Bend
I heard a song on the radio recently and the words so struck me. The lyrics went something like this: that which bends will not break. Wow! The words went straight to my heart and I knew that I needed to do better at “bending”! Well, I put the philosophy into practice that very day and I was amazed at the results. The results were immediate and powerfully positive and beneficial for all! You see I was working on a project with a friend. I am a perfectionist at heart and thus can easily get struck in my ways but this day I chose to bend where I could (for sometimes it is just as important not to bend-whenever it is deemed necessary to stand our ground on something we may feel strongly about). It was beautiful—as I began to bend<! (and not demand my own way), my friend began to bend on things for me as well. It’s kind of like smiling—when someone smiles at you, you usually end up smiling back, yes?! That’s what I experienced regarding bending. It is reciprocal.
Application Questions:
- Do you need to do a little bending in your life?
- In what areas or with whom do you need to bend?
- Are there areas in your life that you need to not bend but need to stand your ground to live out your values and beliefs?
- What might life look like if you did a little more bending—beautiful, balanced, and blessed maybe?!
- What fears do you have when you think of the possibility of bending? In what ways could you work through and/or let God help you through those fears?
This whole idea of bending reminds me of a Scripture in the book of Isaiah. It reads, “A bruised reed he [the Lord] will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3a, NIV). Be encouraged: God sees your hurts and your weariness and He is right there with you. He has compassion on you and desires to reach down from heaven to help you. Simply, cry out to Him from your heart and He will hear you and will answer you and will send you help to make it through whatever it is you may be going through. Do not give up on God or on yourself or on your situation. There is hope in the One who created you and loves you more than you can imagine. Stay the course and a rainbow will come out when the time is right. Meanwhile, as the winds of life blow—bend and see what beautiful things happen!
Always Pray & Don’t Give Up
This little book is a profound demonstration of God’s power and of true faith in action. It is a guidebook for learning how to pray Scripture, filled with eighty-nine weekly Prayer Sheets for your marriage — eighty-nine pages of power that will change your life and the lives of all those around you, as you too learn to always pray and not give Up!
Testimonials
“Praying Scripture is the most powerful and effective way to pray for your marriage. It can be a daunting task to search out all the passages that apply, though. In this book, Tammy has done the hard work for us in compiling a beautiful arrangement of God's attributes along with verses to pray for myself, as a wife, and verses to pray over my husband and marriage. The Lord has used many of these passages to bear fruit in my own life and marriage."
Mariel Davenport , Author
Knowing God Through His Names
A Housewife Desperate for God
“Tammy Rentsch is passionate about prayer. She prays faithfully and frequently. She is also committed to loving her spouse enough to pray for their marriage. Read this book and you will be equipped and encouraged to pray consistently and powerfully for your marriage with the Scriptures as your guide.”
Brian D. Russell
Professor of Biblical Studies
Dean, School of Urban Ministries
Asbury Theological Seminary