EP 11. HOLIDAY HOPE for YOU and YOUR Marriage and LIFE ---ALL YEAR LONG

Welcome to the Married and Lovett Podcast.

We are Greg and Linda Smith, your hosts from Raleigh, North Carolina.

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We will be covering everything that has to do with your marriage including hot topics like sex, communication, love and much, much more.

Our teachings are based on Christian principles plus over 47 years of marriage to each other and ministry experience.

We want to help you make your marriage great by teaching you how to be married and loving.

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On today's episode.

We're going to be talking about hol Holiday hope.

But before we get into that, was there something you wanted to share, dear?

Yeah.

Give yourself and your marriage a Christmas gift that will help you all the way through next year.

Listen to the six action steps for God's plan for your marriage and that will give you a great end of the year especially.

It'll help you get through the crazy busy time because that's one of the action steps.

But it also, if you'll work on these action steps and get them in you, it will help you get off on a great start going into 2025.

You can be laying a foundation at the end of December and going into January.

And we've got some things we're going to share in January about your future and your hope and such.

But listen to these six action steps, God's plan for your marriage.

Those are episodes six through 10.

I guarantee you you're going to get some good stuff out of them.

They're not going to be exactly what you think, but it's very good and very practical.

And I'll tell you what, it's going to help you be married and love it even greater.

I want to talk about having hope during the holidays and all year long.

Well, we all know and have, we hear this all the time that the holiday season, the Christmas season is a time of miracles.

Right?

And I know it's just been so heavy on my heart that there's people today that are hopeless.

They do not have hope for their marriage.

They don't have hope for their family, their children.

Maybe it's the finances, maybe it's their health, maybe just everything going on in their life do you have areas that you are feeling hopeless?

Well, let me encourage you.

Today you can have hope.

The word of God tells us Abraham, he was in a position that he had no hope.

But it's in Romans 4, 18:21 and it says in hope against hope.

Abraham believed in order that he might become a father of many nations.

According to that which had been spoken, so shall your descendants be.

And this was God talking to Abraham.

And without becoming weak in faith, Abraham contemplated his own body now as good as being dead.

Yeah, well he was about 100 years old and so he was looking at the fact that he, he was about 100 years old.

And Sarah, she had already gone through all of the menopausal stage and her womb was supposedly said it was dead.

Yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief.

But he grew strong in faith, giving glory to God and being fully assured that what God had promised he was also able to perform well when everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyways, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do, but on what God said he would do, what God would do for Abraham.

So God had promised Abraham a big family regardless of the things that the natural world was saying to him.

And so I'm just been feeling so strongly that there's people out there that they're looking at their family, they're looking at their marriage, they're looking at their spouse and saying there's just no hope.

I can't, I just can't see where anything would become of this.

And maybe you've thrown your arms up and you say I'm done with this, it is hopeless.

I just don't see anything that can change anything that can make a difference.

But I'm here to tell you tonight, today that there is hope.

God promises us hope.

God promises in his word that in Ephesians 3.

I love this scripture talks about.

I'm just going to read it to you.

And this is out of the Passion translation.

Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this.

He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream and exceed your wildest imagination.

He will outdo them all.

For his miraculous power is constantly energizing you.

So there's a few things that I can pull out of that scripture that's talking about.

God's gonna take the things that you've been hoping for, the things that you've been dreaming for the things that is just beyond your wildest imagination.

And God's going to go above and beyond all of that.

He's going to outdo all of that.

And in the middle of all that, he's going to energize you.

So that tells me that you, I, we, we have a part in making all of this happen.

And if you've been listening to our podcast, you have picked up on some of the things that you can do to help out.

But even in the midst of all of that, and you're, maybe you have been doing some of the action steps that we talk about.

Well, maybe you have just felt hopeless regardless, because maybe you're not seeing a quick response to the things you've been doing.

Or maybe you just are feeling like there's no reason to keep pushing on.

Or maybe you feel like you, you just don't have any energy left to be a part of all of this.

But right here it's telling us in Ephesians that God himself, if you call on God, if you call on him, let him energize you.

Let him be the one to work in and through you.

And then just maybe put this little scripture up on a three by five card that God said that he would do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all you could think or ask, let him do it.

So if you are feeling really hopeless right now, just lay it all down before the father's feet.

Lay it all down and know that he wants to work in you.

He wants to work in your marriage, he wants to work in your family.

Maybe it's your children that are acting up and, you know, maybe it's grown children in your family that you're believing for or are seeing things happen in their life that is not exactly what you expected or hoping, you know, to see their life to turn out to be.

You've put your hope in something and you're not seeing results happening.

Just, just lay it down and bring that before our father God.

Bring that before our daddy God.

Bring that before Papa God.

And just let him minister to you.

Let him love on you.

When this time of the year is so crazy, so busy, so spazzy, everybody on the road is rush, rush, rush, hurry, hurry, hurry.

Take a few moments, sit down and quietly get before the Lord.

Take a deep breath and just sit in his presence.

You know, we talk a lot about the presence that we give.

We'll give God your presence.

Make that be a present that you give to God this year.

He wants to give what I just got to back up and say, you know, God, he came that you might have life and life more abundantly.

That is the presence of God.

That is his present to all of us.

The whole wide world talks about the birth of Jesus, the present that God, our Father God gave his one and only Son, that we might have life and life more abundantly.

So receive that gift this year.

Receive it.

If you've never received it before, receive that gift from God to you.

And then what happens when we give gifts to one another?

Usually we are like, oh, they gave me a gift.

I want to give them one back, right?

Well, then look at it like this.

You're giving yourself as a gift to God.

You're giving a gift to God back to him.

He wants to have that relationship with you.

He wants to have that time with you by you sitting down anywhere in the day.

Maybe it's first thing.

Maybe it's in the middle of the day when the children may be napping or they're away at school.

Or maybe it's the end of the day when everybody's quietly snuggled in their beds waiting for Santa Claus to come.

And you have a few moments to just take a deep breath, two, three minutes, and just quietly connect with your father, God, and thank him for giving his one and only son for you as a present.

But let's get back to the holiday hope.

It doesn't have to just be during the holiday.

It can be all year long and that's what it should be.

But let me just inspire you to receive the promise of God that where you have felt hopeless, that there is hope to be found in the word of God.

This is a time of miracles.

You can believe God for a miracle for your home, for your family, for your marriage, whether it's with the finances in your home.

Maybe it's your health, maybe it's a loved one that you're believing for that miracle.

This is the time of miracles.

There is no limit that we can, that we could put on it.

It can be for all year long.

So just remember that.

Hope against all hope.

Abraham believed, Sarah got pregnant.

Isaiah was born, their baby was born.

And Abraham has been known in the Bible to be the father of many nations.

Now, Linda, what you shared some good stuff on hope, but I know that you've applied these principles ever since we've been married.

Can you just share maybe about when we got our marriage back together or during the health challenges that you've had and the things we face, how hopes impacted your life or a particular.

Oh, I know, because you're, you've lived what you're talking about, oh, goodness, I'd have to say.

And every day, you know, it's something to hang on to the word of God.

I just have to say that the scripture, Ephesians 3:20, that I talked about where God said he'd do exceedingly abundant, that was like the scripture I hung on to.

Because when we were at the point of separation, near divorce, it was like I didn't want to hang in there.

I was done.

My heart was hard, my heart was hardened.

You know, I was done.

I didn't have love left in me to give to me.

There was just no hope after years of believing and hoping that our marriage could turn around.

And so at that point, you know, and it was then that, you know, God had said, okay, Linda, stay in this marriage.

And he promised me that he would do this exceedingly.

But I say it didn't happen overnight.

But on the other side of the coin, when you told me about wanting to separate and we're going to head back to Florida, when we were in Texas, I was putting on my hope.

Oh, yeah.

That you were going to stay.

You were hoping I would change to be somebody to stay for.

And I was hoping that you would stay.

So we both had our going on, weren't we?

Yeah.

I had to hope against hope and believe that God was going to work in your heart and.

And God met us both.

Yes.

He actually worked on both of us.

Yeah.

And maybe you got something else on that.

But I also know that you're dealing with pain a lot from the different things going in your body.

And there's some days when it's hallelujah and some days it's hallelujah with a different type of attitude there.

Different on hope.

On some of those days when it doesn't seem.

I mean, what do you do do if you're struggling with that, having that hope in your faith?

Because when we're going through a series, a time when we need hope.

Well, that's when we come in and we mix faith with it.

Yes.

To get us through that.

And faith comes by hearing, so what are some things maybe you've done through the years when that hope kind of gets tired or weary or maybe the circumstances are saying, no, no, no, no, no, it's not working.

And what do you do?

I know you crawl up in Jesus lap, because I know where your chair is, and I come in there when we pray, and that's a powerful time.

But is there any other little nuggets or something?

I do?

I get in my prayer chair and I sit There and I do get in my daddy God's lap and I just cry out to him and I just lay before him.

I journal and I take notes, but I get the word on it.

I always come back to this scripture.

God, you promised me you would do exceedingly.

But when I, you know, I just went through a few days of just feeling.

I don't know, I guess I was having a pity party, you know.

Is that why we got the chocolate cake in the house?

We did.

That was kind of a comfort food.

Yeah, we kind of.

But you shared that with me.

You know, actually you went out and bought it then.

You know, this one, I did all three pieces.

Oh, no, nobody's counting.

Okay.

Nobody.

Who's counting?

Well, that went in the garbage today, right?

Yeah.

So the container.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, you know, I was, I kind of got in the flesh, but I did get in the spirit to get through the, you know, believing for our provision, believing for time to have to do everything that's going on.

I guess I, you know, when we.

Let's get talking about spirit, soul and body, because we are right.

So we're going to talk about the body a little bit.

Whatever you want to talk about.

So getting into the body part, when we eat sugar, we're running off of little bit of sleep.

We're not exercising like we ought to be.

We're not drinking the water that we ought to do.

So like, you're meddling.

Ah, am I meddling?

Well, if the shoe fits, wear it.

But then we start getting touchy with each other in our marriage.

We start saying things that we ought not to be saying.

You know, we really got to practice putting on love.

You know, we got to call on Jesus help.

Right?

That's my main prayer.

Help constantly.

And then the next thing would be to repent of the things that I should have, I should have zipped the lip and didn't, you know.

So yeah, I just have to say, you know, and add in whatever.

How do you overcome with me, living with me in the midst of all of that and still, you know, areas that I'm dealing with, health challenges or chronic pain and, you know, wanting to be a pleasant person and not a, a bear, you know, with my family.

Members, comes down having hope and, and making a decision, standing on God's word and knowing that these things are temporal and that, that as we do our part, that God is going to do his part to come in and change things and, and even though some days, you know, things going to change, are you going to get through this.

What's going on in your body or what's going to happen.

Even with our ministry and podcasting and you know, but it, we have to come back.

We have to have hope.

Because what's it the Bible says?

Hope the furred makes the harp sick.

Yes, you've got to have hope.

Get around this Christmas.

Don't, don't hang out with the negative name Nancy's and the negative Normans.

Get around some positive people.

Find that if you're at a church party or business party or with your family, find the positive people and hang around them.

Draw off their get away, excuse yourself from the negative people or the people that are just negative.

I can't, I don't know a better word to say it, but, well, that's good people to get around.

And then maybe during the day, listen to a good marriage podcast, but listen to an uplifting motivational.

Maybe it's a church service to encourage you.

So you've got to put stuff in to stir up your hope.

Read your Bible, you know, listen to your favorite speakers.

There's a lot of podcasts out there.

There's a lot of churches that are ministers that have things you can listen to on a lot of streaming services.

You have to build up yourself.

Oh, and then how about get a.

Prayer partner, Maybe call up one of your friends, somebody at church and say, hey, can you pray with me?

I'm really struggling with hope right now.

Maybe they'll have a word for you.

I don't mean some word, but a positive, encouraging word to uplift your spirit and who knows, you maybe uplift them.

You know, that's true.

But find people that are like minded in the positive side.

Step out.

Maybe you, maybe the enemy says, oh, don't go to that party.

Don't go to this activity this week.

Don't go to the church.

Also, there's so many, like helping to pass out food to the toy donations and to serve a meal or to serve a family.

Somehow when you're feeling down and out, what is such a better way is to do for somebody else?

Go find somebody else.

Oh, get this, I love this.

I love it when I can go into the grocery store and there's a mom and two little babies with her and she's got a full load of groceries and I can say to her, I'm gonna be covering the whole grocery bill right there for you.

What kind of hope and message does that, of love does that give to that family?

Yeah, yeah.

I mean that's something to do.

Yeah.

To give.

Find some way to.

Don't allow the enemy to isolate you.

Yes, that's exactly.

He would love to get you to stay home from the church services.

Yeah.

Maybe a candlelight service.

I mean, that's during the holidays or any time of the year.

But don't allow the enemy to isolate you.

And like Linda just said, give.

It doesn't have to be money, but give to the different activities.

Serve somebody, get out of yourself, but just build up that hope.

Because God's got good things for you.

He's got a future and a hope for you.

Jeremiah 29:11.

So did you have anything else?

No, I just feel the strongness to, you know, I've just have felt that there is somebody out there.

I'd like to pray.

Okay.

Because I feel like there's someone that is really needing to be filled with hope.

Yeah.

You know, we used to have a sing a song years ago.

It says, no matter what the circumstances, what I seal or feel, feel or see, see, God's word is working mightily in me.

And that's the only solo you're going to get.

Yay.

So do you want to pray?

I'm gonna let you pray.

Oh, okay.

Because you know how to power punch the devil.

All right.

I might say a word after you get done, but go ahead.

You know, I do a big Christmas display every year and outside the street I have about a seven or eight foot sign that says only believe.

And that's my word to you.

Only believe.

Of course, we're talking about believing in Jesus and believing in the power of miracles working in your life.

And we know that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Yes.

So we always keep that before us.

And, and we know that love, hope, faith and love is part of the season.

Yes.

And always going to be presented there.

So hope today.

Yes.

So Father, right now I just lift up everybody who's listening.

No matter if it's now or in six months down the road, whenever it is.

Your power is good at times.

So in particular, I just pray for anybody right now that is struggling with a lack of hope, with despair, with depression.

There may be.

Their marriage is falling apart, they've given up or they're on the verge of giving up.

Maybe it's finances, physical situations going on, or lost loved ones or whatever it is, or all the above.

Your word is working.

So we just right now ask that as people are saying, yes, I need a dose of hope.

I need some hope.

Lord, I just speak to these people's lives tonight or whenever they're listening to this that you would just bring hope their way.

Send somebody by.

Yes.

Have a song on the radio, a friend and somebody in the grocery store that they know or don't know comes up and encourages them.

We ask for your anointing of hope to come upon each individual.

To that wife who's crying out to that husband is saying, I don't know what to do.

Help me to change or help help my wife to.

To change.

It's kids that are rebellious or there's looking at major financial setbacks going on that's straining things.

Lord, we just ask for miracles.

Yes.

And I want to speak hope into somebody's life.

I want to speak hope into your life.

If you're listening to this podcast, just receive that right now.

I just feel real strongly that there's someone that this is a lifeline for you.

I speak hope into your life right now.

In the name of Jesus.

Yes.

It's not over.

God has a future and a hope for you.

Yes.

Jeremiah 29:11.

Only believe.

And maybe today you get feel good and tomorrow it's back on.

But you know what?

Don't give up.

Yes.

It's going to get stronger and stronger every day.

Live.

God's word says, live each day one day at a time.

Get through this day.

Believe.

Get up in the morning.

As Oral Roberts used to say, something good is going to happen to me this day, this very day.

Base your hope getting up and say, God has something good for me today.

And listen to his voice.

He may give you some specific instructions he might what to say to your situation directly to the two people in your lives that's a disappointment.

Or to your husband or to your wife that he may tell you something to do.

You're going, you want me to do that?

And he's going to go, yep, I want you to do that.

Yeah.

And that can be a no telling.

That could open the door for a miracle.

It might just be something really minor and silly.

You might think it's silly.

Yes.

But it, it's not.

No.

You know, nothing is too silly.

When you're walking in love toward your spouse, when you're walking in love to your children and the people around you, it's not silly.

Love, love, love, love.

Put on love.

Yep.

Put on love.

Put on God's love.

God's love.

Linda, anything else I don't think so about?

Oh, we do have some honeydew.

Honeydew.

Yes.

You know what the honeydew is this time?

Just number one is get your hope up.

But number Two is the old good old ten second kiss.

So keep doing that especially when you're busy.

Even if you're at grandma's house or all the families together and you're find.

The mistletoe in the house.

Well, yeah, I'm just going to come to that.

Find the mistletoe.

But don't let that stop you people being in there.

Let them see you get a 10 second kiss.

Let your light shine.

But you know what, Play a game.

When you go out shopping, you go to a restaurant, maybe you're even at church somewhere.

Look for the mistletoe.

That's when you're together with your scavenger time.

You're having a kissing scavenger hunt.

Look for the mistletoe everywhere you go and then take a 10 second kiss right under there.

Everybody's expecting that.

You know, we got a, we got a kissing booth.

It's a little mailbox gazebo in our light display and it's got mistletoe hanging up.

And I also got a Mickey Mouse in there so people can get a picture of Mickey Mouse.

And it's funny how many people can get in this one little gazebo mailbox thing.

They get a pics with, with Mickey Mouse.

But I got that mistletoe hanging up in there and it says, steal a kiss under the mistletoe.

And I remember one time, well, a lot of people do that, but one time this young couple came through and I said, y'all can get a kiss up there.

And the wife goes, yeah, you want to get a kiss?

And the husband goes, nah, I don't want to do that.

And she looked disappointed.

So they walked around the curb.

We got like a little curve, people walk around.

And about five or ten minutes later they came back around and he was getting a kiss.

I think he had a little talking to, a come to Jesus moment.

When he walked around and came back to get the kiss, he wouldn't, he didn't want to get a kiss.

But you know what?

He was embarrassed.

But she said, who cares about being.

She might have promised him something when they got home.

So he's like, she's like, give me a kiss now and maybe more when you get home.

Right?

Could have bribed him, but anyway.

Is that it?

That's it.

All right, well, we look forward to talking to you next week.

And remember, you can be married and love it.

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