Gateways to Joy

It is cold in Houston and I love it!  I got up this morning, ready to design. Instead of going to my office, I decided to work in the living room on the couch. When I went to check my email I saw where someone had left me a message and referred to me as Val. Actually this happened a couple of days ago, and I sent a reply asking the lady if she wanted me or Valerie.  This morning when I checked my inbox I saw where she had responded and said she wanted Valerie, so I sent Val the information. It has been a while, I think May was the last time we corresponded, since I heard from Val.  Anyway, I sent her an email and then went to FB to message her.  While on her FB page I saw a picture of Valerie and this pretty lady.  Now Valerie has a lot of pictures on her FB, but for some reason I was drawn to this lady so I clicked on the link and was taken to her blog and other things. Here's a link to Juana Mikels  and I will give you a hint: photo cre...

I can remember many years ago while doing my quiet time, the Lord showed me how submission by a wife to her husband can be very instrumental to the vitality and well-being of a family. It can literally save a life. He showed me through a most unusual source: Mary.  Up until that reading I had become use to thinking of Mary as "only being the mother of Jesus."  I never thought of her in any other light.  Well, I take that back.  I thought of her as being "the virgin," too. I knew she had an obedient heart  toward God by her responds to the angel Gabriel when he told her in Luke what was about to take place in her life. It's kind of hard for me to explain, but I'm going to try so stick with me.  I knew that Mary was submissive to Joseph, Scripture is clearly shows that.  However, I never really focused on her submission because I always thought, "Who wouldn't be submissive in her shoes?"  I guess I kind of downplayed it in a sense. The ot...

I know I am way off schedule!  So much has been going on here.  Practically everyone but me has had the stomach virus in this dwelling of ours. I will still try to get the prayers out consecutively, but if I don't please know that I am still praying and I hope that you are too. I found these videos, thanks to Ann V.  They are so cool.   It is the entire book of Matthew on Youtube videos.  The kids and I are about to watch them now. Here's day 5 of the prayer: Pray that your husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. ( Prov. 20:6 ;  Gen. 2:24 ) "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear." ~ 1 John 4:18 How has your self-esteem been strengthened by your mates love? xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook

Isn't it horrible that we are on day 22 of this month, and I am only on day 3 of our prayers.  Yikes! I almost gave up, but I'm not going to.  This is important to me and it is important for me to do for my husband. I want to share something that I read this morning with you. Truth Demands A Response: "One foggy night, the captain of a large ship saw what appeared to be another ship's lights approaching in the distance.  This other ship was on a course that would mean a head-on collision. Quickly, the captain signaled to the approaching ship: 'Please change you course 10 degrees west.' The reply came blinking back through the thick fog: 'You change your course 10 degrees east.' Indignantly, the captain pulled rank and shot a message back to the other ship: 'I am a sea captain with 35 years of experience.  Change your course 10 degrees west!' Without hesitation, the signal flashed back: 'I am a seaman, fourth class.  You cha...

I'm pretty sure most of you bloggers who visit here has seen this post already.  But for those of you who don't blog there's a good chance that you haven't seen it.  Let me just say that I am so happy to be able to share this particular post with you. I didn't write this post, though the writer spoke my heart as she so often does. The reason I've copied and pasted a portion of the article instead of just putting up a link is because I want you to read it.  Many times I've noticed when I simply share a link or video many of you by pass it often times missing out on something that can bless you tremendously. Ann Voskamp the author of the article writes about her marriage . . . in the beginning years.  I can relate.  What I also relate too though is at times thinking on these questions: can I count on you are we connected do I really matter to you will you love are you really here for me do you really care can I depend on you For me, these quest...

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is " Just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear." ~ 1 Peter 3:16 Lord:  human master, ruler.  One who has due power ownership, control, or authority over others.  A term of respect for ones father, rulers and government officials, teachers, et al. Yep.  That's what he needs ladies: reverence.  A man needs his ego fed.  That's just how the Lord designed him. I try and I fall and I try and I fall. And I will keep trying (and falling). So what does it say, ladies, to our man when we treat him as lord?  We say to them that we: trust him we think he's capable he has favor with us we respect him and yes, we love him To put it in today's terminology we're basically telling him that we think "He's all that!" Now...how do we follow in Sarah's footsteps? WE SUBMIT Ouch!  I know for some...

I found these prayers while roaming to and fro through the blogesphere.  Instantly while reading them, I was reminded of the prayers from "The Power of A Praying Wife" that I use to faithfully pray for my husband. I hope if you don't pray for your husband on a regularly basis ladies or if you need more guided prayers, or if you just want to change up your prayers a bit, this list will be of some sort of assistance to you. I'll tell you one thing I'm learning ... it's hard for me to pray for someone and complain about them at the same time.  It also seems that it's hard to be mad at a person while praying for them.  Seems that God has this way of giving me eternal vision and perspective where the molehill takes on a different shape, no longer looking like the boulder or mountain that stood in my way. 25 Prayers for My Husband I pray… that he continues to grow spiritually through the disciplines of Bible study, prayer, and quiet times. (Proverbs 4:23...

This post is a continuation from yesterday, looking at Mary's submission to her husband as she submitted to the Lord, and looking at Joseph's heart-moved submission to God. In viewing this couple we are able to see the beauty and power that submission gives in a person and couple's life when they totally live a life of a surrendered and obedient heart. God looks at our hearts, just as He did Mary's.  And just like Mary, God wants to use you and me to do great things for Him. Our obedience or lack of it holds the power of life and death for ourselves and those we love.  "Get up!  Take the child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you ... so Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt." Matthew 2:13 This couple was a couple with a prepared heart. Mary submitted to her husband and her husband submitted to God. They submitted and their family was saved. Remember Adam ...

M arriage: a covenant between a man and a woman that binds them together for life.  Today we will discuss, "The Practice of Marriage," as it causes us to Walk Closer to Him.  The practice of marriage is a practice of FULLY and COMPLETELY giving of oneself for the other—even when you may not want to.  It's a life long practice . Marriage teaches us to love the "seemingly" unlovable sometimes.  The same qualities that Christ uses with us—His bridegroom we must use with our spouse, and they with us. It's a union that's only released through death. It's the coming together of two to become one. "It's the worse of times.  It's the best of times ." In the practice of marriage, we laugh and we cry.  We love and we hate.  We learn how flawed and sin-ravished "we" are. On the surface it seems like a most "ordinary" experience, but it is the most HOLY of experiences.  For in marriage we practice: Livin...