April 26, 2024

A Letter From Your Father

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!

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves,
so that you live in fear again;
rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15

Adoption…God has searched you out and adopted you for His own.  Before you knew you even needed Him as your Father, He had already filled out the paperwork and made you a room in His House.

For God knew His people in advance,
and He chose them to become like His Son,
so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:29

He will never leave you fatherless in this world…after all, He wrote your name in His family tree.  And He paid a huge price for you too!

God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law,
so that He could adopt us as His very own children.
Galatians 4:5

We didn’t pay for our adoption, we only have to accept it.  The minute we do, we go from orphans with nothing to heirs with everything.  We are adopted into a new family…but we are not home yet.  We know our Father’s name, but we haven’t seen Him face to face yet.  He has claimed us but He hasn’t come for us yet.  But we know He will.  But until that day, we live as His.

You are no longer wandering alone.  You are loved so much by a King! Someone actually paid for your freedom in full with His own life!  All the sins you have committed and ever will have already been erased by His blood.  You can never do anything to make Him love you any more or less.  And, though this world may be hard, He will never let you flounder alone.  He wants so much for you, His child.

If God were to write you a letter, it might sound like this:

Dear ______,

I love you more than  you will ever understand.  I bought you and I complete you.  I will always comfort you and I will never fail you.

I know all that you have done, all the regrets and shame you feel about your past.  I want you to know that My grace is sufficient for you and I have put them all behind Me.  I have the ability to actually forget them and, of course, forgive them.  You have been washed clean, like new.  Please come to Me, for I have truly set you free.  I broke the stronghold of the enemy.  You have a home with Me in Heaven and all glory. There you will have no more sorrows, no more sadness or crying and no more death and pain.

I see that you are worried about so much that you cannot control.  But I can.  Please put your trust in Me and I will rescue you every time from all your trials.  Cling to me in your struggle and know that I will give you the strength you need to get through what is in front of you.  Don’t ever give up.  I will give you the help you need and I will give you courage.

Just trust me with all that you have.  I will never leave you.  I never sleep and I am always looking out for you.  I will go before you and make a way.  I have planned every detail of your journey here and until I come again and bring you home, I will give you what you need daily.  I love you, my precious child.

Keep pressing on toward the finish line, never losing momentum.  I will see you soon!

Your Father

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you know Jesus?  He is waiting on you with open arms.  I encourage you to pray with me today and ask Him into your life, to be Lord.  Pray with me:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and You sent Him to die in my place.  I ask that You come into my heart and be my God.  Please go with me and help me to grow in You.  Thank You for this life You have given me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

A Letter From Your Father

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves,
so that you live in fear again;
rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15

Adoption…God has searched you out and adopted you for His own.  Before you knew you even needed Him as your Father, He had already filled out the paperwork and made you a room in His House.

For God knew His people in advance,
and He chose them to become like His Son,
so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:29

He will never leave you fatherless in this world…after all, He wrote your name in His family tree.  And He paid a huge price for you too!

God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law,
so that He could adopt us as His very own children.
Galatians 4:5

We didn’t pay for our adoption, we only have to accept it.  The minute we do, we go from orphans with nothing to heirs with everything.  We are adopted into a new family…but we are not home yet.  We know our Father’s name, but we haven’t seen Him face to face yet.  He has claimed us but He hasn’t come for us yet.  But we know He will.  But until that day, we live as His.

You are no longer wandering alone.  You are loved so much by a King! Someone actually paid for your freedom in full with His own life!  All the sins you have committed and ever will have already been erased by His blood.  You can never do anything to make Him love you any more or less.  And, though this world may be hard, He will never let you flounder alone.  He wants so much for you, His child.

If God were to write you a letter, it might sound like this:

Dear ______,

I love you more than  you will ever understand.  I bought you and I complete you.  I will always comfort you and I will never fail you.

I know all that you have done, all the regrets and shame you feel about your past.  I want you to know that My grace is sufficient for you and I have put them all behind Me.  I have the ability to actually forget them and, of course, forgive them.  You have been washed clean, like new.  Please come to Me, for I have truly set you free.  I broke the stronghold of the enemy.  You have a home with Me in Heaven and all glory. There you will have no more sorrows, no more sadness or crying and no more death and pain.

I see that you are worried about so much that you cannot control.  But I can.  Please put your trust in Me and I will rescue you every time from all your trials.  Cling to me in your struggle and know that I will give you the strength you need to get through what is in front of you.  Don’t ever give up.  I will give you the help you need and I will give you courage.

Just trust me with all that you have.  I will never leave you.  I never sleep and I am always looking out for you.  I will go before you and make a way.  I have planned every detail of your journey here and until I come again and bring you home, I will give you what you need daily.  I love you, my precious child.

Keep pressing on toward the finish line, never losing momentum.  I will see you soon!

Your Father

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you know Jesus?  He is waiting on you with open arms.  I encourage you to pray with me today and ask Him into your life, to be Lord.  Pray with me:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and You sent Him to die in my place.  I ask that You come into my heart and be my God.  Please go with me and help me to grow in You.  Thank You for this life You have given me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Teresa’s Journey to GCH: decaf!

Introducing……

GCH: decaf blogger Teresa Bolme

Yesterday was a big day in our family.  My husband David and I “officially and legally” became parents…again! God has given us three beautiful, biological daughters who are now 22, 18 and 16 years old.  Today, the courts gave us three more sisters (18, 16, and 14 years old).  You don’t have to be very good at math to add 3 + 3 = 6 daughters in our household…every day.  The three “new” daughters have two older sisters who have also lived with us.  They are 21 and 20 years old and are working and off at college (but home on breaks).  God has chosen to place eight (8) daughters in our home and we couldn’t feel more blessed.

Most people looking from the outside in cannot understand the work God has done in our family.  We definitely stand out in a crowd.  This family has been years in the making.  Like most stories, the facts don’t add up if you try to make sense of them looking forward.  Only when we look back can we see God’s fingerprints all over our lives.  He placed me on a path at twelve years old that brought me to where He has me today.   That is why teens and teen ministry is so important to me.  God can begin using us as soon as we surrender our hearts and lives to Him.

1 Timothy 4:12

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,

but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Deuteronomy 11:19

Teach them (values, scripture, morals)  to your children,  talking about them when you sit at home

and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

All of my girls have given their hearts to the Lord and have a heart to serve Him.  They have all experienced their own struggles with their worth, body image, social issues, love, finding friends, depression, serving God and learning to live a life of faith.  My girls and I welcome you and your girls to come along with us as we study “A Daughter’s Worth” through GCH:decaf.  We have committed as a family to learn and grow together.  Please come along with us.

My name is Teresa Bolme.  I am honored to be part of Girlfriend’s Coffee Hour: decaf.  I leave you with a quote from Mother Teresa,

“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.”

Not everyone can be a Mother Teresa, but I can be a Mama T.  Come on along as we dive into the Word.  Bring your daughters, moms and sisters.  There is always room for one more!

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Please “like” our Facebook Community page here to stay up-to-date on all we are doing for teens over here at GCH: decaf: https://www.facebook.com/GCHdecaf.

Be sure to email our lead barista, Megan, if you would like to join a small group or if you have any questions about the study or this ministry. She would love to hear from you!  Teens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com .

Our first study will start October 1st!  We will be studying A Daughter’s Worth by Ava Sturgeon.

________________________________________

Teresa Bolme lives in middle Tennessee with David (her husband of 26 years), eight daughters (22 years – 14 years old) and her Rock Dog, Angus.  She has been a not-so-stay-at-home mom for the last 18+ years.  She is her family’s biggest cheerleader, devoted counselor and caretaker.

Teresa is a soccer mom, has been a dance mom, a tutor for all her girls and a volunteer in the school system for the girl’s teachers and administration.  She is affectionately called “Mama T” by those who know her and have been loved by her.  She balances a very diverse household of strong, intelligent, godly young women and supports an awesome husband and father.

God has chosen to use Teresa to reach broken children, teens and women (most who were broken as children).  She has been a ministry planter, a home missionary and a support to ministry families and staff.  She is currently completing her degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Christian Counseling with Liberty University Online.

Teresa has been participating in and leading women in Online Bible Study for about a year now.  She has taught children and middle schoolers in Sunday School and AWANA Truth and Training Director for several years.  She believes her life mission to be to teach others this fundamental truth that has sustained her throughout her life:

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6  In all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.(make your paths straight)

We are THRILLED to have Teresa working with us on our Leadership Team and with your precious daughters.