Christian Womens Blog

Christian Womens Blog by Laurie Cole of Priority Ministries

Laurie Cole

Author, Speaker, Teacher

Front Porch Friday: If I’d Known Then Session 5 — How to Avoid a Less-Than-Best Life

It’s the final day of our series, “If I’d Known Then,” and I’ve saved the most important lesson for last. It’s the #1 thing God has ever taught me, and you can learn it, too, on today’s Front Porch Friday!

Click to watch more videos in this series! 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dearest sister Laurie.

    I love you girl too!! This has been such a blessing in my life. Today’s Front Porch Friday video was the best! Remembering to put Jesus first in our hearts…before relationships…and then trusting Him to work out the details is just what the doctor (Dr. Jesus) ordered for this day. Thanks girl…you are a blessing in my life! Melody Niel

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  2. Thanks so much, Laurie for sharing this. I so appreciate your transparency in sharing the difficulties you had early in your marriage. It gives such credibility to your teaching. I needed this today as a reminder to give God first place in my life. I find it so easy to be distracted and allow things to crowd out the Lord and spending time with him. Last night as I was feeling overwhelmed by circumstances going on in my life right now, there was a song that came to my mind that I hadn’t heard in years. Perhaps you know it.- “There is a quiet place, far from the rapid pace where God can soothe my troubled mind. Sheltered by tree & flower, there in my quiet hour, with Him my cares are left behind. Whether a garden small, or on a mountain tall new strength and courage there I find. Then from this quiet place, I go prepared to face a new day with love for all mankind.” I know God brought this song to me to let me know that meeting Him in the quiet place is the best thing I can do, and should be the first place I turn when I feel burdened. I love your front porch Fridays and I look forward to your next series! God’s blessings on you and Bill and your family!

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    • Love the lyrics of that song, Linda! I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before, and I would dearly love to. If you have time and can find a good YouTube video of it, please share the link with me — I’m thinking some of our glo girl sisters would love to hear it, too. Blessings to you, and thanks so much for sharing your heart.

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      • Thank you for your kind response. I’m glad you liked the song. I found many videos of it on Youtube, but I liked this one best. I hope it will be a blessing to you!

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  3. I have struggled my entire Christian life to keep my relationship with God consistently in first place in my life. Sometimes I do better than others, and sometimes I fail miserably, but I keep working at it, and I keep getting back up when I fall, because it truly is the desire of my heart to have Him first always in my life. Usually the busyness of life is what pulls me away, and I have to make a conscious effort to draw myself close to Him again and again. It makes such a difference in my life when I do put God first in my days. One way I can see a difference is that It seems to help me see my day through His eyes and not just my own. I feel more sensitive to His Spirit throughout my day, and I feel more equipped and empowered to respond to situations that arise in a manner that is pleasing to Him. In short, spending time with God keeps me on my spiritual toes for the day! Thank you for all these lessons you have shared. Each and every single one of them have been helpful and encouraging. I’m so thankful to have “wandered” onto this site! I feel like I’ve found a new friend. 🙂 I look forward to hearing more of what God puts on your heart to share with us! God bless you!! (and by the way, you look extra pretty today!) Have a great weekend!

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  4. I can so relate to your testimony, and I know many others will, too. Busyness. It always wants to be #1, doesn’t it? But I loved what you shared about the difference it makes when we give God priority each day. It truly is a supernatural, night-and-day difference.

    Thanks, too, for the “pretty” comment (women like me in our 50s are ever so grateful for each and every pretty comment we receive). I recorded the video yesterday afternoon . . . right after I came home from my hair appointment. 🙂 Blessings to you, sweet sister and blog friend (and by the way, I LOVE the name of your blog)!

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  5. I look forward to coming here. I appreciate just the title…Giving God priority! I love this series. How do I give God priority by leaning and depending on HIM!.. I find petitioning prayers a wonderful way to talk to God but I find that the intimate conversations work just as well. I just love the way you say “when I gave that over to Him”…because there are times when we think we have learned all that we need in a particular area only to find we have not wholly given it to God. Wow! he can work things out, implement change, bless me and others faster that we can take our next breath. God is truly Awesome!

    I have learned to consult God when making plans because many times we get tied up in the planning.I don’t have the planned life which could look perfect to outsiders but I have the abundant life and God wants to bless us abundantly. I am waiting for Next Friday!

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  6. Love,Love,Love Front Porch Porch Friday! Thank you for sharing all your experiences and wisdom.I have been a big fan of your Priority Ministries Website. I am looking forward to your next series.God bless you,Sister!

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  7. The ladies at our church just finished our 7 week study “Beauty By The Book” and this was a lot of our last night’s discussion. How can we keep God as our “First” priority. It seems like the enemy is so good at keeping us “busy” so that we don’t have time for God; I believe it is the biggest hindrance to our Christian walk. It seems it is a constant everyday battle to keep other things from crowding him out. Praise God that he doesn’t give up on us and that each new day is a new day to make him “First Priority”. Thank you Laurie for your teaching! It has truly blessed my life.

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  8. It has been such a BLESSING Sister Laurie to join you on the porch!
    I look forward to next next week.

    MY CONFESSION: LORD YOU ARE MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY…Now & forever more! AMEN!

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  9. I consider myself a Christian woman but I was wondering how to really make God first. Especially with a busy family. Laurie do you recommend !ny steps?

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  10. Laurie, thanks for sharing this. In my 11 years in being saved by Christ, I was taught of all things in my life, to give God first priority in my life. But it has been a battle to give God first priority, especially when it came to family and work. I would always put work and family as my first priority and then give God my leftovers at the end of the day. But thanks to you, and joining you on your Front Porch Fridays, you have helped me to give to God first priority and showing me by doing so, He will bless me if I seek Him first. And He truly has blessed me since the day I gave Him first priority.

    Giving Him first priority, He has blessed me in many ways. The one thing He has blessed me with that I love, is that my mom has finally accepted me for who I am as a Christian. For the longest time, she would persecute me for going to church and being a Christian. But now, she has come to accept it.

    Thanks so much Laurie for your love and encouragement for me to keep giving God first priority and glory. Love you!

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  11. Laurie, you are a blessing! I so thoroughly enjoy your desire to help other gals out with what they may be going through. Your enthusiam and love is contagious, so thank you for being obedient to our Father. Love you, girl!

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  12. Such Wisdom Laurie. Thank you for sharing your story. I struggled with putting God first in my marriage…and as a result, my marriage has fallen apart after 30 years of marriage. Your Front Porch Friday message really hit home and it gave me hope and encouragement that maybe, just maybe, my marriage has a better chance of reconciliation by putting God first. I am guilty of playing God and I tend to point out to my husband all of his bad habits…when what I should be doing is just getting out of the way and allowing God to work things out in His time.

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