Cleaning out the Lake

I am working on my devotional book, I'm going to submit it for a contest at the end of the month. I was doing some research on statistics and saw this video to share with you.

I've told you of how I still struggle with how to accept my husband's struggle with sexual purity. Honestly, I ask God over and over why men are wired to be so visual and why so many of them struggle. He's told me that they are wired this way for their wives, but that Satan has taken advantage of this world we live in and has manipulated our men by enticing them with sexual pleasure and temptation outside of marriage. While I understand this, I still struggle.

About a year ago I told my husband of troubled I felt. He explained his recovery to me this way (I may have written about this before, I apologize if this is a repeat): he said that his mind is like a lake or a pond. The pornography polluted the water for a very long time. But now, no more pollution is flowing into the pond and slowly the polluted water is flowing out.

That analogy really helped me.

In doing my research tonight, I found this video on www.xxxchurch.com that gives a similar analogy.


http://blip.tv/xxxchurchcom/the-human-brain-5695246

Psalm 42

Hi All,

I apologize for my long hiatus! Having young children, working and the holidays kept me from writing and posting as often as I'd like. Now that it's 2012, I will have a new schedule and plan to post more regularly.

Right now I am reading through the Psalms in my NLT Chronological Bible. This one, Psalm 42, stood out to me and I thought it would encourage you:

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O Lord.
I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
'Where is this God of yours?'

My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you--
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar.
I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.

'O God my rock,' I cry, 'Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?'
Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, 'Where is this God of yours?'

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!"