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Content with the Thorns

by Marci Ferrell
Book Reviews Christian Living

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I’d love to help you simplify your meal planning. Check out my new menu planning course here.

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   2 Corinthians 12:7-10

“God's purpose for us is no different from His purpose for Paul.  He brings thorns because they weaken us, and it is only when we are weak that we will be able to recognize–and desire–the sort of strength that we can find only in Christ.  Thorns break us of our self-sufficiency.  Christ's power is made perfect, or complete, in the void created by our powerlessness to help ourselves out of a painful place.  Because of his thorn, Paul learned the benefit of this great exchange, which enabled him to write, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10).  Accepting the thorns that God sees fit to keep in our lives is the only way to find the strength that Paul is talking about.  Paul found Christ's strength working in him to be so powerful, so joy-producing, that he came to see his troubles–and they were many–as friends.  Can we say like Paul, “I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities”?

We can.  We can be content with the thorns God allows if we shift our thinking to view them as opportunities.  Each difficulty that comes our way, all that weakens us, is a fresh chance to cling to Christ and discover His power, His strength, and all that He is for us in the provision of himself.  There are things about our union with Christ that we just cannot know apart from the thorns that spear our lives.  That's why, when Paul had prayed for relief, Christ replied, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

Is the grace of Christ sufficient for you too?  You'll never know if you spend all your energy seeking to pull the thorn out of your flesh.  If it's relief that you want–real relief–the kind that fills you with contentment, stop fighting when God says no.  Listen instead to Christ's words to Paul, because they are His words to you as well.”


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Welcome to Thankful Homemaker

So thankful you’ve stopped by for a visit. Please grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit a bit. I hope to remind you that contentment in our role as homemakers begins with finding our satisfaction in Christ.

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thankfulhomemaker

Marci Ferrell
We live in a world where it can be quick to pass j We live in a world where it can be quick to pass judgments instead of seeing the best in others. We can find ourselves expressing our opinions harshly when we differ from one another.⁣
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Bringing it closer to home, how are your responses to those you are closest? What does a gentle spirit look like in the context of your marriage or with your children?⁣
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Listen in to EP 48: Cultivating Gentleness at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
Think to yourself before you respond to pause and Think to yourself before you respond to pause and pray. Two simple actions that take a moment but can give you wise words that are covered in gentleness, grace, and love.⁣
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Quote from EP 60: Gently Correcting Our Children you can listen in at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
We are called in Ephesians 4:29 to respond with wo We are called in Ephesians 4:29 to respond with words that give grace, encourage, and build up. This includes those hard moments when our kids are sinfully disobedient.⁣
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Listen in to EP 60: Gently Correcting Our Children at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
By affliction, Christ . . .⁣ shows us our empti By affliction, Christ . . .⁣
 shows us our emptiness and weakness,⁣
 draws us to the throne of grace,⁣
 purifies our affections,⁣
 weans us from the world,⁣
 and makes us long for Heaven.⁣
~ J.C Ryle
This simple free eight-page guide is meant to help This simple free eight-page guide is meant to help you think through your summertime schedule for your family. As you walk through it you'll determine what your family loves to do, leave room for spontaneity, and put together a simple daily routine to help your days run a bit smoother. ⁣
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There are some summertime meal planning tips and a printable with ideas to put on your family's bucket list for summer and maybe spark new ones of your own! ⁣
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Come download your free 8-page summertime guide here and get access to our whole library of printables when you do.
Such a good conversation with Dale Partridge from Such a good conversation with Dale Partridge from @relearnhq about his new Gospel Project called MailtheGospel.org. You can get the gospel to anyone anywhere.
So appreciate @reagantrose (I do recommend you fol So appreciate @reagantrose (I do recommend you follow friends if you don’t yet!)- link to the podcast episode we talked about Homemaking to the Glory of God in my profile @thankfulhomemaker 

Repost from @reagantrose 
Godliness > Your Plans⁠
The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of The Church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.⁣
~ Henry Ward Beecher⁣
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Come listen to EP 32: Preparing Our Families for Sunday Morning Worship at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
How many times does Sunday morning roll around and How many times does Sunday morning roll around and you find your heart in a state of chaos instead of calm to worship the Lord?  How many Sundays do you arrive at church and realize you haven’t taken the time all week to pray for your pastor or your church family? ⁣
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I want to share with you some simple steps we can take to prepare our hearts and the hearts of our families for Sunday morning worship to the Lord. ⁣
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The hope today is to get you to understand the purpose and the mission of the local church and then to move on toward how we can proceed with some simple steps to prepare our hearts and the hearts of our families for Sunday morning worship to the Lord.⁣
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Come listen to EP 32: Preparing Our Families for Sunday Morning Worship at the link in my profile @thankfulhomemaker (click on the link under the blue arrows and then this image)
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