{skirting the issue}

Why?

I'm not sure really?

I see more and more people I know that are immersed in christianity, but completely condone it for the sake of happiness. I.really.don't.get. it. And, for the record ONCE MORE, I am not casting judgement, I am just so confused with all of it. And, when it's playing out before my eyes, it's somewhat hard to miss. Although I try.

Affairs.

Unfortunately, they happen every day. Two hours ago, CNN ran a snippet at the bottom of the screen that announced another televangelist succumbed. I have had family members and dear friends fall for the same lie. You cannot sprinkle sugar on a sour mess. I'm sorry, it's still sour.

The last two years have been beyond challenging for me. I have confronted. I have prayed. I have sought counsel on basically, WWJD, I have loved from a far, I have prayed and I have pulled back.

I have witnessed my dear, dear friend go through it from the receiving end and experienced the heart-wrenching pain as I stood my her side as we both shed thousands of tears. Her life was torn and ripped apart due to no fault of her own. Pure & utter devastation. It was beyond painful to watch.

Today I learned of another marriage demise. Another family destroyed. My heart is heavy for what this wife and children are suffering through right now.

I see other spouses/friends who have been left behind. It is devastating to watch. I can't imagine having to live through watching Scott walk away from our family and excitedly building a new one with someone else. I pray I never do, as I clearly know that no marriage is immune. But, I want to take active measures to protect mine. And, yes, there are days I would box him up and send him out with the Fed Ex man {and, I'm sure he would do the same with me}...but, really? destroy a family? a testimony? a legacy? what justifies that? I won't even go to the greener pasture lure that is guaranteed to fade like all other grasses. Been there, done that on this blog.

After so much praying over handling particular situations in the way that HE would have me handle them I have sought so much counsel. After learning today's news, I sat here and sought technological advice from a wonderful mentor....even if it by way of the Internet.....Lysa Terkeurst. I remembered reading a specific post she wrote a while back when she learned one of her very dear friends was in the midst of an affair that destroyed her sweet family. I didn't locate that one, but my search led to one in which she overheard a man in a restaurant who was clearly in the midst of destroying that legacy with these poor choices. And trust me, when I say that I have sought in how to handle these situations, I HAVE sought. And, the funny thing is, I try so hard to avoid all of this swirling around me, but every time I turn around it is THERE, regardless of my attempts to avoid. But, when I read this today, it spoke to me in a huge way....

{excerpts from the blog post @ lysaterkeurst.com}

A healthy awareness of the reality of our broken world motivates me to love lavishly today {my husband & family}, choose to trust, fill my mind with the truth of God and pray like crazy for the protection of my marriage. She went on to explain that "I know many of you were hoping I had a story of a great dramatic confrontation, but I don't. Believe me, I begged God to let me hurt him {the man in the restaurant}, I mean lovingly confront him with the truth and redemption of Jesus. But God said no.

This man is blind.

This man is deceived.

This man is dancing with the devil.

But, God did say I should pray!

She went on the say she hopes God breaks his heart in the best kind of way.

I love that. And, it's just what I needed to "hear".