Cleaning for Eternity

Before this week, I never really thought of cleaning as a God given gift. I'm sure most of you have not either. How in the world can laundry, dusting, and doing the dishes be a gift from God? I thought He gave us good gifts, not ones that we hate to do? 

It has been amazing how everything I have heard this week or read for devotions has come together. The sermon on Sabbath was on James 1: 5-6. "⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."

Then I started following Courtney at Women Living Well in her review of James; guess what the same verses. I had also gone back to the beginning of Good Morning Girls S.O.A.P notes for James 1 for my personal study in the past two weeks. 

Then I started reading 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae. One of the Mary challenges was to ready Romans 8:20-21. So let's use the soap format to learn about this verse. 

Scripture: ²⁰ Everything God made was changed to become useless, not by its own wish but because God wanted it and because all along there was this hope:²¹ that everything God made would be set free from ruin to have the freedom and glory that belong to God's children. (New Century Version)

Observation: Because of sin, everything we do now is useless unless we are looking for the blessed hope of Jesus returning to take us home. If we do not have this hope, life is pointless. 

Application: In order to have the right attitude towards my role as a Titus 2/Proverbs 31 woman, I must claim the hope of Jesus soon return. Everything I try to do here on this earth is pointless, unless I am preparing for a life in Heaven. A clean house will not get me to heaven, however the patient and quiet spirit that I develop while completing those tasks here on earth will prepare me for a life in Heaven with Him. 

Prayer: It is my prayer to develop the attitude of Titus 2 and Provers 31 that God has given to me as a gift; my role as a wife and someday mother to bless my husband and others with. 

I like what Sarah Mae wrote in Day 9 of her book: "Taking care of our domains is something to take joy and honor in, and ultimately is something that will lead us toward Christ like character and humility."

A great book I recommend that I have been reading this week which ties ALL of this together as well is Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney. It has been an excellent book on our role of Titus 2 women and how God has designed our roles for His glory. 

Not only did this book help bring my study together, but also Sarah Mae in day 9 of her book mentioned the verse James 1: 2-4. "² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Cleaning the house can try our patience and test our faith can it not? It can be a trial at times, however God gaves us our houses as our domain to take care of and give life to. How we respond to that calling will either bring glory to His name or not. 

Let's continue to strive to be the women that God has called us to be. I encourage you to study the women at Titus 2 and Provers 31 if you have not already. 

Fixing Your Heart on Titus 2 - Week 2

 

Last week's project was to spend at least 30 minutes a day reading the Bible and praying. I must say, I didn't do as well with that project as I had hoped. It is something I am still currently working on. I did manage to at least get 15 minutes in almost all the days. Please pray for me in this area! 

This week's challenge is the following... 

Let’s set aside time this week to intentionally pray for our husbands. Our husbands need our prayers, so let’s work on building them up this week. Here are suggestions for each day (Ideas formed from The Power of a Praying Wife):
Monday: His Work
Tuesday: His Integrity
Wednesday: His Mind
Thursday: His Purpose
Friday: His Health
Saturday: His Protection
Sunday: His Faith

Fixing Your Heart on Titus 2 Project

Recently, in one of my Wisdom Wednesday posts, I wrote a post about what Titus 2 meant to me. The inspiration for that post came from a blog site I recently found called At the Well. I have been following their blog now and came across this project today. Here is what the project is about in their own words:

We are very excited to start a new feature today called Fixing Your Heart on Titus 2. This will be a very practical and interactive weekly feature here At the Well.

Each week, we will share a project that relates to being a Christian woman and living out our Titus 2 roles in real life. It could relate to being a wife, or a mother, or a homemaking, or serving in the community, etc…

We will provide a linky for the women who are committing to complete the project to add their blog. This will provide an opportunity for getting to know one another and also praying for one another throughout the week.

Then, if you decide to blog about the experience of completely that week’s project, we will also provide a second linky where you can add the direct link to your post reflecting on the project and its outcome or impact.

I am really excited about this project! I hope you will go to their site and check it out. The project for this week is the following: 

Let’s start off foundational. This week the project is to spend at least 30 minutes per day reading the Bible and in prayer.

This week's project goes great with one of my New Years resolutions, which is to spend more time reading, especially devotional time. I plan on splitting this time up; 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening. 

I will check in again next week to report how this went and what the new project for the week will be!  

Be sure to check out my current giveaway: The Pampered Chef Season's Best Recipe Collection! 24 recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less and cost an average only $2 per serving!! 

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