Effective Weed Control by Jaylin Palacio
When the man I loved for 23 years decided to have an affair and left me and our children, I was devastated like no other time in my life.
As a Christian woman, I knew that I should forgive in obedience to God’s word, but I was deeply hurt and didn’t think I could forgive.
But God showed me that if I would continue to do good, in due season I would reap a harvest if I would not give up.
Forgiveness is for our own good because it guards against a root of bitterness. Like a physical root, this root of bitterness is buried beneath the soil of our heart.
If we have not chosen to forgive and let God uproot the bitterness, the roots grow to encase our heart and mind, resulting in spiritual poison that hinders the healing that God has for us. If not dug out, it will continue to fester and the anger stays inside.
I did not want to live the rest of my life with this anger in my heart, so I made the choice to forgive even though I did not feel like forgiving.
I am so thankful to God for I am now reaping the harvest of a completely healed heart. I no longer carry the burden of anger and resentment.
God has made me spiritually strong enough to help others in similar situations. Has someone hurt you? I encourage you to make the choice to forgive.
By doing so, you allow the Master Gardener to uproot the bitterness so you can heal completely. Forgiveness is the betrayed woman’s way of leaving the consequences in the hands of God and allowing God to heal her heart.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jaylin Palacio is the author of He Will Never Leave You, a book about the devastation of infidelity, the faithfulness of God, and the healing power of forgiveness.
People will betray us, but God will never leave us or forsake us. He gives us the ability to truly forgive and be set free from the pain of betrayal. Forgiveness is the loyal spouse’s way of leaving the consequences in the hands of God and allowing God to heal the betrayed person’s heart.
She was also chosen to be a contributing author of Trials & Triumphs II, a collection of 50 life-changing testimonies that was published in February of 2015.
Jaylin offers support to those spouses who have been betrayed. If you or someone you know is facing the aftermath of adultery, visit her blog at www.encouragementfromtheword.com. To subscribe to her email list, click here.
She offers help for easing the pain of marital infidelity and for building faith in God’s ability to heal broken hearts.
They can also request to join her Facebook support group, Christian Marital Infidelity Support, click here.
She is a member of Faith Writers and Oregon Christian Writers.
A Heart that Forgives, Is Truly A Heart that Is Healed
by Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey
I was out exercising early this morning and before I even started, I asked the Lord to speak to me just whatever He wanted to speak this morning.
I began to walk and pray. Before I knew it, I was reciting the “Lord’s Prayer”. Before I got past “And forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors”, God spoke to my heart and said “THAT MEANS TO STOP KEEPING A RECORD OF THE WRONG”. Wow, I knew what He was talking about and even a couple of weeks earlier, He had spoken directly to me, through another person, saying, “Stop thinking about it”. Now, both words were speaking of the same incident.
So, I received a corrective Word from my Daddy, my Father and my God and I am sharing it with you. Love does not keep track of wrong doing.
It is not easily offended. We must strive to forgive and ask God to heal our broken hearts.This is possible with God.
Are you keeping track of all the past hurts that someone else has done to you?
Does it still hurt like crazy when you think of the pain that you suffered behind the wrong doing?
Well start by asking God to help you get over the pain. Some trauma will take time to heal but God is a healer. Next, choose from your heart to forgive. Even if it still hurts or you find that it is hard, expect God to give you the grace, or the divine enablement to do it. If you truly want to please God and be forgiven yourself for the things you have done, you must forgive. When you stand praying, forgive if you have bitterness against someone who has done you wrong. Look that person in the eye if you are around them and “smile”. Do something nice for them if this is possible. Keep asking God for help. Read scriptures on forgiveness and rebuke the spirit of strife and unforgiveness so that you can walk in freedom!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey is the Founder of Worshipful Ministries, a ministry birthed out of a heart’s desire to stir and arouse the Body of Christ to spend more intimate, quality time with the Father, and encourage the Body of Christ to use dance, drama, poetry and creative expression to minister to the Body of Christ.
The ministry currently offers books, inspirational teachings, praise and worship dance mentoring and workshops, and speaking engagements. Minister Cook-Godfrey has authored three books and has written and directed three Gospel Stage Plays. For more information about Minister Denise Cook-Godfrey's books visit amazon.com/author/denisecookgodfrey and Worshipful Ministries, visit www.worshipfulministries.com.
Lessons Learned From the Wilderness
by Rev. Arlecia Simmons, Ph.D., M.Div.
During the Lenten season, we are charged to take off our Super Woman capes and slow down for 40 days and nights. During this time, may we hear God’s voice and consider lessons learned as we journey to the cross with Jesus. For the past two weeks, I have found myself considering lessons learned from the wilderness account found in Mark 1:9-15.
Unlike many of us, Jesus did not get to celebrate his Baptism with a repast near the Jordan where the Gospel writer Matthew tells us the baptism took place.
No, he didn’t have a chance to open his cards and eat cake and ice cream, but in Mark we read the Spirit drives Jesus to the Wilderness. From this account we learn sometimes a wilderness experience has nothing to do with you, but all to do with God’s purpose for your life. God the father sent Jesus the son into the world to bring about the defeat of sin and death. Jesus was in the wilderness for you and me. During the next few weeks, some may find themselves journeying through the wilderness not only for you but because of the needs of others. Although you are serving God’s children, someone needs their biological children delivered.
Someone will fast and risk the snares of the tempter because you need situations to change. We do not fast and pray out of ritual, but because we know like going through the wilderness fasting brings us revelation.
It is likely many are going through a time of testing and you have given credit for this experience to Satan. But is it possible that the Spirit of God has led you to this place because it is an opportunity for preparation? Do not faint, woman of God. Deliverance for your children is ahead of you. A great transformative work is ahead
of you, woman of God.
In the wilderness with the wild beasts, the angels attended to Jesus’s needs. As you go through this season of Lent and your time of fasting and possibly of testing, remember that angels are still on duty!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rev. Arlecia Simmons, Ph.D., M.Div. is the Chief Encourager of Look ‘n Live Ministries, Inc., based in Charleston, S.C. A spiritual direction coach and evangelist, she is the author or Diggin’ For Treasure: Jewels of Hope When Pressure & Time Collide. More information about her and the ministry can be found at www.looknlive.com