coleen hayden

CHRISTLife — Nineteen: Clean and More

February 6, 2014 by coleen hayden

Hi there…it’s me, Coleen! It is snowing here in upstate New York. As I peeked outside in the early, early morning, I thought, “Oh, yes! It’s all clean again!” All of the yucky, dirty, gross frozen slush and discolored ice and snow piles blanketed with grime kicked up by road traffic was—clean. Sparkling, glistening, pure white clean. And then when I looked out again later, after some shoveling and plowing and snowblowing had been done, it was schmutzy again! And more snow was wafting down…and the yuckiness was covered up again. And I realized that really the snow hadn’t made the dirty and gross any cleaner…it just got dirty again. Such is NOT how our hearts and minds are cleaned by Jesus’ blood. ALL is clean…we are new again.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar
and His Word is not in us.
1 John 1:7-10

We are justified—just as if we had never sinned (that is CLEAN, I tell you)! We are redeemed. We are rescued. We are made whole. We are purified. We are sanctified. We are forgiven.

However…remember this: none of this is of our own doing. We could never do enough, try hard enough, be good enough to have made ourselves clean. We were dead in our trespasses and unholiness, our unrighteousness.

This uncleanness has always been an issue. God knew it…and He purposed and made a way for the only answer for it. King David knew of his immense need for cleansing and saving from his own sin. Here in Psalm 51 he cries out to God…knowing that only God could help.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercy
and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt
and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!
For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them;
my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight,
so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.
Psalms 51:1-4

BUT God has always had this plan to redeem mankind. To provide the way—Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the Cross, the spilling of His perfect blood—to atone and redeem us back to Himself! There was only one way…thank God that it already has been accomplished! This cleansing and purifying is yours to receive! Have you received it? If not, will You? This IS God’s will—His plan, His desire—for you.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

And now…check out another page from Kim’s inner identity album, along with some thoughts she has to share on this subject, too!

This picture is such a great reminder of where I once was—from a deep pit of despair with no hope…to a Redeemed woman with Hope and a future. I absolutely love the Scripture Mrs. Meyers uses in this chapter.

He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12 NLT

I praise You, Father, that my rebellious acts are as far away as the east is from the west; I am oh so thankful! And I thank You, Father, for this powerful truth for which I am thankful…

I have swept away your sins like the morning mists.
I have scattered your offenses like the clouds.
Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.
Isaiah 44:22 NIV

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Would you pray along with us these inspired words as we praise the God Who purposed all this?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Ephesians 1:3-7

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: 1 John 1:7-10, Chapter 18, CHRISTLife, clean and more, coleen hayden, Ephesians 1:3-7, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, ISAIAH 44:22, kim golds, Psalm 103:12, psalm 51, Ruth Myers, Women's Online Bible Study

CHRISTLife — Seventeen: Desired

February 4, 2014 by coleen hayden

We have been called and chosen. Why? Just one reason—Almighty God desired to love us. Paul says that God has set His love on those whom He loves from all eternity (Ephesians 1:4). If you are a child of God, there has never been a time when God did not know you and did not love you. Before you were even born He had determined to set His love on you. He chose us not because we were love-able; but we become love-able because He chose us and desired us.

In this is love: not that we loved God,
but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.
1 John 4:10

You see, at just the right time when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,
though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8

From the foundations of time, Sovereign Almighty God has desired His children. And He made a way—a very, very hard way—for sinful, not love-able people to be brought to His Holy Self. And that was through the sacrifice and death of His Son, Jesus Christ. And then through the centuries leading up to the perfect time when Jesus would come to the earth to show this incredible love, at sporadic times there were a few people who recognized this love that God had for mankind. David the psalmist was one. He wrote many, many times about the reality of God’s love for himself.

And even Job, through all his worryings and complainings and the very difficult times he had, I believe he knew and was convinced of God’s love for man. Listen…

What is man that you make so much of him and that You set Your heart on him,
and visit him every morning…?
Job 7:17 and 18

God spoke through any number of the prophets declaring to the people He was drawing to Himself of His love, grace, and mercy and His desire for mankind.

Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace
which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
2 Timothy 1:9

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
Jeremiah 31:3

Particularly, through the life of one prophet, Hosea, God showed what the depth of His love looked like…right alongside the depravity of the idolatry and whoredom of His people. The whole book of Hosea illuminates this truth but in particular I love one verse:

I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and I bent down to them and fed them.
Hosea 11:4

And then Jesus came! And showed clearly the depth of God’s love for mankind. He lived love to the nth degree always being the epitome of God’s love.

Now here is Truth (I know it is so because it is in God’s Word)…truth hard to comprehend but true nonetheless!

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Such love is beyond our ability to grasp with our minds, but it is not beyond our ability to experience with our hearts. Only through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit are we able to do so!

…And that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

Truly not feasible by our own doing, our own efforts, our own works. BUT, because God tells us so through Paul’s encouragement to the church at Ephesus, we KNOW it to be true! And this is the awesome Truth of God’s desiring us—it is not based on you or me but completely on Him!

May I share something with you? At the very beginning of today’s chapter, Mrs. Myers asks her readers to “Allow the Lord to fully convince your heart that He desires you.” I had an extremely difficult time taking that step. You see, on any given day, I have not been convinced that Almighty God desired me. Let alone ask Him to ‘fully convince my heart’ of that fact. But…today I did ask. And He is doing so!!! Oh, I have a <prior> lifetime of being fully convinced that perhaps God might desire everyone else but not me. But that is not too much for our Father to deal with! For little me, Coleen Ann Brigit McElroy Hayden, “I am <becoming> convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate <me> from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus <my> Lord.” How about you?

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

God loves you! ♥ (Don’t ever forget that!)

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: 1 John 4:10, 2 Timothy 1:9, CHRISTLife, coleen hayden, comprehending the love of Christ, ephesians 3:17-19, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, God desired us, Hosea 11:4, Jeremiah 31:3, Job 7:17-18, nothing can separate us from God's love, Romans 5:6-8, romans 8:38-39, Ruth Myers, the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ, we are desired by God

Gluten free, Grain free Zucchini Muffins

February 3, 2014 by coleen hayden

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. This recipe fits perfectly into the category being it is low in fat (uses greek yogurt and a small amount of coconut oil or butter), is gluten-free, grain-free, and more than one cup of vegetables.

Have you ever used crystallized ginger? I just love this product and try to always have some stored in the freezer. (Hint: if you keep it frozen, it is super easy to grate up to put into your recipe.) It is a great ingredient to add to many spicy dishes. We especially enjoy it in Thai food! Try adding a bit to any baked goodies that have cinnamon, or nutmeg, in them. I buy mine in the grocery store; look for it either in the Asian food aisle, or the baking goods aisle.

Oh…just a suggestion: perhaps you might want to make a double batch! Enjoy!

Zucchini Muffins

makes one dozen regular-sized muffins

Ingredients:

topping ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 tablespoon sugar (I use coconut sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into little cubes

muffin ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar (I use coconut sugar)
3 eggs
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup softened coconut oil
1+1/2 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry in a dish towel
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 cube frozen crystallized ginger*, grated fine
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1+1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Heat oven to 325
Place muffin cups in muffin tin
Make topping ingredients first: mix all dry components of topping together; then drop in the butter cubes and quickly use your fingertips to incorporate the butter; set aside
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together first 4 muffin ingredients until sugar is dissolved
Add zucchini (and crystallized ginger, if using) to the wet ingredients; stir well
In a separate large bowl, mix together the flours, spices, and baking soda
Add wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until incorporated
Divide batter into muffin cups evenly
Sprinkle on almond topping
Bake for 30- 35 minutes
After removing from oven, let cool for just a minute and then remove to a cooling rack

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: At Home w/ GCH, coleen hayden, crystallized ginger, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, gluten free baking, gluten-free, grain free, greek yogurt, muffins, zucchini muffins

CHRISTLife — Sixteen: Called and Chosen

February 3, 2014 by coleen hayden

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we would be holy and blameless before Him.
In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the kind intention of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:3-6

Called and Chosen

Is that not amazing? And it is true. God chose you (me, too!) in His infinite wisdom and sovereign knowledge. What truly amazes me is ALL that His calling and choice have placed into our lives. As I have been meditating on these verses that Mrs. Myers so abundantly has sprinkled throughout this chapter, I see how these are definitely images that we should have in our inner identity albums:

blessed
chosen in Him
holy
blameless
adopted
sons
God’s heritage
His portion
foreordained
saved
purposed
treasured possession
not rejected
eternally loved
without blame
justified
glorified
worthy
beloved
known by God
approved
saved
sanctified
God’s elect

Consider this statement from Pastor John Piper:
“Your salvation did not begin with your choice to believe in Christ—a choice which was real and necessary. Your salvation began before the creation of the universe when God planned the history of redemption, ordained the death and the resurrection of his Son, and chose you to be his own through Christ. This is a great objective ground for assurance. And we should consider it deeply.” *

In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance;
for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand)
in accordance with His purpose,
Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,
So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!
Verses 11 and 12

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—
not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,
Who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:9 and 10

“You’re CALLED. You’ve been called personally by God and to God. That’s an in-Christ fact about you that can help erase any sense of alienation or lack of purpose that you may at times feel” (Mrs. Myers, page 68).

In light of all of this, sisters, may we daily fulfill the joy and honor and privilege of being called and chosen by Almighty God. The Apostle Paul encourages everyone who is called to,

…live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, how awesomely wonderful and gracious You are to us! We struggle, Lord, (You know that) endeavoring to hold the Truth of who You say we are in our minds and hearts. But we want to…please help us through the empowering of Your Holy Spirit! I pray for each person who reads this little blog today, Lord, asking that You cause the Truth of Your Word to sink into their depth of their hearts. I pray that each will remember that Your ways and Your thoughts are high above our own. I pray that each will recognize Grace and Mercy for all that they are. I pray that each will remember that Your power and strength are made perfect in their weakness. And I pray that each will believe more and more that ‘I AM who God says I am!’ Thank You for calling us and chosing us to be Your own. Praying and asking these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

* From a wonderful series that Pastor Piper did on having assurance of just who we are because of God’s chosing and calling!

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: 2 timothy 1:9-10, called, chosen, CHRISTLife, coleen hayden, ephesians 1:11-12, ephesians 1:3-6, Ephesians 4:1-3, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Ruth Myers, Women's Online Bible Study

Holding Nothing Back

February 2, 2014 by coleen hayden

~ Listen while you read, please! ~

I am chosen, I am free, I am living for eternity…free now forever

You picked me up, turned me around
You set my feet on solid ground; I’m Yours now forever

And nothing’s gonna hold me back…no, nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back

My chains fell off, my heart was free; I’m alive to live for You, I’m alive to live for You
Amazing love, how can it be? You gave everything for me, You gave everything for me

You washed my sin and shame away; the slate is clean—a brand new day; free now forever
Now boldly I approach Your throne to claim this crown through Christ my own
I’m Yours now forever

I’m free to live…free to give…free to be…I’m free to love You

~ Songwriters: Tim Hughes and Martin Smith; Performed by Beth Croft ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Are you dancing around your living room, hands raised, singing ‘Nothing’s gonna hold me back…You gave everything for me-e-e-e!’ You (me, too!) have much to be dancing about…so much to be praising our Lord and thanking Him for! We are chosen…free…and living for eternity! We are alive because of His amazing Love! Our sin and shame has been washed away…and the slate was made clean! AND, we ARE now His FOREVER!

Only through mercy and the accomplishments of the Messiah have we been given access to God’s throne. Amazing, isn’t it? And to think, this had been Almighty God’s intention all along!

This is according to the purpose of the ages,
which He made in the Messiah, Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness, access, and confidence through faith in Him.
Ephesians 3:11 and 12

We are free—totally, completely, not of our own works—by grace. We have been set free from the sin of Adam that besets all mankind; free from a life of slavery to sin; free from condemnation; free from the Law; free from judgment; free to be all that God intends us to be! We should live like it!

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life
set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1 and 2

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him,
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:31 and 32, 36

For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

So throw your hands up in praise and adoration of the One Who loves you so! Sing your little heart out…hold nothing back. ‘Cause you ARE free! <3

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: Beth Croft, coleen hayden, ephesians 3:11-12, Galatians 5:1, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, Holding Nothing Back, i am free, John 8:31-36, Martin Smith, psalms-hymns-spiritual-songs, Romans 8:1-2, Tim Hughes

CHRISTLife — Week Four

February 2, 2014 by coleen hayden

Oh! My! THIS is going to be a good week! Have you read ahead…or taken a look at this week’s lessons? In case you haven’t, here is a sneak peek at just the chapter titles:

Called and Chosen
Desired
No Longer Condemned
Clean And More
Alive With His Life

I AM what God says I am (take a glance back at the list)…and, therefore, I AM all those things! Talk about Truth and positive images to write in my inner identity album!

Are you a child of God? Have you been redeemed? Did Jesus die for you? Do you love God? ~~If so~~ Since ‘YES’ is the resounding reply… then take the verses below and insert your own name. Personalize this Scripture with your own name (like this: “…God causes all things to work together for good to <Coleen> who loves God, to <Coleen> who is called….”) OK? Perhaps you might read this aloud…reminding yourself audibly that ‘I AM what God says I am!’ This IS the image that God holds of y.o.u.! This is y.o.u. because your life IS Christ!

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to <y.o.u.> who loves God, to <y.o.u.> who is called according to His purpose.
For <y.o.u.> whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
And <y.o.u.> whom He predestined, He also called; and <y.o.u.> whom He called, He also justified; and <y.o.u.> whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall <y.o.u.> say to these things? If God is for <me>, who is against <me>?
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for <me>, how will He not also with Him freely give <me> all things?
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for <me>.
Who will separate <me> from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things <I> overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved <me>.
For <I> am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate <me> from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus <my> Lord.
Romans 8:28-39 (paraphrased)

(And take a few minutes to go over to the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs blog…the song that is featured today could just be our ‘theme song,’ my friends!)

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: CHRISTLife, coleen hayden, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, I am who God says I am, Romans 8:28-39, Ruth Myers, week 4, Women's Online Bible Study, Your Life IS Christ

CHRISTLife — By Prayer and Petition

February 1, 2014 by coleen hayden

Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6 and 7

Great and precious are the promises we have been given! They bring such comfort to our hearts!

“Do not be anxious about anything….” This always reminds me of our Lord’s words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6). As He ministered to the vast crowd, He said to them:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Talk about being comforted and encouraged! But, y’know, Jesus’ words to them still apply to us…He is still encouraging us to ‘not worry about your life’ and asking the question of us ‘Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ His heart is still to guide us along to seeking first the Father’s Kingdom and His righteousness…and the ‘all these things’ that we need, and desire, and pray for…’will be given to YOU as well.’

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: CHRISTLife, coleen hayden, Colossians 4:2, do not be anxious, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, matthew 6, Philippians 4:6-7, prayers and petitions, Ruth Myers, Seeds Worship, Sermon on the Mount

Your Love, Oh Lord

February 1, 2014 by coleen hayden

~ Listen while you read, please! ~

Your love, oh Lord, reaches to the heavens
And Your faithfulness stretches to the skies

And Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows like the ocean’s tide

And I will lift my voice to worship You, my King
And I will find my strength In the shadow of Your wings

~ Songwriters: Johnny Mac Powell, Sam Anderson, Bradley Avery, David Carr, Mark Lee ~

~ Performed by Mac Powell and Third Day ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

This week, in the Seeking Him devotional blog, our devotions have centered around God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalms 36:5-10 has been the featured Scripture passage.

Your steadfast love, O Lord extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your judgements are like the great deep,
You save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.
Continue Your love to those who know You,
Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

Throughout the week, our devotional writers have encouraged and reminded us of many things.

Cheris voiced her concern that we, those who do know God, will share about His great steadfast love with those who, yet, do not know Him. “This psalm writer uses vivid imagery to describe God’s great steadfast love. To explain God’s love and faithfulness to the vast degree it is may be difficult, but we can try to do so to others – hoping the Holy Spirit will allow them to hear and receive what’s shared so they see their desperate need for a Savior!”
Tina brought our attention to the faithfulness of God, and said in her prayer, “…We want to know You more fully as we begin this new year. Show us places where we can improve and where we can be brave enough to share our hearts with You.”
Tonya focused our thoughts on God, Who is the Fountain of Life. “There is constant light because God is a constant—He is constantly merciful, constantly faithful, constantly righteous, He constantly preserves, and, most of all, He is constantly loving.”
Laura reminded us of our Hope as she shared: “The fountain of youth is really the Fountain of life—an eternal life with God. This eternal life shines like a light to the world through those who have accepted the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, God’s greatest gift to mankind.”
Ann reminded us about the awesomeness of God’s steadfast love. “God’s love is steadfast. You can count on the consistency of God’s love revealed in the beauty of creation, in the gift of God’s love and preeminently in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no limits, no lines, no conditions. God loves us to the end…and beyond.”
And Ahmee shares today a reminder that God’s love NEVER fails. “This is what it boils down to: the truth is that God’s Word is Truth. It says His love is unfailing…and so it is.”

Hopefully this song also will help you to express your trust and confidence in God—and His steadfast love that never fails.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: coleen hayden, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, mac powell, Oh Lord, psalms 36:5-10, psalms-hymns-spiritual-songs, Seeking Him devotional, Third Day, Your Love

CHRISTLife – Fourteen: Continuing the Adventure

January 30, 2014 by coleen hayden

If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.
Colossians 3:1-4

Y’know what I SO love about this little passage of the Scripture—all I have to do is set my mind (and keep it set!) to seek ‘things above!’ All the rest is God’s job!
• being raised with Christ
• having a new, real life
• being hidden in Christ
• Christ’s return
• appearing with Him

Here we are, friends,…we have now entered into Part 2: Your Life IS Christ! As Mrs. Myers writes on page 61, “…as we let God lovingly invade our lives through our faith in Christ, He provides what is essentially a new album…we relate to God as our Father, He fills our new album with images that give unshakable support of our sense of identity.” Images like these:

Ok, show of hands here (actually, please leave a comment below or a ‘like’ in our study group!): who of you wants a new album filled with God’s images of our identity? Oh…I do! These images will reflect that ‘I AM who God says I am!’ No doubt! One could fill journal after journal with these Truths.

Kim and I would love to encourage you to design your own inner identity album page today that does just that! If God is showing us His images of us, we no longer should be finding our identity through status, or performance, or our physical appearance.

Oh! Kim has something to share, AND her inner identity album page, too…
I love what Mrs. Meyers reminds us of on page 61. That our status is important ONLY as it gives opportunity to glorify God and serve others…Our actions become a way of giving love rather than trying to earn an ego-building response from other people. We no longer need to depend on how people respond to us and we escape from evaluating ourselves in the mirror of human approval. Ladies, it isn’t about us…It is ALL about Him! The enemy would love to render us ineffective by making us think we are not worthy. But because of Jesus we have been redeemed, bought with a price—and that makes us royalty, princesses, daughters of the King! I want to encourage each of you to do a page like this (below) as a reminder of just how much the Father loves you and who you are in HIM. The key here is in Him. Apart from Him we can do nothing!!!!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people belonging to God,
that you may declare the praises of Him who called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9

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may we pray just a portion of Mrs. Meyers prayer over you?

“Father, I’m so glad for the beautiful portrait in Your Word of who I am in Christ. Thank You for revealing these Truths—Truths which we humans so desperately need. I celebrate the fact that I never again need to rely on my appearance, my performance, or my status to define who I am. I invite You to lovingly invade all my thinking about myself. Expose further ways in which I’m holding on to what is deceptive and inadequate, and encourage me to cling to the exciting Truths You have revealed—Truths that confirm who I really am in Your sight.” We pray and ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: 1 Peter 2:9, apart from GOd we can do nothing, CHRISTLife, coleen hayden, colossians 3:1-4, GCH, girifriends coffee hour, hidden in Christ, kim golds, Ruth Myers, Women's Online Bible Study

Anchor of Hope

January 29, 2014 by coleen hayden

~ Listen while you read, please! ~

Marvelous, Wonderful, Infinite God; Author of all that is good
Faithful Provider and Giver of life, Source of all power and love

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; Refuge of strength to the end
Righteous Redeemer and mighty to save, He’s the Anchor of Hope for the souls of men

Gracious, Compassionate, Merciful God! Radiant, holy Delight
Beautiful Father, Victorious Son—Source of unchangeable Light

You are Light in the dark, You are healing for the broken heart
You are Hope, you are Lord, You are Life, you are Love that endures

Powerful, Constant, Unwavering God; Shepherd who comes for the lost
Rock of salvation, Remarkable Love, Savior Who died on the Cross

~ Songwriters: Brown Bannister, Ellie Holcomb / Performed by Ellie Holcomb ~

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This…all of this!…is our reason for Hope! Biblically, hope is an assurance, something we depend and count on happening. To the world, hope is a ‘wing and a prayer.’

HOPE – verb

To entertain or indulge hope; to cherish a desire of good, or of something welcome, with expectation of obtaining it or belief that it is obtainable; to expect; – usually followed by for. “But I will hope continually.” – Psalm 71:14
To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good; – usually followed by in. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God.” – Psalm 42:11
To desire with expectation, or with belief in the possibility, or prospect of obtaining; to look forward to as a thing that is desirable, with the expectation of obtaining it; to cherish the hopes of. [Charity] hopeth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:7

I would like to encourage you, friends, to grasp this Hope as your Truth! We are often so good at encouraging others…reminding our brothers and sisters of the Hope they have…speaking to the unsaved and telling them of the Hope they can have. But speak this Truth to yourself. Hold to it. Depend on it.

Your Lord IS Your Hope—He is

the Light in the dark
Refuge of strength to the end
Healer of your broken heart
Rock of salvation
Savior Who died on the Cross
Anchor of Hope

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise
the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath,
so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,
we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us,
having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:17-20

At the foundation of it all “this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…” A hope that we have had no part in securing, no part in determining, no part in bringing to pass. A hope simply to hold onto—an Anchor of Hope in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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I pray, for each of you that “…our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace, <would> comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word” in Jesus’ Name. Amen. (2 Thessalonians 2:16 and 17)

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: 1 corinthians 13:7, 2 thessalonians 2:16 and 17. psalm 42:11, Anchor of Hope, Ellie Holcomb, GCH, Girlfriends Coffee Hour, hebrews 6:17-20, Psalm 71:14

CHRISTLife — Nineteen: Clean and More

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CHRISTLife — Seventeen: Desired