Friday, September 25, 2009

relationships.


excerpt from Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

Our enemy despises relationship, hates love in any form, fears its redemptive power. This is why God sent Eve. Women are needed to protect relationships, bring them back to center stage where they belong. You might at times feel like the only one who cares. But as women we must hang onto this-that because of the Trinity, relationship is the most important thing in the universe. Let us not give way or yield our intuitive sense of the importance of relationship for anything.

It is here, starting in our circles of intimacy, that we are first and foremost women. You have an irreplaceable role in your relationships. No one can be to the people in your life who you can be to them. No one can offer what you can offer. There are many things God calls us to do, but loving well always comes first. And don't your relationships feel opposed? Of course. They must be fought for.

Satan knew that to take out Adam, all he had to do was take out Eve. It worked rather well, and he has not abandoned the basic plan ever since. Your place in the world as God's heart for relationship is vital. All the Enemy has to do to destroy people's lives is to get them isolated, a lamb separated from the flock. To do this he removes the treasures in their life. He makes a woman feel like, "What do I have to offer, really? They're probably doing fine." Don't you believe it for a moment. You have been sent by the Trinity on behalf of love, of relationships. Fight for them.

read these few paragraphs last night before bed. felt very convicted to stop and let these words resonate in my heart. i have treasures in my life. however, i find myself not fighting for those relationships. mostly fine with just letting them go [so i thought]. turns out letting them go, letting them fade hurts me very much and never really thought about how much it hurts my Savior....the one who loved more than anyone....enough to die for me. this is my cross. i really feel the Enemy holding tight to me on this one. he would love nothing more than to see me continue to fail in this area. the one area that God calls me to really shine as a woman, wife, mother, and friend.

please join me in ongoing prayer for all women. that we can continue to place importance in the relationships that God calls us to have with one another.

happy friday.
alicia

1 comment:

Shannon and Elli said...

I remember reading that passage and I don't retain a whole lot! That was life changing for me. It makes so much sense!
" No one can be to the people in your life who you can be to them. No one can offer what you can offer."
.....And Alicia, it IS greatly appreciated!

I love you