Messy Purse-Messy life!

Whats in my purse? Hmm...that's a good question. As of right now I have 1 extremely large purse filled to the rim with 'stuff I need' (but have transfered my bible, credit cards, id, cellphone, more junk into my other smaller (but still large purse). After fumbling through a mess of 'stuff I need', along with probably a trillion receipts (I keep them for everything--don't have a clue why I do. So, anyways...) I finally found my phone that was ringing like crazy!

So, after all that time spent fumbling through my purse (just to answer my phone). I really don't know why I have 2 purses, let alone all of the unnecessary stuff in them. Sad thing is, I find myself doing this in my life as well....filling it to the rim with unnecessary stuff (I'm working hard on trying to master the art of being content).

Let's find out what's in my purses shall we!? THIS is quite embarassing! Here's all the junk from both purses, dumped out onto my kitchen countertop! I'm generally an organized person---except the purse!

Who carries around a bunch of blank envelopes with them EVERYWHERE?! Strange but okay...let's continue on...

0o0ohhh Money! Well that's pretty cool. It's always nice to find change in the bottom of your purse (in my case, purses lol). $6.56 worth of change I didn't even know I had, and yes I counted!

This happens to be an armband bracelet with My man's bluetooth hooked to it. (I think he may have been looking for that about a month ago! lol Oo0ops! Anywho, I just thought this was funny. It made me laugh anyways...

This is the disgusting horde of receipts. Yes, I am very glad I decided to clean the purses out finally! Oh, there is also a tiny bottle of lotion in the picture and a compact with makeup in it is in the bottom half of the picture...

Umm...batteries anyone ? Well, that is definitely NOT a good thing to carry in a purse! I have no idea how they got in there either....

So, I have decided I serrrrrrrrrriously need to clean both of my purses out (into only ONE purse), and while I'm at it... I'll clean my heart out as well!!! In order to do this, I want to clean out both my purse & my life God's way... The way that it should be done. The correct way. The only way; as the bible is my guidebook for my life...

With that being said, I have to ask myself:

What 'essentials' does one truly need to have with them at all times?

MY BIBLE:

Reading the bible daily is what gives us strength as Christians. We have to keep reading the word in order to fully understand what God wants for us to do as his children. We have to read The Word, Study The Word, Love The Word, and Memorize The Word. When the world throws curveballs, we need to have answers NOW. Right there in my purse is all the answers in life I will ever need.

"Seek first the kingdom of God and his Righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. "---Matthew 6:33

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction is righteousness." ---2 Timothy 2:16

MY KEYS:

My keys are how I get from point A to point B. My keys are the way that I get into my office, my safeat work, and my safety room at work. My keys are how I get into my home in the evening. My keys represent faith, which is the key to a fruitful life as a Christian. Faith is the key that keeps a Christian going on day by day, good or bad.

So yes, I am going to keep my keys in my purse & my faith in my life.

The picture above shows 2 sets of keys because one is my set, and the other is my grandmother's keys. She is letting me borrow her car, because Marcus and I both work outside the home & only have 1 vehicle (which is a company vehicle).

MY CELLPHONE:

Oh, I would not want to be caught in a bad circumstance without it. This has happened to me all too many times. For example, I was driving to Cleveland, Ohio which is about 2 hours from Toledo to see my man, because he was working out that way. Low and behold the tire blows (no spare either!). I had no cell-phone to call anyone. I literally walked for an hour on the turn-pike trying to get to the next exit. People would just zoom by...I'm still walking, praying to the Lord for help. I felt so helpless, and scared too. Finally, a woman pulled over and asked if I needed a ride or if I wanted to use her phone. Thank the Lord! I called my man & he came to my rescue like the knight in shining armour that he is & he fixed the problem.

The moral behind this is that, I do not like feeling scared or helpless. Prayer is a wonderful, yet powerful thing. It is how we as Christians communicate with our Heavenly father. Pray changes things (God willing). Prayer gives us strength & security. I must put my cellphone back in my purse & keep the prayers in my life. The mere sense of security that they both give me, well that's why my cell-phone and prayer must stay.

"Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."

Wallet (with ID, credit cards, debit card, insurance cards, cash, etc):

My ID and insurance cards are things I just need to have in case I get into a car accident or something. You never know what the Lord has in store for you! My credit cards, cash, credit cards, and things of that nature I must have with me at all times. Why? Well the obvious is answer would be because I am probably going to buy something needed for the home/our little family. The godly reason is because for one, all money is God's money. Period. (Job 1:21)For two, we should manage our money for God. Next, Ignorance is not bliss ladies, no one wants to pay fee after fee because they don't have control of their finances. If you don't already, you better soon.

"If you have nothing with which to pay, why should [your creditor] take away your bed from under you?" ---Proverbs 22:27

A Picture of Marcus (The love of my life):

Ironically enough, I just love him so much that when we are apart (even for 5 minutes)...I miss him. So, I need to carry a picture of him with me at all times. He is my best friend and the love of my life. So whenever I miss him, I will be able to pull out his picture and think of the verse in the Song of Solomon, "This is my beloved, and this is my friend." ( verse 5:16)

The Bible says that we are to "cleave" simply meaning we are to glue ourselves to one another. The man in my life is to be my first priority [following God of course]. No others shall fall above him. A husband (in my case, boyfriend) is to come before children, family, friends, work, sewing, crafting, blogging, etc. He is to be 2nd only to God. Check out Ephesians 5:31 if you don't believe me.

So, none the less. The picture of Marcus shall stay.

Chapstick-100 % Naturals Lip Butter:

For me, I personally am a constant chapstick wearer. I wear chapstick in the winter, spring, summer, and fall. I like my lips to stay soft. You are probably thinking how could there possibly be a godly reason behind chapstick?! Well you see, God commands us in His Word for us to have soft answers. The way that we react as Christians to different conflicts, situations, and people all reflect ourselves as one of God's children.

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger" ---Proverbs 15:1

Lipstick:

Now you see, I wear lipstick too. So, on occasion (depending on the lipstick choice) I may need to do a quick touch up or I just may need to throw some on in the car because I'm running late for work. I am a daughter of the King of Kings, and with that said... I must try my best to be a woman of God. Carrying my lipstick for touch ups & for days on the run will remind me to be a pleasant woman. It will remind me to keep my tongue in check; meaning no foul words are to be spoken from my sweet lips, no nagging & complaining will slip through my lips, no unkind words nor gossiping shall come from me. Believe it or not, all those things come from lips. Thus, lipstick shall keep me in check!

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."-Proverbs 31:16

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." -Proverbs 16:24

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." ---Ephesians 4:29

Everything else can go...

You see, Paul had written some very strict guidelines for us to follow when decluttering our minds, hearts, souls, etc [even purses]. See the verse below, learn it. Study it. Memorize it. Apply it. Live it.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

See how the very last statement is just that, a statement. A command more a less. THINK ON THESE THINGS.

• Is it true?
  

Am I second-guessing or reading between the lines? Is the item true to God's word and the character of God?

• Is it honest?

Simply meaning, is this a noble item? Is this something that a child of God should have?

• Is it just?
  

Is this item going to inspire me to live up to my responsibilities as a godly woman; as a Christian? Does this item encourage me to take the right actions; the just actions?

• Is it pure?

Here's an easy way to utilize this point on the checklist. Would God be pleased with this item in your purse? If not, then it definitely needs to go!

• Is it lovely?

Does this item glow of spirtuality and morality?

• Is it of good report?

If someone were to steal your purse (hopefully that doesn't happen!!), would the contents of your purse speak good things about you? Would they tell the thief who stole your purse that you are a woman of God?

• Is there any virtue?

Will the item motivate me in the ways of the Lord?

• Is there any praise?

Would this item or the contents of the purse earn praise from God & others?

This is the checklist for decluttering my purse and my heart, God's way.

If anyone else was in my situation (see the pictures! lol), or even better. If you have an emaculate purse-a Godly purse. I'd love to see it as inspiration to NEVER let that mess happen again. I'd love to see the before and after pictures of your purses. I really would.

God Bless!

Ila