Hi there. I'm Yvonne, and I'm a wife, Mom of 2 and business chick. Welcome!- Don't take spiritual council from someone who's not walking in freedom, joy and deep relationship with Jesus...and who's life in God you don't admire.
- Don't take marriage advice from someone who's marriage you don't admire. (and not just on the outside, but when you've seen the rough parts too!)
- Don't take diet advice from anyone who's never lost it and kept it off.
- Don't take financial advice from people who haven't made sound financial decisions.
- Don't take parenting advice from people who don't tend to parent effectively.
- Don't take job interview skill advice from someone who hasn't won a few jobs! (umm..like me)
- Don't give advice unless you've been asked! (I'm desperately working on this one, folks!!! : )
Okay....so these aren't watertight...because sometimes God will us anyone to speak truth to you. But generally...you get the picture.
I always have to chuckle at people who judge my 'religious' stance as foolish or 'over the top'. I'm living in so much freedom because of God. My life is so full of miracles, you wouldn't believe them if I shared them. I've seen creative miracles in my life and my family. (Ever heard of someone surviving cancer that has spread from the colon to the liver? My Dad is the first in his Oncologist's practice to have cancer just "disappear" after prayer. In fact my parents are BOTH cancer free after having aggressive cancer!) The miracles we've seen in our lives are not only physical.... but emotional, financial, and relational.
Mostly, the people judging or critiquing my faith or affiliations are usually angry or sad, hurt or offended, depressed or desperately in need of physical or emotional healing. But something inside of them refuses to accept that perhaps what they're doing just isn't working for them. They shake their heads, cross their arms, and stay where they are. Broken and in need of a miracle.
That was me for so so so very long. Ugh...it was horrible.
But I quickly had to concede that there were people around me who were obviously 'doing something right', and seeing the effects in a way that my life was severely lacking.
The bible has a great line regarding these situations : "You will know them by their fruit". Meaning....a healthy tree makes fruit. Someone living and believing truth will have lives showing the effects of that truth.
I'm not writing this to say that "I've got it, people!" but more as a reminder again to myself that if I see an area of my life where I am not seeing wholeness, or success, I need to seek out people who's lives show fruit in that area. I need to lose my stubbornness, and admit that I don't have the answers....and what I've been doing isn't working.
Sometimes the hardest, but most beautiful thing one can do in their life is admit they don't have the answers....and start asking questions.
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2 comments:
Very good blog, daughter dear. Where do you get all the "Smarts"?
I could not have said it better!
Love you
Mom
I like your list. As a pastor I often get asked for advice and I try my best to listen and help the person find their own answer. Seriously I do not have that many answers, but I can pray. But, in my last session with my counselor (the brilliant guy who pastors this pastor) he helped me realize that I don't often think I deserve to take the same advice I would give others.
I really believe that the wisdom of God is a gift and God loves to pour it out. But knowing the right thing and doing it are often hard - which is, I think, why so many people don't want to make the decisions on their own, because then they can't blame someone else if it doesn't work out like they expect. I actually run into this more than I would like. Your list helps, if I am going to follow it then I need to do my own leg work - and get to know the people I seek advice from. I would bet that if we actually followed it we would find that the good advice we get is never far from what we already know God is telling us.
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