December 22, 2024

About Kelly

Resolution for Women- The Encourager

September 12, 2012 by

1 John 3:18

“We must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.”

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The Intentional Encourager

 In our chapter, Priscilla was amazed that a very young 22-year-old Solomon – when given the opportunity to gain health, wealth, prosperity, and prestige – asked God simply for WISDOM to lead the people he was made king over.  This amazed me as well.  I have 4 children ranging in age from 17-26 and if given the opportunity to gain health, wealth, and prosperity OR wisdom – my crowd would certainly choose health, wealth, and prosperity. What child this age today wouldn’t?  Once again, like Priscilla, my initial thoughts were the same – King David certainly must have raised his child the right way ~ a way different from what I raised my own.  Do you see the similarities of this situation with times today?  They really aren’t any different.  We all have character defects or deficiencies, we all make errors in judgement and King David did as well.  Priscilla says, ‘He made some colossal mistakes in both his personal life and his parenting’; as we all have done and continue to do.

  ‘My son Solomon – God has chosen him alone – is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God.’            Chronicles 29:1-2

Solomon has been instructed to build God’s temple – did you get that?  God’s temple!  That is HUGE! …..and although he recognizes that his son is “young and inexperienced”, he also realizes that he is the chosen one.  That God chose Solomon to be king, to lead his people, to get His temple built.  Now it is his job to support, encourage, and most of all BELIEVE and have faith in his son to accomplish this undertaking. David does just that.

Like most parents, I have high expectations for my son and daughters.  I want them to have wisdom, health, wealth, prestige and all the blessings God promises in His word.  Unfortunately there have been many choices made by my children that were not in their best interest, that go against God’s instruction – that have caused me to lose faith in them, that have caused me to stop believing in them in many areas.  Shame on me.   I certainly was not perfect growing up and only in the last 4-5 years have built a relationship with Jesus Christ that has given me the desire and conviction to make my life’s decisions based on my Heavenly Father’s desires, the desires found in His word.  God didn’t give up on me.  God believed in me.  However, it remains very hard difficult to give my children that same gift (virtually impossible! – although we know with God all things are possible!)

As God’s child,  He was with me every step of the way growing up.  I know this because I should have been a ‘street kid’.  As a teenager my brother and I were being raised by my father.  He left our house to move in with his girlfriend and we had free reign.  Our dad wasn’t there giving us parental guidance, he wasn’t cooking for us or taking care of us.  I remember living in that mobile home (our home), just me and my brother (who was only 18 months younger than me) wanting to take care of him. There was no desire to ‘party’ as many teenagers do today. There was no desire to stay out until all hours or to do drugs or drink. God delivered us from what could have been a disastrous young adulthood.  He gave us wisdom.

The lesson being taught to us today is that we MUST be INTENTIONAL (and we have heard this word throughout many chapters n our study) with our children.  We must INTENTIONALLY encourage them, we must INTENTIONALLY provide them support (and I’m not talking about financial support or treasures), we must INTENTIONALLY believe in them.  We have to trust that our Heavenly Father has them – after all, they are His children.  We are simply here to give them earthly guidance and support until such day that they are reunited with their Father in heaven.  They are on loan to us.  We must never give up providing them with the spiritual food they need to get to know their daddy.  We must believe that they are going to do GREAT things in the course of their lives, that they too will build a relationship with God that will allow them to give their children what David did to Solomon.  This is a hard task ladies – a tough, tough task.  It is for me anyway – maybe it’s easier for you guys.  Perhaps you are in a different place in your life than I am in mine.  However, the lesson remains the same.  BE INTENTIONAL with your children.  As we have read in the past chapters, our jobs as parents don’t end when our children become adults.  Even with our grown children we must be INTENTIONAL in our actions towards them and continue to ‘train them up’ in the ways of the Lord. We must believe in them, encourage them, and support them – Intentionally. What incredible life gifts for them!

Let’s Pray:

Father, work in our lives.   Work in my heart Lord and in the heart of every reader here.  Allow us to become convicted and determined to be INTENTIONAL with our children AND the children of this world – those in our churches, in our communities, in  other cities and countries we visit.  Especially those father that do not have a parental figure in their lives.   You know every situation Father – for every parent and every child.  Provide us with the wisdom, guidance, and gentle nudges OR large pushes necessary to give our children the gift of belief in them, of encouragement, and the desire to continue spiritually feeding them regardless of where they are today in their personal lives.  May we be more like David in our daily walk with our children.

Your Assignment:

List some of the immature actions and temperaments in your children that may discourage you.  Keep this list in a place where you can always be reminded to pray regarding them, and consider who you can enlist to encourage your child in these areas (along side of you).  Carefully consider how you can make the overarching tone of your relationship with your child one of encouragement.  Please comment and let us know how we can pray for you in your walk, attempting to be more like David with Solomon.  or God with us.

[My note:  It is very difficult for me personally, psychologically, to see the roses over the thorns many times with my children.  This prohibits me from giving them the encouragement that I need to.  Especially with my son, who is covered in thorns.  This lesson has challenged me.  I will be praying for each of you in your own lives and request you cover my family in yours. Thank you for this.]__________________

Don’t forget, on October 1st, we will begin our brand new Online Bible Study, right here, entitled “Winning Him Without Words” by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.  If you are in an unequally spiritual marriage, you won’t want to miss this study!!  It is AMAZING! (as a personal note, I have read this book – I have communicated with these authors over the past year and they are amazing.  Their personal stories changed my life.  Their words confirmed what my own pastor said when he counseled me in my own marriage.  I pray that you will join us for this study as well!)

To sign up for this study, please send an email to:  Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com and we will send you all the details you need to get started!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Be sure to jump on over to our Facebook Group for the daily activity!! If you do not yet belong to this group, and would like to, send us an email at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com with FB GROUP in the subject line, and we’ll be glad to add you!

 With the greatest love ever and many hugs,

<3 Kelley

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The Resolution for Women – How do you Heal an Unbroken Heart

August 29, 2012 by

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom Shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, Send me!

Isaiah 6:8

Wow, what a week to have me blog for this chapter!  I just came back from a life changing trip to Nicaragua.  This wasn’t my first mission trip though, in fact, last year I went to Guatemala with all intentions of going back. God started working on me way before we left on August 11.  I signed up to go to Guatemala then a Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference was scheduled in the same month – due to financial reasons I had to choose one or the other.  I chose Proverbs 31 as I felt like God was working on me to expand my personal ministry and begin writing or speaking.  So….I registered for the conference.  A few weeks later at church I see where my own church is taking their first independent mission trip to Nicaragua! Immediately God let me know that I was supposed to be on that team  – so I cancelled the conference registration and joined the missionary team.   My wonderful husband had given me the conference money which I now needed for the mission trip and I was able to raise the rest without issue. Yes, God was at work.  When I almost raised all the money needed, the people at work asked me how much more I needed, I told them $125 – they raised $82 for me.  I talked to our pastor taking us, his records had me only owing $80 and I had just received $82!  I preface this story telling you this so you understand how from the very beginning, when I was asking God to show me what ministry activity I was supposed to participate in – He was there – setting me up the entire time.

With that resolved, Like Priscilla in our story today, I now prayed for a broken heart – for the biggest, cracked, shattered, brokest broken heart because you just can’t heal one that is unbroken.  I truly wanted to FEEL the pain, I wanted to understand, I didn’t just want to go through the motions.  I needed to be broke.  Does that make sense?

The first 5 days of our mission trip were spent in a village called Salinas Grande.  It is on the ocean and is built around a salt mine. It was about 8 miles of dirt roads, Many houses were lean-to’s wrapped in black plastic, some were block but were open to weather.  People rode horses and yes, we saw many horses with make-shift wagons (piece of flat plywood) that they would ride multiple people or things on.  Most had electricity with mostly 1 lightbulb hanging for light. However running water was not an everyday gift in most houses.  People went with buckets and containers to get their water; sometimes on bikes, sometimes on horses, sometimes walking.   Oh yes, the heart was breaking already.  Thank you Jesus.  How can we have so much and they have so little?  Why God?

We met a 90-year-old beautiful, precious woman at one of the feeding programs.  She was manually hoisting the water from a very deep well with a bucket and pulley.  Our guys tried to lift the water to see how she managed, they could not lift it far!  God, she’s 90 and happy, I said.  This is life for her; but why? We all have clean running water into our homes – and this elderly sweet lady had to drop a bucket into a well for hers?  More heart break….I gave this woman the biggest hug I could possibly give.  There is no language barrier with a hug!  And the GREATest news…..We had a person on our team who dealt with water pumps at work and we were able to give this her running water at the flip of a switch.  No more pulling her water up with a 10 gallon bucket!

The children were beautiful.   They would come to the feeding programs at lunch time and get a nice hot lunch. These are funded by missionary teams through Open Eyes Ministries. They would come up on bikes or walking with their empty bowls and spoons and for some, this might be the only full meal a day they get.   Can you feel my heart shattering…..being totally broken.  And I prayed for this! I needed this!  The ladies would cook over their fires, no stoves for them, preparing a big bowl of rice, a big bowl of beans, and a big bowl of some kind of meat and vegetables and we would serve these beautiful little people.  We’d play with them – they loved to play ‘football’ (soccer), we had some doing the hokey pokey with us and a translator – All God’s people, but living a different kind of life.

We went into a pastor’s home for a sewing ministry – the young girls were learning how to sew and were making school uniforms to help furnish uniforms to the children at schools that didn’t have the money for them.  Someone in ministry had gotten them Brother Sewing Machines to work with – they looked so out-of-place in this pastors open house with chickens and little biddies running through it – they even had a couple of green parakeets  running around – but they were happy.  It was HOT and there wasn’t much air running through the house, but here these girls sat learning a trade  because someone cared.  Amazing Grace! God is so good! The navy blue skirts they made had perfect pleats.  I stood in awe.  I had to donate to this ministry.  They were working so hard to give back and they didn’t have enough themselves.  —-crash, shatter—-bang…

I know this is getting long-winded, but I have to tell you about the final straw!  We went into the schools to teach lessons to the children. We taught Honesty, Optimism, Integrity, and on the last day we took them the gospel.  I had the opportunity for the first time to stand up in front of this class and teach them about taking Jesus into their hearts, asking for forgiveness of their sins, teaching them that their slate would wash clean, and they would be new.  In my class, I had 22 students and a teacher pray the prayer of salvation!  Oh be still my heart!  Further shatter…..completely broken – emotionally exhausted.  We had 94 total give their hearts in the school that day!

I will end by telling you that I left Nicaragua with a shattered, broken, destroyed heart.  God made sure that it would never be the same again.  Even as it healed, the remnants of the cracks would remain.   I now know that my heart is in ministry for the lost.  For those that do not know Jesus Christ.  I am on a life mission to be part of the groups that change things in the world for those are less fortunate, and many times lost.   I won’t ever be the same person after this trip.  God used it to change me so I in turn could change the lives of others.  I’m thankful to Jesus for shattering my heart. For showing me the way.  I pray that if you have never had your heart spiritually broken, you pray for it.  Pray that God takes it and shatters in it pieces. The beauty of what you feel afterwards will change your life as it did mine.

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Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for breaking my heart.  Thank you for allowing me to share my broken heart with others; allowing me to be a vessel for you.  Bless each one that reads this blog today and each one that doesn’t.  I pray that you will work in our lives, in our hearts, and mold us and shape us to be missionaries to the world – starting right here in our own towns and cities.  Thank you for the running water, the electricity, the way of life we have here in the USA.  Work with us so that we can take some of our wealth, spiritually and otherwise, to other places in the world, blessing your children there as we are blessed.  We ask these things in your name, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Perhaps you’ve been burned when trying to reach out too drastically, people have taken advantage of you or misunderstood your motives; but when you to go minister Christ’s love to another person, what is your real reason for going?  What’s a better way to evaluate your success than with measurable, feel-good results alone?

After you have commented below, go back to our Online Bible Study Group on Facebook to see what our Daily FUN Activity is. If you do not yet belong to our OBS Facebook group, and would like to, please send an email to:

GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

We’ll send you the details needed to get you into this group!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

With Big Hugs and a Big Heart, 

<3 Kelley

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The Resolution for Women: All Clear

August 15, 2012 by

Jeremiah 31: 34

“I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

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Don’t you wish  forgiveness was as easy as Priscilla describes in today’s chapter, using the “Delete” button?  I mean look at the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s!  Perhaps if only one of them had used the ‘Delete’ button years and years ago, the incredible family feud that has gone on for so many years, taking many lives, would have been long over – instead they have made history over a lifetime of unforgiveness.  In scripture it tells us the following ~

 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”      Ephesians 4:32

Being around someone you don’t like and being kind is one thing; however,  forgiveness has to be the hardest pill for us to swallow.  “Excuse me Lord, you want me to forgive Her“?  [emphasis]  How many of us have asked that question over and over with various people in our lives.  It’s so much easier for us to just ignore people – stop associating with them – or chalking them off in our lives rather than doing as Jesus would and forgiving them.   It’s built into our flesh – it’s human – there is no “delete” button.

How many of you have someone in your life that you need to forgive?  How many have a dark cloud hanging over your head because this issue is not resolved? Doesn’t it truly keep cropping up? Perhaps you miss a family function because of this or you actually find yourself missing this person you’ve chosen not to forgive~ both situations very irritating, keeps the wound festering even long after the event.  Unfortunately, we cannot seem to hit that “delete button” to free them and to free us.

Well, it’s time to hit the “delete” button.  Scripture makes it clear.  Jesus has made it clear.  Do not let one more day go by without reaching way deep down inside of your heart to forgive to, lift the burden this carries on your life.  Not only will you feel better yourself mentally and physically, but you will be following the desires of God’s heart.  THIS is worth it all by itself!

So,  if forgiving others is tough, what about the need to forgive yourself?  Well, that’s a whole different story, huh!?

The following story is true and it breaks my heart to tell it; however, it’s a story that truly screams out forgiveness in every sense of the word so I need to share it.

I have a friend and  when he was away one day, his oldest son was riding his bike outside and fell; his mother ran out the door to rescue him.  Unfortunately, while mom was outside with her injured son, his 2-year-old brother went through an opened sliding glass door and into the pool drowning.  Horrifying, right?  RIGHT!  Can  you absolutely imagine the pain of this mother?  Do you think she has forgiven herself today?   The true answer is, I honestly do not know for sure.  Her mistake cost her son’s life ~ that is a level of forgiveness I cannot even imagine having in this situation.

And, what about this little guy’s father?  This baby boy was the apple of his eye, his heart – and now he was gone due to an accident caused by a simple mistake.  An open door.  And he wasn’t there to protect him.  He couldn’t save him. Outside of not being able to forgive himself, what about forgiveness for his wife?  The wife who left the door open that his baby went through The turmoil that must have (and likely still does) cause him agony. How does one dig that deep?

Here’s the GREAT part.  Here’s the part we need to get and understand…..Priscilla says, “No human forgiveness is strong enough, not even your own, to ever free you from the torturous remainder of your offense and the cloak of guilt in it lays on your shoulders”  – did you hear that  NO HUMAN FORGIVENESS IS ENOUGH .  There is only one way to lift that black cloud, to free yourself from the bondage and years of suffering and that is to accept the gift that Jesus Christ has given us – the gift of freedom – freedom from our sins.  He forgives US – we in turn need to forgive others.

Priscilla says it best when she says, ‘He felt the crown of thorns pressed onto His head.  He took the beating……..He hung on Golgotha’s tree.  That’s when you received all the forgiveness you’ll ever need.  When he cried, ‘It is finished!’.  It was done.”   – The ‘DELETE’ button pressed.  For us.  For each and every one of us.

Do not let another day go by without forgiving yourself or someone else.  Press your Delete button today. Jesus did.

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Your Assignment:

  • Describe in your own words the differences and connections between forgiving yourself and receiving God’s forgiveness.
  • Choose one past action that you’ve held against yourself, and then prayerfully (INTENTIONALLY)  consider the Lord’s payment for this sin. Choose to receive it for yourself.
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    Let’s Pray:
    Father God, thank you for the gift of forgiveness.  For dying on that cross for us and freeing us from all of our sins.  It is my prayer Father that whatever burdens we carry internally or those that we carry for others be removed as we remember that day on Calvary.  May we intentionally work in the name of forgiveness.  We ask these things in your humble name. We love you Father, Amen.

Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Love,

Kelley <3<3

Read all about Craig’s Resolution for Men Journey here: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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Resolution for Women: Shhhhh

August 7, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

  Luke 6:45

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”

WOW Ladies!  How many of you can relate to the picture above?   Be honest, be really really honest……Well?  No, you have to be really honest!  Can you?   Okay, I’ll admit – I can.   But…..if you don’t agree, can you at least agree that talking is one of the things women do best – We TALK. We love to talk!    We talk about everything and talk some more.   Many times we talk before we think.  We talk when we should just be quiet – when we should pray.  We like to talk.  It’s in our blood!

Have you been in situations where you have been listening to people talk and they are excited about being the first to tell someone something?  They absolutely love being the person to share news or happenings – they enjoy being in the position of getting noticed for what they are telling and talking about – even if its negative.   This is certainly not wisdom and can be rather embarrassing for her and those around her.

“Wisdom – knowing what to say and not saying it” – This is the definition Priscilla shares with us in our book. How many times have we been in situations where we said things when we should have just kept our mouth shut. Let’s face it ladies, for the majority of us, this happens quite often, or DID, before we met Jesus and began to learn wisdom.

With me, when I started building a relationship with Jesus Christ and started studying The Word, I too realized that I talk way too much (hold your laugh) and unfortunately not all of it would bring glory to our Father.  My husband was forever telling me I needed to ‘hush’;  I was talking too much, telling too much, and it would be better for all if I just stopped talking. Truth be told, he was right many times – Yes, I hate to admit it, but the Hubby was right.

I love the way Priscilla writes about this subject.  The following, shared by Priscilla in our chapter, really struck me personally.  When you read these statements what were your thoughts?

  • Silence is our friend. Silence is our strength.   –   I love this!  It’s amazing what we can do with silence now that we have a  relationship with Jesus.   Silence IS our friend and IS our strength!  All we have to do is utilize it, all to glorify Him.
  • A woman who is quick to listen is one who gathers up all the information before releasing her reaction.   WOW – YES!   This is my goal!  How about you!?
  • When she speaks, her advice and assessments are sensible and sober. Prudent and purposeful.  – these sisters represent WISDOM – Wisdom is a blessing!

In God’s Word, sweet sisters, it is made clear.    We need to stop and listen to the direction of our Father before acting or discussing a situation.  We need to remember that words DO have power – and not all power will glorify our Lord and Savior. We need to pray more and talk less.  We need to remember that we are children of the King.  We need to reach out and take hold of the wisdom we know comes from our Heavenly Father ~ and actively display this Wisdom in every situation.  We need to grow in the quiet.   I challenge you to read the following scriptures and become convicted by the words written especially for us.

‘…..the tongue of the righteous is pure silver’  Proverbs 10:20

‘The tongue has the power of life and death’  Proverbs 18:21

‘Be still and know that I am God’     Psalms 46:10

Remember, Silence is our Friend.  Silence is our Strength

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Your Assignment:

  • What would immediately change for the better in your life if you began exercising the spiritual restraint of silence?
  • Try it for just a day or two.  Deliberately keep from saying something that’s better left unsaid.  Allow the bait of another’s unkind or inappropriate remark to land without hooking a response from you.  Record what you observe about yourself and the change in the dynamics around you.

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

Father God thank you for the blessing of silence.  Change our hearts so that we may use this silence to prepare our words and actions in such ways to bring glory to you in all we do.  In addition, may we remember the power of words and the damage it can cause, as well as the praises it may bring.  Thank you for these blessings.  Thank you for each sister here. We love you Father and We ask these things in your precious and Holy name.  Amen.

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Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Love,

Kelley <3<3

Read all about Craig’s Resolution for Men Journey here: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Resolution for Women- Week 5: It Only Works When I Breathe

August 1, 2012 by

The past two-three weeks at work have been crazy!  I was assigned 3 projects to work on all at the same time, all with deadlines of yesterday.  I also had my Online Bible Study groups , my family, grandchildren to spend the night, was planning for a mission trip to Nicaragua, and was attempting to keep up with all the day-to-day tasks.  By the way, the list goes on!   I desperately needed oxygen.   Unfortunately for me it was not dropping out of the sky ready to be used!   In addition to this, the ‘boxes’ that we talked about the other day that could be rearranged or moved around were not the ones that were labeled W O R K, they were the things I enjoyed – the things that brought me peace.  Lovely, huh!?    Have any of you ladies had this problem?   –as I chuckle!   Of course you have.   To bed late, up way too early, running kids here, running kids there, working, doing laundry – running yourself ragged – trying to do it all…..needing a LARGE oxygen tank!   Suffocating from attempting the impossible. Do any of us think about how destructive this behavior is to our bodies? Nope, we totally believe we can do it all!  In our book Priscilla explains what this type of behavior provides us ,

“by running yourself ragged, trying to do everything morning till night, you’re in essence trying to be God. Overwork is a form of unbelief.  You’re saying through your actions that you don’t believe He can take care of everything, meaning you’re on the hook for it” (page 109)

Ladies, it’s time to stop and smell the roses, time to find your oxygen tank whatever, wherever that may be.  There is no possible way that you can help anyone else – not your children, your husband or anyone  else when you are out of ‘gas’.  I will be honest, even during those very difficult weeks at work recently, I made time for the one thing that totally relieves me of stress – even if only for a few minutes – my MuayThai class.  For 1 solid hour 3 times a week no matter what goes on, I go and hit pads, kick bags – relieving every ounce of frustration and finding my’oxygen’.    I would leave work so tired, seriously feeling like I could go straight home and go to bed, then I would change into my gym clothes and head to the gym.  By the time I left, the good endorphins in my body were rolling, my energy level was up, and thankfully I had found my oxygen tank – right in the nick of time!

So let’s think about this ladies.  What is something that you can do each day to re-energize?  Perhaps it’s your quiet time with God, or maybe your on-line bible study time.  Perhaps it’s an amazing tough workout at the gym or a much-needed date with your hubby.  Whatever it is, it is necessary to reach out and grab it, to find that oxygen tank and use it!  For me it’s an hour in the gym, for you this time may mean 10 minutes with Jesus.  Whether it’s a quick outdoor walk or getting an hour-long massage – it is absolutely imperative that you take this time to replenish your soul, to fill your lungs with fresh air, to suck up the molecules necessary to rebuild the cells throughout your body – Only then can you be the person you need to be for yourself and for those that are depending on you.

And let’s not forget to seek guidance from the Lord as we handle the many things we do.  We need to work with Him and let Him show us the tasks and priorities we need to be addressing, not all of them belong to us  – although we think they do!

Assignment for Today

When will I put on my oxygen mask so I can ….  bre-e-e-eathe?  What does my oxygen mask look like?   I would like for each and every sister here to commit to some time each day to breathe and replenish their body.  Share with us what that will be for you.

Prayer

Dear God, Guide and direct us each day as we go through our daily tasks.  Help us to reach for our oxgen in whatever form works for us, Provide us with the understanding Father that you are the only one in control, you are the only one capable of handling all of the tasks laid out for our lives.  Father, we love you and thank you.  We worship  you and praise you.  It is in your name we pray.  Amen.

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After you have completed this assignment here, go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group, and see what fun activity we have for you there!  You never now what we will come up with!!  If you do not belong to an Online Bible Study Group, and would like to, please email us at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we will be happy to add you!

Love,

<3 Kelley

…Don’t forget about the Men’s Journey over here:

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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The Resolution for Women: Faith vs. Faithfulness

July 25, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

             

Welcome to another day of The Resolution for Women!  I’m very excited to talk to you today about Faith vs. Faithfulness! Are you ready?

I’m not sure about you guys, but I absolutely LOVED the visual we got as Priscilla described the mother Eagle!  Eagles are like royalty, very regal in stature – strong and powerful – fiercly protective – beautiful birds!  What an incredible picture to hold in our minds.  Then, today one of our ladies spoke of a song in which she envisioned each one of us together, with suitcases,  swinging them in the air and singing!  I can see that scene so clearly, even without closing my eyes.  We were sticking together, sisters in Christ – all with our matching suitcases!  Ladies, it doesn’t get much better than that!  Unfortunately these are just visions and although they are awesome, they don’t go any further than that.

To take this a step further, each week the leaders here anticipate the important words God is going to give them in order to write the daily blog for you.  We have complete faith He is going to bless us with the perfect words;  BUT to actually write the blog each week, to put ourselves out there, is definitely faithfulness.   As Priscilla teaches, ‘The concept of faithfulness is a physical outworking of actions” – It is when the “outward expressions of your beliefs are lived out over time”.  As we prepare to write our blogs each week, life happens. We may find ourselves distracted, not feeling 100%, or just plain spent.  Satan may raise his ugly head and do everything he can to prevent us from sharing these teachings with you.  To give you an example, it’s 1:16 am here and I went to publish my completed blog and the hotel’s wi-fi dropped.  My blog did not post and in fact, when I went back into it – it was at 540 words instead of the 1008 of the finished product.  However, this will not stop me!  I will pray and move forward in Faithfulness, living in obedience to Him. 

Faithfulness is born when the outward expression of your beliefs are lived out over time.

Jesus learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8).  Day in and day out he faced trials and tribulations, was ridiculed, and was eventually beaten and forced to carry the heavy, rugged cross.  However, he proved His faithfulness by surrendering His will,  by praying,  and by staying committed to His Father’s purpose (being the source of eternal salvation).  He resolved to be faithfully His (Fathers).   It is only when we live a life of faithfulness will we ‘fly on the wings of God’s spirit’. (Priscilla Shirer)

How many of you have made resolutions?  Perhaps you’re going to spend more time with God, less time on the computer, or maybe you’re going to give your husband extra attention.   I am working on many of these areas; however my own personal resolution is to get my temple in order so that I am at 150% capacity in order to do His work here in the United States as well as in Nicaragua. To be healthy and fit.  Sure I have faith that I can do this with Him; but more importantly I have faithfulness.  I have surrendered this to Him and I am doing what is necessary to see the fruits of my labor (through Him).  I am adjusting my life to my beliefs.  How are you doing with this?

Let’s Pray

Father God, thank you for teaching us Faithfulness, thank you for your word.  Thank you for your love and the love of this group, the love of each sister here.  Be with us Father,  give us strength to surrender to you – may we learn to adjust our lives to our beliefs so we too can have complete faithfulness as you did.  We love you, Honor you, and Praise you. Amen.

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Your Assignment Today:

Would you describe yourself as a faithful person?  If so in what areas of your life?  Tell us about this in your life.

Share below in the comments section about Faithfulness in your life.  Please don’t be afraid to share.  Remember that your testimony or experience could be the one thing that touches someone else and helps them make changes in their life that reflect our Heavenly Father.  Once you’re done, go on over to your OBS Facebook Group to see what we have planned for you today!  You just never know what we will come up with next!!

If you are not a member of our OBS Facebook Group, and would like to be, please send us an email and we’ll be happy to place you!!   Our email address is:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

Love you Bunches and Lots of Hugs,

<3  Kelley

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The Resolution for Women ~ Happy to Be You

July 18, 2012 by

Memory Verse:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you.

I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit.

John 15:16

Happy to be Me, huh?    As I sit here and attempt to relate this to a situation, to someone I know, or anything that would bring this to point for you, it dawns on me that I am one of those people who has spent years and years of my life ‘wishing or pretending’ I was somebody different ~ in every way possible.  For me that is pretty disappointing because I absolutely KNOW that I was created by my Heavenly Father specifically; down to every freckle, every flaw, every talent, every strength – I was designed just the way I was meant to be; however I’ve gone through life fighting that tooth and nail.  Have you?  Do you still?  I can honestly say to you that today I too  find myself still wishing I could get an ‘overhaul’ – picking and choosing the strengths and talents I see in those around me. Still unhappy being me, wanting to be better, wanting more in my life.  The difference today ladies is that I have a relationship with my Heavenly Father and with Him I can accept the things that are just “me” and  can change the things that keep me from being the best I can be, For Him. 

I grew up on a small street in Orchard Park, New York with several beautiful girlfriends. My friend Dawn had incredible talent, a voice that you could listen to all day (even as a child), she was model beautiful (but wasn’t one to know it or show it).  She went on to do Broadway and Vegas, she married well and has beautiful children – what I wouldn’t do to be Dawn!  (Really Kelley?) The complete package, no flaws (more realistically, no visible flaws)! Then there was Wendy who was just a natural -I remember playing softball together as kids – she was a natural, I was a ‘wanna be’.  At that time, I found it hard to retain the rules of the game nor was I as thin and athletic as everyone else.  Wendy always seemed totally comfortable in her skin – she loved life and embraced it.  If you didn’t like how she was, she didn’t care – she was going to be herself regardless.  It was your loss, not hers.  She was always laughing and enjoyed life, but realistically I know there were down times or times even Wendy was wishing or pretending she was someone else.  While you are meeting all of my friends, I had a friend Susan, her family lived on top of their family restaurant. WOW, how cool is that!  They had their own restaurant!  When I would spend the night with Susan, they would bring us big hot fudge sundae’s upstairs. These were very cool times!  But were they for her?  Looking back now, I understand that each one of these awesome friends very likely spent their own amount of time wishing or pretending they were someone else.  Growing up, I could not find ONE talent within me.  I loved to write poetry ~ but never felt good at it.  I spent day in and day out trying to find ‘WHAT” God blessed me with  that was comparable with what all of my friends were or had. 

Psalm 139:14-16 ESV says:

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

This reminds us that We are UNIQUE!  We are one of a kind! – we were built just the way we were supposed to be.  

 I met a new friend who could find nothing good about herself.  I challenged her (oh yes, I’m good and creative at helping others – it’s myself I pick and choose what I want to address).  I had her write down 10 things she liked about herself. She struggled with this for several days, but eventually got them!  For affirmation, I had her put these by her bed and read them over and over. She eventually was able to work this list up to much more than 10!  God makes no junk.

Priscilla challenges us today to get to know ourselves – to ‘strip away’  those things that mask us allowing us to be the AUTHENTIC person God created us to be; the person that was specially designed for His purposes.  

I’m going to use the word again – yes, the word we must live by that keeps cropping up throughout our studies. Be INTENTIONAL in accepting who you are.   Once we begin accepting who we are – when we allow ourselves to be AUTHENTIC and are okay with it – only then will we find freedom from the burdens of wishing we were someone else, of wishing we had the life of someone else, from the exhaustion caused as we fret over what we are not.  Live as yourself, as created by God, for His plans and purposes – not your own.  It’s time to stop fighting who we are and learn to bask in that the person God intended us to be!

Homework

Record your uniquenesses other people see in you.  Which of these surprises you?

Record how you can be more intentional about using and celebrating these characteristics.

How would the dynamics of your family, your office, or your relationships benefit from your doing this?

Hugs <3 Kelley

Prayer

Father God, thank you for making each of us with our own special uniquenesses.  Allow us through you to embrace these, celebrate these, and accept these for who we are in You.   Thank you for loving us unconditionally, for eternal life, and for every blessing. Amen.

 When you have completed the assignment here on the blog, return to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group for today’s FUN Activity!!  You just never know what we have in store for you!! :)

If you are not a member of our OBS Facebook Group, and would like to be, please send us an email and we’ll be happy to place you!!   Our email address is:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

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The Resolution for Women ~ It’s Good to be a Girl

July 11, 2012 by

Memory Verse:

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:30

Wow, I had to read our chapter over and over today before actually finding the words to blog for you!   – Do I say this every week in my blog?  I think so [grin]  because it seems every week it takes several times before I ‘get it’ and truly understand what it is that God is instructing me to pass on to you!  

Now without further ado, along with reading the words Priscilla wrote, I googled ‘the great women of the bible’.   I googled the women I didn’t know well, googled those I did, and really tried to get to know these women so I could share just the right message.   Then it became apparent, a light bulb went off ~ He truly wants me to teach you  that it’s more than okay to be a girl ~ it’s an honor and privilege to be a girl!  The heck with society – as women, we have a purpose!    

~we are fearfully and wonderfully made – Our God makes no junk! (Psalm 139.14)

Unfortunately being raised Catholic, mass, confession, and communion were all led by priests.  Attending the Baptist church, I soon learned that there were certain situations where women could not teach or lead men.  There is and has always been an awful lot of emphasis on what women could not do, could not say, or could not be, instead of  what WE CAN DO (based on the God-given talents we received and His intent for our lives).   This is intent, by the way, that He blessed us with at creation ~ it’s not something He decided years later to develop or invoke ~  it’s part of the BIG picture, His BIG plans for us – the ones he put into place many, many years ago as he was picking out the color of our eyes and the number of freckles on our noses! 

We are  NECESSARY –  Did you realize the statistics in church these days?  Sadly, there are more women than men in attendance.   On Father’s Day in the church I attended, there were  1/3rd the number of men to women.   Although men are to be the leaders in the homes and in the families, many families are unequally yoked and it is necessary for the women of the house to ‘train up their children’ in the ways of the Lord.  We were given the characteristics of a ‘feminine heart’ full of wisdom, along with the gift of soft touch ~ things as wives and mothers we will use to keep Christ in our homes.  We have been prepared ahead of time for what the days may bring.

We are IMPORTANT and WORTHY – When Jesus met the woman of Samaria at the well he treated her with mercy and love.  He held conversation with her that showed he truly cared, that she mattered.  He asked her opinions and valued her responses.  Jesus treated her like a somebody, he treated her with importance and worth.  He set the stage for the women of today – we too are valued.  We are worthy of the Messiah’s ‘living water’.  – Let me say that again,  “WE ARE WORTHY OF THE MESSIAH’S LIVING WATER”

Are you there yet?  Are you believing how great it is to be a ‘girl’?    We have been given gifts in abundance!  Our cups runneth over with amazing goodies to be used as we work with little children or the elderly ~ as we travel to other countries to share our hearts ~we lack nothing and have been blessed with all ~

Along with Priscilla in her book The Resolution of Women, there is another author who does an amazing job showing us we are loved by our Heavenly Father ~ through LOVE LETTERS to us from Him,   Sheri Rose Shepherd teaches us where we stand in the eyes of our Abba Father.  Here are a few of her quotes.  I know they will touch you as they have touched me. 

Favorite Quotes by Sheri Rose Shepherd

  • Although I am God, my arms are not too big to hold you, My beloved daughter.
  • Don’t let anyone define you but Me, your Daddy in Heaven.
  • The beauty I had in mind when I created you is a reflection of Me.  (WOW!  yes, created in His image)
  • You are royalty even when you don’t feel like a princess.  (always important to Him!)
  • Inside you is a supernatural surprise a gift that is waiting to be unwrapped…by you.  (continued blessings!)

Regardless of the situation, regardless of the time and place – we are WOMAN, hear us ROAR!  No, Seriously, I say this time and time again to those with no self-esteem, to those who feel less than adequate – to those that are unhappy with their physical appearance and allow that to carry over into their hearts and abilities – GOD MAKES NO JUNK!    

We were each individually, especially made to fulfill God’s plans for our lives.  We are not PERFECT, but being made by the KING we are precisely and exactly what we are supposed to be – each flaw intended!   We are beautiful, worthy, necessary, gifted and blessed beyond words!  

PRAYER:

Abba Father,  Thank you for the blessing of being women who were created specifically to fulfill your plans and purposes; who were designed wonderfully with beautiful hearts, tender touches, and amazing gifts.  Who are worthy Father of your ‘Living Water’ and understand your intentions in creating us.  Be with us as we utilize these many tools, that lives are touched and that everything we do brings glory to you.  May we always embrace your/our purpose.  In your precious and Most Holy Name we Pray,  Amen.

HOMEWORK:

Choose one of the many roles you currently play in your life and record for each one how you are…….. Good for it, necessary to it, an important component of it, worthy to be a part of it, and  trustworthy to fulfill your role in it.   Comment on the blog and let us know what this role is for you and ‘how you are’ with it.

Remember, You are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made – God doesn’t make Junk! and don’t forget to go back over to our Facebook group and see what fun Megan has going on for you over there today!

<3   Kelley

 

 

 

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The Resolution for Women: Overflowing Blessing

July 4, 2012 by

Memory Verse for this week:

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain”

1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

I’ve heard it, you’ve heard, it we have all heard it – in fact, we have probably heard it time and time again throughout our lives.  “If you give, you will get it back ten-fold” , “You will reap what you sow”, “Bless and you will be blessed”., Yes, we’ve all been raised on a variation of Luke 6:38 and its a scripture that doesn’t lack understanding.  God promises if we give, we shall receive.

I have a friend who has struggled most of her life with addiction.  However, even during these times of addiction I watched her stop to help strangers time and time again.  At one point downtown she ran into someone that had a dog with a health problem and right there on the street she showed the owner how to correct it.   I’ve watched her change tires for people on the side of the road, get gas for a vehicle that ran out, and not think twice about passing out cigarettes from a pack that someone just had to buy her because she didn’t have a dime to her name.  She just GAVE without thinking, even in the state of addiction.  This was the goodness very few people saw in my friend.  She was a [quiet] giver and do-er – nothing was publicized or bragged upon – this was just who she was.  She gave with total contentment.    As I helped her pack up her house to go into treatment and worked along side of her to get ready to go, all she could think about was making me a special steak dinner to thank me.  I didn’t want her to spend her money on me; however, the last night in her house she had dinner waiting for me and we ate on a small table covered with a white towel – all because she wanted to give in appreciation.  I am sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking about that night – here she sits at rock bottom, leaving her son and all she has right now to go into treatment – but all that was important to her that night was ‘giving’. – giving with total contentment.  How many of us give without thinking?  How many of us have to stop and evaluate, pray for a few days, and then decide if we have enough to give?  Where are we in our level of ‘giving’.?

Now, Where is God in His?  OVERFLOWING  is the only way to describe it.  As Priscilla says, “His gifts are overflowing. He’s not stingy with His goodness or ungenerous with His supply”  YES, He fills us up with far more than we started with, far more than what’s fair ~ He fills our cups until they runneth over and can no longer be contained – when we choose to give, this is His promise.

AND, it’s even larger than that……Days when we are at our lowest points, when we have given all we think we can possibly give – if it is God’s Will  and we feel that ‘nudge’  but we just don’t know how we will find the energy to give with the desire of Our Heavenly Father’s heart – He will simply bust up inside of us with all of His power and through HIS power we’ll get it done.  He provides us with every need to follow his request. Do you get those ‘nudges’?   Those nudges that are ever so slight,  but oh so powerful;  that you just KNOW it is a request coming from above and not just random voices in your head?  WOW, I do……  More often than not, I feel my Father telling me – “Now Kelley, you know you need to do this’.  It’s then I know there is no further questioning what is expected of me. It is also here when I must understand and find peace within, KNOWING that giving contently and carrying out this desire of my Father’s heart will provide me with an over abundance of blessings – when we take what little we have left inside and are willingly able to give that away, God promises, it truly will come back to us in unimaginable amounts – in blessings beyond belief.  How absolutely amazing and beautiful our God is.  He never ceases to amaze me with His Love for us.

Remember, every day starts with a choice.  We can be content or discontent ~ let’s make the resolution right now to be CONTENT, let’s intentionally live our lives each and every day being content -content in giving, content in doing, and content being a Christ Follower.  Try this and watch the blessings flow – be prepared, anticipate, and be ready to pour yourself out at the drop of a hat, the nudge of Our Father – whether we are weary and tired, full of energy, or lacking – remember, He will provide so we can provide.

HOMEWORK:

Based on God’s provision that you listed at the end of the last chapter, what is the one thing you could close this book and go do for someone else out of that resource?

Let’s pray:

Dear God,  Thank you for the ‘nudges,  for pushing us ~sometimes not very comfortably~ into being the Christ Follow we need to be. For teaching us to live in contentment rather than discontented.  Thank you for providing us with the strength when we are weak, for smiles instead of frowns, for sunshine instead of rain – for taking care of each and every detail in our lives, preparing us to carry out your requests to give contented. We love You, Honor You, and prayerfully make the resolution today give with a content heart. <3 Amen

Question of the day:

When you consider your level of willingness to give of yourself, does it reveal more contentment or discontentment residing in your heart?  In what way?  Let us know below –

After reading today’s blog, please return to our Online Bible Study Group on Facebook for your daily activity!  ♥  You just never know what we have in store for you!

If you are not currently a part of our Online Bible Study group, and would like to be, please send an email to GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!

Praying you have a beautiful, blessed 4th of July holiday.  Remember today the soldiers that continue to fight for our freedom and our country every day of their lives.

Live  Intentional, Live Content

Hugs, Kelley

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