How to Train Your Dragon Part 6

If this movie is not about a boy and his dragon, but instead contains the secrets necessary for a happy marriage, then something I learned is:

6.  Swallow the fish!

There is a moment in the film when Hiccup brings a fish for Toothless to eat.  The dragon eats it, and then -- coughs half of it back up to share with Hiccup.

Hiccup is obviously not that fond of raw fish covered in dragon slobber, but realizing the regurgitated fish is a symbol of friendship that has been extended by Toothless, he takes a bite.

Then Toothless waits expectantly for hiccup to swallow it:

It is a pivotal moment.  Will Hiccup sacrificially swallow the fish in order to receive the gesture of friendship?  Or will he choose instead to cater to his own tastes and refuse Toothless' bid for friendship?

These types of moments happen all the time in relationships and especially in marriage.  We have to learn to both recognize and receive gestures of love -- even if they are not something we would have chosen for ourself.

Once when my son was about 10 years old, and a die-hard Skittles fan, I was standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes.  He came over and offered me a sticky handful of Skittles.  Partly because my hands were immersed in dishwater, and partly because I'm more of a chocolate fan, and partly because one can never be entirely sure where those Skittles have been... I said, "Oh, no thanks, honey.  I don't want any Skittles right now."

He went over to the kitchen table and sat down quietly.  And then he started to talk.  "Mom, you know how you give us things sometimes and then you say, 'Wow, is that ever a nice shirt, someone must really love you'?"

"Yes," I said and waited for him to continue.

"Well," he said as he came back over to the sink, "do you want a skittle?"

Suddenly the light went on inside my thick head and I realized that the sweat and fuzz-covered skittle was really a symbol of my son's love for me.  There he was holding out his precious little sticky hand, palm up, offering me his love.

"Oh, yes!" I exclaimed, "I would love a Skittle!"  I took the candy and I scooped up my son in my arms and I held him tight and told him I loved him more than anything!  He gave me more than candy that day.  He gave me one of the best memories of my life.  A memory of love.  And I am so glad that I received his gesture of love.  Thank God, he gave me a second chance to do so.

When you become acquainted with someone from another culture, you have to learn some of their customs to appreciate what they are communicating.  When I was in France, I learned that to toast without making eye contact with each and every glass-clink would be considered rude.  When I was in Mexico, I learned that dinner took place at around 10 o'clock at night, any sooner would be too early.  When I taught in a small town on the prairie, I learned that to dance with another woman's husband is the worst social faux-pas.  So, we adjust our actions to assimilate into the friendship.  We go out of our way to make one another comfortable.

In our marriage we are definitely getting to know someone from another culture.  Even if we married the boy next door, they are from a different family than us and so they come from a different culture.  We have to get to know their customs, their gestures.  And sometimes we have to choose to swallow the fish.

Readers, I am praying for you to succeed in your marriage, and all your relationships.  Jesus loves you, and so do I.

Love, Darilyn

How to Train Your Dragon Part 5

If this movie is NOT about a boy and his dragon, and instead is a marriage instructional (and the more I apply what I learned, the more convinced I am that it is) then something else I learned is:

Be Humble!

On dictionary.com humility is defined as, "the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc."  The synonyms listed include: lowliness, meekness, and submissiveness.  The antonym or opposite is pride. 

God hates pride, which should be reason enough to be humble.  But the fact that humility can save or radically improve your marriage should also inspire you to read on.

*****

In the movie, the vikings had a manual that held everything they knew about dragons. But, what Hiccup discovered is, "Everything we know is wrong."

Ladies, if you have been reading Cosmo magazine and expecting it to contain information to help you in understanding your boyfriends or husband, maybe you should consider the possibility that, "Everything (you) know is wrong."

Guys, the same thing applies to you if you have been getting information from your buddies about how to understand your girlfriend, your wife, or your daughter.  You know the best source of information about your wife?  Your wife!

Ladies, the only one who can answer questions about your husband with any degree of accuracy is your husband.  Not a magazine, not your mother, and not your friends.

Pride is assuming you know it all.  You don't.   If you assume you know nothing, you are on the right track!  If you assume you have everything to learn you have taken a correct position.  The assumption that you know nothing will enable you to become a student of your dragon.

Study your dragon.  Watch them, closely.  What makes their face light up?  What makes them worry?  What makes them feel protected, respected, valued, honoured, and loved?  Do those things.  Do them often.

The formula for a successful marriage can be very simple:  Loving = Learning + Doing

Learning what your spouse needs takes humility and doing for your spouse takes even more.  So, be humble.

I am praying for you, readers.  Please let me know if this is helping you.  :)

Love Darilyn

How to Train Your Dragon Part 4

If this movie depicts NOT a relationship between a boy and a dragon, but instead reveals the formula for a successful marriage, then something I learned from it is:

Be patient!

Hiccup is the one who wants to move the relationship with Toothless forward.  He is the one that each one of us needs to identify with.  I am writing this for you -- the reader -- whether you are the husband OR the wife, you need to be the Hiccup in your relationship.

You can apply the principles that we learn from Hiccup and you can make a difference in your marriage.  Trust me.  I've been applying these lessons to my own marriage, and they have made a huge difference.

When Hiccup wants to touch Toothless, the dragon doesn't let him, at first.  But Hiccup is very patient.  First he just allows Toothless time to become accustomed to his presence.  He allows the dragon all the time he needs to feel comfortable with his nearness.  He just sits nearby.  Patiently.

Sometimes, the simplest things are what is needed.  My husband really appreciates it if I just sit with him while he is watching TV.  He loves having me beside him for a drive, and especially at church.  As for me, I like conversation -- the more involved the better.  But sometimes what is needed is the shoulder-to-shoulder togetherness that he craves so that the conversation that I need can happen.

I need to take a lesson from Hiccup -- don't force it.  Give it time.  Wait until my dragon is ready to talk.  I am ready to talk, always.  But I need to be patient.  I need to let my dragon take the time he needs to open up.  

Giving your dragon the time and space that he needs is a form of respect.  Respect is man-speak for the most highly valued love-commodity.  Women also need to be respected and allowing them the time and space they need is important too.  Gentlemen, you know what you are usually in a hurry for -- give her the time she needs to warm up to you.  Trust me.  It will pay off!  ;)

Finally Hiccup reaches out towards Toothless, then averts his eyes and bows his head and waits.  His patience pays off when the dragon leans in towards Hiccups extended hand.  The scene reminds me of Hitch's first kiss advice: "Lean in 90% of the way and then wait -- let her come to you."

We all can take a lesson from Hiccup -- Be Patient!

I am praying for you.

Love,

Darilyn

How to Train Your Dragon Part 3

If this movie is not about a boy and a dragon, but is instead about a husband and wife (or a wife and a husband) then here is what I learned:

3. Set your Dragon Free:

As I watched Hiccup's feelings change from fear to triumph then from compassion to remorse, and witnessed him cutting the ropes that bound the dragon, I couldn't help but wonder what ropes are holding my dragon captive?

When Hiccup first saw the might Night Fury tangled up in the ropes that were launched from his contraption, he was in awe of what his own actions had wrought.  "I did this," he murmured in a tone of shock and reverence.

I wonder if there have been things I've said or done that have brought my dragon down, helpless and wounded.  I don't have to wonder.  I know my words have gone out like that rope-net that snatched the Night Fury out of the sky.  And I know that perhaps some of them still hold my dragon captive.

Like Hiccup, I recognize the damage my actions have caused, and I am remorseful.  I want to set my dragon free.  And so it is up to me to cut those ropes: to apologize, to reverse my actions, to make right whatever I have made wrong in the first place.

Unfortunately, after Hiccup cut the ropes, the dragon still couldn't get away.  Not completely.  Its tail had been damaged in the fall, and it could not fly out of the pit it had found itself in.

Is your dragon stuck in a pit?  It could be a pit of depression, a financial pit, a pit of shame, a habit, or even a dead end job.  What can you do to help your dragon up out of their pit?  How can you work together to set and achieve goals that will take you both to a greater height?

You want your dragon to be free because of the marriage -- 

not feeling desperate to be free from the marriage.

For a long time I wanted to return to higher education to pursue a Master's Degree.  Unfortunately, I just could not make that happen for one reason or another for many years.  Now, because of my marriage, I am able to work on my degree.  I am earning a Masters of Arts in Communication from Spring Arbor University.  The pit I was stuck in was one of disappointment, and regret because I never had the chance to really apply myself towards higher learning.  Now I can.  With my husband's help.

Oneness is God's goal for marriage.  Can you and your dragon fly as one?  Before Hiccup and Toothless could fly as one, it took many attempts and adjustments to the artificial tail fin that Hiccup made for Toothless.  They both had lots of learning to do, and trust to build together.

What heights could you soar to with your dragon?  What can you do to help your dragon reach their potential?  What can you do for your dragon to help them overcome their deficiencies?

Readers -- thanks for reading.  If you find this at all helpful, please let me know.  I am praying for you and for your marriages.  I love you and Jesus loves you even more!  May God richly bless you this New Year!

Love Darilyn

How to Train Your Dragon Part 2

If this movie is not about a boy and a dragon, but is instead about a husband and wife (or a wife and a husband) then here is what I learned:

2.  Do not Defend

When Toothless is bound and injured and Hiccup is standing over him with his blade bared and poised to strike, the mighty dragon does not fight.  He simply lays his head down and waits.  Similarly, once Toothless is free from the ropes he was tangled in, Hiccup does nothing to defend himself from the dragon's impending attack.

Dropping your defences is the second step towards building, or repairing, trust in a relationship.

In a marriage, defensiveness can take on many forms: denying, shifting blame, making excuses, going on the offense, changing the topic, and even launching a new attack.  Defensiveness is identified as one of Dr. John Gottmann's four horsemen of the apocalypse along with criticism, contempt and stonewalling in his book, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work.  Dr. Henry Cloud in his book, Nine Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Life and Love, calls defensiveness the mark of a fool.  So if being defensive is so destructive, why do people still defend themselves in a relationship?

I think folks defend themselves because they are trying to protect their image, or prevent their signifiant other from discovering underlying insecurities.  They are afraid that if someone found out the truth (they made a mistake, forgot something, had an error in judgement, etc) that they will no longer be accepted or perhaps even loved.  So they defend.  Ironically, it is the defensiveness that kills relationships, not the mistakes, forgetfulness, or miscalculations.  It is defensiveness that reveals deep insecurities.

It takes a huge amount of courage to drop your defences.  It means you are willing to face what-may-come.  It means that you are not only willing to face it, you are willing to face up to it, in other words, you are prepared to take responsibility for the situation along with all the fallout associated with it.  In my opinion, it takes a very big person to stop defending and start digging into the real work of maintaining and repairing a relationship.

Are you willing to drop your defences the next time your spouse bring you a concern?  Am I?

Lord, I pray that my readers will look to you for the courage it takes to drop their defences and face into whatever problem needs solving in their relationships.  I pray they will take that moment when they feel their defences rising to ask you for the willingness and the ability to resist the urge to defend (deflect, deny, blame, make excuses, change the topic, or attack).  I pray that you will help them listen with a willingness and determination to solve the given problem.  Amen.

Readers, thank you so much for visiting!  If you have found this blog helpful, interesting or encouraging, let me know, and share it with your friends!

May God richly bless you in your relationships,

Love Darilyn

How to Train Your Dragon Part 1

How to Train Your Dragon is an inspiring, exhilarating tale about a young man who seeks to understand his enemy.  In understanding, he grows in maturity, wisdom, courage, and eventually frees not only his own people from their ignorance but also the dragons from their oppression.  It is a feel-good movie in every way.  Yet, unlike other happily-ever-afters, this one has a dose of reality in it.


There are a myriad of themes to explore here including racism, prejudice, the value of communication, loyalty, fitting in, true courage, and many others.  But the first thought that captured my imagination is that this movie may just be the best visual aid to accompany Dr. Laura's book, "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands."  Or, in truth, could represent William Shakespeare's, "The Taming of the Shrew."

If you haven't seen this movie yet, you should.  

• Firstly because if you haven't seen it yet, I may spoil it for you.  
• Secondly, because you will enjoy this blog a lot more once you've seen it.
• Lastly because it is just that good.  

If you have been following my blog for any length of time, you will know that I have never yet done this:

Yet, there it is.  It is worth owning, and I have no hesitations about recommending it.  Now, where was I.  Oh, yes, The Taming of the Shrew...  If this movie is not about a boy and a dragon, but is instead about a husband and wife (or a wife and a husband) then here is what I learned:

1.  Do not kill.

When Hiccup discovers the Night Fury that he has shot down, he stands over the bound and helpless dragon and raises his dagger to kill.  The dragon looks at him and then closes its eyes, and lays its head down as if to accept its fate.  But Hiccup doesn't kill the dragon.  He decides to free it.

As soon as the dragon is free, it jumps to its feet, bears down on Hiccup, and belts out a ferocious roar close enough to blow the hair back off of Hiccups' face.  Hiccup braces himself for the worst -- death.  But the death blow doesn't come.  The dragon scampers off.

So the first lesson is Do not kill.  But since not many of us stand over our spouses with a knife poised to strike, let's break this down a bit.  We may not be using a knife to slice and dice our husbands, but are we using our words?

"The tongue has the power of life and death,"

Proverbs 18:21

So, wives and husbands I implore you -- the next time you have a cutting remark on the tip of your tongue, bite down on it.  Resist the urge to strike.  Picture your spouse as the one who is bound and injured, and helpless.  You know you have the power to bring destruction with what you might say.  But don't.  

Readers, thank you for reading.  I pray this blog is and will be a blessing to you as you seek a closer walk with Jesus and with your spouse.  May God richly bless you.  I love you and thank God for you.

Love, Darilyn

So this is Christmas...

        
          The gifts have all been opened, the turkey's been cooked.  I resisted the urge to run to the mall today to exchange the gifts that weren't "just right."  My husband is sleeping, my teenage son is on his computer, and I have to ask myself, "So, this is Christmas?"

          Why is it, every year, I get caught up in the shopping, decorating, cooking and wrapping, and seem to lose sight of the very reason for the season?  Jesus has come.

          We stress over who's visiting with who, and when.  We stress over how much we are or are not spending on gifts.  How many Christmas parties, events and dinners can we squeeze into our schedules? What does it take to make us feel like our holiday was successful, and like we are significant?  Jesus has come.

          It feels great to see family, and even better to put a smile onto the faces of the ones we hold most dear.  But it is in the quiet moments, when I can sit and reflect, that I finally remember, once again, that Jesus has come.

Jesus, Jesus, Lord to me,

Master, Saviour, New-born King,

Came to change everything,

Jesus, start with me.

Has Jesus come into your heart?  Have you invited Him in, this holiday season?  I pray God will bless you richly this holiday season with an abundance of peace in His presence.

Love, Darilyn

Inception: A Prison of Guilt

          Deep in the subconscious mind of Dominic Cobb there lives a memory of his wife, Mol.  In the basement of his subconscious is the scene of the last night Dom spent with his wife.  It is the hotel room where they spend their anniversary each year.  She has trashed the hotel room to make it look like a struggle has taken place, written letters to her lawyer indicating that she felt her life was threatened, and had doctors certify her to be of sound mind all in an attempt to get Dom to commit suicide with her.  She erroneously believed that the reality they were living in was a dream world, and that the dream world was the reality she needed to get back to.  So she did her best to convince Dom to commit suicide with her.  He didn't.  She did.

          And then he had to live with guilt.  Dom's guilt was two-fold.  First, he was the one to plant the idea in her mind that death takes you home where you belong.  Second, he was the one to survive.

          We all have some sort of baggage we carry around with us.  For some it is guilt, for others shame, regret, insecurity, inferiority, or a host of other possibilities.  Dom's subconscious mind was literally haunted by "Mol" - the personification of his memory of her.  Some of us are haunted too.

          If you catch yourself using phrases like, "If only,,," or "I should have..." then maybe you are also haunted by a memory.  The question is what do we do about it? 

          Does the Lord want us to live like that?  I don't think so.  The Bible says that he has put our trangressions as far away as the east is from the west.  It also says that our sins have been thrown into the ocean and forgotten by God.  It says we are to forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead.  It is not the Lord who orchestrates the unpleasant reminders, the haunting memories that plague us.

          That is the work of the Accuser.  Our enemy does not want us to live like we are forgiven.  He wants us to drown in our sorrows, literally, if possible!  So how can we defeat the attacks of the evil one?  We can get into the promises of God.

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in you." 

Isaiah 26:3

          Trust that the Lord has forgiven you.  He did.  The first time you asked.  Trust that He loves you.  He does, and always will, no matter what.  Trust that the Lord has a plan for you that doesn't involve torturing your mind with guilt, shame or anything else.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11



Readers, you can let your mind rest in the knowledge of God. 

Love, Darilyn



Hey McSteamy -- I need my HOPES lifted!

We either see our plastic surgeon to get something removed or reduced, or to get something enhanced or augmented.  Last time I wrote about how my McSteamy removed my ugly growth of bitterness, unforgiveness and whatnot, free of charge.  All I have to do from now on, is remember that its done.  In fact, I think his exact words were, "It is finished."

So now, let's see.  What do I need more of?  I don't want (or need) breast augmentation.  And, rather than a collagen injection to plump up my lips (or whatever else...), what I need to continue with my emotional extreme makeover is an infusion of hope.

Sometimes we look to our circumstances and don't see any reason there to hope.  Maybe it seems like we are in a dark tunnel, without the benefit of seeing a light at the end of it.  It is very difficult to live this way.  It is even harder to die this way.  Even Jesus needed the promise of hope to carry him through.

Scripture says,

"For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, 

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 

Hebrews 12:2

Jesus found hope in the joy set before Him.  He needed that hope in order to get through His most difficult hour.  Naturally, we all need hope to carry us through our darkest hours.

Where is our hope?   

"In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 

May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,

even as we put our hope in you." 

Psalm 33:21-22

"You are my refuge and my shield;

I have put my hope in your word."

Psalm 119:114

"As for me, I will always have hope;

I will praise you more and more." 

Psalm 71:14

"Hope in the LORD and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;"

Psalm 37:34

"Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:31

Readers, this is just a small taste of the amazing promises for hope in the Bible.  I pray you will look deeply into His word for yourself.  I am praying for you.  Keep pursuing Jesus for he is surely pursuing you.  May He give you a hope-lift today!

Love Darilyn

Your Mind: The Battlefield

Your mind is a powerful thing.  In Inception, it becomes clear just how powerful our creative forces can be, and how powerful our destructive forces can be.  We can create a whole world in our mind.  And in the movie, people can infiltrate our dreams.

If you've been following the last few blogs on Inception, you know that I have drawn a parallel between Cobb and Satan -- both would steal your good ideas from you, and plant ideas into your mind that are not intended for your long term best interest.

The similarities continue.  In the film folks would have a line of defence in their dream world.  These defenders would identify and attack infiltrators -- this was the source of all the action sequences in the movie!  There was an all-out war going on within the dream worlds.

In reality, you need to train your mind to recognize and reject thoughts that Satan has placed in your mind.  If you "hear yourself" think something like, "I am such a loser," or "I am so stupid," or "I am such a klutz," then you need to blow the whistle on that thought and reject it.

Best case scenario you can say out loud, "I reject that thought!  I am a child of God, Jesus has declared that I am victorious!" or, "I have the mind of Christ, according to scripture!" or, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"  Don't just say it.  Believe it, and act like you believe it.

The more Satan's attempts to bring you down this way results in you claiming your scriptural rights as a child of God, the less likely it is that he is going to continue trying the same thing.

And another thing -- if you are plagued by bad dreams, recognize that fear does not come from God!  You can pray and trust that all your dreams will come from Jesus only -- and they will!

If you ask Jesus to be the Lord over your dreams, then He will do battle to keep out the things that frighten you in your dreams.  He will place warrior angels over you who will do battle for you to keep your mind at peace while you sleep.  I know this is true because I did this myself.  My recurring nightmares were gone.  I have told many students about this, they've tried it, and it has worked for them too.

If Jesus is your saviour, then He is your saviour.  Ask Him.  He will be your protector even while you sleep.

Readers, I love you so much.  Thank you for visiting, thank you for sharing, and thank you for the awesome comments that have been coming in.  I am especially pleased to know there is a young girl in Norway following the blog!  Hits are way up -- let's keep it growing.  The Lord promises His word will not return void.  And He has certainly been faithful where this blog is concerned.

Love,
Darilyn

Inception -- How do you know what is reality?

In the movie, Inception, Cobb entered other people's dreams which were at times so real, that he needed some way to determine whether he was in a dream world, or in the real world.  He carried a little token, he called it a "totem" for this purpose.  If the totem continued to spin and spin, then he would know he was in a dream.  But if the totem toppled over, then he was in the real world.

How do you determine what is reality?  Some people live in a world where, they say, God is non-existent and there is no such thing as absolute truth.  Some people live in a world where they themselves are their own god.  Some people deny the existence of the sin nature in human kind, blaming poverty for the evil in the world.

How do you determine reality?  Some people live in a world where it doesn't matter if they "get it right" this time around because they will be reincarnated and get the chance to "try again."  Some people live in a world where the idea of monogamy is absurd, and children are disposable.  Some people live in a world where as long as you don't get caught, it doesn't matter what you do.

How do you determine reality?  In Inception, the totem cannot keep spinning by itself in the real world.  The totem can only continue spinning in the dream world because the dream world is constructed by the dreamer.   So by an act of his will, as long as he is in the dream state, Cobb can make the totem spin indefinitely.

We all have totems we can keep spinning as long as we are in the dream world we construct for ourselves.  We all have lies we tell ourselves to keep our totems spinning.  Perhaps a  wife looks the other way knowing her husband is having an affair.  If she acknowledges the reality of the infidelity, then her totem topples -- she loses her lifestyle, her reputation, her financial security.  Perhaps a businessman pads his expense account, overcharges his clients or cheats on his taxes -- as long as he tells himself that everybody is doing it, he can keep his totem spinning.  How do you determine reality?

How do I determine reality?  I think the earth is God's totem.  He created it, he created the entire solar system, and the many galaxies.  Our world is His reality.  He makes up the rules.  He keeps it spinning.  So, as long as the sun comes up in the East and sets in the West, I know we are all still living in God's reality.  I know God is keeping every planet in its orbit, and every ocean within its boundaries.  I know He is sovereign, and ultimately we are all playing by His rules.  He is my reality.

Readers, the best "reality check" is to see the sun rise and set again.  That proves that we are living in God's reality.  Acknowledge Him, for He is sovereign over all.  I love you, readers.  I pray that you are being blessed, and loving Jesus more each day.

Darilyn

My McSteamy's Nip and Tuck

Reader's when we visit a plastic surgeon it is for one of two reasons: either we want to get rid of a little something, or we want to gain a little something.

Like any woman my *ahem* age, I can think of several things I would like to get rid of.  For starters, the crow's feet that are beginning to circle my eyes like the spokes on a bicycle tire, after that perhaps the bulge that has settled around my mid-section, and finally... let me see...probably the skin tag that no one can see, but I know its there.

But My McSteamy didn't use lasers or a blade to get rid of physically unpleasant stuff.  He used the Word of God, which is sharper than a double-edged sword, to help me get rid of some rather unsightly emotional scars.

First, there is anger, lingering anger otherwise known as regrets, resentment, unforgiveness, or even bitterness.  All of this had to go for me to be made emotionally whole.

One of the things I was angry about was that I didn't hear the name of Jesus until I was a young adult.  I had regrets over how I had lived before I knew Him.  I was also angry about the decision I had made to surrender my career to relocate across the country.  And then I was angry that my business failed, and then my marriage ended.

If you think about it, there is no end of reasons to be angry, if angry is what you want to be.  Well, when I had finally had enough of being angry and was ready to just accept that God is sovereign and not me, then it was easy.  All I had to do was agree with God that He was God and not me.

If you've ever seen Bruce Almighty, then you know this is a good thing.  A very good thing.

So I went to my McSteamy -- no appointment necessary -- and He said, "What don't you like about yourself?"

And I said, "All this anger has got to go!"

And he said, "I thought you'd never ask.  Just give it to me.  I'll take it."

"That's it?" I asked with incredulity.

"Well, yes, and no."  He said, "You have to leave it with me and not take it back.  And you have to choose to trust me every time you are tempted to pick it back up again."

"Thanks, what do I owe you?"

"Nothing, the debt has been paid."

Meet My McSteamy:

Okay, so I am driving home thinking about all the things I have to do, and suddenly I find myself thinking about how far I've come, how much I've changed since I was an emotionally disfigured young woman.

"Emotionally disfigured" I wondered how in the world that phrase came to me. But really, I was. Rejected, abandoned, abused, neglected. But that was then, and this is now.

Then I got thinking that what this world needs is a plastic surgeon who can fix the damage done to our souls so that we are like new again. Something a bit more powerful than "chicken soup for the soul," if you know what I'm saying.

More effective than botox, we wouldn't paralyze our emotions. Our emotions just wouldn't paralyze us. We need a healer that can restore, renew, and rebuild our "ancient ruins." We need a supernatural McSteamy.

Jesus is my McSteamy. Oh yeah! I might be looking a little worn out on the outside -- somedays more than others. But on the inside, I am being renewed day by day. Jesus is real. I am a new creation because of Him.

Before I knew Jesus was really REAL...

When I was a young woman, I was very new to Christianity. I was attending church, and trying to be all that I thought a young wife and mother should be. The problem was that it just wasn’t working for me.

For a long time in my Christian walk, I was pretty sure Jesus existed, and that if I died I’d go to heaven. I pictured myself as a tiny dot in an endless sea of faces all looking to Jesus for hope.

But what I really needed was a faith that made a difference in my life here and now. What was really urgent to me was having a God who cared enough and was effective enough to make my life worth living.

I had a hunch that since God was the Creator of the universe and everything in it, He should be able to fix my life. Or at least help me. Thus I started asking questions.

I didn’t think they were hard questions, but maybe they were:

“If God can do anything, and He loves me, why didn’t he choose to...?”

“If God is strong enough to protect me, then why didn’t he prevent...?”

“If God’s design for marriage is for the husband to love his wife as Christ loves the church, then why...?”

The more I asked, the more it became clear to me that there either were no answers, or nobody knew the answers. I always seemed to get one of those stupid, worthless pat-answers.

You know the ones:

“It won’t matter in light of all eternity.”

“All things work together for the good.”

“God is sovereign,”

“This too shall pass.”

And my ultimate worst-favorite,“You gotta let God be God.”

None of these meaningless slogans helped. The things I had been through, and all I was still struggling with, simply could not be smoothed over by ineffective, sweet-nothings. If Jesus really was real, I needed to know how He could make a difference to me. Right here, right now: in the midst of all of life’s biggest uglies.

Even if Jesus IS Real? So What? How is He Relevant?

I will be speaking on November 21st at Waverley Baptist Fellowship church (see upcoming events for more information) and received this design they created displaying the title of my message.

I absolutely love it! Red is my favourite colour! And the design captures the attitude exactly of the message I will be bringing.

What do you think, readers? Do you like it?

Please pray for me as I continue to prepare the message.

Lord, may all that I say be glorifying to Jesus, may all who hear be blessed and drawn into a deeper and more rewarding relationship with Him. Bless my readers and my listeners, Lord. Thank you so much, Amen.

Inception -- He Will Plant Ideas that Are Not Yours!

In Inception, Dominic Cobb strategizes how to manipulate and deceive in order to plant an idea into the mind of a man. This idea is not there for the man's benefit, but for the benefit of his business adversary.

This is exactly how Satan operates. He strategizes, manipulates and deceives all in an attempt to make you believe that your thoughts are actually your thoughts.

But, often they are not.

Have you ever thought, "I am so dumb."?

That is exactly the kind of thought that Satan plants in you. Why? Because you are God's workmanship! You are the apple of God's eye. You are so loved by God that He gave His One and Only Son so that you could spend eternity in heaven with Him. You are important to God, and if you have accepted Christ as your Saviour, then the Bible says, "We have the mind of Christ."

So, by getting you to believe that you are thinking to yourself, "I am so stupid." then Satan not only has you down on yourself, but also has you calling God a liar. But God is not a liar -- Satan is. He is lying to you trying to make you think that you think you are dumb. But you don't think you are dumb! You, in your renewed spirit, know that you have all the wisdom you need in Christ.

James 1:5 says that God gives wisdom to ALL who ask. So the next time you are tempted to think you are stupid, Stop yourself and pray instead, "Lord, thank you that in Christ I have the mind of Christ. Thank you that you give wisdom to all who ask. I am asking for wisdom right now Lord. Thank you that I am not stupid! Thank you for your wisdom! In Jesus' name, Amen!"

Other thoughts that Satan tries to plant in you is that you are unworthy of love, that you are no good, that you are unattractive or too sinful to be helped. All of these are lies of the evil one.

The Truth is that God loves you so much that He sent his son to die for you. He values you so much that he wanted to make a way to reconcile you to himself for all of eternity. He made you in his image. He is God enough to redeem you from anything you have ever thought, or said, or done. And Jesus has redeemed you. He said on the cross with his last earthly breath, "It is finished."

The Bible tells us to take every thought captive. To do this we must become aware of the thoughts that are entering our minds. When we recognize one that doesn't line up with God's truth we have to blow the whistle on that thought and reject it. Then we need to remind ourselves of what God's truth is on that matter.

Keep telling yourself the truth. If you can, say it or sing it out loud to yourself as often as possible. Even if it is a little child's song like, "Jesus loves me, this I know..." Do it. The devil will flee from you if you resist him.

Remember readers, I am praying for you. I love you. I care about your walk with Jesus. Cling to Him for He is clinging to you. He is with you always, even to the end of the earth.

Love,

Darilyn

Welcome to Tried and True!

Ever since discovering the stats tab here in Blogger, I have checked on a regular basis to see where the readers are who are accessing this blog. I have been keeping track, and much to my own surprise and fascination, there are new countries represented every day.

A few days ago, I added a page and posted the flag of each nation of my readers. Since then, in just a few days, new readers have joined from Jamaica, Isle of Man, Romania, Poland, Egypt, Australia, Spain and Ecuador. I will add their flags shortly.

Now, you would think that all of this activity on my blog would make me very happy. And it does. But, it also makes me hyper-aware of the fact that I will give an account of every word I have spoken (well in this context, written) to the One and Only! And that makes me a little nervous. Maybe even a lot nervous.

It is my greatest desire to lift you up, readers. To inspire you to a closer walk with Jesus, or if you don't know Him personally yet, to inspire you to invite Him into your heart.

I hope and pray that each one of you has a copy of the Holy Bible to call your own. And I pray you are checking and double-checking everything I say against the truth of God's Word. If you don't have a copy of the Bible, and many of you may not, then how much more important is it for me to accurately represent God's Truth to you.

So my prayer today is this:

Help me, Lord Jesus, to accurately portray your character, your greatness, your holiness, your loveliness, and your gentleness to my readers. Help me to correctly interpret and impart your wisdom and truth to the readers of this blog. Let this blog be a blessing and treasure to all who find it. Let these readers grow and benefit from what they find here, and let them have the courage and kindness to share it with others around the globe. And Father, bless all those who seek to know You. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Readers, you are so precious to me. I watch for you every day. I treasure your trust in me. If anything I write has been a blessing to you, thank the Lord for it. As you go about your day, please know that Jesus loves you more than you could ever fully realize. And He is with you wherever you go.

Love,

Darilyn

Inception -- He Comes to Steal Part II

Dominic Cobb is a professional idea thief. He infiltrates peoples dreams and takes their best ideas then turns them over to their corporate rivals.

In the same way, Satan wants to take your best thoughts and turn them against you. He wants to take your confidence and turn it into self-doubt and self-loathing. He wants to take your hopes and dreams leave you in shame and despair. Your enemy wants to twist your faith into disbelief.

The Bible says that the work of God is this: to believe in the One he sent. Satan says you haven't done enough to earn God's love.

The Bible says that you have been rescued out of darkness. Satan wants you to believe that there is no hope for you.

The Bible says that you are the workmanship of God, created in His image. It also says that the King is enthralled with your beauty. The devil wants you to think you are not tall enough, thin enough, or beautiful enough. He wants you to obsess over every little freckle and blemish and extra pound, as if you are not good enough.

The Bible says that God has a plan for you, plans to give you hope and a future. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Satan wants you to sweat over where your next meal is coming from, and to blame God for the challenges you face.

Yes, Satan is the father of lies and a thief through and through. Like I said, he wants to steal your peace, make you worry, and plunge you into despair. The Bible says that Satan wants to take you captive to do his will. Don't let Satan have his way with you.

Call on the name of Jesus, and get your nose between the pages of scripture. Read what it says. Believe it. Trust that God loves you.

Lord, let my precious readers know how much they are loved. Let them seek to know for themselves how much you love them. Lord, I pray you will reveal yourself to them in a way that is profound and life-changing.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing this blog with those you love.

Darilyn

Inception -- He Comes to Steal

The movie Inception is about a man, Dominic Cobb, who is an expert in infiltrating peoples’ dreams and “extracting” their ideas, that is, stealing them. This all supposedly takes place as a form of corporate espionage.

In this movie Cobb faces his greatest challenge -- rather than stealing an idea -- he must plant an idea, he must accomplish “inception.”

These two insidious attacks against the mind are just like the attacks that Satan launches against our minds. First we will talk about what he attempts to steal from us, and later we will talk about what kinds of ideas he tries to plant in us.

Satan is alive and well and “prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” He is the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy.

What does he come to steal? One of the things that the devil wants to take away from you is your peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Isn’t it obvious, then, that Satan wants to rob you of that peace?

Satan wants to get you worrying. Why? Because Jesus has told us not to worry about tomorrow! When we worry, we are defying a direct order to not worry!

I have to admit right up front that worrying is something I fall into all too often. Just ask my kids, or my husband, they would tell you that I definitely worry too much! I have felt convicted over my worrying because I realize that worrying is evidence that I am not trusting God. Worrying implies that I do not believe that God has got my back.

So, yes, Satan wants to rob you of your peace and get you worrying.

Another thing that Satan wants to take away from you is the Truth that is sown in you. In the parable about the sower, some of the seed is stolen away by the birds of the air before it can take root -- that is a picture of how Satan wants to steal away the Truth the very moment you hear it!

Readers, this blog is a place you can come to for Truth. I promise you to bring you the pure Truth and put it into words you can understand and enjoy. Please pray for me that I find time to write for you, and that when I write, I am diligent to stay accurate to scripture.

Thank you so much for reading, thank you for coming back again, and thank you for sharing this blog with others! I love you, I pray that this blog is a continuing blessing to you and yours.

Darilyn

Welcome Readers!

People from Russia, Finland, Guam, Morocco, Denmark, Nigeria, China, Hungary, Sri Lanka, Morocco, and Pakistan have visited just since yesterday! Praise God!

Precious Readers, keep visiting, keep sharing this blog with those you love, and keep thanking God that His word is living and active! May this blog richly bless you as you seek Him!

You are deeply loved and valued by God. Never doubt that. No matter what! He will never leave you or forsake you. You are the apple of his eye. His treasured possession. He wants more than anything for you to know you are His. He created you, and He loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to redeem you to Himself.

Oh, how I want you to grasp this! I pray that His love for you will grow more and more real every day!

Love Darilyn