April 23, 2024

Girls with Swords: Chapter 5 – “Scapegoat” (pgs 76-78)

April 25, 2013 by

Every single word that Lisa has written on these two pages of the book have touched my heart in one way or another.  There is so much “good stuff” in this section of the book.  I have enjoyed the whole book so far, and I have really loved this chapter.  This chapter has caused me to look at the Cross in a whole new way.  The Cross as a sword is something I never visualized before.  This idea was all new to me, and it brought something to mind.

We all have a journey to the Cross.  Everyone’s journey is different.  Maybe we can all relate with the scapegoat in different areas as we journey to the Cross.

  • Guilt: How many times have you blamed yourself for an event in your life in which you carry around an immense amount of guilt from?
  • Lonely nights: How many nights have you fallen asleep next to your husband, or at home with your family, yet the loneliness that you feel inside is strong enough to cause you to think you are alone in this world with no one to love you…care for you…or be there for you? 
  • Oppression: How many times have you felt a heavy burden on your heart, one that crushes you to your core causing you to panic and shake the calm life you once lived? 
  • Rejection: How many times did you just want to fit in with your friends, family, co-workers; just to find out that no one wanted to be around you, and when you tried to surprise them you overheard the cruel words they spoke of you that cut deeper than any knife ever made?  The list goes on and on.  There are so many words that are used to describe the scapegoat we once believed we were.

Let’s consider Jesus’ journey not to the Cross, but with the Cross.  Jesus knows the pain and the hurt behind each and every word used to describe what a scapegoat represented.  Jesus went through more suffering than our human bodies can ever imagine.  Yet your depression, your loneliness, your hurt, your pain, your guilt, your betrayal, your shame, your (insert others here) were all taken with Jesus on the Cross.  Could you imagine the weight on His shoulders as He fell up Calvary’s hill?  The astonishing part is that Jesus’ innocent shoulders were not the ones meant to carry all of these things.  We deserve all of it, yet Jesus loved us so much that He took what was meant for our cross and sacrificed Himself so that we can be saved and free in Him!

As Jesus approached the spot where He was to be sacrificed, I can only picture Him taking the Cross with the weight of it all and sticking it into the ground.  Then I imagine the Cross as a sword and I know that when that sharp point hit the ground, our world was shaken.  Not for the worse, but for the better.  Jesus IS the ultimate sacrifice.  As I write those words, “Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice,” I begin to tear up because I stand in awe of Jesus and His love for me that He died and rose again, defeating all that was on the Cross, FOR ME, that I may live eternally with Him.  Lisa is right: the Cross is a sword of love.

It is time, ladies, to follow Jesus’ footsteps to the Cross.  For when we arrive, we will meet Jesus waiting to hand us His sword.  As He gives us His power, we must be able to echo His words in our hearts, “Forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  We must forgive ourselves, too.  We must leave all the burdens we carried to the Cross in His hands where they belong.  We must pick up His sword and follow JESUS TO HEAVEN!

Make time to meditate on this Scripture today:

 

Isaiah53_4thru6

Let’s Pray: 

Heavenly Father, how can we find the words to thank You for what You alone have done for us?  Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son to die for us.  Lord, some of the ladies in this study may have already traveled to the Cross and found Your healing and have picked up Your sword.  I pray for these ladies, that You empower them to use Your sword and stand firm in You against Satan as You guide them to Heaven.  Lord, maybe there are some ladies who are in the middle of their journey or have not started yet.  Lord, I pray for these ladies that You show them Your paths to the cross, that You give them Your strength to reach the point where they find You and give You all of the burdens that lay so heavy on their hearts.  I thank You for the power of the Cross.  I thank You for guiding us every day to You.  We love You, Lord, so much!  Amen.

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 4 – “The Battleground” (pgs 59-62)

April 18, 2013 by

“The Battleground,” so many lines jumped out at me as I was reading this part of the chapter. I think the biggest realization that I would like to focus on is the following TRUTH.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

As Lisa referenced this scripture on page 61 I was immediately reminded of my messy past. At one point in my life it was easy for me to blame the someone who robbed me of my innocence. It was even easier for me to blame myself. I chose to ignore the roots of my problems which seemed to be a man, my lack of self-esteem, and the pain from people who had betrayed me. I truly believed ultimately that those roots would turn into ugly, evil weeds. Ones that grow back continually taking away from any beauty my garden once was. These weeds multiplied and eventually started to take over the potential my garden held for a beautiful future. This would be the moment I started to learn that the roots of my problems were not people or my own thoughts, they were the lies Satan was feeding me.

It is important to realize the roots of your problems start with that crafty snake who wants to destroy your garden of peace. Satan uses anything he can to help destroy your garden of peace, but we must not blame those vessels. We must remember that Satan is the evil one. His chosen weapons are not to be hated, but to be prayed for.
There was a major lie I once believed that I have found others struggle with as well. It is the lie that people hurt me, so therefore I should put a barbed wire fence around my garden so that no one can get in; that way I can at rest assured that no one would hurt me again. But what I did not realize is that this fence was hurting others and, even more so, it was hurting my relationship with the Master of my garden.
The day my sister introduced me to John 10:10 is the day that I learned that my garden has every reason in the world to be beautiful; I needed to break down that fence, and let God’s beauty in. The root of the problems in my life needed to be fixed so they could finally bloom into the beautiful fruited flowers they were always meant to be.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

As I was breaking down the fence, this is what God taught me. God loves not only the man who stole my innocence from me, but also any and everyone who has once hurt me. I am called to love them too!  God knows that the reason I went through tragedy was because of Satan and no one else. I cannot hold onto anger, bitterness, or pain towards anyone—it simply does not belong. Even though this world is not Heaven, it does not mean that I need to be dying in my garden of weeds full of past pain, shame, regret, disobedience, and fear. I am a new creation, and I am able to receive God’s full measure of joy in my life. God turns my garden into His beautiful masterpiece.

I love when Lisa encourages us to look over our lives and bravely look beyond both the people and the pain, and see the serpent coiled in the shadow—hidden until he pounces on our hopes and dreams (page 60). Today, I see so clearly how Satan tried to kill me, destroy my life, and steal the joy-filled life God has prepared for me. I see even more clearly, though, the hand of God all throughout my past. The moments I thought God had abandoned me or became disgusted with me, are the moments I know now He was right there beside me. He was waiting patiently for me to turn back to Him. In the moment I had no idea, but now looking back, I know He never left me, and He never gave up on me. God never stopped fighting for me.

Ladies, Jesus has come so that WE MAY HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE. This means what happened that dreary day at the cross was for YOU and for ME to live abundantly. All of your problems and struggles were nailed to the cross with Jesus, and that is where they need to stay. Satan will try so hard to bring back the pain, bring back the memories, and bring back the people who hurt you the most.  BUT this is when you need to get out that weed killer and destroy Satan with God’s power inside of you. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the stronger defense you will have against Satan. Trust me…you will need it; because the stronger you grow in your relationship with God, the more Satan will attack you. Don’t let that discourage you in your relationship with God.  Trust and know that God is the Author of beauty in our lives. When we let His love flourish in our lives, we receive a beautiful garden for all to see. You must decide what you want to do with those evil roots, I pray you choose to kill them with God’s power and let your garden be restored to the beauty it was meant to hold.

 

themoreyougrow

 

Let’s Pray:
Lord, thank You for the abundant life You have given us. I ask that You bring to light all of the evil weeds we are letting into our life. Give us Your power and aid to get rid of the roots of our problems so that we can live a joy-filled, peace-filled life with You. Let our flowers grow and spread so that others may see You throughout the ends of the earth. Thank You for the beauty You bring from the ugliest moments in our lives. Amen.

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Girls with Swords: Chapter 3 – “Heroes Have Something More to Them” (pgs 49-51)

April 11, 2013 by

When I read this part of the chapter, I wrote down five words and put them next to my bed.  Each night before I close my eyes for the day I am reminded of these words:

TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, FAITH, and SALVATION…

…with the words, “live by these, apply these” underneath.  As I was reading The Message version of The Full Armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-20, these words stuck out the most.  I love how this version tells us that these five words are more than words.  We must learn to apply them.  I have been thinking each night as I fall asleep, “What does it look like to apply these words to my life?”  Each morning as I awake, God shows me exactly what it looks like to use these words in my life by helping me put on His full armor.

Has God ever placed something in your life at just the right time?  This study has come into my life at just the right time.  I had been feeling this nudging to put on the Armor of God daily, but I was not sure what to do with this nudging.  Thanks to Lisa’s book, God is showing me what to do!  God is showing me how to be a hero.  No joke, some days I sit in my apartment and imagine myself with the prettiest pink, bedazzled sword you could ever imagine.  I picture my perfectly pink armor filled with sparkles, and I get this joy deep down in my heart because I imagine so clearly God’s words and actions of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation covering every inch of that bedazzling pink armor and weaponry He has handpicked for me to use.  The Armor of God is out there, ladies, just for you!  What does yours look like?  Take the time to find out.  Take the time to use and apply God’s truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation to your life.  If you find yourself becoming more aware of Satan’s attacks and less aware of how to defend yourself against them: you must spend some much needed time learning what the Armor of God looks like in your life.

Ephesians6_10thru18

I love so much when Lisa says, “As the daughters of God draw their swords, the enemy draws back.”  Do you know where your sword is, what it looks like, how to use it?  There is no time for guessing; we MUST be quick to pull out all of God’s truth against Satan.  The last thing the enemy wants to see is the person God created you to be standing firm against him each morning.  Satan will do anything and everything in his awful power to keep you from seeing who God sees when He looks down at His precious hero.  However, God is doing everything in His mighty power, even at this very moment, to show you the something more you have been in search of: Himself.  If your whole heart desires to meet with God, think about how much more God’s heart desires to meet with you!  Don’t let Satan get in the way of meeting with the One Who loves you and created you to be His hero.

As impossible as this task may seem, with God we know all things are possible (Philippians 4:13).  Lisa tells us that prayer is not optional.  I believe prayer is what ties this all together and makes this all possible.  When you are finding yourself in that nearly impossible task, pray and ask God to show you His possible way.

Our prayers are our life-line to God: this is how we can keep in constant contact with Him.  I am learning that prayers are powerful and they are to be used constantly for all kinds of things.  Prayers are one of the best gifts we can give to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  When we pray for them, we are giving them Jesus’ aid, not ours.  Can you think of anything better that anyone would ever need?  Prayers keep God in the loop.  Prayers help us all get out of the prison Satan tries to keep us in daily.

I picture all of us: swords in hand, shields in place, bedazzled in GOD’S TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, FAITH, AND SALVATION; standing tall, shouting prayers of all kinds to our Holy God in Heaven, as we leave behind all of Satan’s lies that fall in crumbles with the chains that kept us tied down from the something more we have been craving: God Himself.  Can you picture it?

*****

Let’s Pray:

Lord Almighty, thank You for the armor that You have prepared for each and every one of us.  Thank You for the privilege we have to come to You in prayer.  I ask that You help each and every one of us stand firm with our feet fitted with Your peace to crumble Satan’s evil’s schemes.  Lord, we need You every moment of every day for this battle.  Thank You for being there for us each and every moment.  We love You so much and desire Your truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation to be displayed in our lives for others to see, so that they will be drawn to You alone.  Please help us.  Thank You, Lord, that You are always there for us.

In Your Precious and Powerful Name, we pray,  Amen.

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Girls with Swords: Chapter Two – “A Sword Reforged” (pgs 29-33)

April 4, 2013 by

Here I am trying to write a blog, not just any blog, but a blog that God has already prepared for you to hear.  One that I need to focus on and discern His words from mine in order to deliver exactly what God wants ( and not what I want to say).  I believe with all of my heart that Satan will do all that he can in order to distract me, make me doubt, confuse me, and make it seem impossible to write something for you.  I have never struggled with writing before. My times of writing have easily become my favorite, because each time I write, I feel so close to God.  I can feel Him guiding my fingertips across the keyboard.  I feel His wisdom touching the screen.  I re-read what I just wrote and sit back in amazement that those words were not mine; they were the words of my God.

Why now I wonder am I finding it so hard to write?  It is no coincidence that since I have started blogging about a book that encourages women of all ages, pasts, and futures to take up God’s sword against Satan that I am sitting in front of my computer wordless.  Satan does not want me to find God’s words.  He does not want me to write them down.  He does not want anyone else to see them.

In this moment, I asked my mother to pray for me.  She spoke these words to my heart, “Hold onto God’s word.  Remember that the cross is where Satan was defeated.  He will continue to roam around, but the work has already been done on the cross.  Carry scripture around with you and as you feel these attacks, pull out that scripture, and use GOD’S WORD against those attacks.”  And, of course, she told me she would be praying for me.

These confirming words from my mother brought me to this “a-ha” moment.  This moment of writing the words that I know God wants YOU to hear.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” Matthew 28:20.

Do you believe these words spoken by Jesus in God’s Living Word?  No matter how badly Satan attempts to discourage us, these words will always remain true.  It took me awhile to understand the comfort and truth behind these words.  I have found the more time I spend in God’s Word; the more I feel the truth of these words.  The more I learn the power of the “sword” God has given me to deter Satan’s attacks, the more thankful I become that God has already fought my battles for me.  He is victorious and, through me accepting the gift of His perfect Son dying for me, I am victorious too.  When the battles seem to carry on and you are feeling weary, confused, distressed, uncertain, and alone; REMEMBER THESE WORDS, “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS” and let your heart be content with this promise from God. 

I love many things about Jesus.  One of my favorites being that He can relate with us and in return offer us the best comfort and advice we could ever imagine.  When you are tempted beyond what you believe you can bear, Jesus has been there.  Call out to Him for help; He knows just how you feel.  Jesus was tempted and His faith was tested by Satan.  Each time Jesus pulled out His sword against Satan.  He knew God’s truth and He used it when it mattered the most.  Let us follow Jesus’ example.  Take up your sword which is the Living Word of God and use His truths against Satan’s many lies.

I desire so strongly to be able to not only know the many truths in God’s word, but to use them too.  We have been given the most powerful weapon—the Bible—and we must decide to put off everything that hinders and distracts us, to take up the “sword” and learn how to use this truth against Satan in our weakest moments.

PathHeHasChosenForUs_Meyers

 

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for coming through always.  Thank You for being with us even in the moments when we do not feel You.  In those moments Lord let us not forget Your truths.  Let us learn Your truths so that in our weak moments, we can feel Your strength through Your Word.  I pray that You set a desire in each and every one of us to learn Your truth daily so that when the time comes to use Your truth, we can do so with confidence.  Lord, we love You so much and know that we need You every moment of every day.  Thank You that we can count on You and feel the comfort and peace this truth brings!  Amen.

 

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Girls with Swords: Chapter 1 – “Old Tactics” (pgs 12-15)

March 28, 2013 by

As I re-read this section of the book over again, I am reminded of Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

When first learning this verse I wondered who this great cloud of witnesses was exactly.  As I asked God to show me, he taught me that this great cloud is the faithful followers of God whom we learn about throughout the Bible.  Yes, Moses is included in the cloud!  We see countless examples of people just like you and me throughout the Bible who have run their race and won!  The more I read the stories of these faithful ones, the more I stand in awe of our inspiring heritage.  Each one of these people has one thing in common—they lived by faith and not by fear.  They let God control their lives, and not fear.

Satan will never be able to live for God.  He has no choice but to live by fear.  His fear drives Him to attempt to destroy God’s chosen ones.  He knows the power God’s chosen ones possess.  You and me, we are included as God’s chosen ones.  1 Peter 2:9 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.  Let us bask for a moment in the glorious truth that we belong to God, not Satan!  We are living in God’s wonderful light not the darkness of our past.  No matter what way Satan attempts to win our soul, if we belong to God and choose daily to live for God alone, Satan will never win.  His attack will never produce victory.  Our victory is with God.

RightPath_MeyersAs much as I truly hate when Satan attacks me, without His attacks, I would not be certain that I am on the path God has called me to.  Satan will make war on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17).  I know I am on God’s side in this war.  I was not always though.  Even at my weakest points, Satan never had me, but neither did God.  It was like my soul was caught in the middle of the war at one point in my life.  Satan knew that ultimately God would win and get me back for good, but I had to figure that out for myself.  The moment I chose to take the path of a hero was the same moment I realized the power of the Armor of God.

We cannot fight this battle alone.  We have the power to win but we must prepare.  We must read the Bible to learn Satan’s ways.  The Bible tells us what we need to know about Satan:

  • He is limited by God (Genesis 3:1)
  • He is defeated by Jesus’ death and resurrection (Revelation 12:11)
  • He rules the evil, spiritual world (Ephesians 2:2)
  • He will meet his doom in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)

Satan knows us very well; the more understanding we have of our enemy, the more we can prepare for his attacks against us.  The best way to withstand his attacks is to put on the full Armor of God daily.  There will not be a day that goes by that Satan will not attempt to destroy us.  We must follow the examples of the faithful followers of our heritage, and put on the full Armor of God and be strong in His mighty power.  We must trust that God has a plan for our lives, one in which we are a Hero for God.

I don’t know about you, but I am so excited to be on this journey with you.  I am ready to learn from God’s Word.  I desire to be armed for God, growing in His strength, and giving Satan something to really be fearful of—becoming the hero God created me to be.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the examples You have given us in Your Word of not only how to withstand the evil one, but how others have found victory in You alone.  Help us and guide us through this journey to find victory in our lives with You.  Lord, enable us to embrace the life that You created us for.  Let us get rid of any hindrances and run the race You have marked out for us!  Thank You for giving us what we need always.  Thank You for loving us.  Thank You for choosing us to be a hero for You!  I pray that each and every one of us also chooses to be that hero for You, every day!  In Your Precious Name, Amen.

 *****

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Thank You Jesus, I love You

March 23, 2013 by

Dear Lord,

How is it possible to find the right words to say for what You have done for me? How do I begin to express the feelings I have towards You? How do I begin to tell You what You mean to me?

Open my eyes, Lord, to find the answers I am so desperately in need of!

It is hard to find the words to say when I am telling them to Someone who already knows what words I will choose before I even think of them.

I could do search my heart all day long for the most meaningful words I can think of and all I am left with is Thank You, Jesus, I love You!

How is thank You enough? Are there any words that have more of an effect than thank You does? How can I love You, Jesus be enough for all You have done and continue to do for me? But yet, I find myself saying…

You created me just how You wanted me to be—special—for Your perfect purpose. Thank You, Jesus, I love You!

You loved me more than anything else, You chose me and continue to choose me! Thank You, Jesus, I love You.

You left Heaven for me. You traded a Heavenly delight for this sinful world. Thank You, Jesus, I love You!

You lived a way in which You suffered through all of my sufferings, You felt all of my pain, You were tempted in every way possible. However, You did not lose faith, You did not lose heart, and You remained perfect still. You know where I am, because You have been there too. Thank You, Jesus, I love You!

You died on a cross, taking my penalty for my sin. You conquered the grave so that I may live a free life WITH YOU! Thank You, Jesus, I love You.

You forgive me for all of my yuckiness. You have transformed my life. You have healed my broken heart. You have protected me from a dangerous someone who tried to destroy my life. You loved me even when I seemed unlovable. You gave my heart and life a new song, full of Your praises. You comfort me, You make yourself known to me, You give me a peace that is unexplainable. And these are just the beginning. I could go on and on, forever and ever, about Your faithfulness, goodness, joy, beauty, perfectness, and love in my life. Do you believe that the only words I can find in response to this are, Thank You, Jesus, I love You?

I know it to be true that there will never be any words this side of Heaven to be able to even come close to having a worthy response for all Jesus has done for me.

I know God loves my words of praises and thankfulness. I know God’s heart smiles when He hears the sweet sound of my words of adoration towards Him. But my actions…does He react the same to my actions?

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25: 35-40

Lord, I was the least of these and You helped me.

After reading this how can I not turn my Thank You Jesus, I love You into ACTION? Acting out those words I say to God every day, is how I can find a way to make those words all I truly believe in my heart they are meant to mean to God’s heart. My actions are from my heart to His they are for HIM alone. When I see the least of these I see myself so much in their faces. I know their pain…I was there once. God has said the same about me. He fed me, He gave me something to drink, He invited me into HIS home, He clothed me, He never stopped visiting me in my pool of disobedience.

Once again, You have opened my eyes to see the answers You have for me. When I cannot find the words to say, all I can do is act. I open my eyes to the least of these, and serve them, relate to them. I use my past disobedience as a way to help them. You thank Jesus through your actions. You love Him through your actions. My serving heart is the “right words I have been trying to find to say to God.”

As for me, my motto will surely be, Let the words of my heart overflow unto the least of these!

Thank you, Jesus, I love You!

© Diane Meyers

Questions for Reflection:

  1. What do you thank and love Jesus for.  List them out.  Revisit this list frequently, each time thanking God that you are able to have such a list!
  2. Would you like to share my motto with me?  Let’s all join together, lifting each other up in prayer as we let our words be used in the lives of the least of these all around us!
  3. Have you ever just been in complete awe of God’s goodness, faithfulness, love, grace, (I could go on and on)…?  Seriously do this:  Have a worship concert in your car, shower, bedroom, ANYWHERE, for God alone.  Don’t worry who will hear you singing, just let your words be a sweet, sweet sound in the Lord’s ear!
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Love Letters from God by Diane Meyers – “Renewed”

March 16, 2013 by

My story is made up of many love letters written from my heart to God’s heart and from His to mine.  I open up to Him with a pen in my hand and a journal in my lap.  The Lord speaks to me through my writings, and I am beyond excited to share with you bits and pieces of different letters I have from God.  I share parts of my story so that God’s love, power, grace, forgiveness, and perfectness may be showcased.  As you read I pray the Lord grabs a hold of your heart and fills you with hope!

 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will it—His good, pleasing and perfect will. –Romans 12:2

 

Dear God,

Some days I feel like an alien.  I feel so disconnected from this world.  I spend so much wasted time trying to fit in, and it just never seems to work out well for me.  It is like vinegar and water; I just don’t mix well with the rest of what this fallen world has become.  I always craved to be different, but not at the cost of others not liking me or thinking I am weird.    Why do I even care so much what others think of me?  I struggle with this feeling of trying to stand out in Your love but not finding the courage to stand up all the way.  I lack confidence in my differences.  There is a part of me that still wants this world to accept me.  Why, Lord, do I feel this way?  I desire to stand out in Your life.  I know this world is not for me.  I know You have made me new!  Please show me Your way and give me Your courage to find what I am missing.

Love, Wishy-Washy Diane

Love Letters from God

 

Dear Precious Child of Mine,

Believe it or not, I am happy to hear that you feel like an alien.  I am pleased that you feel disconnected from this world.  This makes Me smile.  This means you are living in line with My desires for you.  You were not created to fit into this world; you were made to stand out in My love.  When people see you, they should be drawn right to your heart, where I am found.  Reaching towards the empty dreams this world has to offer will only leave you further away from standing in My truth.  In order for you to feel like you belong to Me, you must let the thoughts of who you truly are reign in your mind.  The best parts about you are the ones I give you daily, if you only ask.  Ask for My strength and you shall receive, ask for My cleansing and you shall receive.  Ask for My confidence and you shall receive, ask for my courage and you shall receive.  I have created you for a purpose you must not let anyone try to convince you otherwise.  I can guarantee that you will feel weird and out of place in this world, but I can assure you that the more you feel out of place, the more you will feel My perfect love for you.  Do not lose heart, stand firm in the life I have created you for, not the one you may find more convenient living in this world.  This world has nothing for you.  This world will only bring you down.  I am the perfect example of how to live in the world just not of the world.  Focus on Me and renew your thoughts with My truth so you are able to stand all the way up reaching toward Heaven for every little thing that you need to stand out with confidence in a world that so desperately needs My love.

Love, Your Perfect Creator

 

Lord,

Thank You.  Two words that do not seem enough for all You do for me day by day.  Are there any words that mean more than ‘thank You?’  All I can do is express my gratitude through my actions.  You are alive in me!  I want to make sure I am showing YOU off through my interactions in the world all day long.  You are the best part about me, and I desire to share that best kept secret with everyone I come into contact with.  Lord, let my love for You be so strong that it never fails.  I know now that I do not want this world to accept me.  I pray this world accepts You, and I am praying that You give me Your strength to be a vessel for others to find acceptance from above in You.  Thank You for all that You do, Lord.  Thank You for understanding.  Thank You for helping me get rid of the lies and hold fast to Your truth!  I love You so much, Lord.  May You see my thankfulness and love for You through the times I am not conforming to this world, but standing out and up completely!

Love, Your Alien

© Diane Meyers 2013

 

Questions for Reflection:

  1.  Do you sometimes feel out of place in this world, as I do?  How does this make you feel?
  2. What is holding you back from feeling accepted from God above?  Is it lies that are cluttering your mind?  Practice renewing your mind moment by moment. Focus on God and His truths throughout your day.  Journal about the impact this action has on your life.
Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , ,

Love Letters from God by Diane Meyers

March 9, 2013 by

My story is made up of many love letters written from my heart to God’s heart and from His to mine.  I open up to Him with a pen in my hand and a journal in my lap.  The Lord speaks to me through my writings and I am beyond excited to share with you bits and pieces of different letters I have from God.  I share parts of my story so that God’s love, power, grace, forgiveness, and perfectness may be showcased.  As you read, I pray the Lord grabs a hold of your heart and fills you with hope!

GOD,

Why is it that I still have no one to hold my hand through this life?  I don’t have any idea how I am going to have that family I have always desired so strongly to have with no husband in sight.  I know the truth that You are all I need…that You hold me by Your right hand.  I know that You will give me the desires of my heart.  I do not mean to sound ungrateful for these promises because I most certainly am NOT.  In fact, these promises have dried my tears on several occasions.  But there are several more occasions, God.  More occasions where I may know the truth but my dateless nights and single looking future have me believing otherwise.  How do I do it, Lord?  How do I constantly find hope and comfort and satisfaction in You alone and not in my desire to have a husband one day?  Please, Lord; open my heart to the truth You have prepared for me.  I so desperately need to hear from You.

Love,

Your discouraged single daughter, Diane

 

Dear One,

Your honesty is what I have been waiting for.  I was waiting for you to admit to yourself, and to Me that you put your ideals over My plans for you.  Until you give up control of your non-existent love life, I simply cannot work in your life to bring you My love.  I will bring you another love, the love of the man I have hand-picked just for you to hold your hand one day.  BUT, first you must accept My love in your life.  I know you have accepted me into your heart.  I know you have written down those truths and promises that I have given you in the past all over your bedroom and bathroom mirror.  I know you have stored them up in your house, but what does your heart look like?  Are they there, too, when you need them the most?  On a snowy night when all you want to do is cuddle up with a man and watch a movie, do you reach into your heart for My promise to be the one to comfort you when you are all alone on that snowy night; or do you reach to your phone to contact that not-so-good-for-you guy that you are willing to settle for if these lonely nights continue much longer.  The thing you are learning is when you choose Me over everything that tempts you so much as a single woman in this world, that is when I will make those promises shine through your life.  Surely then, you will feel them!  I will bring you comfort and you will grow even closer to Me!  There is nothing wrong with you because you are single.  You are single because I am still molding you into the princess I have created you to be.  There will be a man one day, someone who spots you out of a crowd because he sees that you are living a life reflective of what is in your heart.  Don’t waste these moments and miss out on a chance to fill your heart with My blessings from above—the very thing your husband desires to see.  There will never be a man who will replace what I am for you.  There will only be a man who will add to the beauty and love I have given you.  When you become discouraged, reach out your hand to Me; I promise I will always grab on and comfort you no matter what the pain is you may feel.

Love Always,

Your Knight in Shining Armor

 

Heavenly Lord,

Thank you for this time I have to grow closer to You.  You have opened my eyes to something huge!  I do not want a man to want me; I want a man to want what He sees through my heart: YOU.  I pray that I make the most of this single time to seek You.  Show me Your ways, guide me in Your truth.  Lord, I completely trust that when I get to my ‘aha!’ moment with You; the moment where I know and feel Your truth running through my soul, that is where I will be found in You-nothing else will matter.  This single life is all about teaching me to get to that moment.  No one else can bring me to that moment, not even a man.  I know You are my only Hope in this lesson of learning to feel You more.  I am sorry for sulking in this singleness.  I choose from this moment forward to embrace the time I have to grow closer to You.  Give me Your perfect strength to help me get through!  Thank you , I love you!

Love, Your Princess in training

©Diane Meyers 2013

 

Questions for Reflection:

  1.  Meditate on Psalm 25:4 and 5.  Shift your focus onto God and off of the desire to have a husband one day, even if just for a minute.  Journal this experience.
  2. Are you ready to be boldly honest with God?  He knows your heart more than you do, get out the honesty He has been waiting to hear from you.
  3. Let your heart’s desire to be living for and with God.  Get rid of all other hopes and dreams.  Let God fill your heart, for then you will find what His hopes and dreams are for you.
Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Love Letters from God: Restore All of Me

March 2, 2013 by

My story is made up of many love letters written from my heart to God’s heart and from His to mine.  I open up to Him with a pen in my hand and a journal in my lap.  The Lord speaks to me through my writings and I am beyond excited to share with you bits and pieces of different letters I have from God.  I share parts of my story so that God’s love, power, grace, forgiveness, and perfectness may be showcased.  As you read I pray the Lord grabs hold of your heart and fills you with hope!

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  Philippians 3:20, 21

Dear God,

Restore my heart, O LORD.  Restore all of the broken pieces of my life.  I am desperate.  Please, I need You!

Yours, Diane

Simple but powerful prayer I spoke to God one day.  I could sit here and describe to you every broken piece my heart and life once were, but I would rather fill this empty page with what God has taught me about restoration.  As you read these words God has filled into my life, I pray that you picture Him speaking them directly to you.  Think of the area of your life that needs some serious restoration.  Take heart, because God is in the restoring business.  He not only fixes, He replaces the old with the new—the broken with the whole.  Open your ears to God’s powerful truth.

Dear Broken and Shattered,

Yes, dear one, you most certainly do need Me.  Truth be told, I am in the center of all of your brokenness.  I know the pain in every break.  I know the tears you have shed because of this shattered mess.  I am here, in the middle of your mess, waiting for you to reach out of your brokenness and experience ME.  I truly am all you ever need.  I am the reason you can have hope in this.  I am the reason you do not need to suffer through this alone.  Listen for My soft voice, calling you closer and closer to Me: for then you will find inexpressible joy and My peace that passes all understanding.  What is it that you want?  Is it a quick fix?  Is it even a fix at all?  You know I can do all things, right?

Are you ready to let Me in to make something beautiful out of your broken mess?  It is time let go of the broken pieces and grab onto My hope, love, and grace to fill your entire being.  I promise to be here to restore these broken pieces into the most beautiful masterpiece you can ever imagine.  This will not be an easy process, but I will be there always; I will not leave you.  You may not like the process but you will learn to love Me the whole time.   It may not be a quick fix, but My timing is BEST.  You only know a sliver of what I could possibly do.  I want to do something better than you could ever imagine.  I am going to make you a new creation, in Me.  I will restore even the most unimaginable pieces.  The ones that you may not know are there or choose to ignore I will replace with pieces of Me that I created you to possess.

My Spirit will dwell in you.  Why you may ask, would I do this for you?  Honestly, the love I have for you drives Me to create in you a new spirit, My Spirit.  My love for you is so deep and so wide and knows NO BOUNDS.  This love desires to bring restoration to your life so you may live the life I created you to live.  At the end of this process you will find it is truly just the beginning.  The beginning of a new journey with Me.  This does not promise that you will never break again, but it does promise that you will never break beyond what I can mend.  You will find the purpose for your life—to share this love you have received with every single person you encounter in this life, drawing them to Me.  You will pray for these people to find Me.  You will have eyes to see the brokenness in lives of the hurting, but you will know My Beauty in that brokenness.

You will not only help others find My beauty in their lives, but you will find more of My blessings in your own.  There will be a day when the attempt of brokenness will no longer exist.  The day I take you up to Heaven to spend eternity with Me, will prove to be the day you know in your heart that all of the pain and hurt behind each moment in your life that left you broken was well worth it all to see Me in all of My glory.  For this, my dear, is the day you will be found in Me.

Until the day we are face to face in My Heavenly Place,

Your Mighty Savior

**********

Spend time writing your prayer back to God.  Write whatever is on your heart.  Make this from your heart to His.

God Bless You!

Diane

©Diane Meyers 2013

If you would like to email Diane in regards to this blog post, please send it to: Diane@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , ,

Love Your Enemies by Diane Meyers

February 23, 2013 by

This week I decided to take a break from the Love Letters from God series for a very special reason. God has laid something on my heart to share with you. Today, I want to share with you a lesson that God has taught me and, is still teaching me, that has brought me SO close to Him. Something I thought would prove impossible to do only proved that nothing is impossible with God. I know every single one of you has an enemy or enemies. How many of you can say with confidence that you are obeying the Lord’s command to love each of your enemies? Today, I am able to say with confidence that I love my enemy, but I can assure that was not the case at one point in my life. Let me share with you my journey of loving my enemies.

When I was younger I was confused by the statement I would hear in church, “Love your enemies.” I distinctively remember thinking, “Who are my enemies, and why am I supposed to love them?” I will never forget the day that this command proved to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. That would be the day I learned what an enemy was. I remember thinking there is no possible way I can love him; he caused way too much pain and heartache in my life. This was a man whose desire was to bring me down, use me, abuse me, put me in danger, confuse me and pull me far away from TRUTH and LOVE and bring me into a life full of EVIL and LIES. Surely God had no expectations for me to love this person?

I felt as though the pain this enemy caused me was greater than the love that I could give him. I truly thought it was impossible to forgive, and love someone who did such awful things to me.  Boy—did Satan want to confuse me.  There came a time when I needed to flush out the lies and believe in my heart that nothing is impossible with God. We have God’s love as a perfect example of how we are supposed to love our enemies. Our love is not perfect love like God’s love for us, but the more we grow in our relationship with God, the easier it is to gain God-like qualities; loving our enemies being one of them.  It hit me one day; God loves my enemy so much.  Everyone God loves, I want to love to (this being the whole world).  I had to learn a healthy way to love this enemy.  God showed me exactly how to handle this enemy in my life.  I started loving him by praying for him.  I was able to forgive and ask for forgiveness for not loving this enemy.  I may never have the chance to tell my enemy all about the love I have for him, but I pray that he will make the most of his chances to feel all of the love God has especially for him.

Has reading this brought to mind any enemies you may have?  What about the ones you are not loving?  Loving our enemies truly is something God wants and expects us to do. Matthew 5:44 says, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  Also, 1 John 4:19-21 says, “We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” God doesn’t want us destroyed by the cancer of hatred; He wants us to grasp onto His strength and power to love those who hurt us the most.

It wasn’t until I started loving my enemy by praying for him that I realized that person no longer has any power over me. 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” This reminds us there is nothing greater than God’s love. And He will empower us to love even those who hurt us.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for Your perfect love.  I ask that You bring to mind the people in our life who have hurt us.  I pray that You help us to be strong in You and ask for Your help to forgive these people and learn to love them as You want us to love them.  Love is an amazing gift.  There is freedom in Your love.  We trust that when we finally love those who hurt us, we can feel Your love more freely through us.  I pray these things in your precious name, Amen.

 

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , ,
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