November 21, 2024

GCH:decaf – Circle of Friends

January 18, 2013 by

Circle-of-Friends

There is a semi-old song that I think about when I think of the girls I have met through this GCH:Decaf ministry.  I have been singing it a lot lately.  If you have never listened to the girl group you should really look them up.  They have some awesome harmonies and the words to their songs are really relevant.  Chances are you have heard their songs and just didn’t know who sings them.  Anyway, the song I have had on my heart is “Circle of Friends”.  Here is the first part:

We were made to love and be loved

But the price this world demands will cost you far too much

I spent so many years just trying to fit in

Now I’ve found a place in this circle of friends

In a circle of friends we have one Father

In a circle of friends we share this prayer

That every orphaned soul will know

And all will enter in

To the shelter of this circle of friends

That is how I feel about all of the new friends I have met through the study of “A Daughter’s Worth” by Ava Sturgeon.  We began the study as just a group of random hearts from all over the United States mostly, then, we had friends join us in other countries.  People began reading our study blogs in over 100 countries around the world.  The leaders and the girls in the groups became friends and we got to know each other through our Facebook groups.  This study, this group of leaders, this group of girls has changed my life and I want to say Thank You to each one.  I’m sure there will be more lives touched through the words spoken through the blogs than we will ever know.  I pray that God multiplies the hearts blessed by the words He inspired us to write and publish.  The next verse of the song:

If you weep, I will weep with you

If you sing for joy the rest of us will lift our voices too

But no matter what you feel inside there’s no need to pretend

That’s the way it is in this circle of friends

Many of you have shared your hearts and hurts with us during this study.  We have grown close and that makes this Mama’s heart so happy.  We have loved to cry with you and sing with you and celebrate with you.  We are your FRIENDS and you are ours.  As we began making plans for the next study we looked at many things that might make a difference in the lives of teen girls and young women.  We began talking about doing the study “not a fan” by Kyle Idleman.  As we continued to pray and make decisions, it was becoming apparent that we needed to take a step back for a time.  We have decided to not go forward with a new Bible study for teens with Girlfriends Coffee Hour Ministry right now.  There are many exciting things happening at GCH.  I believe God will continue to bless the women as they minister to other women all over the world in the areas they have chosen to pour their hearts into.

                Among the nations, tribes and tongues we have sisters and brothers

                And when we meet in heaven we will recognize each other

                 With joy so deep and love so sweet

                Oh we’ll celebrate these friends

                And a life that never ends

                In a Prayer

                That will not be long before

                All will enter in

                To the shelter of this circle of friends

Because we have all become social media friends, we can contact each other whenever we want to.  Please know that your leaders love you all very much and would love the chance to keep in touch and be a part of your life as you mature.  Remember us if you ever need someone to pray for you, we would love that.  If you have questions about anything, please message us and we will be there for you.

                In a CIRCLE of FRIENDS we have one FATHER,

                In a CIRCLE of FRIENDS we share this prayer,

                That every orphaned soul will know and ALL will enter in,

                To the shelter of this CIRCLE of FRIENDS.

May our Father God bless and keep each of you until we meet again.  If you want to reach me you can find me at Teresa@girlfriendscoffeehour.com or leave me a comment here.  I’d love to hear from you.

Mama T

 

Song Credit goes to Point of Grace – Circle of Friends

Words and music by Douglas McKelvey and Steve Siler

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GCH:decaf – Friends are IMPORTANT! and so is FAMILY

January 15, 2013 by

We have been having a most AWESOME time getting to know each other these last three months.  We began our Teen Ministry with the hopes that we would be able to reach young women all over the world with the love of God and for them to see how much they are worth to the Father.  In the process, we got to know many new hearts and smiles.

Yesterday Diane shared with us about her friend, Jesus.  How many of you truly think of Jesus as a friend?  Does He have a place in your heart like your best friend does?  When bad stuff happens to you, who do you run to?  Is Jesus first, or do you go to a friend, or a parent?  Sometimes Jesus is the LAST person we go to – and only because we couldn’t figure it out on our own.  That’s not cool.  That is not how Jesus wants us to think of Him.  How long would we have a best friend if we only talked to them when we were bored or in danger?  Not long, I think.  Friends need to be cared for even when things are fun and good.

It is a FACT that bad things will happen in our lives.  It is a FACT that we need other people to walk along side of us for support.  It is a FACT that Jesus wants to be that person that we go to FIRST…even before our friends or our parents.

Through this teen ministry of GCH:Decaf I have met some pretty amazing women, teens and friends.  We have been introducing you to some of the girls that responded to our interview questions.  Today, I would like to introduce you to a pair of sisters who I met while doing the first study and preparing for things to come.  It is truly amazing how God works miracles in our hearts and lives when bad things happen to us.  Some things girls go through are just too awful to survive, let alone use that terrible thing as a ministry opportunity.

These sisters reminded me of the scripture in Psalms 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”   Through our online study group I met Trinicia and Carlia.  They answered my interview questions very honestly, just like the other girls did.  I love these girls so very much that I want to get to know them in person.  I want to watch their ministry unfold as they walk out the path God has laid before them.  The events in older sister’s life affected the life of the younger sister.  That is the way we were designed to be.  We bear each other’s burdens and joys.  I love that they are sisters and support each other.  I love that they have a heart for God.  Here is their story:

CarliaI first want to introduce you to Carlia.  She is 13 years old and lives in Memphis, Tennessee.  She likes the group One Direction (much like many of our girls here at :decaf) and this girls LOVES LeCrae.  I have to say that I am loving me some LeCrae myself these days.  I got a new CD for Christmas.  J  Her favorite movie is “Home is Where the Heart Is” and her favorite TV show is House of Payne.  By these choices alone you can tell Carlia values “home”.

 Carlia loves to dress eccentrically and to do that she needs to SHOP with her friends. When asked about food, she responded that all things “Rafferty’s” was her fave.  I have eaten at a Rafferty’s and I would have to agree that they have good food.

 Now here is the answer to the question:  What is one thing that changed your life?

“The day my oldest sister told my Mom that my dad had been touching her in a bad way.  It was hard because that was my dad and he was a part of me, but so was my sister and she was a girl, so I could feel what she was saying and it was hard for me to deal with.  It still is sometimes.  It did bring us closer as a family and it has made all of us stronger and more protective of each other.  I love her!”

Carlia loves her big sister, Trinicia.  God truly came close to these brokenhearted sisters, daughters and friends.  He has begun to heal the wounds that have crushed their spirits and out of these precious hearts, a ministry has been born.

 Trinicia

Let me introduce you to 19 year old, Miss Trinicia.  She goes to college in Nashville, Tennessee.  Her favorite singer is Beyonce and her favorite Christian artist is also LeCrae.  Oh, yeah, and he is CUTE, too.  Trinicia said that Disney’s Pete’s Dragon is her all-time favorite movie and she likes to watch Criminal Minds and Cold Case on TV.  Don’t mess with her, she’s analytical.  LOL  Trinicia likes to be casually dressy.   She sounds pretty classy to me.  Her favorite thing to do with friends is go out to eat and her favorite is Chinese food.

 So here’s the kicker for me; when Trinicia was asked about one thing that changed her life she responded:  “Meeting my best friend Devin at a time when I had to disclose to my mom that my stepdad… had been molesting me and raped me.  God has used that horrible time in my life to help other girls and women get through such a horrific moment in their life.  God has really given me a ministry!  He has used something bad and is using it for His good!”

Trinicia could have said that the action was the thing that changed her life, but what really changed her was the friendship of Devin who stood by her when she needed support to talk to her mom.  Do bad things happen to good people?  Absolutely.  Is it fair?  I don’t think so, but life isn’t fair.  The thing that matters is how Trinicia responded to the bad thing that happened in her life.  She gave it over to God to use as He saw fit and now Trinicia has a ministry helping other girls and women recover from these crushing blows of life.

Did you notice that not only did the bad stuff affect Trinicia, it affected Carlia?  Did you notice that Carlia said that their family is “closer” now than before they found out about the “bad stuff”?  How can that be?  I can understand how these sisters were reluctant to join us in our study “A Daughter’s Worth”, but getting to know them I see that they know the Father loves them and they return that love.  They have turned their pain into ministry to others who are hurting.  I truly love these young ladies.

In Matthew 22:37 it says, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’”  That verse sums up what we were trying to learn in our last Bible study.  We want to seek God with everything in us, make HIM a part of us that we cannot live without.  We would be lost without our HEART, our SOUL or our MIND.  Make it a point to get to know Jesus this year like Trinicia and Carlia have.  Make 2013 the year you become a true FOLLOWER of Jesus!

I love all my girls,

Mama T

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 If you are interested in sending a private message to Teresa in regards to this blog, please email her at: Teresa@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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GCH:decaf – Meet My Friend VICKY

January 1, 2013 by

It’s Tuesday, January 1, 2013!!!  We made it!  Of course the Mayans were wrong…the BIBLE says in Matthew 24:36, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”  Let’s live 2013 like it is a GIFT from God…because it is!  The month of January we will be meeting a different GCH:decaf girl every day.  Each blogger will be introducing you to a new friend.

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Today, I want to introduce you to my friend VICKY.  She is a rockin’ awesome girl that I have met personally (swoon).  We did an interview session and I want to share what I have learned about Vicky.

Vicky  is 14 years old and lives in Murfreesboro, TN.  When asked “Who is your favorite musician or group”, Vicky answered, “One Direction”.  Hmmm, I’m really gonna have to look these English boys up.

Vicky’s favorite Christian artist is Francesca Battistelli.  She writes and sings her own music and is a totally cool young woman.  Frannie actually lives the life she sings about.  Check her out.  Thanks Vicky!

I asked Vicky what her favorite movie of all time was and she said, “Spiderman”.  That surprised me a little.  I’m going to have to investigate that topic a little further with her.  Is it because she has 4 brothers and they made her watch it so many times?  Is it because of the boyish good looks of Peter Parker?  Does she like to swing by spider silk???

Vicky and her mom, Megan, like to watch Grimm together.  I introduced them to Once Upon a Time and now they like to watch both fairy tale related TV shows.  Those Grimm guys are a little dark for me, but Vicky LOVES them.  Have you seen it?

When we talked about clothes and style, Vicky said she is a fan of all things PANTS.  I’m with her.  She looks mighty cute in her pants and she accessorizes them nicely.  Way to Go!

If you were one of Vicky’s friends you would hang out and watch movies together.  She loves to curl up and watch movies.  I’ll bring the popcorn.  You guys should totally show up and crash her couch.

I bet while she is watching movies she has a plate full of her favorite cookies.  Vicky has been taking a course in home economics and has been learning to cook.  We have seen some pictures of her delicious creations on the fellowship page.  I bet those are some good cookies!  Let me know when the next batch is coming out of the oven.

I asked Vicky one final bonus question.  “What is one thing that changed your life?”

Vicky has shared with us before in our last study that “Having her mom, Megan, come into her life” was a life changing moment.  Does that seem odd to you guys?  Life deals us some pretty rough things to handle sometimes.  But when it does, GOD is there to give us a hand out of the rough stuff.  Vicky’s mom, Megan, was adopted into their family.  Maybe you guys have similar situations.  I am thankful for Vicky and for Megan and their willingness to share their life story.  It’s pretty cool.  You really should get to know my friend Vicky.

Each day a blogger/leader will introduce you to another fellow decaf friend.  Check back every day and get to know the hearts in your study group.  We love each of you very much and pray for you daily.  If you ever want to talk to us, just leave us a message.  We would love to get to know you better.

Thanks Vicky for being such an GREAT interview subject and for doing such a great job on our study “A Daughter’s Worth” by Ava Sturgeon.  You are a true blessing.

Love you,

Mama T

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If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf  Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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Lord, Teach Us to Pray – Week 13

December 22, 2012 by

Last week we concluded our series on prayer entitled Lord, teach us to pray! Each week we asked with that same desire as Jesus’ disciples did — ”Teach {me} to pray.” And graciously He did, didn’t He? This week, I would like to join in as we finish this part of our journey together.

We have now completed our study A Daughter’s Worth from the book by Ava Sturgeon. All week we have been focusing on God and the optimism that our hearts have as we do so. We have been SO encouraged and exhorted!

  • On Monday, Diane shared about giving honor and praise to God.
  •  On Tuesday, Teresa reminded us that God is holy and that we can live holy lives.
  •  On Wednesday, Jordan talked about having happiness and joy.
  •  On Thursday, Tonya communicated about trusting in Him, knowing He cares for us.
  •  On Friday, Tina shared about our eternal Hope of life with God.

As such our focus has been all about God!  Nothing wrong about that, hmmm?  Every day we have so very much to be thankful to God for and to voice our praises to Him!  Whether by ourselves in our own hearts as we pray…or when we fellowship in our small groups or Bible studies (like this one!)…or perhaps when we gather to corporately praise and worship in the churches we belong to…we are living our lives right NOW praising our God and our Lord. AND we look forward to raising our praises forever! That’s right…we will be right along with the angels and the host of heaven!

Revelation 5:11-14
Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders, and they numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands,  Saying in a loud voice,  Deserving is the Lamb,  Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory, splendor) and blessing!  And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits] and on the sea and all that is in it, crying out together, To Him Who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed the blessing and the honor and the majesty (glory, splendor) and the power (might and dominion) forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities)!  Then the four living creatures (beings) said, Amen (so be it)!  And the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves and worshiped Him Who lives forever and ever.

We SO look forward to this time…it is our HOPE!  We wait for the return of our Lord to gather His church together.

Revelations 22:20,21
He Who gives this warning and affirms and testifies to these things says, Yes (it is true). [Surely] I am coming quickly (swiftly, speedily). Amen (so let it be)! Yes, come, Lord Jesus! The grace (blessing and favor) of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with all the saints (God’s holy people), those set apart for God, to be, as it were, exclusively His). Amen (so let it be)!

Yes, come, Lord Jesus, come! Amen!

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In this final week of our study A Daughter’s Worth, we have focused on living optimistically because of how great our God is…honoring and praising Him…living holy because we CAN BE holy…having true joy…resting in Him, trusting Him…looking forward to eternal life with Him. All of which are great reminders of how much worth we truly have!

Instead of a question this week, I ask you to proclaim this TRUTH,  ‘I, _________ (insert your precious name here) am a daughter of the Most High God, and to Him I am of SUCH worth! One way in which my Father shows me just how much worth I have to Him is ________________________________!

(Please share with us in the comment section what you wrote…I’ll post mine, too.)

Oh. How. He. Loves. Us. So. <3

The following is a video of a beautiful rendition of the Lord’s Prayer being sung by the Martins.  enjoy!  perhaps this might become your favorite  way of praying this prayer that Jesus instructed His disciples (and us!) when He answered their plea, “Lord, teach us to pray!”

Our next study “Not a Fan – Teen Edition” will begin in February, 2013.  Please check back often for more details.  If you have a question about GCH:decaf, please email us at GCH_decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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A Daughter’s Worth: Our Final Day! PLUS, we have a BIG announcement! Don’t Miss It!!

December 21, 2012 by

Today as you and I look forward to Heaven with God, can you describe what thought or image comes to you? When I think of heaven I think of angels everywhere, singing with the ethereal voices of praises to God our Father. I think of mansions that we have built for ourselves and streets paved with gold and that we have no more sorrow or tears. I, like Ava, can most times cry at the drop of a hat. I think God likes that I have a heart for Him and his children.

When you arrive in heaven, are there women you would want to ask questions? My thoughts turned to Florence Nightingale, Joan of Arc, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. I would love to find out from Florence what sacrifices she had to make in a predominately male society to care for the sick and injured. For Joan of Arc, how God was there when she knew he was speaking to her and no one else accepted it. Then I would love to ask Mary what she thought about as Jesus grew older, and how her heart would swell with joy, knowing that God blessed her with His son.

Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV) says 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. To me that is so exciting! Jesus cares enough about you and me to give us the hope of Eternal Joy and a hope that he will one day come to take us home with him. When life seems to get tough, and it will, we have the peace of knowing that God sent his son Jesus to redeem us, to save us and to help us.  With the assistance of the Holy Spirit you and I can share and spread the good news of hope, love, peace, rest and joy we have since we have accepted Jesus in our heart and consistently pursue Him.

Do you know Jesus personally? 2 Peter 3:13 says In keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new Heaven and a new earth, the of righteousness. The only way to get there is to ask Jesus into your heart, tell Him all of your sins, ask Him to forgive you and begin seeking Him by reading your Bible. Then, please let us know that you have made this decision to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior. And if you have decided to rededicate your life to Him, we would love to know that as well. We all have strayed a bit or a lot. But God is faithful and His GRACE is enough to accept us when we truly repent and turn away from our life of sin. He loves us so very much.

Let’s Pray:

Father, I love You and I thank You for this Bible Study. I want to seek You and do my best for You and Your kingdom. Reveal to me where I can further Your kingdom right where I am. Forgive me for when I have strayed from my walk with You and I ask that Your Holy Spirit never depart from me. I ask that the Holy Spirit be my guide and assist me to keep my feet on Your path. Thank You for sending Jesus Your son to die on that cross for my sins so I can become a Daughter of the Most High.  Amen!!!!

In His Love,

Tina

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Now a word from the AMAZING GCH:decaf Founder, Megan Smidt!  (She has a BIG announcement below!!)

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Worthy Daughters of the King,

WOW!!!!! We did it! The past 12 weeks have been one incredible journey and it has been an honor to take it with you! Congratulations on being a part of GCH:decaf’s very first online Bible study!!! I have learned so much with you along the way and I hope you all enjoyed this study as much as I did.

What was YOUR biggest take-away from the past 12 weeks? For me, it is that God does NOT call us to compromise in any area of our lives. As worthy daughters, He calls us to use our strong voices to stand firm for His Kingdom and He will always equip us with all we need, in every season, to fulfill His purposes on earth. How AWESOME is that!

The lessons of the past 12 weeks have laid the perfect foundation for the NEW study we will beginning in February! Are you ready to hear what it is!?!??! I have been SO very excited to announce this to YOU!!!

GCH:decaf will be starting our new online Bible study for Not a Fan: Teen Edition February 4, 2013! This will be a 6 week study and you will need the red book and companion journal for it. You can order your copy online or pick it up at your local Lifeway store. Ask for it for Christmas and read it in January to be ready to dig in February 4th!

Not a Fan - Teen Edition

Not a Fan – Teen Edition

Not a Fan - Journal

Not a Fan – Journal

Mama T, our other leaders and I want you to recruit your friends to do this study along with us! There will be a contest coming in January for friend referrals when we start sign-ups for this new study…. Be on the look-out for that!

We have one more announcement going into the new year. We will be breaking up GCH:decaf into two age groups…. “Venti” will be our group for young college-aged women ages 18-24, and our “Grande” group will be for our friends who are ages 12-18!

Sign up for this awesome study will start soon!  So stay tuned!!

Thank you for all you do to help make GCH:decaf such a fun and safe place to hang with your friends all over the world and grow in your walk with Jesus! God has big plans for you in 2013 and it is an honor to walk this season with you.

Make today and every day AMAZING,

Megan

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 12/ Day 4 – Rest in the Hope of God

December 20, 2012 by

GCH_LifesJourney

I believe that we all have things that we worry about. It can be hard not to worry and work things out on our own. We have to learn how to truly give our problems and worries over to God, for Him to work out for us. If we tried to work it out on our own, it would probably drive us to a state of frustration and anxiety. It can be hard to give something over to God that you want to fix on your own, when you know that you really cannot.

I can say that I have for the most part of my life, been a worrier. I have always tried to fix things on my own, even when I knew that I couldn’t. I usually made the problems worse for myself. If I only could have given it over to God and rest in the hope that He would fix it for me. It has never been an easy task for me to do. I can now say that I am having to learn how to do this because of the different things that God has placed in my life for me to have to deal with. I am eagerly placing them all in His hands because surely I know now that these are things that I cannot physically handle on my own.

Girls, please don’t take as long as I did to figure that out, that God wants you to bring your worries and problems to Him and rest in knowing that He is going to handle it, in His time. He loves you so much! If you don’t know yet, He really, really does! Give Him a chance to show you : ) Give whatever you may be wrestling with, worrying about, frustrated with, over to Him and watch Him work it out for you, because He loves you and you are most definitely one of His daughters! : ) Rest in knowing that He is on the job!

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11: 28

Let’s pray:

Dear God thank You for allowing us to take this journey with You called, A Daughter’s Worth. We have learned so much and made so many new friends and Lord we ask that You continue to watch over them and deepen Your relationship with them.

Love, Ms. Tonya : )

 

Have you found things in your life that are extremely difficult to deal with?  We invite you today, to ask Jesus into your heart to help you with these things.   Whether it’s stress, fear, anxiety, temptations, peer pressure, whatever it may be, Jesus can and will give you wisdom, guidance, and rest!  If you would like to ask Jesus into your heart today, please pray with us now:

Jesus, I recognize now that I was not meant to handle all these cares and pressures on my own.  I know now that I can turn to You and ask You to come live in my heart, as my personal Lord and Savior, and I know that You will guide me from now on.  Jesus, I ask You today, right here and right now, to come live in my heart.  I invite You to be my Lord and Savior.  I confess my sins to You today, and I ask for Your forgiveness.  Cleanse me of the unrighteousness in my life.  I thank You now Jesus, for dying on the cross for ME, and for my sins.  In Your Name I pray, AMEN!

If you have just prayed that prayer with us, please send us an email and let us know.

Our email address is: GCH_Decaf@girlfriendsCoffeeHour.com.  We would like to celebrate this day with you!!

Be Blessed!!

 

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 12 / Day 3 – Receiving Happiness from God

December 19, 2012 by

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Today’s blog is brought to you by Jordan Spring:

“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!” Do y’all remember singing that song? I loved that song as a child, and there are times when I get it stuck in my head. Have you really thought of the words to that song? “And I’m so happy, so very happy… I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.”

I’ve noticed lately that the majority of us view joy as an emotion. “Today I’m feeling joyful…” Joy is a state of being. It’s a constant resting in Jesus and a constant trusting that He is in control. And the coolest thing about joy– The Lord will give it to you! All you have to do is ask.

A lot of us, myself included, sometimes become attached to our grief. We become comfortable in our sadness, and the thought of getting out of it scares us. How messed up is that? The enemy deceives us into thinking that if we are happy or have joy, we have something to lose. But if your joy is found in JESUS, you don’t EVER have to worry about losing anything! He is faithful, and He promises to never leave us nor forsake us.

As believers we should be the most joyful people… We have a SAVIOR who loved us SO much that He died for us! So that we would have abundant life on this earth- free from the chains of sin, and so we could have eternal life in Heaven! That’s reason enough to be joyful…

Lets Pray:

Jesus, thank You for loving us. We are SO thankful that You are a God who wants to give us JOY! You don’t want us stuck in depression… Thank You for that! I pray that we would not cling to our grief, but that we would walk through it, and in Your timing, let it go. Help us to accept Your joy! In Your name, Amen.

May the Joy of the Lord fill Your Heart Today & Everyday,

Jordan

Galatians 5:22-23 says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  You are promised these things with Jesus in your heart!

If you haven’t invited Jesus to become your Lord and Savior, and would like to, please pray with me know.

Lord Jesus, I need You.  I see that now.  I invite you today to be my Lord and Savior.  Lord, I’ve tried to find my own way, and I haven’t been able to.  I ask You to forgive me, Lord.  I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness in my life, and to come be the Lord and Savior of my life today.  AMEN.

If you just prayed that prayer, we would like to hear from you.  This is a BIG day in your life, and we want to celebrate with you!  Please email us a GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.   May God richly bless you!!

 

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 12 / Day 2 – Recognize the Holiness of God

December 18, 2012 by

 

It is very fitting that the final week of our study is coming to a close just before Christmas.  It could not be more perfect to recognize that God wants to “come alive” in our hearts and lives than at Christmas when we celebrate Jesus coming to live with us.  We began this study learning who we are to God and just how much HE loves us.  We continued the study to learn how we are to respond to HIM as Father.  It has truly been an awesome journey to realize what A DAUGHTER IS WORTH to God.  He gave His only Son for you.  Your life matters to HIM.  How will you show Him how much HE matters to you????  Words are cool and everything, but ACTIONS speak louder!!

How are you going to bring HIS love to LIFE inside of you?  God calls us to be different from the world.  He wants us to be holy, like he is holy.  Today’s lesson focuses on church and how we are to recognize God’s holiness.  I would like to challenge you to think outside the box (the church box) and apply God’s call to YOUR LIFE – how you live every day.  When people think of you, do they think “holy”?  Hmmmm

The only time many of us use the word ‘holy’ is when we need an adjective to make something seem important.  Like cows and moly and poo.  Well, “HOLY” is important. It means to show a devotion to God and to a life of virtue; to set apart or worthy of respect by association with God.  Holy means being completely WHOLE just like GOD.

“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God — who chose you to be his children — is holy.  For he himself has said, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:15-16

Peter says we have been chosen to be God’s children – HIS Daughters – and we are to be holy, LIKE HE is HOLY.  God is calling out this generation to bring HOLY back.  Don’t be afraid, BE BOLD.  Can there be any safer place to be than a chosen daughter of the King of KINGS?  When God makes a promise, HE DOESN’T BREAK IT!!  All those promises in the Bible; they are still good.  God is still providing for every promise He ever made.  All those promises in the Bible – they are YOURS.  Claim them, they are free.  Let those promises bring holy to life inside of your heart.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

God knows what is in your heart.  Do not be deceived to think that you can say one thing and act another and God will not know.  Give God permission to change your heart to be like HIS and He WILL.  It’s a promise.  You won’t regret living your life for Jesus, but you will regret it if you don’t.  This season of Christmas when we celebrate Jesus being born as a baby and coming to life a life as a human, embrace the story of His holiness.  Take it inside you and let it change your heart.  Let your heart break for the things that break HIS heart.

Let Love Come to LIFE Inside of YOU this Christmas!  As Ava tells us, “As a worthy daughter, being holy is both challenging and rewarding.  You may not be perfect every time, but working toward purity is all that God asks.  Don’t be frightened by a lifestyle of holiness; after all, the Holy Spirit is in you, making all things possible.  Praise God for His presence, and most of all, acknowledge His awesome holiness.” (p. 171)

Let’s Praise God together:

Father, we praise You for WHO You are.  We thank You for Your promises to care for us and lead us and guide us every day.  Father, we give You permission to bring our hearts to life inside us and make us burn to be Your hands and feet.  Make us holy like You are holy.  Make us whole and complete in Your love.  We love You, Lord.  Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to this earth as a baby to be a sacrifice for our sins.  May our generation be one that lives to love others the way You would have us to.  Continue to teach us your ways.   AMEN

My love to you all and Merry Christmas,

Mama T <3

If you have come to a place that your heart is telling you to ask Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, please ASK HIM.  It’s easy, it’s free and it’s the best gift you could give Him for Christmas.  We invite you today to ask Him into your heart.

Please pray with us:

Lord Jesus, I come to You today and ask You to be my Lord and Savior. I have learned who You are through this bible study Lord, and I want to know You personally.  I admit that I am a sinner, I confess the sins that I have in my heart, and I believe You will forgive me for all my sins. I ask You now to come into my life, as my personal Lord and Savior. AMEN!

If you prayed that prayer today, let us know.  We would love to rejoice with you as you celebrate you BIRTHday as a sister in Christ.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf  
Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 12 / Day 1 – Give Honor to God

December 17, 2012 by

GCH_Eph2_10

In order to give someone honor, don’t you think you have to know that person or at least know what they have done in order to receive honor?  God is more than just a “someone” He is the Creator of the world we live in.  Without God there would be nothing.  If there were ever a time to give honor, God should be at the top of the list, don’t ya think?

Do you know who God is personally? 

  • God created YOU for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.)
  • God loves YOU so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross for our nasty sins that we continually commit (John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.)
  • God is our help in times of trouble.  He did not just create us to watch us suffer through this cruel world alone.  He promises to be with us and to hold our hands and hearts and to help us in every struggle we face in this world.  (Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.)

I honestly would love to just go on and on about how amazing God’s love for us is.  I would love to share with you every single thing that I possibly can to showcase God for who and what HE really is!  There are no words this side of Heaven to be able to do this for you though.  It is not enough to say He is good, He is amazing, and my words do not even come close to just how perfect God is.  So, I am turning to the Bible for help!  This scripture is one of my favorites; I can just close my eyes and picture God as my safe place, the Rock I run to when this world tries to bring me down.  Psalms 62:7-8 My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. {8} Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.  Instead of me going on and on, why don’t you think of some ways to describe who God is to you!  Write them in your journal and thank Him for being who He is to us!

Let’s read Revelation 4:9-11

Whenever the living creatures (that’s us!) give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever (that’s God), the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever.  They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

YOU ARE WORTHY OUR LORD AND GOD

TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER

FOR YOU CREATED ALL THINGS

AND BY YOUR WILL THEY WERE CREATED

AND HAVE THEIR BEING

The first time I read that I cried.  Really think about this for a moment.  Every single time we thank God for our many blessings HE gives us, or give Him the glory for something amazing that happened in our lives, or honor His name in everything we do: 24 elders fall to their knees in worship to God!  How utterly amazing is that?  Close your eyes….picture this!  I don’t know about you, but I want this to happen all day long for God.  I never want there to be a time when those elders are not on their knees singing praises to God!

Let our hearts desires be the same as those elders in Heaven.  Let us strive to not go ONE moment without remembering our GOD in praises, worship, prayers of thanksgiving, and HONOR.  For when we do this we will be reminded that God is getting all of those praises in Heaven!

Let’s Pray:  Lord, I thank You so much that Your love and Your very being are indescribable.  I pray that we all are able to find out who You are personally for us.  I pray that each girl set their heart’s desire to give You honor and understand just why we are to give YOU honor.  Today and always Lord, I give You honor because You are my Savior.  You have blessed me and saved me from a life of misery and You have given me hope!  Much love to YOU!  I picture the praises in Heaven and they motivate me to keep on giving You all of my honor and glory that You so perfectly deserve!  I love You so much!  Amen.

Let’s all think of ways we can HONOR our KING in HEAVEN today and always,

Diane

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, we invite you today to ask Him into your heart.  Please pray with us:

Lord Jesus, I come to You today and ask You to be my Lord and Savior.  I have learned who You are through this bible study Lord, and I want to know You personally.  So today, Lord, I confess the sins that I have in my heart, and I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness.  I ask You now to come into my life, as my personal Lord and Savior.  AMEN!

If you prayed this prayer today with us, would you send us an email?  We’d like to pray with you.  You can reach us at GCH_decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.  

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 12 – Living with Optimism

December 16, 2012 by

This is our last week with “A Daughter’s Worth” bible study.  I hope you have enjoyed this study, as much as we have!  Sometimes online Bible studies can be kind of pressing, especially when you have such a busy schedule.  But, one thing that I have learned is that putting God first and foremost, in all things, is an absolute necessity in order for everything else in my life to run smoothly.

The Word tells us to seek Him first and all things will be added unto us.  That means first thing every day, we should be making time for God.  We should be seeking God in our daily schedules, tests, extra-curricular activities, church functions, sports, and more.  If God hasn’t called us to it, we cannot expect Him to bless it.

This week, in Week 12 of A Daughter’s Worth, we will discuss “Living with Optimism” and what that means.  This may be the end of this study, but it’s a very important part of this book!  I hope you will take the time to read it, meditate on what you’ve read, and spend time with God.

Here is your schedule for the week:  

On Monday, Diane will discuss giving honor to God.

On Tuesday, Teresa will discuss recognizing the holiness of God.

On Wednesday, Jordan will discuss receiving happiness from God.

On Thursday, Tonya will discuss resting in the hope of God.

On Friday, Edwina  will discuss looking forward to Heaven with God.

And then to close the week off, Coleen will have a special message for us.  So be sure to stay tuned!

Be sure to check back soon because we will be announcing what’s next for GCH:decaf SOON!!!

Now a word from Miss Morgan:

Hey girls this is our last week, which is crazy; but this week we will be talking about how we should give God glory and that we should know the holiness that God has. God also will give us happiness, which we should learn to accept, and to always have the Joy of the Lord with us.

Lastly we will also be talking about resting in the hope of the Lord, and that we should always look forward to Heaven and living with God forever. It’s weird thinking this life will end, but we will live FOREVER in Heaven with God, which is amazing. I love you girls!!

Before Morgan and I close for today, I want to ask you if you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?  If not, we invite you today to ask Him into your heart.  Please pray with us:

Lord Jesus, I come to You today and ask You to be my Lord and Savior.  I have learned who You are through this bible study Lord, and I want to know You personally.  So today, Lord, I confess the sins that I have in my heart, and I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness.  I ask You now to come into my life, as my personal Lord and Savior.  AMEN!

If you prayed this prayer with Morgan and I, would you send us an email?  We’d like to pray with you.  You can reach us at GCH_decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.  

We love you, so does He!

Have a GREAT week everyone!

Morgan & Christi

 

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