind, so I ran out of time to prepare for today.  Normally, I cook on Wednesday evenings so my post will be ready for Thursday mornings, BUT TODAY, we will be cooking these recipes at the same time!  That seems exciting anyway!

This is a family favorite I have been eating since I was a little girl.  Thanks, Mom, for the recipe!

Burrito Casserole

1 lb. ground meat
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can refried beans
flour tortillas
shredded cheese
taco seasoning, optional
cheese dip (Velveeta and rotel), optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°.  Brown your meat.  Season with salt and pepper.  If you like your food spicy, you can add a pack of taco seasoning to the meat.  Once meat is done, pour in enchilada sauce, soup, and refried beans.  Stir until mixed well and heat through.  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish.  In the bottom, layer 6 flour tortillas across the bottom of the pan.  Pour 1/3 of meat mixture over tortillas.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Repeat two more times.  Bake 15-20 minutes.  (Sometimes, I put Velveeta cheese dip over the bean/meat mixture in place of shredded cheese.  It's really good either way!)

Sopapilla Cake

2 blocks cream cheese
2 cans crescent rolls
1 c sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c melted butter
1/2 c cinnamon sugar

Directions:
Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Line the pan with one package of crescent rolls.  Mix together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  Spread over crescent rolls.  Unroll and spread the other can of rolls on top of cream cheese.  Pour melted butter over crescent rolls and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Thank you, Missy Nicholson, for this recipe!  It was a in a cookbook that she gave me just for Thursdays on the blog! 

I was praying this morning and the Lord reminded of this, so I am going to remind you.  God knows every hair on our head. (Matthew 10:30)  He knew us before we were even formed and fashioned our days before there were any.(Psalm 139)  He keeps track of our tears. (Psalm 56:8)  He hears us! (1 John 5:15)  We are significant!  We are more than able to accomplish the mission He has called us to.  WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

Wedded Wednesday:Hope After Divorce

I have been waiting all week to share this post with you!  I had asked my sister-in-law, Tiffany, to write for Wedded Wednesday months ago.  It just wasn't time yet!  The Lord opened the door for some extra time in her schedule recently and laid it on her heart to share her testimony of God's Redeeming and Sufficient grace as she walked through a divorce.  She is one of my very closest friends and has been an indescribable blessing in my life since she married my brother-in-law, Shannon Keith, 10 years ago.

We all know someone who has or is going through divorce.  I have often wondered about the best way to minister to these brothers and sisters-in-Christ.  This gave me great insight to what might be encouraging at such a hard time!  

Shannon Keith and Tiffany Kilpatrick

 

In 1993, I was married.  In 1996, I gave birth to my first treasure, Ethan.  In 1998, I was blessed with my second precious son, Tye.  In 2001, my marriage died.  It had been sick for a while and had even entered a type of hospice situation, but still we weren’t prepared.  In October of 2001 it died and February 13^th 2002 (my grandmother’s birthday) it took its final agonizing breath in court.  As we left the courtroom that day my ex-husband and I cried…together.  It felt just like a funeral and we were both broken and grieving.

If you have been through a divorce or are in the middle of one, you understand what I mean like no one else can.  When we get married a new life is birthed.  Marriage is oneness.  Marriage is a new entity that wasn’t and now it is.  It’s living and breathing, and it’s ordained and blessed by God.  When it ends there is a tearing away.  God said, “the two shall become one”.  When the “one” becomes two again the pain is indescribable.

Whether the marriage fails because of you or because of him or because of both of you is really beside the point, where the pain is concerned.   In Malachi 2:16 it says, “For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce”.   He hates it because it goes against His plan (therefore it’s sin), but He also hates it because it causes His children pain.  Anytime we step out of His plan and the order that He established we are going to experience pain.  If you are a Christian who is going through a divorce, then I am preaching to the choir!  The one thing I really seemed to “get” and internalize when I was in the midst of my divorce was that I had sinned, I had messed up royally!  I had let my family down; I had brought shame on my parents and grandparents.  I had hurt my babies who I had actually said to, “you won’t ever have to worry about mama and daddy not being together with you and each other”.   Ow!

Here are the things I had trouble grasping while I was in the midst of my storm:

*God still loves me and He is faithful.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5 NKJV

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." Psalm 91:1-16 NKJV

*I can’t do anything to undo His promises to me or make Him stop loving me.

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:37-39 NKJV

*I am beautiful and valuable, competent and precious in the eyes of the Creator of the Universe.

17 The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

”…For the Lord delights in you.” Isaiah 62:4

 “…So shall your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:5

*His promises are true.

9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9 NKJV

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

When my marriage ended I was so sad and so ashamed I pulled away from my parents and grandparents who loved me dearly.  I pulled away from my church.  I pulled away from God and went my own way for a time.  I did exactly the wrong thing!  I was miserable, and I made the people around me who were already hurting for me even more miserable because they could not reach me or help me.  I just wanted to be alone. Please hear me when I say that was not the thing to do.  It increased my suffering and the duration of it and it delayed my healing.  I was no good for me and I was no good for my two boys who were depending on me.

I tried to work everything out myself.  I had a few new friends and after a while I even had a boyfriend who seemed like a pretty good match. (He wasn’t, but in my loneliness and thinking that was warped by hurt, he seemed to fit.)

 

My healing did not begin until the day I cried out to God and told Him all about it.  He had been waiting on me.  After all, I am His precious child.  I told Him how hurt and ashamed I was. I told Him I felt like a huge, stupid failure.  I also told Him that I was ready to get my hands out of the mess I was in and let Him have it.  And about the boyfriend, I told the Lord that I was ready to be alone if that’s what He had planned for me.  I needed to get to a place where my security and stability were based on my relationship with the Most High. (In Jeremiah 3:14 God says,” Return, faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you …”) I was not going to try to make any more human relationships work.  It was all up to Him.

Things started to change immediately.  The next week I got a call from an old friend.  A man I had known since 1^st grade. He had also just gone through a divorce.  He too was lonely and miserable.  What a coincidence (just kidding, this was divine providence) that he had a son the same age as Ethan and I just happened to be the team mom for the baseball team they were both on!  We started talking and then we started dating and then we got married.  All I had to do was give it to the Lord.

I am not telling you that a new relationship or a new man is the answer to your situation. God is the answer to your situation.  Complete dependence on Him.  Once you get there and you truly give it to Him with no strings attached He will begin to work out His purposes in you.  Then and only then will you move on to the next step in His perfect plan for your imperfect life.  Trust me, it will be perfect whether it involves a new spouse or not.  He knows what you need; you are His creation.

1 …You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:1-16 NIV]

God has blessed me so abundantly.  I feel as if I was made for my husband and he was made for me.  I am finally in the marriage I dreamed of as a little girl, white knight and all. I used to hesitate to say that.  We’ve both been divorced and now this is a second marriage, how can this be God’s plan for me?  Here’s the deal: I messed up and the plan got off track, but remember God’s faithfulness is not like ours.  His promises, His righteousness, His integrity is not based on circumstances or anything we can do. He is steadfast and He does not change.  HE promised me a “hope and a future”.  He said “He had plans to prosper me”.  And He will, and He did, and He does.

The Seasons

Oh, Glorious Day!  Because of the weather, my husband is home with us today!  He has already built a roaring fire, made coffee, and is standing in the kitchen cooking breakfast!  Do I really deserve this man!?! ☺

I have some exciting news for you.  There has been a lot of interest in essential oils, and many women have sent questions about where I purchase mine.  I love Young Living Essential Oils.  I had no idea that one of my friends, Cody May Toups, was a Young Living Consultant until last week.  WOW, does she have a deal for you!  This is the email she sent me.

A few years ago I learned about lavender and peppermint Young Living essential oils from my step sister, and I was pretty skeptic, mainly because of their cost. However, while I was pregnant with my now 5 month old, I began to really research and decided to dive in. I bought the premium starter kit that comes with 10 oils and a diffuser.  

We have seen positive results from using these oils in our family. My husband was more skeptic than I was, and we regularly use them now. My favorite oils are lavender and thieves.

 

Since I bought the starter kit I can order directly from the website and would love to help anyone out who would like to try them. Or help anyone who already uses them and cannot order directly from the website. I am able to buy the oils from the website for 24% less than they are advertised and will sell them to you at my discount. I simply want to be able to help others use these oils.

The website is www.youngliving.com. You can email me at cctoups@gmail.com or call/text me at 409-651-7219. I will handle payment through PayPal which is very secure and easy. Shipping is usually around $8.

Lavender, Peppermint, or Thieves are good oils to start out with if you have never tried any. The website gives good information as to what each oil can be used for.  I would be glad to share specific ways we have used them in our family if you are interested.

You will not find a greater essential oil than these! 

So, who's counting down to the Freedom Fellowship Ladies Retreat this weekend?  As my girls would say, IT'S ONLY THREE MORE SLEEPS! 

Ecclesiastes 3
 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;³ A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;⁴ A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;⁵ A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;⁶ A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;⁷ A time to tear,    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;⁸ A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

 

Whatever season you find yourself in today, just know, God is there with you!  He will never leave you or forsake you!  And as seasons always do, this will pass! 

 

I hope you have a great day today, and join me tomorrow for a special guest on Wedded Wednesday!

RADICAL!

There are hardly even words to describe how I feel about this quote.  Empowered to rise up and be an even more RADICAL follower of our awesome God, convicted that so many times I choose to be comfortable instead, and burdened that the Church of the Living God has way more comfortable Christians than radical!  What has happened to the Beautiful Bride of Christ since Acts 2?  I believe this might be the answer.

 
If we want to make a difference, we must proclaim the true Gospel.  From what I read in the book of Matthew 4, when Jesus called disciples to himself, he called for radical obedience.  He called disciples to leave family, to leave occupations, and to leave the place they knew as "COMFORTABLE" and Follow Him.  What you don't read about in this text is Jesus finding trained and educated professionals who already know how to do what He is asking them.  Do you think that is coincidence?  No way! 

Something else we don't find is Jesus teaching these disciples that if you follow Him your life will be happiness and prosperity-with out trials.  The Bible tells us that trials produce endurance. (James 1:3)  I will not even elaborate on what I think about the Prosperity Gospel that is being preached!

Radical - a person who advocates thorough and complete reform; an activist; revolutionary; far-reaching; wide-ranging

Jesus was radical!  The Church I read about in Acts 2 - they were radical!  Now Church, it's time we get a little radical!

If you are reading on a mobile device or email, I am sorry you can't view the video.  You can go to YouTube and search David Platt - Religion or Devotion?  The clip is about 4 1/2 minutes long, but it is worth watching! 

Anybody want to take a guess about what book I am reading right now?  It is Radical by David Platt.  I am really, really enjoying it so far.  If you are looking for something to read right now, grab a copy, and read along with me.

This week, here on the blog, I have a few exciting things coming up.  Two guest writers - one on Wedded Wednesday and another on Thursday for Recipe day.  (I need a catchy name for that...any suggestions?)  Also, another giveaway Friday!  I can not wait.   

I love you guys!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for spending time with me each day.  My prayer for each of you is that today you will experience the Greatness of God in a new way.  That you will see Jesus in His Word.  When we see Him, we become like Him! (1 John 3:2)