Here's the link. (Five Minute Fridays over at Kate Motaung's website)
Here's the prompt.
Whole.
For another fun take on the word whole, read this post: http://tammysincerity.blogspot.com/2016/03/holey-wholly-holy-and-share-five-minute.html
He's got the Whole world in His hands, He's got the Whole world in His hands, He's got the Whole world, in His hands, He's got the Whole world in His hands.
Todo el mundo!
Whole is a wonderful word. It stands for completion. It lacks nothing. And, when we are made whole with Christ, He is all we need. It can also mean restoration or reconciliation.
Last week I spoke about my decision to follow Jesus.
And, I linked the wrong song.
So, I want to tell you that 16 years ago, Christ made me whole. I just didn't see it all at once.
I still wanted to be married and have a family someday.
I also wanted to go to Nashville and get a job at the Gospel Music Association and be able to write songs that people would sing all over the world that praised God.
Those dreams don't work well together.
Now, I want to teach and encourage others.
And somehow, I really am doing all of those things without world renown.
13 years ago, I met my husband. I was finally Wholly God's. I was content to be single forever, and He was my heart's desire. Navigating room for a husband without edging God out was something that concerned me.
I've still yet to meet anyone who can answer the questions I asked back then. "How do you balance loving God and loving your husband? Won't he take God's place?"
It's similar to the pondering of a pregnant mother who already has a child. "How can I love another child and not take away from the love I have for the first?"
You'll find that when your heart is already whole, there is room for more love.
And if God loves the Whole world, then there is always room in His heart for you! :)
"6 For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! 9 Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.."
(Romans 5:6-10, HCSB)
He saved you before He made your body, but He knew already that He loved you. And that you would need Him to feel whole.
-Tammy
I love your openness here, Tammy! I think my knee-jerk answer to that question is that loving God well is what enables us to love our husbands (kids, family, friends, etc.) but then you know this and answered it in the next paragraph! So glad we are neighbors this week!
ReplyDeleteKarrilee,
Delete:) The Jumping Tandem Retreat really helped me understand God's love for me. So thankful we have that memory together, even if I didn't know how much fun you are at the time and could have had more fun!
:)
Love,
Tammy
I also loved your words Tammy. Thank you for sharing the gospel so beautifully. My pastor says that we need to preach the gospel to ourselves daily to remind us of who we are in Christ. Thank you for this reminder today. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I tried to find your post and couldn't. Can you tell me your url or your linkup number this week?
DeleteI'm also a "mom to 3". :)
Love,
Tammy
I'm number 75. I hope you have a lovely weekend!
DeleteI love this: "You'll find that when your heart is already whole, there is room for more love." I think if we really know God's love for us that frees us to love others well but still find our ultimate security in God. I love the passage from Romans too. (#23)
ReplyDeleteThanks Carly.
DeleteWe all seemed to come out and bare our souls this week. Your post was beautiful! :)
Love,
Tammy
I love that we both thought of that same song. Love THIS: "And if God loves the whole world, then there's always room in his heart for you." And yes there is always room for love!
ReplyDeleteTara,
Deleteoh and doesn't our FMF community communicate that love so well?!
You said love three times.
I love you!
-Tammy
Sorry it's taken me so long to get here, Tammy. But as always, it was worth the effort!
ReplyDeleteYou said this so well. C.S. Lewis addressed something similar when he was asked if there will be books in Heaven.
His reply was, "Yes...you will have a library, and it will contain the books that you loved, and had lent, or given away."
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/04/your-dying-spouse-140-not-warrior-fmf.html
Absolutely! When you're whole, there's always room for one more in one's heart! It's amazing how important it is to be wholly God's before we attempt relationships with others.
ReplyDeleteTammy, please forgive the delay of my visit over here. I loved learning more about you! :) Nashville? Who knew? I love that when we are yielded to God, He fulfills the dreams He places in our hearts in His way and time.
ReplyDeleteAlso this? "You'll find that when your heart is already whole, there is room for more love." Such truth in these words. I am continually amazed at how God makes us more like Him. When we are whole, and wholly His we can love more and more like He does.
Great post, my friend!