November 25, 2024

A Daughter’s Worth: Week 6 /Day 4 – A Good Friend Forgives and Forgets

November 8, 2012 by

  

When you have found a friend, you have found a good thing. A good friend is so hard to come by, but when you have found a good friend, do whatever you can to hold on to that friend. In the dictionary, a friend is defined as, “a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile.”

Do you have a friend like that in your life? I think that we all should have at least one!  I have a few friends that are very close to me. We can talk about any and everything. We hang out and go to the movies and out to eat together at least once a month. We are like sisters, and you know what that means…sometimes we don’t always see things the same way, or agree with each other. We don’t argue, but we have our own opinions and therefore, sometimes we disagree. There have been times when my feelings have been hurt by something that may have been said or done, and the same may have happened to them. We all agreed that it would always be best to talk about what may have upset us and fix it.

We are to forgive and forget. It is never good to hold onto things. It is not good for your heart or your mind. It is always best to forgive and forget. Have you ever had a disagreement with one of your friends? How did it make you feel? I am willing to say that it made you feel really bad and frustrated. If you talked it out and fixed things between you and your friend, I am sure that you felt like a load was lifted off of you. You and your friend were like new again.

Jesus wants that for all of us! He wants us to feel free of anger, confusion, and frustration. If we can ask God to forgive us, surely we could forgive a friend when they ask us to, and even when they don’t. Forgiveness is the key.  Forgetting may be a little hard, but if you ask God to help you…He for surely WILL!!!

 

Be Ye kind one to another, tender-hearted,

forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

 

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for you sending your only begotten son to die on the cross for our sins. Help us to remember that you so graciously forgave us, through your son. Let us remember that when our friends may have done something to hurt us, that we should talk it over with them and when they ask for forgiveness or if it is us that should be asking for forgiveness, that we so freely grant it to them. We love you Lord and we are asking that you continue to work on our hearts. We ask these things in your darling son’s name, Jesus Christ, Amen <3

 

Love, Tonya

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

 

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 6/ Day 3: A Good Friend Supports You

November 7, 2012 by


Supportive and encouraging are definitely how I would describe my friends. The day before my senior year of high school, I decided to be homeschooled. I just knew in my spirit that I was not supposed to go back to school. Of course my friends asked questions. They wanted to know why, which is totally expected. But the majority of them were so supportive and trusted me to know what was best for me. They knew I had a relationship with God, and they knew that I was making a wise decision for myself. As for the ones who weren’t supportive, I didn’t immediately shut them out or end our friendships, but over time, those friendships ended for various reasons.
We all have a specific calling, a specific purpose placed on our lives by God. If we are walking with Him, we should be taking steps in the direction of our destiny, asking Him where we should step.
Throughout this journey, we WILL need people to encourage us to pursue the dreams in our hearts. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times…” Part of loving someone is supporting them. All of our paths look different. Your friend may make a decision that you don’t necessarily agree with in regards to their future, but it is important that you support them. If you know that your friend has a relationship with Jesus and asks Him before he/she makes a decision, you should trust that they know what they’re about to do.
We will experience trials and struggle throughout our lives. If we are doing Kingdom work, the enemy will not like it and he will try to come against you. Yes, in those times, you must pray. But I believe the Lord wants us to have people in our lives who will pray with us and who will rebuke satan with us!
Lets pray-

Dear Lord, thank You for giving us such a perfect example of how to be a friend. You are a friend to us. I pray that we would give us discernment in our friendships, that we would know who we can trust and who will love us unconditionally. I pray that we would be supportive and encouraging to our friends, showing them You in every encounter we have with them. In Jesus’ name. Amen

~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 6 / Day 2: A Good Friend Shares Her Faith

November 6, 2012 by

I would not say that I have very many friends.  I know a lot of people.  I help a lot of people.  But if I really had trouble or needed someone to talk to, I would have a very short list of people I would call or show up on their door step.  It has always been easier for me to deal with my own struggles by myself and sometimes share them with God.  That’s not how God wants me to be, that’s how I have done it…on my own.  Is anyone else guilty of this, like me?????  I’m working on this area of my life.  I have opened up more to friendship than I ever have before.  This is still hard for me, but I know God put me here to be a friend so that people can see Him in ME.  That’s weird for me to think.

I don’t have a problem talking to people in elevators, or holding a door for an elderly person, or talking to a child.  My kids find me embarrassing because I “talk to strangers”.  I’ve been guilty of carrying someone’s groceries for them, paying someone’s bill (when they didn’t expect it) and even taking time to listen to their “life story” when I had other things I needed to do.  I’ve taken people with me when I have gone out to run errands, just because they needed to get out of the house.  I’ve taken groceries and left them on doorsteps, mystery cakes have shown up at friend’s houses, bought tanks of gas when a young mom couldn’t get to work that week and taken a meal to someone just because.  I like to look for ways to share blessings with people.  I ask God to show me who needs a blessing and He always does.  It’s a lot of fun to look for random acts of kindness to do for someone.

I can’t say that I knew these people very well.  Some I did, some I had never met before.  So, if I am to live my life like Jesus, were these people my friends?  I think so.  Each time I loved on someone I got the opportunity to share Jesus with them.  Most of the time the response would be, “but you don’t have to”, or “but you don’t even know me”, or “How did you KNOW?”  My response was always a smile and the response that they were loved.  They would ask for the source of that love and I would get a chance to share what God had done for me.  I hope they told other people how God blessed them that day.   Hopefully they would do something for someone else and pay it forward.

Jesus “paid it forward” for us.  There is nothing that we can say or do that will be greater or harder for us to do than He already did.  Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.”  (John 15:13-14)  Jesus laid down His life for us.  He was there for us even before we knew we needed him.  When we are sad and need a friend, He is there.  When we had a bad day and just want to scream and cry, He is there.  When we need a hug and some comfort, He is there.  Because we know JESUS, He is there for us.

What about those people who don’t know him yet?  How will they find out?  Who will teach them what it looks like to be a friend of Jesus?  Maybe it’s time to lay down your life and look for someone to help.  It’s not about dying, it’s about living.  It is very good to have Christian friends and Christian influences.  It is very good to hang out with people who can make your spiritual life stronger.  It is also VERY good to look for opportunities to share your faith with someone who doesn’t know Jesus yet.  Non-Christians are already watching the way you live.  Why not teach them to follow Jesus too?  Then they won’t be a “non-Christian” anymore.  J

SHARE YOUR FAITH.  IT’S CONTAGIOUS AND THE WORLD NEEDS SOME OF IT!!!

I found a couple of songs for you guys today.  Give them a listen and tell me what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyeyhOdgyYM&feature=fvwrel  Love Her Like Jesus by Casting Crowns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js_hgkHQ6Bc  Crazy Love by Hawk Nelson

If we have truly been changed, we have to give it away.  How can you do that this week?

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for being our friend.  For always being there for us even when we forget to turn to you.  Thank you for the friends you give us to sharpen our faith.   Thank you for the opportunities we have to share our faith with others.   We know we need to be in fellowship with Christian friends, but show us who you need us to be friendly to, to share your love with.  We are willing to be your hands and feet.  We don’t want to be snobby, or shy.  We don’t want to take on bad habits to fit in.  We want the world to see YOU in our lives and want the love that we have.  Thank you for paying the price for our freedom from sin even before we knew we needed you.  We love you Lord.    Amen

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 6 / Day 1: A Good Friend is Hard to Find

November 5, 2012 by

 

There was a time when I thought I had the best friends a girl could ask for. We vowed to each other that we would be friends forever no matter what happened. At the time, I could not imagine my life without those girls. We loved each other so incredibly much. I truly believed that we really would all be friends forever. Then came the day when they stopped talking to me. This was so devastating and frustrating. I remember crying myself to sleep many nights. I just could not put together why they were doing this to me.

So, I dried my tears and turned to God. Because of how much I valued my relationships with those girls, I had completely forgotten that God had already chosen me to be His friend. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.” John 15:16 God had taken all of those best friends out of my life just in time, before I was negatively influenced. You see those friendships were not with Christians who were encouraging my walk with the Lord or joining me in bearing fruit. If I would have continued to be friends with them, the fruit produced by those relationships would be deadly to me and others. God saved me from the dangers of close friendships with non-Christians.

Think about your friendships, what kinds of fruit are they producing? There is a difference between being friendly to non-Christians and being friends with non-Christians. We are called to love others, we are just not supposed to get caught up in relationships with others that are not encouraging us in our most important relationship in our life, the one we have with God.

When I turned to God years ago, in the midst of my tears, God so gently spoke to me and this is what I heard: I love you and call you to love others. You have a friend in me, I will never leave you, I am here for you, you can trust me, and I will never hurt you. I am by your side always. I am your best friend forever.

I never considered God a friend up until that day. There is no doubt that God is our best friend. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 Let it be out heart’s desire to find that friend and in return be that friend. Thankfully, we have Christ as a perfect example of how to be that friend described in Proverbs, simply because Jesus is that friend to each and every one of us. If you are struggling with finding a lasting friendship, ask Jesus to bring one into your life. As your best friend, I guarantee that He will; after all He has enough of them to introduce you to!

I never thought I would have good friendships with godly women. God cares enough about you and me to give us the desires of our hearts. He knew I needed Christian friends so he provided me with some of the absolute best! These women are answers to prayer and I am so thankful for them. Together, we take on this world with God’s hands in ours. We serve others, we love others, we fellowship, and we do it all together, with our best friend forever, God!

LET’S PRAY: Dear Jesus, thank you for being our best friend. Thank you that we can always turn to you for anything and you will be there, patiently waiting to hear from us. I pray for the girls that need Christian friendships in their lives. I ask that you bring godly friendships into their lives. I pray that we all grow in our friendships together in our discussion groups. Thank you for these gifts from above: Godly friendships. We love you so much! Amen

You’ve Got a Friend in ME,

Love Diane
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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 6: Choosing Good Friends

November 4, 2012 by

 

A few words from Megan and Morgan…..

Hey friends…. it’s Megan!

We have made it to week 6, which means that we are half way through this study. I hope it has blessed your heart and soul as it has mine. This week is about CHOOSING GOOD FRIENDS and this is what we will be talking about each day:

Monday: A Good Friend Is Hard To Find

Tuesday: A Good Friend Shares Her Faith

Wednesday: A Good Friend Supports You

Thursday: A Good Friend Forgives and Forgets

Friday: A Good friend Holds You Accountable

Saturday: Lord Teach Us To Pray: Part 7

It is so important to be careful in choosing your friends and I can’t wait to walk out the lessons of this week with you. I am excited to see what God will show us through His Word and our study book.

And now….. hear from my GOOD FRIEND Morgan 🙂

Hey girls! Hope you are doing well! I am loving this study so much… it’s a really big eye opener. So, this week we’re talking about our friends  and having a good friend. I have quite a few good friends that I can talk to and I’m blessed with. I hope you are too… but if not, don’t worry. God will bring one your way. Just continue to pray, and  if you do already have  great friends, that’s awesome. God says that we need God-worshippers to fellowship with each other because it’s good for the heart.

It’s true, so I hope that this week God will open your eyes to what you need  to look for in a friend. God is so loving and knows exactly what we need in a friend and gives it to us without any doubt, which is totally amazing!

I wrote a prayer out for this week!

Dear God, Thank you  so much for sending me loving friends that I can trust and go and just talk to, I thank you  so much because they are such a big blessing in my life. God, thank you also for being such a great Father for me, and always looking out for me and making sure that my needs are met. You are so Mighty and Worthy of my Praise. I love you so much, In Jesus Name, Amen.

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 5 / Day 5: God Celebrates My Happiness

November 2, 2012 by

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.

Ecclesiastes 3:12

Girls, I can tell you with all certainty that I am a happy daughter of Christ! But, this has not always been the case….

In July of 2011, something happened that made me really sad. For a while I could not move on with my life. I thought I would never smile again. I had a constant frown on my face; I did not even try to be happy. The down side to this was that my friends could not stand to be in my morbid presence any longer and they started to avoid me. So I was unhappy AND alone.

From reading the Word of God, I knew that I had to change my attitude.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

 

I got all excited when I read 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. I tell you, the Bible is filled with awesome truths!

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Girls, do you know what this means?

To me it means that no matter what I go through, I will always have hope through Jesus Christ. My Father will never abandon me, I am safe with Him, so why the long face? Why not show the world that with God on our side nothing will get us down, nothing will keep us from rejoicing?

Let us pray:

Father, we thank you for this Bible Study, thank you that we can learn about what makes you happy and about Your love for us. Help us to keep our emotions intact at all times so that we can glorify You at all times, amen.

Be blessed!

Edwina

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 5 / Day 4 – God Helps You Clear Up Confusion

November 1, 2012 by

 

When I saw that I was to do a blog on God clearing up confusion, I thought to myself,” Wow! Lord, You sure do have jokes sometimes.” I said that because recently I have had a couple of incidents where God has literally had to come in and so neatly and carefully clear up some confusing moments in my life and for those around me, as well.  It is always a little difficult to have to deal with situations where people are not getting along or are frustrated and confused about a few things. If you have a problem with someone, it is best that you pray about it first. Always seek God’s counsel, seek His advice before you approach anyone or anything that you may be having a problem dealing with.  It can so easily get blown out of proportion if we try to fix confusing situations on our own 🙁

After I carefully went to God in prayer about my confusing situation, things got a little easier for me to deal with. I was walking around complaining and grumbling inside my mind, all confused about a few things that were happening and the people who I was frustrated with didn’t have a clue as to what I was frustrated about. You see, when confusion is in the midst, you can bank on that old devil being right there every time. He seeks to try to make our lives miserable, frustrating, and confusing. God revealed to me that I was wrong for complaining and grumbling and that I was to go to the person that I was frustrated with and talk with them. Boy oh boy was that not easy! I had to do it though! You see where God is…there is PEACE! Nothing about my confusing situation had peace written on it… I was unhappy and confused and they were happy…not fair…right?

We sat down and we prayed together first, and then God laid on my heart what to say. Girls after I said what I had to say, it was like a weight was lifted off of my heart and I felt free! The person didn’t have a clue that I was frustrated and apologized to me, and we were able to start our friendship fresh and new. We are happy as two friends can be now. God is definitely NOT the Author of Confusion.

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

I challenge you today to go to anyone that you may be having a little difficulty with, after prayer of course, and talk with them about it. God doesn’t want to see His girls unhappy!!!

Let’s Pray:

Father, God, we thank you for your never-ending counsel that you give to us on a daily basis.  We are grateful that you are not the Author of confusion, and that you want us to be love one another just as you love us. Help us to be able to go to our sisters when there is confusion and help us to get clarity in the situation so that we can be happy and not frustrated and confused. We love you Lord. Amen.

Love,

Tonya 🙂

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 5/ Day 3: God Helps You Squash Jealousy

October 31, 2012 by

 

Jealousy is a really dangerous thing. God knew it was so dangerous that He included it in the Ten Commandments! Sadly, I think this is one of the most commonly broken commandments.

Jealousy is always a result of an ungrateful heart. When we are not thankful for what we have, who we are, what we can do, we begin to compare ourselves to others and wish to have what they have, be who they are, and do what they do.

In order to be thankful, you have to make the decision to recognize what the Lord has done in your life. He gave Jesus, His only Son for you! He loves you and wants a relationship with you. Remembering that and knowing the weight of that will make you thankful, for sure!

Some think jealousy is harmless. The problem with jealousy is that we are not only hoping to gain something, but we are hoping to take something from someone else. If you struggle with jealousy, I would encourage you to ask Jesus to change your heart toward the people you are jealous of. Ask Him to help you LOVE them, really love them. Mark 12:31- “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I would also encourage you to start a list today of things you are thankful for. It can be anything from warm coffee to pink roses to flannel pajama pants, etc. Make an effort to see the good in life. Make the effort to thank Jesus for every good thing. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” James 1:7

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, help me to be content and have joy for all the things you have so generously given to me. When I am struggling with wanting what I don’t have, Father, help me gain perspective and change my heart. I want to live every day with a grateful heart. Help me, Lord, because I know I can’t do it without You! I love you and  I thank you for this provision. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen <3
~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

Filed Under: Teens Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Daughter’s Worth Week 5 – Day 2: God Helps You Manage Anxiety

October 30, 2012 by

 

I have to admit something to you.  When I saw the list of topics I was to write about during this study, I laughed.  Out loud.  That’s right! LOL  I thought Ms. Megan had played some kind of cruel joke on me.  That’s right, this topic caused me ANXIETY.  How did she know that anxiety and depression are something I deal with on a daily basis?  How was I going to talk to you guys about managing my stress and control issues when I still struggle with it myself?  I am going to show you what I have learned and Who I go to when I feel anxious and stressed out.  I have found ways to control the stress and anxiety instead of letting it control me.

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ANXIETY

Distress or uneasiness of mind caused by FEAR of danger or misfortune.A State of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder.

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CONTROL   To exercise restraint or direction over; dominate; command.To hold in check; curb: to control a horse; to control one’s emotions.

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STRESS

Importance attached to a thing.

The physical pressure, pull or other force exerted on one thing by another; strain.

Synonyms: 

Significance, meaning, emphasis, consequence

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Psalms 34:17 says:

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

You might say, “But I’m not righteous, I’m a teenager”.  The Bible says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33  Hopefully, by now you are beginning to seek God when troubles come to you in your life.  He is our Source and our Hope.  We will all have troubles in this life, but by placing our hope in the LORD, we will have renewed strength (Isaiah 40:31).

What Is Anxiety? 

For teens or anyone else, anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Things like tests, meeting new people, speaking in public, going on a date, and competing in sports can make us feel apprehensive. Some of us feel stressed at the thought of posting something about our lives on our secret Facebook Prayer Groups.  Some teens react much more strongly to stressful situations than others. Even thinking about the situations may cause them great distress.  I think that no matter how you were raised, how you handle stress now or how you plan to handle stress in the future, the Bible has the answers as to how and why we feel that stress and anxiety.

1 Peter 4:12-13

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Anxiety can be a good thing when it helps you deal with a tense situation. For example, when you’re studying for a test, a little anxiety can make you want to study hard so you do well. But at other times, anxiety can be harmful, especially when it is excessive and irrational, and prevents you from being able to focus.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Sometimes the anxiety can come between you and your friends, especially when you avoid going out with them or calling them because you’re too panicked or tense. That’s when you need to do something to feel less anxious, so you can fully enjoy your teenage life. (This is where your secret Facebook Prayer Group would come in handy).  You are not alone.  Every human goes through stressful times.  It is in these times that we get to practice what we are learning from our study.  We get to share our experiences with other who are going through the same troubles we have gone through or are going through.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

In our study, the author states that “even though God removes worry from your mind, He might not remove the source of anxiety.  The coach may never treat you fairly; your boyfriend may dump you, and your parents may get on your nerves.  But somehow, in the midst of the stress, you can feel an unbelievable calm.” (p. 64)

I try to make a conscious effort to replace stressful thoughts with prayer, scripture, or praise songs.  One of my favorite verses is one with ATTITUDE…whatever…

Let’s PRAY:  Heavenly Father, we come to you and bring the stress of our day.  We bring you all our anxiety, all our issues that cause us to take our eyes off of YOU.  Father, we claim your peace and your compassion and your comfort.  We want what only you can provide for us.  We know that you are the Source that heals our broken hearts and you bind up our wounds.  Father we pray that as we find comfort and peace in you, we would be able to share what we have learned with our friends.  We want them to come to know you the way we know you…LORD.  We love you.  We thank you for caring for us and for removing the worries from our hearts and minds.  Amen

Much love to all my girls,

Mama T  <3

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

Filed Under: Teens Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Daughter’s Worth Week 5 / Day 1: God Helps You Deal With Disappointments

October 29, 2012 by

 

I had to think back to my teenage years for this blog. For most things from my teenage years, it is difficult to remember the details of excitement surrounding certain events.  Prom, I know it was great, I remember the dress I wore, but who all went with us, what car did we take, where was the prom, where did we go afterwards??  I am just not sure of these specific details.  School, I remember the good times, I remember the papers I wrote, the classes I hated, all of the information I learned though I am not too sure about.  In fact I think I told myself to forget if ice cubes are a solid or a liquid…it worked because I still am not too sure.  But certain things I can try to forget but I never will be able to.  The disappointments that I went through in my teenage years, I remember them all.  I can tell you very specific details of just about every disappointment I faced as a teenager.  I am sure you can think of several disappointments you have gone through or are going through right now.

When disappointments come into our lives they cause so much pain and hurt.  But, when you are finally able to look back on them you can be thankful for those disappointments and where they brought you-closer to God.

How many of you desire to be close to God?  How many of you desire to hear from God?  How many of you desire to feel love from God every moment of every day?  I know when I was your age, I desired those things.  I would hear older, wiser women talking about their time with God and what He spoke to them, and I always wondered how to get that with God.  Yes I want to hear from God, but he is not talking to me.  I believed that because I was younger than the women who I heard these tales from God was unable to communicate with me and be close to me.  What a lie-if we open our hearts to God no matter what age we are God will make Himself known to us, we will feel His presence.

If I really think about why these women were able to hear from God and I was not I believe I know the answer.  It was how I was handling my disappointments when I was younger.  I was trying to fix all of my problems on my own.  I was not asking God for help through the pain, I was hiding it all inside.  There were even times I was disappointed in God because of the trials I was constantly going through.  By taking God out of the equation for fixing disappointment I was pulling myself further away from God.  I was making it impossible to hear from Him.  I was avoiding hearing from Him simply because I thought I could not.  I did not know God was capable of helping me.

Do you believe God is able to help you?  Romans 8:26 insures He does!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 

One thing we can be certain of is that disappointments will come our way.  There is no way to avoid disappointments in this world.  But, take heart because God has OVERCOME THE WORLD.  When disappointments do come into your life, ask God for help.  Tell Him your desires to grow closer to Him and to feel His presence more through this disappointment.  Use this disappointment to hear from God.  Instead of turning away from God, run into Him will all of your strength, help, and love.

When I look back on each disappointment I do not feel pain, I see God working to make my life just how he intends it to be.  I see the Lord’s love in each one of the trials I have been through.  I get to experience HIS comfort.  I am thankful that what was intended to cause me pain, God used to bring me closer to HIS comforting arms.  Just a little fun fact for you: an ice cube (not melted) is a solid.

Let’s Pray:  Lord, I thank you so much for each one of these girls in this study.  I ask that you make yourself known to them.  I pray that they are able to see YOU and feel YOUR comfort, and know YOUR help in the midst of disappointments.  I ask that you use these painful times in our lives to draw us closer to you.  Thank you for praying for us when we are just not able to.  We love you so much and we thank you for each disappointment we face, because we trust you are there through them with us, each step of the way.  AMEN.

Much Love,

Diane

___________________________________

For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

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! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information

Filed Under: Teens Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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