TINA UNSELL SEAMON

Christian Marriage, Faith & Healing, Forgiveness, Marriage

I’ve Surrendered!

November 18, 2021by Tina Unsell Seamon2 Comments

I’ve surrendered!

I’ve finally surrendered my marriage over to the Lord!

After so many years of fighting our differences I have laid it all down at the feet of Jesus.

I’m handing it all over to Him.

In prayer I am surrendering my marriage over to God and opening my heart and hands in representation of the release of my marriage to Him.

I’m exchanging the pain, heartache and wondering what the future might hold for our marriage for God’s good and perfect will for our marriage.

In Proverbs 3:5-7 the Lord instructs us to ….”Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”

Here the Lord is saying that we cannot do this by our own self will and abilities, but we must trust in the Lord and ask for His strength.

If we put our trust in Him, He promises to remove the obstacles that are a hindrance to our marriage and straighten the stressful path.

When we give our marriage over to the Lord and fully trust in Him with the understanding that our marriage is a gift from Him, it can bring God glory and ourselves joy when we surrender our marriage to Him.

He already knows what’s broken and needs mending.

He knows what is good and worthy of nurturing and protecting.

He knows the time that we have invested in our marriage is worth preserving.

He knows the things that I need to improve on.

He knows the things that my husband needs to improve on.

He knows what I need to change in order to be a Godly wife that nurtures and respects my husband.

He knows what my husband needs to change in order to be a Godly man that nurtures and respects me as His wife as well.

I am allowing the Lord to lead me in the areas that need correcting.

I understand that I have made many errors in our relationship.

We both have.

I am asking the Lord to make me aware of those past mistakes so that I do not continue to make them.

I am praying the same for my husband, however I will have to leave his part of surrendering his past mistakes into the hands of the Lord.

I cannot do the work for my husband. He has to be willing to do the work of restoration and healing on behalf of our marriage as well.

I am trusting God, and allowing Him to transform our marriage.

I know our marriage isn’t perfect.

Actually it’s far from it.

Whose marriage is perfect?

Marriage takes work! A lot of work!

Yes, there have been enormous heartbreaks, words we can’t take back, unwise decisions and choices that can’t be undone, and years wasted on trying to change one another.

If I’ve learned anything along this journey as a married couple, it is this,

You can’t take away the pain by adding more pain.

You can’t take away the bitterness by adding more bitterness.

You can’t take away those hurtful words by adding more hurtful words.

You can’t take away the unwise choices by adding more unwise choices.

You can’t take away those wrong decisions by adding more wrong decisions.

You can’t take away the bad behavior by adding more bad behavior.

You can’t offer forgiveness if you are unwilling to forgive one another yourselves.

We both have to be willing to change.

We both have to be willing to forgive.

We both have to be willing to do better.

We both have to be willing to have a desire to do better.

We both have to resolve to change those habits that we have become so accustomed to during our marriage.

We both have our annoying habits.

We both get angry.

We both say things we don’t really mean.

We both have done things we wish we could take back.

We both have uttered words we wish we could take back.

But even amidst all that seemed to have gone wrong along the way, there is still so much that has gone right.

My husband gets me and I get him.

I understand him and he understands me.

We kind of just click in certain areas and those are the things that make us perfect for each other and cause us to enjoy one another’s company.

He knows my moods and I know his.

He cares about the things that I care about.

I care about the things he cares about.

He accepts me for who I am.

I accept him for who he is.

He loves me for who I am.

I love him for who he is.

Can we do better? Yes!

Are there things we should do better? Yes!

There are always those opportunities to improve and make our relationship stronger.

Can we open our hearts and resolve to stop the fighting and bickering with one another?

Can we take our broken hearts and place them into the hands of the one who can piece them back together again?

Can we learn how to forgive one another?

Scripture reminds us in Colossians 3:13: “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man has a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.”

May we learn how to exhibit patience, love and forgiveness towards one another.

Not only for the heartbreak, the hurtful words, the unwise decisions, bad choices, or the wasted years trying to make each other into someone we’re not, but maybe we could forgive one another for wanting to make our marriage into what we wanted it to be, and not necessarily what God wants it to be.

Maybe if we could forgive ourselves for forgetting what it means to become one flesh, as the Lord intended and is reflected in the Godly union of man and woman.

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 KJV)

God intended for man and woman to share the immense depth and love of their one-flesh union.

In the creation of both man and woman He understood that we would have differences.

It is important to understand that those differences weren’t designed to restrict us, divide us, separate us, or cause us to oppose and be set against one another. On the contrary, they’re meant to embody, unify and bring us together into closer bonds with each other.

Marriage is a partnership and both have to be willing to do the work.

Both the easy and the hard!

There will be times of difficulty, trials, grief, loss, sorrow, health related issues and even financial uphills that we must battle, but if we are willing to stay connected, support, respect and love one another through everything we endure, while allowing God’s sustaining power to strengthen us, there is nothing that we cannot achieve together.

I understand that our marriage isn’t past the point of unrepairable.

Yes, we both have flaws and imperfections that should be addressed.

We both have selfishness, apathy and pride buried deep within our hearts that needs conquered, but God is perfectly able to bring transformation into those areas and exceedingly far more.

God’s Word, Power and Truth can revitalize what appears to be a hopeless situation and make it joyous, blissful and satisfying.

God has the power to restore our marriage.

Nothing is too difficult for the Lord.

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

When we resolve to release our marriage into the Lord’s faithful hands, that is when we can confidently declare that there is nothing too hard for those who put their hope and trust in Him.

God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine in our hearts and in our marriage.

Therefore, in my surrender, I will keep looking to God, praying, trusting, and thanking Him for my husband and for my marriage.

Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the gift of my husband and marriage. I humbly surrender myself and my marriage into Your loving hands and Your sovereignity. Give me the wisdom and the desire to daily seek to be a godly example of what a wife should be to her husband. Lord, help me to always live intentionally for You and by Your Word and by making You the center of our marriage. Give me the yearning and strength to be the kind of wife You want me to be and not who I want to be. Transform my mind, my heart and my thinking and make me into the person that is perfectly suited into the plan You have for my husband and our marriage. In Jesus’ name, Amen..

What is that hard thing that God is asking you to surrender?

Pray to God and ask Him to reveal it to you. We need His direction over our lives and even our marriages, for without it we wonder helplessly!

“O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”
—Philippians 4:6

In His Love,

Tina ~

Christian Motherhood, Family, Motherhood, Parenting

He’s Growing So Fast

November 17, 2021by Tina Unsell Seamon2 Comments

He’s growing so fast.

As I look at my youngest son, my heart secretly wishes that these moments, in the here and now, could last just a little longer.

I quietly whisper to myself, Son, I’m not ready for you to grow up so fast.

Maybe, just maybe, you could slow down so that my Mama heart could have a chance to catch up.

Could you do me a favor?

As you grow could you promise to never lose…

Your sweetness
Your tenderness
Your loving & compassionate heart
Your contagious giggles & laughter
Your sense of wonder
Your joyful essence
Your kindhearted spirit
Your humorous character
Your creativity
Your thoughtfulness
Your considerate nature
Your unselfishness
Your generosity
Your positive personality
Your caring & gentleness
Your love & affection
Your love for Jesus
And so much more …

In the meantime, could you help Mommy to hold onto your littleness for just a while longer?

For now, help Mommy to cherish all of …

Your little hands holding mine
Your butterfly kisses
Your lovable hugs
Your I love you Mommys
Your I need you Mommys
Your Mommy you’re my everythings.

Oh, how I want to hold onto these moments forever, but I know that I must let go and allow you to grow, learn, develop, mature and become the man that God created you to be.

But, for now, could you just slow down.

Maybe. Just a little bit.

I’m not ready.

With Love, From A Mama’s Heart

Tina ~

Poetry

A HEAVENLY REFLECTION

October 28, 2021by Tina Unsell Seamon2 Comments

When she looks in the mirror
The reflection she sees
Is a little old lady
Who looks a bit like me.

Her hair is gray,
Thinning, and weak,
And isn’t lustrous
Like it used to be.

Her eyes aren’t sparkling
With beautiful shades of blue.
She can hardly see out of them
Like she used to.

Her face reveals the toil,
Years of hard work and labor.
Her heart always found joy
In helping thy neighbor.

Though the journey has been hard,
Her old age she cannot hide.
God has always been faithful;
She’s thankful for all He provides.

She finds joy in the Lord;
His Word has been her guide
While traveling the road of life,
In Him, she could always confide.

Her life has been a blessing,
She could never deny.
Amidst trials and struggles,
Her faith has never wavered.
In Him, she could always rely.

Sustained and strengthened
By His Promises and Truth,
She finds Hope in Salvation,
In the One whose love was proved.

The old lady in the mirror she sees
Is not the afflicted she once believed.
Old age has been her privilege
God has granted to her to receive.

And Someday very soon,
It won’t be too long,
God in all His glory,
Will be calling her home.

All the earthy burdens
Along her life’s journey
Will cease and no longer be
When she stands before Thee.

Her glorified body to receive.
A heavenly reflection she will see
When He takes her hand
and leads her into eternity..

In His Love,

Tina ~

Poetry

A BEACON OF LIGHT

October 19, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

_{Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski on Unsplash}

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light,
shining bright
for all to see
across the expanse
of the earth
and out beyond
the vastness
of the sea.

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light,
a towering lighthouse
calling out to a lost ship,
drifting off course and alone,
burning bright to bring
a safe passage home.

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light,
our hope in the dark.
Through your personal storm
He leads you to a place
where you can feel safe,
and by His Mighty hands
you are transformed.

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light.
He is the foundation,
the rock of ages
that keeps us from drowning.
We simply need to look
in His Word among the pages.

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light.
Remember, when life
leads you astray,
He is a safe harbor
patiently waiting to
bring you back
and show you the way.

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light.
When the ocean waters
get too treacherous or deep,
don’t forget to keep
moving forward in faith.
It is essential to pleasing God.
He does not forsake.

A Beacon of Light,
Keep your eyes on Christ.
Look to the cross,
and His atoning sacrifice.

He will safety bring you home
when you feel lost
and when the seas of life cruelly toss
you here and everywhere.
You can faithfully trust
that He is always there.

JESUS is
A Beacon of Light
with His beckoning beam,
an everlasting reminder
of His precious blood
that cleanses and redeems.

No matter where you go,
be rest assured and know
without a doubt or unease,
that Jesus can turn the raging sea
into a transcendent steam
that flows with grace and love.

— Inspired by Psalms‬ ‭27:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

In His Love,

Tina ~

Faith & Healing, Spiritual Growth and Maturity

Jealousy, Such An Ugly Word!

October 11, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

Jealousy.

Eww, such an ugly word, right!

In the Christian circle, jealousy is not something you talk about.

Not openly, anyway.

It is preferred to be kept silent, hidden and not expressed to those who might judge you for actually having feelings of jealousy towards another.

Especially, if you claim the title of a Christian.

However, you cannot hide how you feel, even if you tried.

There is that old saying, “Faith over Feelings.”

I agree with that statement, however you cannot run, hide and pretend that your feelings don’t exist.

All that will do is cause you more harm than good.

God knows you are going to have feelings.

Some good feelings and some bad.

There is nothing wrong with having feelings.

It is all part of being human.

What is wrong is when you don’t own up to them and take responsibility for them.

That is the first step.

The next step is to take those unwanted feelings before the Lord.

Be honest with Him.

You are not hiding anything from Him that He doesn’t already know so just confess and talk to Him about them.

Allow Him to heal you from those unwanted feelings and ask Him to show you how to become more confident in who you are in Him

Ask Him to show you ways in which you can drive out these envious thoughts.

You can do this in so many ways.

Some examples are:

• Stay in His Word.

• Pray continually to God.

• Talk to Him like you would your best friend, because He is.

• Never forget the Lord’s great love for you.

• Know that your true identity is in Christ Jesus.

• Put on worship music and praise Him for who He is.

• Lift up your voice and proclaim the great things that He has done and will do for you.

• Know you are uniquely and wonderfully made in God’s own image.

• Stay in a mindful state of gratitude; which will drive out envy.

• Look for ways to celebrate the blessings of others.

• Welcome the simple act of having a giving heart which will free you from thoughts of envy.

• Express how you are feeling with other believers.

• Listen to sound advice from other believers on how you might be able to overcome those feelings of jealousy towards someone else.

If you try to pretend that those feelings are not there, brush them off, condemn yourself for having them, then you are essentially denying your feelings and that can detrimental to your health and emotional well being.

Lets face it, we have all felt jealousy towards another individual at some point in our lives.

We have compared ourselves in so many ways it can be hard to keep track of them all.

If you say that you haven’t felt jealousy or envy toward another, then chances are that you are not being honest with yourself and you are certainly not being honest with God.

I know that as a Christian having feelings of jealousy towards another is not something we want to carry around within our hearts and spirits.

It is a heavy weight and a burden that we want removed, and removed swiftly.

I myself want my attitude to be one of encouragement when I see others; especially other Christians, accomplishing great things in God’s Kingdom work.

I want to stand proud and cheer them on with gladness and purity of heart.

But sometimes, the flesh takes precedence over our emotions and feelings and we just can’t seem to feel in the way we hoped we would.

That is when we need to take it before the Lord.

Even in our shame we can still lay it at His feet.

He will lift it and carry the weight of it for you.

Psalms 55:22 says – “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

This should be a tremendous encouragement to all true Believers.

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there!

1 Peter 5:6-7 says – “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Go before the Lord in humility and seek His counsel.

He will not stir you wrongfully.

Trust Him and let him lift your burdens.

Jesus said we could cast all of our cares on him because he cares for us!

There is nothing we are going through that we cannot cast on the Lord.

God cares for what concerns you.

I understand how difficult it can be to avoid the trappings that the enemy so cleverly persuades upon the human heart.

James 4:7 reminds us to – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Remember Satan was defeated at the cross. He has no authority over Christians.

1 Peter 5:8-9 is a beautiful reminder to – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

Every true believer has faced or will face the onslaught of the evil one so we must stay mentally self-controlled, awake and watchful at all times.

This battle is not yours, it is the Lords!

Remember in 2 Chronicles 20:15, which plainly states – “…Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Allow the Lord to fight for you.

If we try to fight the battle on our terms, we will lose; if we fight the battle on His terms, we will win.

Remember beloved, as long as we walk in this fleshly body, we will be tempted.

We will be tempted in mind, body, and in spirit.

Our feelings and emotions are not immune to the devices of Satan.

In fact, that is how he accomplishes the majority of His evil schemes.

Don’t allow shame and condemnation to filtrate into your soul and spirits.

Remember what God’s Holy Word tells us in Romans 8 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

But even against all of our greatest efforts, the enemy will faithfully and without any resistance, continually remind us of our past failures, mistakes, and misgivings.

This is done so that we will continue to feel shame, regret, and guilt.

Remember that it is only our sin that is condemned and Jesus has set us free.

Remain steadfast and allow His love, grace and mercy to pour over you each and every day.

This will prevent you from having envious thoughts that will only cloud your mind, heart and spirit.

Give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit within us to convict us of sin and turn us back to Christ Jesus.

Be not forgetful, Christ already fought the battle and won, and did so at the Cross.

By doing that, the Holy Spirit has guaranteed us victory through Christ.

Pray this Prayer

Dear Lord, We come before You, and ask that you purify our hearts and minds. Remove from our spirits those unwanted thoughts of envy and jealousy. We know that these feelings that so often accompany us along our journey are not pleasing to You. We want desperately to walk with sincerity, love and holiness. Help us, Lord, to uplift, encourage and edify other Christians as they diligently and faithfully go about Your Kingdom work. Strengthen and guard us against the evil one, Lord! Let Your peace and Your Word be our shield of faith that repels us against our unwarranted emotions and feelings of inadequacy. Remind us of who we are in You- beloved and cherished, forgiven and free. Bring your life and peace into each of our days and help us to walk righteously. Empower us to overcome a spirit of jealousy and the condemnation that often stricken us from accomplishing the plans that You have for us. May we forever grow in Your truth, grace, and love. We ask this in Jesus’ precious Name, Amen

In His Love,
Tina ♡

* Some Expositor Notes were paraphrased and taken from -JSM Expositor’s Study Bible – KJV

Poetry

TRUST IN THE GOOD LORD

October 8, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

*_{Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash}*

The Lord is
undeniably good.
This simple truth is
well understood.

It’s not just what He does;
it’s who He is —
who He is —
never changing.

Our mortal minds
are like the constant sun;
From the east to the west
it ranges.

He is our refuge,
defense, high fort,
strong tower,
strength in the day
of distress.
Our deliverer,
Our shield,
a stronghold in times
of trouble.

He perceives those
who place their trust
in Him and His Word,
and consoles His
children who faithfully
follow after Him.

He offers solace
to those who
are blessed by Him.

He delights in them,
Children of God
whose confidence
they place solely
in Him and Him alone
and not in the
frail arms of men.

Repay God
for all His goodness
by highlighting in your
daily life and living
how abundant that
goodness has been.
Thank the Lord
for all He has done
and will do for YOU.

Inspired by ‭‭- Nahum‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”

In His Love,

Tina ~

Poetry

JESUS WHISPERS

October 2, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

When I silently listen

In stillness, I hear.

He softly whispers

That I am Worthy;

I am Loved;

I am Cherished;

I am Valued;

I am Forgiven;

I am Redeemed,

And I am His.

And He is Mine.

In His Love,

Tina ~

Christian Life & Living

What Do You Want To Be Known For?

September 29, 2021September 30, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

I would like to be known for…

Lifting others up.

Treating people with respect.

Being an inspiration and helping others to stay positive.

Being true to my values.

Doing my best.

Doing things that bring me in contact with my passions, gifts & talents God has given me.

Sharing my love and faith in God.

Showing others that Jesus is the way of salvation.

Leading and drawing others to know Him.

Pointing others to the Cross of Christ and reminding them of His Love.

Taking care of my family.

Being a loyal friend.

Being a good & loving mother and wife.

Giving and growing in grace.

Being the person that make others feel special.

I would like to be known for my kindness, compassionate heart and honesty.

~ 𝒯𝒾𝓃𝒶 ♡

Life Lessons & Wisdom

THE LORD IS MY ROCK

September 28, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

When I think about all that I have been through,
All the pain, all the heartache, and all the suffering,
Nights of tear soaked pillows,
All the mistakes I have made,
And will make,
Feeling like a failure
In everything,
Never quite measuring up,
Defeat etched into my mind,
Self worth all but diminished,
Feeling abandoned,
Unloved,

I am comforted by the assurance that through it all God was there.

Even now
I have immense battles that I am desperately trying to conquer,
Enormous struggles that no one knows about,
Trying hard not to be what everyone else wants me to be,
But to just be me.
Longing for the wisdom
And strength to make wise decisions,
Reaching, but never quite grasping, what I was created to be.
Wanting desperately to be freed from the toxic
relationships that bind me.

Through it all, Even Still, God is there, Seeing my through.

Though my life isn’t what I had hoped it would be,
I have never given up.
I will never give up.
Taking each day as a lesson,
Watching, waiting, trusting, seeking and learning all that God is teaching me along this journey..
Holding nothing back and laying it all at His feet..
Letting go,
Allowing Him to teach me,
To lead me,
To guide me,
Filling me with His wisdom,
His strength,
His courage,
Helping me to face each day anew.
Loving me as His precious child,
Renewing my mind, soul and spirit with His Truth,
Instilling in me a new found confidence to rise above the challenges and the struggles,
To claim victory over my life.

He has given me the life-giving keys that I need
to free me from the things that keep me bound.
The keys are hidden in His Word (the Bible) empowered by prayer,
and completed by the work of His Holy Spirit living in me,
Giving me a newfound freedom
and a hope so that I may share it with others,
Not only so that I may find my own way,
but in the hopes that others might find theirs.
He has called me out of the darkness
To be a bright and shining light for and to others.

I find peace and rest in knowing that through it all He was there,
Is there still,
In the midst of it all.
My rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God,
my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the
horn of my salvation, and my high tower (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18:2‬ )..
My ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1)..
He fights for me continuously,

Never once have I ever been alone.
Even at times when I felt alone
He was there,
Comforting me with His love and presence.

He is here, Even Now,
Speaking to my heart.
When I silently listen,
In stillness I hear,
He says softly that I am worthy,
I am loved,
I am cherished,
I am valued,
I am forgiven,
I am redeemed,
And I am His.
And He is mine.

God has promised that He will never leave or forsake His children.

Knowing the Omnipresence of God, He is everywhere
and He comes to us wherever and whenever we call on Him.

“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God:
incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.”
~ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭17:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Words can’t adequately express just how eternally
grateful I am for His love, mercy and grace.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me so,
And for making me your child.
I choose to walk the rest of my days in Your truth,
Knowing that, through it all,
You are there
Walking beside me.

Your beloved daughter.

I wrote this several years ago and although my relationship with the Lord has deepened to a greater degree, this still holds true today.

Through it all, Even Still, God is there, Seeing my through.

God Bless you,

Tina ~

Poetry

GRATITUDE

September 24, 2021by Tina Unsell SeamonLeave a Comment

*^{Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels}*

She writes
With humility,
A grand gesture
Offered in a spirit
Of Gratitude
For the things
He has done.
Oh Lord,
I humble myself
Before You and
Exalt Your
Precious Name.
May my character
Exhibit one
Of Virtue
And praise
that is expressed
In everything
That I say,
And In everything
That I do.
May my desire be
To always
Glorify You.