Minnesota-Twin Cities

I like that 2 Corinthians verse!  It is true, taking the focus off of ourselves!  "die to yourself"  as it is written.  We arent here for us, we're here for Him and to glorify and expand the kingdom of God.  I think we all have something that handicaps us in some way or another.  For me, I suffer from panic/anxiety disorder, everyday.  It sure does test my faith,...I ask at times "why me?"  but then I read scripture like you do and I remember and God gently reminds me.  Everything is for His good.  God makes good out of everything, can you think of something good that has come out of your SF?  Or maybe you havent realized what it is yet?  Counseling to other sufferers, or maybe couseling to any physically handicapped person?  I know that my sufferings have made my faith stronger by making me depend on Him, and then testifying to others about it, how God has seen me through.  It's a very powerful way to testify.
God Bless and Welcome,
by the way I'm new here too.

I dont know if I introduced myself yet but I'm 25 years old on my second marriage and I just had my 3rd baby 2 months ago.  Great marriage!  My husband is a believer, in fact we came to Christ together.  Long but awesome story, I'd love to tell!  I've been looking for a forum like this, but havent had much luck until now, unfortunatley I dont see many people here.  I would like to ask a question to get some posts going.  Who are your favorite Christian authors?  I love to read non-fiction Christian books to supplement my bible reading: such as Max Lucado(love him), Joyce Meyers, Rick Warren, Bruce Wilkinson, Elizabeth George... Who do you read most often and why?

[Have you ever wondered what was going on in God's mind when He fashioned woman thousands of years ago in the limitless beauty of Paradise?]

Have you ever wondered what was going on in God's mind when He fashioned woman thousands of years ago in the limitless beauty of Paradise?

It must have been an adventure for Him, a special undertaking, a precious moment in which He performed His last, crowning act of creation.

As I read these first two paragraphs, I couldn't help but realize, just how true this is and how we tend to overlook it. Woman was the last thing God created on earth. And He created woman as a crowning glory for man. Just try to imagine how excited God must have been to present man with this speacial, beautiful creature made just for him. It sort of reminds me of when I buy a gift for my husband or one of my children, I can barely contain the excitement of giving the gift. I want to see the joy in my beloved's face when they get what I give them. That is how God must have felt when He mad woman and presented her to man.
Alas, but when sin entered into the world and man fell short of God's glory, he began to enjoy his life less and less, he now had to work hard to feed his wife and family, he had to make shelter for them and protect them from wild animals. The woman was not very happy either, but God had said that her desire would be for her husband. The man was perhaps bitter and resentful. The once beautiful woman God had given him was now ageing, her body was not as beautiful anymore. Man was now full of sin, perhaps he no longer aprreciated the wonderful gift God had given him. Woman too was full of sin, but man probably deep down in his heart blamed her for all his troubles. We don't know for certain, but those are just a few thoughts I ponder on.
When a person is full of pride, and has a poor self image and low self esteem, and worst of all is separated from God, that person tries to make him/herself look better, by putting others down. Somehow to sinful man/woman, makeing another person feel inferior might make him/her feel more in control.
Now I am not saying that this is a fact in all of human kind, but it is perhaps one reason why women were treated that way.
Once a man comes to know God again and is made righteous, by the attoneing Blood of the Lamb, he begins to see his wife in a whole different aspect, and begins to treat his wife as the Bible says he should.
These are just my thoughts not anyone else's.
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That is absolutely beautiful!  I love that, and I'm going to e-mail that to a few ladies I know.  Thank you so much for posting that
God bless