Relationships!!!!!

I am at it again.... Here is goes.... God has been talking to me and changing me. All for the better. I am so excited. I love to hear His voice and see him showing me new things. Here was my devotion today.

This is all about relationships, but please look into your marriage relationships first. I am not saying I am perfect or that I have it all figured out. I am going to say what I feel very strongly, about what God showed me.

Proverbs 19 It's a Proverb a day :) I am going to jump around on a few verses.

It is all about listening! Sometimes we don't want to listen to what those around us have to say to us. Our actions are justified to us. We make excuses for why we do what we do. Instead of listening to what the other person is really saying.

In Proverbs 19:20 "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise."

By listening to what the other person has to say we validate what they are feeling. We have to look through their eyes. By doing so we are no longer justifying our actions, we are gaining understanding. When we gain understanding, we gain the desire to accept instruction. Instruction of what the other person NEEDS! Relationships can't be about just our needs, but that of the other persons as well. By LISTENING and ACCEPTING we GAIN WISDOM! Wisdom of just how to handle the situation at hand.

The instruction IS ALL ABOUT DISCIPLINING OUR ACTIONS! No one ever said disciplining ourselves or receiving discipline was easy.

Prov. 19:8 "He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers."

By receiving discipline of all kinds we gain the wisdom to handle every situation. By gaining the wisdom and understanding we WILL PROSPER!!!!

Our relationships require us to see through the other persons eyes. By listening, looking and understanding, our relationships will be successful!

Prov. 19:11 "A man's wisdom gives him patience"

I believe by Listening, Looking, and Understanding we gain Wisdom. By gaining the wisdom we need we gain the desire to be patient. Patience comes from understanding where the other person is at.

So often when someone comes to us to confront us, we make excuses. Instead of listening to what they have to say and gaining the understanding we need to handle the situation. By understanding what is at hand, we have to take action. Our actions require discipline and the desire to change.

Not only does the pertain to the relationships around us, but to the relationship that we have with God. It is time we all stop making excuses to our actions and looking at our actions through the eyes of someone else. Our intentions could be good, but our actions and reactions could be quite the opposite. We have to line up our intentions with our actions and reactions, in order to have successful relationships.

I am not pointing anyone out. Just simply what God pointed out to me!!!! It hit me square between the eyes!

I had no idea it has been 7 months since I last blogged!

Life is crazy! So many ups and downs! So many joys and sorrows! An through it all, so many places for growth. Growth in the Lord! Which makes EVERYTHING worth it. God never told us or promised us that this life was going to be easy. He has promised us in Heb. 13:5 " Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you"!!!! As most know, the last couple of months has been a roller coaster ride for me. However, I have watched the Lord transform me in ways I had no idea he could do.

God showed me an important aspect to me and who I was. All of my life I have known that I had a very strong personality. I was not raised in ministry. Therefore I didn't always say the "right" things, in the right way. So, Scott became my security in a social setting. Those of you that knew Scott, knew he had amazing people skills. I began to lean on him to filter my words. He became my "safety net". Having him around gave me a security in knowing he would help me to do and say the "right" things. I leaned on Scott more than I leaned on God. After Scott died, I lost who Cori was. My security was gone! God showed me what I was doing and had done. After the accident I only wanted the people closest to me, to be around me. I didn't want anyone around me that would take "work", as far as a relationship was concerned. Not to be mean, and not that I didn't like them. It was because I didn't feel safe. I was scared. Then some things happened along the way of life.... Instead of pushing through the safety of friendships and fighting for the ones that I loved.... It was easier to run. I was scared to death to say or do the "wrong" thing. I had no one to filter my thoughts through. Again, my "safety" was gone. He was no longer there to help me get through one of the toughest times in my life. I left everyone and everything behind that became unsafe to me. Please understand that I had no idea I was doing this. I still believe with all of my heart, that God was leading me. However, I pushed all that I had, away. All out of fear of loosing again. It is one of those things, that you create the very things you are afraid of. In a social setting, I would blossom again as long as I had someone that I found safe with me. I was clingy to the select couple of people. I didn't see any of this until God showed me recently.

I was told over and over that I had walls up and wouldn't let anyone in. I was a very strong person. I never saw that "strong" person in me. I saw a very weak women that had 5 kids and no husband. A women just surviving! Then God showed me the "tower" I had become. I was afraid of people around me and I was trying to "get through" life. Because of the fear I had, (the safety issues) people took it like I was to good or that I didn't need them. That is not true. I was a weak, scared girl with 5 kids trying to get through life, the best way I knew how.

I believe that God is showing me and helping me to lean on him for my safety. To trust in him! I am very thankful, for a God that is loving, compassionate, merciful and gracious! His ultimate goal for our lives is "Kingdom" bound!!!! That means that life is not going to be easy! But the end result is going to be so rewarding. I can't wait to hear... "Well done my good and faithful servant"!!!! Matt. 25:21