April 20, 2024

I Can Just Be Me

October 14, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been doing all that I can
To hold it all together, piece by piece
I’ve been feeling like a failure
Trying to be braver
Than I could ever be
…It’s just not me

So be my Healer, be my Comfort
Be my Peace
‘Cause I can be broken
I can be needy, Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

I’ve been living like an orphan
Trying to belong here
But it’s just not my home
I’ve been holding on so tightly
To all the things that I think
That satisfy my soul
…But I’m letting go

So be my Father, my mighty Warrior
Be my King
‘Cause I can be scattered, frail and shattered
Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

‘Cause I was lost
In this dark world
‘Til I was finally found in You
So now I’m needy, desperately pleading
Oh Lord, be all to me

So be my Savior, be my Lifeline
Won’t You be my everything?
‘Cause I’m so tired
Of trying to be someone
I was never meant to be

Be my God, please be my God
Be my God so I can just be me
So I can just be me
…I can just be me

Laura Story
written with Jason Ingram

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Can’t you just imagine leafing through your Bible and coming upon words like these…they are so similar to some of David’s songs, don’t you think?  This choruses of this song sings just like one (no, like MANY) of the psalms.  Perhaps these words are very similar to a song in your own heart?  I’ll tell you…they are close to my own, at times.

Oh, ’cause at times I can whine…and complain!  Despite the great measure of grace and blessing that my God has poured into my life, at times I seem to forget.  I can become overwhelmed with situations and circumstances.  And then I attempt to wrestle with these ugly things rather than seeking God and relying on Him.

Silly me!  I try to take things into my own <incapable> hands instead of seeking the only One Who IS capable—my Lord, Jesus the Christ, the One to Whom  “all authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given…” (Matthew 28:18).

I (and you also, my friends!)…we are not alone in struggling with matters such as this!  We’ve already recognized that David called out to God in his struggles. But we also have the examples and godly encouragement of other men throughout the pages of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul and his disciple, Timothy, are two who I thought of immediately!  Paul wrote in his letters to encourage the believers in the first century Church <and us, too!!!> to rely on all that Christ had made available.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 ESV

In Paul’s letters to Timothy, as he taught him regarding leadership, Paul faithfully reminded Timothy that God is the One Who is to be trusted and relied upon.  For example, He said:

That is why I am suffering as I am.
Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know Whom I have believed,
and am convinced that He is able to guard
what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:12 NIV

All throughout the Scriptures, God’s people are instructed over and over and over again of the simplicity of the commands He has for us.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you
but to do justly,
and to love kindness and mercy,
and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

We need to remember.  And to trust and obey.  It is SO much simpler to do things God’s way!  And then ‘I can just be me!’   Amen?

 *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Oh, how we praise You, dear Lord!  What joy we have in our hearts knowing that You ARE our Healer, Comfort, Peace… our Father, Mighty Warrior, King… our Savior, Lifeline… truly our EVERYthing!  How gracious, kind, and compassionate You are towards our human nature which, at times, is weak and needy and tired!  Thank You for how patient and longsuffering You are with us…never leaving us nor forsaking us even when we whine and complain.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy, Your lovingkindness, Your forgiveness, Your love!  Thank You for always being there when we turn our little hearts around and acknowledge that You have not changed…and You never will.  Thank You for forming and making us—to ‘just be me!’  We love and adore You, Faithful Father!  And pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

How Sweet The Sound

October 12, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Yea though I walk through the valley
I know that You are always right beside me
And I will fear no evil
You’re my Rock, and my Strength
You comfort me

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
I hear You singing over me
I once was lost but now I’m found
And it’s beautiful
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
It covers every part of me
My soul is silent, I am found
And it’s a beautiful sound

You carry me through the waters
Where Your peace clears away all my sorrow
And nothing can separate us from Your love
Oh, Your love it will always be

You were healing in the pain
You were shelter in the storm
Hallelujah, You restore my soul

Citizens Way
Writers: Josh Calhoun / Ben Calhoun

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Yahweh your God is among you,
a Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring you quietness with His love.
(in His love He will be silent and make no mention of past sins, or even recall them)
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.
(He will exult over you with singing)
Zephaniah 3:17 HCSB / AMP

I have had the first part of this chorus stuck in my head for days now. I could not figure out why but I knew there had to be a reason. So I decided to look up the lyrics and suddenly I understood.

“…It covers EVERY part of me…”

Y’all, life is just plain hard sometimes.  Aging is hard.  Marriage is hard.  Exercise is hard.  Eating healthy is hard.  The big stuff, and the little stuff, is just downright hard.  I am pretty good about remembering to take the big stuff to God.  But the little stuff—the daily struggles, things that seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things—those I often try to handle on my own.  Right now, the hardest thing for me is eating healthy.  There is so much information available it is hard to know which opinion is right.  At every turn there is an ad or commercial encouraging me to reward myself with food.  This is a daily battle which I seem to have no motivation nor strength to fight.  Then boom!  Those 6 little words “It covers every part of me…” hit me like a 2×4.  God’s grace covers EVERY part of me.  (Including my struggle to eat healthy.)

In my Bible study we have been talking about battles and how to fight them.  I have been learning so much.

  • I don’t have to be strong or do it own my own. God’s grace is all I need.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT it says,
“My gracious favor is ALL you need. My power works BEST in your weakness…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

  • I need to use the right weapons. God’s grace provides the weapons.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us,
“We use GOD’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument…with these weapons we conquer every rebellious thought.”  (Note to self: right thinking leads to right eating – not arguments, or rebellious thoughts excuses,)

  • I must be sure I am covering myself in the armor God’s grace provides.

Remember the armor listed in Ephesians 6,
– Belt of truth
– Breastplate of righteousness
– Shoes of peace
– Shield of faith
– Sword of the Spirit – the Bible
– Helmet of Salvation
– To pray at all times
(Look y’all, God’s armor covers every part of us – from the top of our heads to the tip of our toes!)

Your battle may not be the same as mine.  My battle is subject to change in the blink of an eye.  But these battles are real.  And they aren’t just fought here on earth.  They are fought in the heavenly realm as well.  (Remember Gabriel’s battle in Daniel 10?)

Look at this Facebook post from 9/9/15 by Ben Carson:
“An eagle does not fight a snake on the ground.  It picks it up and changes grounds, then releases it back to the ground.  A snake has no stamina, no power, no balance in the air.  It is useless, weak and vulnerable unlike on the ground where it is deadly, wise and powerful.  Take your fight to the spirit realm (pray) and when you are in the spiritual realm God takes charge.  Don’t fight in the physical realm, change grounds like an eagle.”

There is so much to unpack in that brief post!  I love the visual imagery.  But the main thing to remember is that our very first strategy should always be prayer.  Our prayers take the battle to a Higher Authority.

God covers every part of us—every battle, every sorrow, every pain—with His grace.  His grace provides us the strength and the weapons to fight our battles, whether big or small.  He cares about each of our battles, even the ones we think are insignificant or mundane.  We do not have to fight them alone.  He does not expect us to handle them on our own.  He is always right beside us, our Shelter in the storm.  His grace covers every part.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Can Just Be Me

April 23, 2015 by

Many of you have gone on Spring Break or are anticipating taking a vacation this summer.  It is a time to refresh spirit, soul, and body.  Over the next couple of weeks, our faithful bloggers will be taking a ‘spring break’ from writing so that they can come back to us refreshed and freshly anointed.
However, Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour website won’t ‘go black’!  We will be revisiting some of our favorite blogs and daily devotions which have blessed us in the past.  We pray that each of you, our faithful friends and readers, will continue to start your day meditating on the devotionals and songblogs, and be encouraged and blessed.

Let’s give each of our bloggers a big round of applause, a hug,
and the rest they so deserve.  God bless you, ladies!

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been doing all that I can
To hold it all together, piece by piece
I’ve been feeling like a failure
Trying to be braver
Than I could ever be
…It’s just not me

So be my Healer, be my Comfort
Be my Peace
‘Cause I can be broken
I can be needy, Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

I’ve been living like an orphan
Trying to belong here
But it’s just not my home
I’ve been holding on so tightly
To all the things that I think
That satisfy my soul
…But I’m letting go

So be my Father, my mighty Warrior
Be my King
‘Cause I can be scattered, frail and shattered
Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

‘Cause I was lost
In this dark world
‘Til I was finally found in You
So now I’m needy, desperately pleading
Oh Lord, be all to me

So be my Savior, be my Lifeline
Won’t You be my everything?
‘Cause I’m so tired
Of trying to be someone
I was never meant to be

Be my God, please be my God
Be my God so I can just be me
So I can just be me
…I can just be me

Laura Story
written with Jason Ingram

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Can’t you just imagine leafing through your Bible and coming upon words like these…they are so similar to one of David’s songs, don’t you think?  This song sings just like one (no, like MANY) of the psalms.  Perhaps these words are very similar to a song in your own heart?  I’ll tell you…they are close to my own, at times.

Oh, but at times I can whine…and complain!  Despite the great measure of grace and blessing that my God has poured into my life, at times I seem to forget.  I can become overwhelmed with the situations and circumstances.  And then  attempt to wrestle with these ugly things rather than resting and relying on my God.

Silly me!  I try to take things into my own <incapable> hands instead of seeking the only One Who IS capable—my Lord, Jesus the Christ, the One to Whom all “all authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given…” (Matthew 28:18).

I (and you also, my friends!) we are not alone in struggling with matters such as this!  We’ve already recognized that David called out to God in his struggles. But we also have the examples and godly encouragement of other men throughout the pages of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul and his disciple, Timothy, are two who I thought of immediately!  Paul wrote in his letters to encourage the believers in the first century Church <and us, too!!!> to rely on all that Christ had made available.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 ESV

In Paul’s letters to Timothy, as he taught him regarding leadership, Paul faithfully reminded Timothy that God is the One Who is to be trusted and relied upon.  For example, He said:

That is why I am suffering as I am.
Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know Whom I have believed,
and am convinced that He is able to guard
what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:12 NIV

All throughout the Scriptures, God’s people are instructed over and over and over again of the simplicity of the commands He has for us.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you
but to do justly,
and to love kindness and mercy,
and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

We need to remember.  And to trust and obey.  It is SO much simpler to do things God’s way!  And then ‘I can just be me!’   Amen?

 * ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Oh, how we praise You, dear Lord!  What joy we have in our hearts knowing that You ARE our Healer, Comfort, Peace… our Father, Mighty Warrior, King… our Savior, Lifeline… truly our everything!  How gracious, kind, and compassionate You are towards our human nature which, at times, is weak and needy and tired!  Thank You for how patient and longsuffering You are with us…never leaving us nor forsaking us even when we are whiny and complaining.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy, Your lovingkindness, Your forgiveness, Your love!  Thank You for always being there when turn our little hearts around and acknowledge that You have not changed…and never will.  Thank You for forming and making us—to ‘just be me!’  We love and adore You, Faithful Father!  And pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Everything I Need

September 26, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

When every step is so hard to take
And all of my hope is fading away
When life is a mountain that I cannot climb
You carry me, Jesus carry me

You are strength in my weakness
You are the refuge I seek
You are everything in my time of need
You are everything, You are everything I need

When every moment is more than I can take
And all of my strength is slipping away
When every breath gets harder to breathe 
You carry me, Jesus carry me

I need You
You are everything I need
I love everything about You

You are strength in my weakness
You are the refuge I seek
You are everything in my time of need
You are everything, You are everything I need

Jon Michah Sumrall, Dave Lubben  ~ Kutless

 *  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

Father, when life gets to be too overwhelming it’s Your refuge I seek. You are all that I need!

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ
may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV

It is in our weaknesses that we are made strong through Christ. Jesus is all we need. He is the strength in our weakness. God is our everything in our time of need.

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, Who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies. The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
Psalms 18:1-4

Jesus is the one who carries us when we feel as though our strength is slipping away. It is in these moments that we must turn our focus back to Him.

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 NKJV

 *  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are my strength in ALL my weakness and it is in my weakness that You make me strong.  You are my everything!  Father, I need You!  Thank You for Your faithfulness to see me through to the victory that lies ahead.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Can Just Be Me

June 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I’ve been doing all that I can
To hold it all together, piece by piece
I’ve been feeling like a failure
Trying to be braver
Than I could ever be
…It’s just not me

So be my Healer, be my Comfort
Be my Peace
‘Cause I can be broken
I can be needy, Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

I’ve been living like an orphan
Trying to belong here
But it’s just not my home
I’ve been holding on so tightly
To all the things that I think
That satisfy my soul
…But I’m letting go

So be my Father, my mighty Warrior
Be my King
‘Cause I can be scattered, frail and shattered
Lord, I need You now
To be, be my God
…So I can just be me

‘Cause I was lost
In this dark world
‘Til I was finally found in You
So now I’m needy, desperately pleading
Oh Lord, be all to me

So be my Savior, be my Lifeline
Won’t You be my everything?
‘Cause I’m so tired
Of trying to be someone
I was never meant to be

Be my God, please be my God
Be my God so I can just be me
So I can just be me
…I can just be me

Singer / Songwriter: Laura Story, along with Jason Ingram

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Can’t you just imagine leafing through your Bible and coming upon these words…they are so similar to one of David’s songs, don’t you think?  This song sings just like one (no, like MANY) of the psalms.  Perhaps these words are very similar to a song in your own heart?  I’ll tell you…they are close to my own, at times.

Oh, I can whine…and complain!  Despite the great measure of grace and blessing that my God has poured into my life, at times I seem to forget.  I can become overwhelmed with the situations and circumstances.  And then  attempt to wrestle with these ugly things rather than resting and relying on my God.

Silly me!  I try to take things into my own <incapable> hands instead of seeking the only One Who IS capable—my Lord, Jesus the Christ, the One to Whom all “all authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given…” (Matthew 28:18).

I (and you also, my friends!) we are not alone in struggling with matters such as this!  We’ve already recognized that David called out to God in his struggles. But we also have the examples and godly encouragement of other men throughout the pages of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul and his disciple, Timothy, are two who I thought of immediately!  Paul wrote in his letters to encourage the believers in the first century Church <and us, too!!!> to rely on all that Christ had made available.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 ESV

In Paul’s letters to Timothy, as he taught him regarding leadership, Paul faithfully reminded Timothy that God is the One Who is to be trusted and relied upon.  For example, He said:

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
2 Timothy 1:12 NIV

All throughout the Scriptures, God’s people are instructed over and over and over again of the simplicity of the commands He has for us.

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you
but to do justly,
and to love kindness and mercy,
and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

We need to remember.  And to trust and obey.  It is SO much simpler to do things God’s way!  And then ‘I can just be me!’   Amen?

 * ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Oh, how we praise You, dear Lord!  What joy we have in our hearts knowing that You ARE our Healer, Comfort, Peace… our Father, Mighty Warrior, King… our Savior, Lifeline… truly our everything!  How gracious, kind, and compassionate You are towards our human nature which, at times, is weak and needy and tired!  Thank You for how patient and longsuffering You are with us…never leaving us nor forsaking us even when we are whiny and complaining.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy, Your lovingkindness, Your forgiveness, Your love!  Thank You for always being there when turn our little hearts around and acknowledge that You have not changed…and never will.  Thank You for forming and making us—to ‘just be me!’  We love and adore You, Faithful Father!  And pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Life’s Healing Choices: Chapter 6 – Make the Choice (pgs 182-186)

February 14, 2013 by

MAKE THE CHOICE: Repairing Relationships


“Today is a new day. Starting today, you can refocus your life on doing God’s will in your relationships” (Baker, 180)

I think we would all agree with John Baker’s assessment that broken relationships are the root of much of the pain we experience. The action steps this week allow us to move towards forgiving those who hurt us, and making amends with those we’ve hurt. Let’s explore how we can live unashamed, forgetting our troubles, full of hope and blessed (Job 11:13-10)

WRITE –
Throughout this study, we’ve taken a lot of time to write about our experiences, our actions, and our pain. I believe that writing gives us the opportunity to clearly see the thoughts that run through our minds, but by using both the thinking & writing tasks, it becomes more real to us. We take an active approach to the thoughts. We see it in black & white (or purple & white if you were to see my journal), and it’s no longer something hidden in the back corners of our lives.

Start out this week’s exercise by writing down a list of people who have harmed you in some way, and their relationship to you. Now, I’m not talking about the guy who cut you off on the road. It’s not the petty little stuff we’re dealing with here. Go back to your inventory lists from Chapter 4 if necessary. We are creating our Forgiveness List.

Once you have the list of people, or maybe just one person, describe what they said or did to hurt you. How did it make you feel? Dig deep and find the descriptive words for your feelings, don’t just say “angry” or “hurt”. Do you struggle with finding words to describe how you feel? You’re not alone! I know in counseling sessions, we were given charts & lists to help us as a family learn to communicate our feelings more clearly with one another. I found these links that might be helpful if you struggle in expressing words for your emotions:

http://www.professional-counselling.com/list-of-human-emotions.html

http://www.ami-tx.com/Portals/3/EmotionsFlyer.pdf (this is great picture chart for children!)

Now, let’s move to the Amends List. Write down names of those you’ve hurt or offended, and their relationship to you. As we did with the previous list, write down what you said or did to this person. How do you think this person felt? Why are you sorry for hurting this person? Do you stop to think about how your words or actions affect another person? So often we can point out every little offense of other people, but we dismiss what we did as nothing.

Baker gives a list of questions (p. 184) to help jump start your thinking if you’re struggling to think of those you have hurt:

  • Is there anyone to whom you owe a debt that you haven’t repaid?
  • Is there anyone you’ve broken a promise to?
  • Is there anyone you are guilty of controlling or manipulating?
  • Is there anyone you are overly possessive of?
  • Is there anyone you are hypercritical of?
  • Have you been verbally, emotionally or physically abusive to anyone?
  • Is there anyone you have not appreciated or paid attention to?
  • Is there anyone you have been unfaithful to?
  • Have you ever lied to anyone?

SHARE –
Our accountability partners will be crucial in this process. We do not want to run to someone who hurt us and put ourselves in a vulnerable position where we can be hurt again. In some instances, we will not actually face (or contact) the person we are forgiving because the risk of further harm is too great. Your accountability partner is there to talk with you, serve as a sounding board, and help guide your steps. Share your Forgiveness List with this person BEFORE you go to the one you are forgiving.

Heb10_24

Also share your Amends List with your accountability partner, and work together to develop a plan to make amends with the people you have listed. It’s not about running out to accomplish all that we can as fast as we can. There will be an appropriate time, location, and way to manage this step. Your partner knows you and will help guide you to the best way to accomplish your task.

I shared with you on Sunday my lesson in forgiving others. This was an action I needed to do, not just because God expects this of me, but because my life & health depended upon it. Harboring the resentment and anger would have caused more harm in my life … my ability to love and trust others, my ability to demonstrate His love to my daughter, and my ability to draw close to Him. But outside of the day I spoke to the court, I did not face my ex-husband to have a personal conversation with him. It would have been inappropriate to do so. I do have fleeting moments today where I think I should write him a letter, but going through this study has shown that it would bring harm to him. I said what needed to be said years ago. To make contact now would only stir up the issues and the emotions. Deep down, the flesh side of me wants to show him how well we’ve done in the years since. But that’s not what God wants. Forgiveness has been given. It was spoken, it was done.

At this time, I can think of one other for whom I need to forgive, and as much as I’ve said over the years that I have forgiven him, this study has made me see that perhaps I really haven’t. If I have forgiven this person for his actions years ago, would it still bother me that I only hear from him on birthdays and Christmas? If I have forgiven him, would it bother me that I don’t often receive replies to emails? If I have forgiven him, would it annoy me that he doesn’t seem to interact with family in ways I feel would be more appropriate? If I have fully forgiven him, would I actually have this list of things that bother me so? Or am I just holding on too tightly to the emotions the memories evoke? Either way, I haven’t fully given the issue to God, and I believe this is the area I need to really explore more deeply.

Power Verses for Chapter 6:
Luke 6:31-37
Hebrews 10:24
Philippians 2:4
Romans 12:17-18
Matthew 5:23-24
1 Peter 5:10
Colossians 3:13
Romans 8:31
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Taken from the Celebrate Recovery Participant’s Guide 3, I want to share with you the following prayer to closer out this week’s activity:
Dear God, thank You for Your love, for Your freely given grace. Help me model Your ways when I make my amends to those I have hurt and offer forgiveness to those who have injured me. Help me to set aside my selfishness and speak the truth in love. I pray that I would focus only on my part, my responsibility in the issue. I know that I can forgive others because You first forgave me. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

______________________________

If you would like to send Amy a private email in regards to this blog, please email her at: Amy@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: Victorious Healing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Captivating – Chapter 3: A Woman’s Deepest Question – The Curse

January 22, 2013 by

We were driving the other day and my 6 year old son proceeded to tell me that when I get old there was this stuff he saw on Television that I could use to take the wrinkles away.  I sat in the front seat stifling a laugh and thanking him for his concern.  But I found myself wondering about the quality of my skin. Do I have wrinkles? Is it time to invest in more effective skin products? I think of the days where I have a pile of clothes on my bed because all of the shirts I have tried to wear that day just didn’t look right. I think of my daughter, who will be ten later this month, preparing for the day in the mornings and taking a good amount of time doing so because she wants to get everything just right. We want to be lovely, we want to be captivating.  We question our inner “loveliness” in addition to our outer beauty. How do I come across to others? Do I display the traits of a Proverbs 31 woman?  We are always questioning a loveliness that was once natural and automatic or women.

Biting that apple changed everything…

How often do I find myself taking matters into my own hands? How often do I find myself telling God that I put all of my faith in Him to give me the life He wants me to have, but then I “take matters into my own hands”? Speaking for myself, the answer is far more often then I would like to admit.

 Proverbs 19:21

Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand.

This scripture brings me such peace, no matter what plans we may have, or how much we try to be in control, God’s plans for our life will come to pass. And He plans for us to be lovely and captivating.

The implications of the curse can be intimidating; they do not paint a very promising picture.  But we cannot allow this to deter us.  Yes, we women do have vulnerabilities…we do have the habit of wanting to control situations…we are affected by relational issues, but where we are weak, He is strong.

 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!

So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak ]in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).

Rest assured God knew what was going to happen; He knew what the outcome would be. He also knew that, despite the curse and despite the fallout from the bite, we would be beautiful!  We would be—and are—captivating.

With love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, we wonder about the opinions of others…we question our inner and outer beauty…we worry about looking right and acting right. We are vulnerable, and like to take matters into our own hands. Please help us to remember that where we are weak, You are strong.  Help us to keep our eyes focused on You, and remember that Your plan for our life was written before Eve took that bite.  And that Your plan will happen. Thank you for making us beautiful and captivating, Lord.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Your Assignment:

I have the habit of taking matters into my own hands, or trying to that is. This week I am going to intentionally give everything to God. I carry a journal with me. So when a situation comes up, and I get that urge to take care of it, I am going to write it down…pray…and give it to God. I encourage you to do this. You can use your phone, a notebook, or whatever you are comfortable with.

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Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

 If you are interested in sending a private message to Tonya, please email her at TonyaEllison@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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