Inspiring Purity

I remember sitting in church one Sunday listening to the pastor as he bragged (sorry, there is just no other word) that the only woman he had ever kissed was his wife.

His tale elicited feelings of shame, guilt and inadequacy because I figured I had already blown it! What I didn't understand then was that purity is a state of heart. The fact that I had kissed my first boyfriend one summer day through a chain link fence at the age of 12 was, and still is, irrelevant. I now know that purity is for everyone. It is why Christ surrendered his life on the cross. 

So I am writing a book series, the first book is Pure Sex 101. It lays the foundation for what sexual purity really is: not a set of rules! It explains how our sexuality is an expression of our spirituality. Pure Sex 202 explores sexual purity after the wedding day. Even married Christian couples are missing it, so this book presents Biblical solutions for re-directing relationships so God is glorified in all you do. Pure Sex 303 is a hope-filled guide for those who are single again. 

In conjunction with the release of this book series (sometime in 2016), I am launching a new speaking campaign called Inspiring Purity. Stay tuned for news, promotional materials and more! 

My First Publication...

I am thrilled to announce that I am one of the contributors for the student devotional titled, The Campus Survival Guide: Representing Christ on Campus.  It will be released in March 2012.  Regal Books has featured the book as one of its new releases in its Spring 2012 catalog.

Obviously, I am very excited and can hardly wait to hold my very own copy in my very own hands.

Thank you, Lord.  

The Twelve Days of Lucy!

It has been 12 days since I brought home my beautiful new puppy.  And it has been an amazing adventure so far.  This morning, she cried to get out of my bedroom, and did her business outside!  For fellow dog-owners, you know what a monumentally important accomplishment this can be.  She has also learned that I keep treats in my pocket, and that she gets one when she "sits" on command.

We named her Lucy which means "light." Of course, Jesus is the light, but Lucy also illuminates truth about our Creator.  In fact, she is teaching me so much about God, I have outlined my next book already.  I am going to title it, Puppy Love.

The first truth Lucy demonstrated for me is the beauty and delight of adoption.  Obviously, I am not Lucy's 'real' mommy.  But I adopted her from her birth mother, and I love her so much.  She has become mine, and I have become hers.  It is a commitment, a covenant, that we will be together always.  Our Heavenly Father has likewise adopted us.

"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, 

in accordance with his pleasure and will—"

Ephesians 1:5

Lucy knows I am her parent, her pack leader, her master now.  She does not resent me for taking her away from her former life, she has thrown herself wholeheartedly into relationship with me.  She has adopted me as much or more than I have adopted her.  She will leap with reckless abandon into my arms, she trusts me completely to catch her.

We may know that God has adopted us as his children, if we have accepted Christ as our savior, but have we adopted Him?  Do we identify God as our Father, our Leader, and our Master?  Have we thrown ourselves wholeheartedly, without any reservation at all, into a full-on, full-out relationship with Him?  

When I ask myself that, I have to confess that I have room to grow in this area.  

Father, I confess I have not given myself over to you with the same reckless abandon that I see Lucy has given herself over to me.  Lord, let me be that picture of loyalty and unflinching trust that I should be, and want to be.  Father God, thank you for creating me to know you, to love you, and to bring you pleasure.  Thank you for adopting me into your family, and for loving me with unfailing love.  Lord I pray also for my readers, that they may also have the desire to fling themselves daringly into the center of your will.  

Thanks for visiting,

Love Darilyn

Love at First Bite!

Over the past several months, one of my closest friends has adopted, one after another three small dogs.  It was like she was the dog magnet for lost or unwanted canines - but not just any canines, the cutest, friendliest little furballs ever.  And they got along as each one was added to her little pack.  Wherever she goes now, she has at least one, if not all three with her.

So I got to thinking how nice it would be to have a little someone to cuddle and to hold.  I miss our family pet, JD, who passed away at the end of last summer.  Then two things happened.

First, on the way down to She Speaks, I met a gentleman who had two teacup size dogs running around his feet as he waited outside a Wal-mart.  He was selling them for $100.  But I was on the way to the conference, so I passed up the opportunity.  Then, on the airplane, the woman beside me got to talking and it turns out that she had to give up her Maltese due to an upcoming move.  She asked me if I would take him.  I said, sure, but we ended up unable to connect on my way back through Chicago.

By now, I was really feeling like I wanted a puppy all my own.  It is the middle of the summer, the best time of year to train a new puppy for a teacher.  And, I will be home by 1:30 pm on school days come Fall.  So I took a look on line just to see if there were any puppies I might consider... And I came across the photo you see above.

So I drove out to where the pups were, just to ask some questions, you understand?  Just to look, and to maybe think about it a bit more.  Well, the puppy (above) came right to me and climbed right up onto me... and began to nibble my ear.  That's when it happened: I fell in love at first bite.

Readers: please pray that I will train my new little "baby" well.  It isn't easy to say "No!" sometimes to a face that cute, but it is important.

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Hebrews 12:11

Thanks for reading!  God Bless you!!

Love Darilyn

Jesus Take the Wheel!

I just loved that story I posted yesterday so much I wish I had written it.  I got a good laugh out of it, and I also thought there was some truth to the story.  The "big secret" thing that women supposedly want is to be in control of their own life, but I am not sure this is 100% accurate.

As for myself, I for sure want to have a voice in whatever is going on when it happens to affect me.  And as long as I know I am being heard, I can pretty much 'roll with the punches,' even if I am in disagreement with what is going on.

For me the essential issue is trust rather than control.

You see if I am in a vehicle with someone I trust completely, then I am at ease and enjoying the ride even if the person is taking me somewhere they are choosing, or taking a different route than I usually take.  Life is like that.  If I am going to take the passenger seat, I absolutely have to trust the one who is in control of the vehicle.  I don't have to BE in control, but I have to have full confidence in the person who is driving.  Are they qualified, skilled, and sober?  In other words, is the driver willing and capable of operating that vehicle so that I am safe?

Furthermore, it is important to me that I am in a vehicle that is headed in the direction that I want to go.  If you want to be in Houston, you don't get in a bus that is heading off for Phoenix, right?  When we get into the vehicle of life with our spouse, we have to be in agreement about what direction we are heading and what our destination is.  When you travel life together, it helps to have the same goals, vision and purpose.  Then you could take turns driving because there is agreement on the general direction you're going.  Route doesn't matter as much as the destination you're aiming for.

There is no human driver we can trust completely.  I remember going on a road trip with my daughter a couple of summers ago.  I was playing DJ with her ipod and chose a song that was the incorrect remix -- she nearly drove us into the ditch!  Another time I was on a different trip with a girlfriend, I was driving.  She had her hand out the window as we were headed onto the freeway when I decided to do up the windows.  Her fingers were caught between the window and the frame and the automatic window just kept that pressure on!  Once when I was a little girl, my father drove our vehicle into a ditch to avoid a head-on collision with a truck that was passing another vehicle coming towards us.  All of these things were a bit scary, but in each case, the trust either remained in tact or was quickly restored.

There is only one Driver we can trust in all situations, as Carrie Underwood sings, "Jesus take the wheel!"  He is the One and Only who alway has our best interest in mind.  No matter what detour we happen to be on, we can trust that it is the best possible route to where He is taking us.  No matter how many times we seem to be circling the block, or spinning our wheels, it is all for His purpose.  Even if the destination seems to be getting further away, we can trust that He is in full control, and that everything that happens will be for our ultimate good, and His ultimate glory.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, 

who have been called according to his purpose.  

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son..."

Romans 8:28-29

Readers, I am so glad that I know I can trust Jesus.  He has shown me time and time again that He knows what He is asking me to do, and it is always for my good and His glory.  I didn't know I could trust Jesus, until I chose to trust Him.  He is trustworthy, and I had to choose to believe that by faith.  

Do you trust Him today?  Can you let Him have the control, and be at ease knowing He will get you exactly where you need to be, precisely on time?  He not only knows the way, He IS The Way!  I pray you will choose to trust him with your journey today!

Love Darilyn

What Do Women Really Want?

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.

The question?...What do women really want? Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer.

Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer.  But the price would be high; as the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.  The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.  The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!

Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life.  He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur.

He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.  Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus:

What a woman really wants, she answered....is to be in charge of her own life. 

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared.  And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding.

The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him.

The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened.

The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half.

Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night?

Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch? Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments?

Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself. 

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.

*****

That was a funny story that I received by email.  I would give all due credit to the original writer, but I don't know who it is.  It is a great truth and a great laugh!  I hope you enjoyed it!  In my next post, I will give you my insights to this story!

Love Darilyn

Once Upon a Time in Florida ...

In my third year of being a single mom, I had promised myself that if I got a solid teaching job, I would take the kids to Disney World.  So after my first year of teaching full time, I booked the three of us a two week vacation to Orlando.

We were staying at a budget place near Disney World, that cost a mere $25 per night, and offered a full breakfast buffet daily where kids ate for free!  Needless to say, we were there faithfully every morning.  One morning as we were waiting in line to be seated, there was an elderly couple just ahead of us.  The woman was in a wheelchair and her husband was pushing her.  At first glance, I thought, "Oh my, isn't that wonderful, she is unable to walk, but she has a husband to take care of her." Then, "Lucky her, poor me, I wish I had a husband ... blah, blah, blah."

Momentarily, the couple was led to a table close enough to the podium that I could both hear and see what transpired while we continued to wait for our table.  The restaurant must have been busier than usual, or perhaps short-handed that day.  In any case, the hostess forgot to give them the cutlery wrapped in a serviette, and rushed off to take care of some other duties.

Meanwhile the husband parked his wife at the table, a little abruptly, and stalked off to the buffet without a second glance at her.  He returned almost immediately with a plate holding a couple of carelessly chosen morsels of food and literally dropped the plate in front of her so forcefully that a clump of scrambled eggs bounced off the plate and landed on the table.  I was riveted to the floor with my jaw slackened in surprise.  Heads turned at the clatter of dish-against-table.  Patrons drew a collective breath to see what would happen next.

The lady simply looked up at her husband and in a gentle, sweet voice said, "Thank you, could you please bring me some cutlery?" I was standing right beside the bin containing the wrapped utensils, and the man was no more than 5 or 6 feet in front of me.

The man retorted, "You don't need any cutlery, eat it with your hands." Then he turned on his heel and returned to the buffet table.

I was so stunned, I couldn't move. It was like time stood still as I realized a few things.  First of all, I would rather be alone for the rest of my life than be treated so cruelly, so humiliatingly, so rudely by the one person who is supposed to cherish me above all others.  Secondly, I saw myself in my old age, all alone and helpless, and wondered if I didn't have a husband, who would care for me?  Thirdly, I realized that in order to not be completely abandoned in my elder years, I would have to become the kind of woman who drew people to her like bees to a flower.  I would need to be surrounded by a group of folks that genuinely loved me and cared for me because I was a blessing in their lives.

And I knew that the only way to become so sweet, so gentle, so loving, that others are drawn to me in that way, I would need to be conformed to the image of Christ.  I would have to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, and I would have to get rid of all traces of bitterness that had taken root in my heart.  I would need God to create a renewed spirit within me.  I would need to think upon whatever is pure, noble, righteous, and good -- in other words, "I" must decrease and He must increase within me.

Immediately, instead of whining about not having a husband, I began worshipping the One who was my Husband.  Right there at the front of the line in that restaurant, I made a commitment to the Lord and to myself that it would be more about Him, and less about me.  Because Jesus promised,

"Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."

I was prepared to take Him up on that offer.  

Suddenly the hostess was in front of me smiling, "Right this way." She said, "Sorry about the wait." 

"No problem," I returned her smile, and as we followed her to our table, we went right past the couple I had been observing.  They ate together in stoney silence.  The clicking of their cutlery against their plates was the only conversation.

I prayed, "Father, please surround that woman with people that love her and cherish her.  Please protect her heart.  Let her know You, Lord, so that she may know what true love looks like and feels like.  Oh Father, no one should be treated like that!  Please tender her husband's heart towards her and let him be repentant for how he has been acting towards her.  And let him come to full knowledge of You.  Lord I pray that you will make me into the woman you created me to be.  Let me not be bitter, selfish, or even remotely sorry for myself.  Let me rejoice in each and every day that you make for me, that I may serve you better, know you more completely and love you more deeply.  And Father, I pray that you will never let me be treated as this poor woman is being treated now."

Readers, I pray none of you are being treated like this woman was being treated.  But more importantly, I pray that you will seek Him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength so that you will become the most irresistible flower attracting many bees to care for you, love you, honour you and bless you all the days of your life. I pray the same for me.  God Bless you!

Love, Darilyn