[Day 17]

RADIANT | Day 17…

OPENING YOUR DOORS…

This sounds so simple, so easy but for some of us opening our home can be very difficult. I receive so much joy from the laughter and conversations that manifest from family and friends within my home. I enjoy hosting and the idea and act of being hospitable… hospitality. Getting to love on others… I believe it is just my thing. There was a time in our lives where every time you would turn around I had something on the calendar. I was either planning or thinking of ways to have people over, always having my doors opened. There was also a time in my marriage I didn’t really consider the work or even anxiety that I was creating for my better half… It was easy for me to open our doors extend an invitation, but in that point of my life I put such effort and investment into things that really didn’t matter. By doing this, opening our home resulted in a lot of unnecessary work.

We just recently when through a season of change in our personal lives, in our marriage and within our family. It had been a long time coming… As a result, we became very intentional about slowing down, not over scheduling and keeping things simple. And as I have said so many times here lately, God has been doing an amazing work in our lives ~ just transforming… Out of love and respect and just a real understanding of needing to survive, we slowed down and focused on God and each other.

Recently we were at my dad and step-mom’s home filled to the brim with like-minded believers and we just bathed ourselves in their transforming testimonies and words of hope. They were speaking on a subject very dear to mine and Andy’s heart… couples who pray! We left there that night reveling in the sheer power and truth of what God intended marriages to be here on this earth. That night we felt such a calling to share this with our sphere of influence.

Side note here… we all have a circle of influence, we do! And daily we are influencing those people whether it is for good or for evil… we ARE influencing others!

Andy and I knew this is what God wanted us to do and before we could get out of the car we had shared our feelings and desires with my brother and sister-n-law who had just spent the evening along side of us. They too knew how powerful this could be if we just would share it with others.

That night, we decided we would open our home to anyone who wanted more in their marriage. To anyone who wanted to hear our story. We would open our home weekly to these people for as long as we needed to and we would do it solely for the Kingdom of God.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. | James 5:16

We no longer would use our fears or our past experiences to be a crutch for opening our homes to share God’s hope. Yes, there is an effort to put up the toys and the popcorn kernels that somehow seem to escape Will’s mouth EVERY time… Yes, the fear of a lingering dog-hair or an overlooked dirty tub… But, our focus is no longer on re-landscaping the yard {don’t ask…} but now focusing on people; focusing on our part to influence and enhance with great obedience and INTENT others walk with Christ.

This past Monday night was the second time we have gathered… a large “small group” of amazing people who whether intentional or unknowing have jumped in the deep end. And it has been ah-may-zing! If you are in my neck of the woods and you see a RADIANT light shining ~ you better believe it is coming from my home! The people, the stories, the obedience to share and shine is INFECTIOUS! Beautiful couples wanting more, realizing maybe their standard has been compared to the world and not the example of Christ and His Bride.

Opening our home, sharing our home for Christ has allowed Andy and I to reflect Christ light into the lives of others. In doing so it has brought us closer together, doing His will together… it’s exciting!

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. | Psalms 34:5

Each monday night after most have long been gone, we just linger in the thick presence of God and the power of His presence within this group. It has been an amazing blessing and we have truly enjoyed opening our doors and inviting others inside.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. | 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

be willing to be open and be radiant!

“We must learn the same lessons the disciples learned from walking with Jesus. His ministry is about touching people, healing the sick, feeding the poor, and saving the lost. We cannot minister without human contact! Kingdom ministry is a ‘full contact’ activity!”
-R. Hughey