Today is my husband's "spiritual birthday"! He's 18 today! :) I was 15 years old, living in Benton, Arkansas, and a new Christian myself. I had begun praying for God's will concerning a mate. The Lord was answering that prayer, and I wouldn't know it for another 3 years! My husband lived in Flora, Illinois, about 10 hours from where I lived. God drew him to salvation and later called him into the Gospel ministry. You can read about how we met (if you're interested)HERE. I am so grateful for God's answers to prayer. :) Anytime I talk to young girls, I tell them that while it's inappropriate to chase boys, there is nothing wrong with praying for one - the right one! I tell them to pray, and stay busy serving God until He answers.
John 3:30 says He must increase, but I must decrease. Seven little words, but such powerful words! I battle with "self" all the time! Pleasing me, doing things for me, wanting to have myideas validated, and on and on. In fact, I'm dealing with a situation in my life right now that I desperately long to change. Every day, I go to my Bible hoping to see a neon sign that says "YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU WANT, VALERIE." But so far, all I'm seeing are passages that point out how wicked my heart is or how I need to correct my ways or thoughts or both! I walk away saying "ouch!" My husband preached two great sermons yesterday, and both were things that I struggle with.
While it is hard to face my sinful ways and correct them, there is an amazing sense of peace and relief that washes over me as I bow my head and say, "Lord, forgive me. You are right." Even after I confess my sin to the Lord, I must fight the flesh in the days following so that I don't fall back into my old ways. I must constantly remind myself that HE must increase and I must decrease.
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