RELATIONSHIPS: 2-7

I have already decided to group these daily readings into one blog post each week or so, to lessen your mailbox (if you subscribe) unless I have much to say (write) about any one day. There are actually 4 sections in the book - the last one is the largest of 10 days (so I will probably break that into 2 blogs). 

Here are the groups of days & when I plan to publish them: 

Days 2-7 is this one, which I moved up to tonight October 1st so it will be in time for Day 2 (and in plenty of time for the rest of this first section)

Days 8-12 publishes on October 7th, for the second section: The Foundation of Toxic Relationships 

Days 13-16 will publish on October 12th for the first part of the third section and

Days 17-21 on October 16th for the last days of this third part: How to Pursue Relational Health

Days 22-31 are the 4th part divided into two blog posts on October 21st for Days 22- 26th and October 26th for Days 27-31: Jesus is the Loving Refuge …

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The first section I started yesterday, October 1 with Day 1:

God is Our Most Trustworthy Refuge

Today's blog post covers
Days 2 -7

Day 2: Our Heart Healer - Psalm 34:18 & Psalm 147:3

Day 3: The One who Saves Us - Colossians 1:13-14

Day 4: Our Merciful and Comforting Father -2 Cor. 1:3-4

Day 5: Our Helpful Counselor - John 14:15-17

Day 6: Our Loving Lord and Creator - Colossians 1:16-17

Day 7: Our Eternal Source of Spousal Love - Hosea 2:19-20

I may be back to share after I read and do each day or if one strikes me

like this:

"...Toxic RELATIONSHIPS can wound and break our hearts."... "A healed heart grows by looking to God more - and to people less - for comfort and affirmation." ... (day 2)

Truthfully, I'm looking to God more for EVERYTHING and first!
I do realize that only sharing this much from this 31 day devotional book does not really give you much to go on or help you if you find yourself dealing with a RELATIONSHIP that is unhealthy or toxic but perhaps you are in a healthy one too yet I believe God’s Word & God can reveal more to you & I know that a good RELATIONSHIP with Jesus will. Always stay close to God and He will guide you or give you a way; or someone to show you as He does through His Word, daily interaction with Him, listening & obeying as You trust God.  But if I have anything else that these daily readings spark, I'll add more below as I read:

"... God's plan to pursue an eternal marriage relationship with His people. In Hosea, we hear God's desire to be more than just friends, more than a king with servants, even more than a Father with His children: He pursues us, loves us, and offers us eternal marriage, with Himself." ... Day 7 "... Married to God? Yes! His spousal love is different from human marriage but no less intimate. We have an eternally secure, forever-together relationship bought for us by the blood of Jesus, Our Bridegroom (see John 3:28-29)"

I am so grateful I became aware of this beautiful concept of being married to Christ as I grew more and more in this understanding and what it means in the Christian marriage, with the Lord as our Spouse; I grew closer to Him, He & I deepened our relationship, I acknowledged my own sin and truly renewed my life in Jesus with a fresh intimacy. It was at this time I found out more clearly than ever that my spouse not only didn't believe in church-going;(just another institution/organization to him) but he did not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. So all his charitable and humane efforts in community action was humanitarian and not Christian as I had thought.  This also helped me realize that my vows of marriage were not just made in front of God but to God, a covenant between us - sadly broken in areas, but for me redeemed by Christ; it was that triangle of God (with Christ) at the center and top ^ and my spouse and myself on the base _ formed my marital image. I even purchased a gold triangle with the Cross in the center to serve as a reminder. He is Faithful & True! And I needed to learn to be. Just like the story of Hosea, but Jesus became my Hosea and redeems me. I worship Him only! No human should be idolized - that belongs to Christ alone. I've spent much of my life focus on treasuring our RELATIONSHIP!

DAY 7

Writing these keeps me accountable as I read each day. 

RELATIONSHIPS 1 of 31 October Days

TAKING REFUGE IN CHRIST

"My God is my Rock in whom I take Refuge, my Shield and the Horn of my Salvation." 

Psalm 18:2

After 10 months focusing on RELATIONSHIP, I should be able to put together my own 31 days, but most often I look to see if one is already available that fits my theme, which this year happens to be RELATIONSHIPS - the One Word that God put in my heart and mind for 2022. I do have an excellent book for all 365 days of devotions that I've mentioned often already. However, today - for this month of October, I found another book, already done and done well, so it will serve as my guide, although I can't share its contents (copyright), I will be sharing each day's contents through a scripture given. 

By now, if you know me or have read any of my blog posts, you are aware that I need work in my earthly RELATIONSHIPS, my main ones have not been healthy ... in fact, some are toxic. Many are and have been dysfunctional in my life.

[Not sure as I'm writing this blog post if I have written a previous blog post about unhealthy relationships or toxic ones, but I did intend to write one and share.]I did so it’s now linked.

That is how I came across the book which is the basis for these 31 days. I can never write as well as the author of this book, so I will just recommend on the last day this book. I purchased the Kindle version (of course) the moment I read the Introduction and page 16 prayer to:

God is Our Most Trustworthy Refuge

"Lord, I struggle to believe that You really can be a safe place for me in the midst of what I’m facing. I am tormented right now as I battle to believe I can truly be free of the mess in my relational world, and specifically my relationship with ________. I am hurting, angry, lonely, and anxious and ask You to open my heart to see wonderful things in Your Word. Help me to believe Your words, Lord, and please cause them to soak into my heart, mind, and life. I need You and want to grow in trusting You to lead me, day by day, step by step, to become healthy and holy in my relationships, even as I struggle to know what that looks like. Thank You that I can offer these cries for help through Jesus, the one I belong to and who calls me friend. Amen."

... and at the same time the scripture verse given for day 1 (below) was one that I just had in Jesus Listens on August 27 & in my You Version reading plan (verse image made) so I knew God was confirming this for October ... 

 Day 1 

"Our Refuge Now and Forever"

Psalms 18:1-2 I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,   my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ESV

For now I will just post the daily scripture on my blog (maybe a verse image) and perhaps I may or may not share ... as I'm 

TAKING REFUGE IN CHRIST

{not in order, but these are a few of my highlights in day1}  ..."When we forget who we are and who God is, it's easy to rush after earthly RELATIONSHIPS that seem to promise escape from all pain and disappointments." ... "... the most foundational and beautiful truth of my identity - I'm loved and known by God." ... "... Through Christ, God delivers us from unhelpful (and unholy) patterns in our RELATIONSHIPS and strengthens us to trust Him."

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Each blog post is set to publish the day before the Days given from the book.
I may repost them if I add anything in the box at the end or my own Reflection.
I posted them ahead of reading so I am reading this daily and have not read ahead.

NOTE:

I forgot that I was doing this plan for the 31 days of October and then I signed up for Revive Our Hearts "Cry Out" Challenge, but since I have done "Cry Out" in previous years, I will be praying but not sharing the ROH Challenge because they will be sending me their daily emails and our nation and this world really needs us to be praying & seeking God & God's will, not our own. Too many of us have our own agenda. We need to LISTEN to God and FOLLOW Jesus only & His Word.  

 

RELATIONSHIP Help - Healthy or Unhealthy?

Because of my FULL MONTH plan for October, I needed to squeeze this blog post in as a Prelude, so that you might understand why RELATIONSHIP is my 2022 Word & even though I have only a few months left, I am not even close to digging into the complexities of my RELATIONSHIP(S) - mostly those earthly ones that need so much work, or I do. But any way you look at this, my RELATIONSHIPs have not been healthy, I think that I have admitted and indicated having unhealthy ones; and now I am exploring this possibility - that at least one is a Toxic Relationship. I'm just learning about this. I noticed some of the signs in the relationship of another person (dear to me) and then realized that it might also be in mine. So that is the topic of this blog post as I search and learn. Also since I am just learning something new to me, I advise you to seek the facts and truths yourselves, realizing that this is my disclaimer to any comments I make or you may read in the articles I link. Perhaps you may feel that I should wait until I know more, but right now I need to acknowledge this and hope it helps. 

As usual for me, I need to start out with defining a "toxic relationship". I read this in various places but sharing this one. Most of the links I share will lead you to other similar definitions and much more information. 

"A toxic relationship is one that makes you feel unsupported, misunderstood, demeaned, or attacked. On a basic level, any relationship that makes you feel worse rather than better can become toxic over time. Toxic relationships can exist in just about any context, from the playground to the boardroom to the bedroom " Very Well Mind "A relationship is toxic when your well-being is threatened in some way - emotionally, psychologically, and even physically."

I have found various articles or sites that share Signs of Toxic Relationships from 5 to 7, up to 21. I chose depicting some of the Signs with this image:

[image credit: RamsMedia]

  However I found this article of 21 Signs to be the most thorough and professional (in other words - trustworthy) - "21 Signs of Toxic Relationships" but "24 Signs You're in a Toxic Relationship and Need to Let Go" from Women's Health speaks volumes to me (and my past) - where was this back then? I skipped the intro and just skimmed the bold face 24 signs and clearly know that I indeed needed this back in my 20s and 30s for sure. 

[This is 1 of 3 Infographics shared by "Choosing Therapy" author of 21 Signs above]

Further reading showed me the Impacts of Toxic Relationships and How to Fix ... in the above article of 21 Signs ... as you continue reading, but as so often people have to be willing - willing to admit and wanting to find a remedy or change; which most often, is only one sided. Toxic relationships have long-lasting, life-changing impacts according to Psychology Today. My own experiences show me.

"Some of the physical side effects of a toxic relationship are disrupted sleep, poor nutrition, digestive issues, muscle tightness, fatigue/ feeling constantly worn down, and immunity issues (getting ill more often)." Source

The more I look (and read), the more I find and discover how much I needed this a long time ago; along with my 365 Daily Devotions ... book by Karla Downing and her excellent website and You Tube Channel - which is very helpful and it's not just for RELATIONSHIPS that are toxic. "Change My Relationship..." is continually changing me or causing me to see what I should have changed long ago in my life (but now, seemingly a little late - although I've been encouraged to hope - it's never too late (at least until you leave this earthly home). 

There's no way that I can conclude this blog post, because it's part of my on-going life process ... even though I am in the last season of my life, I am still learning and I hope changing myself and my RELATIONSHIPS - the difficult and the ones that I so appreciate that have blessed me, tolerated me and hopefully prayed for me. So I add this image as an alternative for an ending and perhaps in November & December, I can come back and summarize some progress with my 2022 Word: RELATIONSHIP - from Unhealthy to Healthy. I truly need work & God is so patient and helpful in showing me. 

[image credit]

Oh and one more thing - there are various Quizzes available to find out if you're in a Toxic Relationship or Who's the Toxic One... Are You in a Toxic Relationship?  These were just a few and not necessarily endorsed by me; search for your own that you feel comfortable with and beware of some. Check the source (lol).