What A God!

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: This is beautiful what God made!

Me: Yes, it is and that reminds me of something else.

This is from the book In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado

Ponder the achievement of God.

He doesn’t condone our sin, nor does he compromise his standard.

He doesn’t ignore our rebellion, nor does he relax his demands.

Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes our sin and, incredibly, sentences himself.

God’s holiness is honored. Our sin is punished….

and we are redeemed.

God does what we cannot do so we can be what we dare not

dream: perfect before God.

Luke 11:1

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he finished, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

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Women Lovin’ Jesus

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Mighty big of you to take care of the plants.

Prodigal: I enjoyed it, it was a treat.

Me: I hope this will encourage you today.

This is a short video devotion about Proverbs

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 6:3

So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: Go, humble yourself, Plead with your friend. (NKJV)

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Evil

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Prodigal, you need to watch out for evil.

Prodigal: How can I tell what is evil?

Me: Maybe this will help!

This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III

Evil is present when there is a profound absence of empathy, shame, and goodness. Empathy involves a connectedness to the heart of another and a respect for their personal boundaries. An evil person is unmoved by the inner world of the other and has no respect for boundaries. Shame involves an ability to be exposed and disturbed about actual or perceived violations or relationships. An evil person is unaffected by exposure, so is consequently shameless. Finally, goodness involves a desire to see someone or something grow in strength, freedom, and beauty. An evil person seems to delight in stripping away purpose, individuality, and vitality.

Mark 2:4

And when they could not come near unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Encouragement

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: Sometimes we have to be there for others.

Me: Yes, we all need encouragement.

This is from Encouragement: The Key to Caring

It is a mistake to think of encouragement as a set of specific words or phrases. Encouragement depends less on which words we use than the motivation behind them. Words that encourage are inspired by love and directed toward fear. These two conditions must be met for words to encourage.

Lord, help us today. Help us to stop the focus on fear today. Help us to look to You. Lord we need to give support and we need to receive support. We can only do that with a spirit of love. Love is God. God is love. So we are calling on You Lord right now to Help us.

Hebrews 9:2

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Women Lovin’ Jesus

Posted on January 4, 2021 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: Looks like you have been busy!

Me: Yes, I have, but it has been fun.

This is a short video devotion on Proverbs.

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 6:2

You have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth NIV

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Rigid Definition

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: This must be a hippie van.

Me: Don’t judge, you never know who it belongs too.

Prodigal: That is true.

This is from the book Bold Love by Dr. Dan B. Allender & Dr. Tremper Longman III

A rigid definition implies that I am what I am and will always be that in the future. But the heart and soul of a person are not eternally enslaved to a particular direction or to certain symptoms. Change can occur to a point where it can be said of the thief, the gossip, or the adulterer, “That is what some of you were” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Sufficient change can occur that invalidates the label. For that reason, I am never to judge you. I may assess your current condition and offer a tentative hypothesis, “You appear to be a fool,” but I am never to say, “You are and will always be a fool.” That statement is the dictum of a judge who has passed a final, unchangeable verdict. It is imperative never to feel certain or resolute about our opinion. We must remain open to seeing the facts from a new perspective and equally open to the possibility that our perception is distorted by the log in our own eye.

Mark 12:33

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Decision

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: I wonder how we are going to finish.

Me: We seek the Lord who will give us the decisions that we need.

Prodigal: Then what?

Me: We take action.

This is from the book Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders

When all the facts are in, swift and clear decision is the mark of a true leader. A visionary may see, but a leader must decide. An impulsive person may be quick to declare a preference; but a leader must weigh evidence and make his decision on sound premises.

Once sure of the will of God, a spiritual leader springs into action, without regard to consequences. Pursuing the goal, the leader never looks back or calculates escape strategies if plans turn sour. Nor does a true leader cast blame for failure on subordinates.

James 5:16

But now ye rejoice in your pride: all such rejoicing is evil.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Women Lovin’ Jesus

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: Now hush! You’re makin’ such a ruckus, you’ll wake up the possums.

Me: I am very excited though!

Prodigal: Ok, I’m listening, just so you can quiet down.

This is a short video devotion on proverbs

click here to watch the video

Proverbs 6:1

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger. NIV

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Marriages

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Jennifer Van Allen

Prodigal: She looks as pretty as a peach!

Me: Yes, she does and maybe I can help them with their relationship.

Prodigal: Yes, I want their relationship to last.

This comes from the book The Intimate Mystery by Dan Allener and Tremper Longman III

Marriages don’t grow simply because both spouses age. Growth is intentional, demanding and utterly surprising. It requires space and time. It will not happen without the focus of a gardener who tends, nurtures, weeds, waters, fertilizes and then repeats the same process endlessly. Growth happens because it is desired.

There are different times of growth, some of them are spiritual and then some are an emotional growth. We love and are patient with others when the growing process is present. We also pray for them. From an outside point of view it may seem like nothing is happening, but the Lord is working on the heart.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org