April 23, 2025

Winning Him Without Words: Jesus with “Skin On” / Weekly Review

October 5, 2012 by

 

The young mother tucked her little boy in bed, turned off the lights, and walked out of his room.  It was then she heard him cry out:  “Mom, turn the lights back on; I’m scared of the dark.”  The mother walked back into his room to reassure him.  “Now, son, don’t be afraid, Jesus is here with you.”  To which he replied:  “I know Jesus is in here with me, but I want somebody with some skin on!”

Can we admit that we all have felt that way?  “Yes, I know you are near Jesus, but, I really want someone to pray and study your word with me, someone to sit beside me in church, and most of all, Jesus, I want to talk to someone about I much I love YOU.   That someone is my husband.  Won’t you please tell him to come into the room with me?  I am scared of being in this dark room alone.”

Thirty eight years have passed since the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior, and my husband still hasn’t shown up in that dark room with me.  But, my goodness how God has blessed me by sending so many Jesus with “Skin On” people!  They brought light into my dark and lonely room!

Allow me to introduce a few of them to you.

  1. Jackie:  Always saved a seat for me in church so I wouldn’t have to sit alone.

  2. Gerry, Beth, Gloria:  Spent hours cleaning their homes for the weekly bible study.  Oh, yes, Beth Moore  taught me much, but it was these ladies who made it possible by opening up their homes to me and all the other ladies.

  3. Sylvia, Irene, Susan:  Prophets that God used to give me a prophetic word at times when I thought I couldn’t take another step.

  4. My Pastor:  Preached sermons that I know he prepared just for me!

  5. Melba, my pastor’s wife:  Gave me opportunities in ministry.  Quite frankly, I had always thought that I couldn’t go into ministry with an unsaved husband. What do I have to offer if the head of my household is not serving the Lord?

I just know that these people will receive a special reward in heaven one day for being obedient to God, and being there for me.

But, I have to confess that when the journey stretches into years of being unequally yoked as it has for me, there is a tendency to grow weary.  As the year 2010 was drawing to a close, I felt like I had reached my limits. “When is this man, my high school sweetheart, father of our two daughters, and grandfather of three going to fall down at the feet of Jesus?”  I felt the lights being turned off in the room again.

And then one day in March, 2011, God showed up with a whole army of Jesus with “Skin On” people.  It happened like this.

I stumbled upon the book, Winning Him Without Words by Lynn and Dineen.  In all my many years of being unequally yoke, I had never read a book about the unequally yoked, nor had I been associated with anyone “like me.”  But, God in his perfect timing introduced me to these two ladies, along with their community of women on their website, Spiritually Unequal Marriage.  And then, He introduced me to you, my friends, at Girlfriends Coffee Hour.

I’m not alone in the dark room anymore. – -I’m hanging out with – – Jesus with “Skin On” people from all over the U.S. and world who are “just like me!”

As for my husband?   “He has made  everything beautiful in its time.” [Ecc. 3:11]

Let’s Pray:  

Father God, I ask you in the name of your son, Jesus, that every lady taking this course be blessed with Jesus with “Skin On” people so that they will not sit in a dark room alone.  We need each other to help us walk out our lives before our husbands according to 1 Peter 3.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:  

Who are your Jesus with Skin On people?  Take time today, not only to thank God for them, but call or send them a note expressing your appreciation for being with you on your journey.  For starters, list them in the comment section.

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And now, as we come to the close of the first chapter of Winning Him Without Words, review this past week:

Monday:  Know That You are not Alone:  Beverly pointed to page 27 in our book that described her feelings of being alone: yearns for her husband to sit with her, feel his arm come around her shoulder, desires to have him look up Bible verses together,  hold her hand after they found it.  But, Beverly made a decision she has stuck with for 33 years.

  • Stopped worrying about her husband, and left him in God’s hands.

  • Kept going to church and serving God in areas that He led her into.

  • Kept asking her hubby to come with her.

  • Took her children with her so they could learn about Jesus.

  • And thanks God that He is sitting with her in that pew, along with  friends who support, embrace, and pray for her.

May we do likewise.

Tuesday:  The Alone Factor:  Jennifer pointed us to reality:  we are alone by not having a spiritual connection with our husbands, and it hurts.  But, she learned the real truth:

We live for a Savior who desires to do life with us. That actually gives me a sense of peace. I am truly not alone in this. Our Heavenly Father is walking right alongside us, infusing us with power and strength every single day. He knows the aching of our hearts. He knows our longings. He wants the same thing for our husbands and for our marriages. He will not leave us flailing.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20(b), NIV)

May we do likewise.

Wednesday:  Is it Possible to Thrive in a Mismatched Marriage?  Donna assures us that we can thrive in a mismatched marriage and this is how she learned to do it:

When I let God be in control he takes away the anxiety of my life. God meets me right where I am and meets hubby where he is too. My marriage can grow and THRIVE!! I can rest assured God has our backs in this marriage-After all he created marriage! All I need do is get off my “throne” and hand my scepter over to God, pray for my husband and let God work!

May we do likewise.

Thursday:  Placing Christ On The Throne:  Sarah makes a statement that all of us could probably admit to when she says:  To surrender your power and control is a hard thing to do. Some may say impossible.

But, Sarah has made a commitment to start each day with the following prayer no matter how silly she may feel: Jesus, right now as I begin this new day, I surrender my place of authority over my life to You.  I am placing You firmly on the throne of my life.  Teach me to focus on Your desires for living.  I give you my entire life this day.  In Your powerful name Jesus.  Amen

May we do likewise.

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For those who are reading this blog and would like to join the Bible study, we would love to invite you to join us!  Click here and follow the instructions, (you can also click the SIGN-UP link in the menu bar above to be taken to the form). It’s that simple!  We hope to see you soon!

Above all, if you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like to have someone pray with you, please email our Prayer Team Leader:  Robin@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com, and one of our prayer team members will contact you.

Blessings to you,

Martha

 

 

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 1: Handling Stress at School

October 5, 2012 by

 

Growing up I had a pretty easy, happy childhood for the most part. My only stress at the time was my friends. They used to tease me endlessly about my long legs and small frame; I became ‘daddy long legs’ to them, which hurt me terribly. I used to hate going to school, at one point I requested to change classes, but that did not happen, I just could not handle the name calling anymore. Until my late 20’s I was under-weight, I remember wanting to donate blood, but couldn’t because of my weight. That however was my only stress at the time.

As a teacher, I see many students under different types of stress. As educational requirements get more stringent in all levels of education, students everywhere experience considerable school stress. You have to make good grades to attend good schools after high school. You have to make honor roll in order to participate in extra-curricular activities, to get that iPod touch, new phone, dress, watch, etc. Your teachers, parents, coaches, youth leaders, they all seem to expect so much of you! Sometimes you just want to yell,” Give me a break you guys, I’m only a kid!”

Now academics are not the only stress you have to deal with. Extra-curricular activities can also become extremely daunting, especially when one of your parents excelled in a certain sport and they want you to follow in their footsteps. The other stressor that is becoming quit alarming is that of bullying. Bullies come in different forms and they are all pretty harmful. You might be hurt by your so-called friends who bad mouthed you just to get some type of recognition; enduring the teasing by the popular click at your school for not wearing the latest fashion, wearing your hair in a certain style, playing in the school band or just being real clever. Whatever it might be, there will always be someone who find fault with what it is you are doing, how you do it. The Bible tells us in Psalms 139:14 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

At times when you might feel like everything is coming undone, remember that you don’t have to suffer alone; you can talk to your parents, youth pastor, a trusted friend or a teacher. If you need extra help with your school work, you can ask a teacher to assist you before or after school, you can also work out a study plan that will help you understand and remember facts and formulae’s. You might even get a study buddy who is stronger in a specific subject and can help you.

Remember that changing your wardrobe, wearing your hair in a different style might not be the answer. Surround yourself with people who like you for who you are, people who love God. All the world’s potatoes were not going to fatten up my skinny legs, I had to accept myself for who I was, skinny, long legs and all.

It might seem that as a teenager a lot is expected of you, but believe me,” You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you”!

Let us pray:

Father, thank you for every girl represented in these groups. Thank you that we can give You our stress and that You will deal with it accordingly. Thank you for Your promise that no weapons formed against us shall prosper. You are in control in our lives and we love You very much. Amen.

Be blessed my friends!

Edwina

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For this Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. We will begin the devotional part of this study next week, so really, you have until NEXT MONDAY to get your book! You can even order it 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 teens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 1: Making Plans for the Future

October 4, 2012 by

 

I can remember so vividly in high school being asked the question repeatedly, “what are your plans for the future?” What do you want to be when you graduate? Are you going to go to college, go to the military, get a job, etc…I had so many questions! If you were like me, those questions could be a little overwhelming at times! Someone suggested to me that I should pray and ask the Lord what He had for my life. You definitely don’t want to leave God out of your plans for the future.

 

 Jeremiah 29:11

He is the same One who said that He has plans for us to prosper us, not harm us..

 

Well, I didn’t seek His direction for my life and it sent me on what some would say…A wild goose chase, for what I wanted to do with my life…which was really God’s life. It was His life after all, right, if I gave it to Him?

 

I wanted to get married and have a family, I wanted to be a nurse, I wanted to move away and go to college. Most of those plans didn’t succeed and I spent a lot of my earlier years of my life going in circles. If I had only took the advice that was so freely given to me, I possibly wouldn’t have made the unnecessary decisions that I made and I wouldn’t have wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what I wanted. I started off going to college to be a nurse. I went two whole years before I realized that I was not great in math and with that profession, you definitely need to be “on it” when it comes to figuring out how much medication to give, how often to give it, etc… So, no that was not the profession for me, although I loved serving others and taking care of others, that just was not the career for me.

 

I then changed my major to teaching. Oh how I love to teach, but I sort of wanted to combine teaching and ministry together, but wasn’t sure how I was going to do it. I detoured from the idea of teaching after almost finishing my degree and changed it to Human Services. Let me tell you girls something: If I had only went to God first, I would have been finished by now, but I know that this is the path that He wanted me to travel, because I have learned so much in my life up to now!

I am now a Young Women’s Coordinator that works with young girls everyday where I get to teach education and Biblical studies!!! You can’t get better than that!! I LOVE what I do!! After I began to seek His direction and Commit my plans to Him, it was then that He began to orchestrate things and turn it all around and place me on the path that He always had laid out for me J I am oh so much happier than I could have ever been doing what I do now. I am truly walking and working in His will!!

If you don’t take anything from this blog post today, I ask that you take at least this one thing: Commit to the Lord WHATEVER you do and your plans WILL succeed!!

He WANTS to be involved in your plans for the future! He WANTS to be involved in your life!!

 

Let’s pray: 

Dear Lord, I would like to ask You to help our precious girls to see You for who You are and who You desire for them to see You as, in their lives. Help them to see that You are so in love with them that You desire to see them happy and on the right path. You have such GREAT, AWESOME plans for their lives and help them to see, know, and feel that. I just ask that You help them to place their futures in Your hands because You created them, each one by one, individually and you have such great plans for their lives! You KNOW what their futures hold and I just ask that You continue to place people in their lives to help them along the way. I ask this in Your Darling Son’s Jesus name. Amen <3

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For this Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. We will begin the devotional part of this study next week, so really, you have until NEXT MONDAY to get your book! You can even order it 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 teens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

 

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Winning Him Without Words: Placing Christ on the Throne

October 4, 2012 by

And Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

MATTHEW 28:20

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Placing Christ On The Throne by Sarah Boyer

To surrender you power and control is a hard thing to do. Some may say impossible. But by relinquishing all the power to Jesus and letting him fill your heart, mind and soul, you will experience the greatest feeling of peace. I know; I’ve done it.

I am a control freak and a worrier. If I don’t have a perfectly laid out plan for everything in my life, I feel out of control, unorganized and frazzled. I am not at rest until I have that plan! This is something Jesus has been tugging at me to fix. I am a work in progress, but this is how I am evolving:

I used to sit and make MY plan of how I think things should go.

My plan would fail and I’d become anxious, angry and uptight, snipping and yelling at everyone in my path.

Then I’d start all over again with a new plan.

Big Fat Fail! It never occurred to me to ask Jesus what His plan was for me! I always thought that Jesus didn’t care about my little day-to-day affairs. He only cared about the big stuff, where I should go to college, whom I should marry, live etc.

I’ve recently learned that Jesus wants to guide your every move, from the little things such as what you eat all the way to the big stuff such as how to speak with your non-believing spouse. It’s sort of like how you help your children. You help them make the simple choices in hopes that when the big decisions come, they will come to you for guidance. Jesus wants to do the same. He wants to guide you through it all. This brings to mind Proverbs 16:9: The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

So this is my new plan!  

I am going to start each day with this prayer from now on!

It is suggested in our study today, that you get out of bed and fall to your knees when you say this prayer. At first when I started doing this, I felt silly. Not because my husband would see me and judge me because he leaves for work 3 hours before I even get up. But because I felt foolish. Isn’t that silly? No one around but me and Jesus and I felt silly. But I made myself do it and have been doing it for the past few days and the foolish feeling is wearing off and the peace and comfort of surrendering to Jesus is taking over. I’ll trade that for foolishness any day! Besides, what better way to start your day then arming yourself with the power of Jesus inside you?

I am now better prepared to handle anything that comes along throughout the day because all I have to do is recall our simple prayer, surrender my authority of the situation and give it to Jesus to handle. And He always does!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, I pray that you can help us all to surrender our authority over to you. Remind us there is no problem big or small for you to handle for us. Please fill our heart, mind and soul with your leadership so that the troubling, painful and fearful circumstances of our lives lose their power. We can do all things through you. In Jesus name, amen.

Your Assignment:

Your assignment today is to write out a prayer that you will begin praying each day, just after you get up. A prayer that gives Jesus control of your day. A prayer that asks Him to direct your day, so you can stay on task for the things that He wants of you. Post this prayer in the comment section below, so we can be praying with you, as well.

If you are interested in joining us in our Women’s 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!

Godspeed!

Sarah

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Lady In Waiting: Dividends from High Places

October 4, 2012 by

Choices.  Doesn’t it seem like we are making choices constantly from the time we get up, until the time we go to bed?  What’s for breakfast?  What to wear? What route to take to work?  Meet that friend for dinner?  All day long we are called on to decide.  Many of these decisions are not life changers.  We don’t fall to our knees and ask God if we should have raisin toast or Cheerios.  Thankfully, most choices we make are based more on preferences than facing a real consequence.

In our book, we see a difficult life changing decision that Ruth had to make.  Should she stay with ‘her people’ or does she follow God and go with Naomi?  As we know, Ruth made the decision to follow God, and we see the blessings she received because of it.  How did God reward Ruth’s choice to follow Him rather than the “do whatever you want”, hedonistic society she came from?  He provided her with a godly husband, a son who would be King David’s grandfather and inclusion in the lineage of Jesus Christ.  Not a bad deal!

As single women in our society, we have to decide to break from the “American way” constantly.  Sometimes this is not easy.  I know personally there are times when I am tempted to take the easy way out.  Why not have a few drinks?  I will be more relaxed.  Why not watch those movies?  I’m not hurting anyone.  Why not let that guy in even though I know he isn’t the right one for me?  I’m lonely.  Why not sacrifice my purity?  Girls, I know these are not easy decisions, and these scenarios are just a few that we face.  Our friends may treat us differently when we make the right choice, we may even lose some of those friends.

We may face lonely weekend nights because we have nowhere to go.  We may be made fun of, or looked down on.  I was actually told by a male friend that I would never have the chance to get married because I won’t have premarital sex.  Now I KNOW that is not true, it isn’t God’s truth, but don’t you know that during those times when the nights are long, and hope is fleeting, the enemy uses those words.  I have wondered if maybe my friend was right, and I will never find someone because I don’t follow the way of this world.  These are the times I need to cling to Him, and His truth and have faith that that is what is real.  And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. (2 Peter 2:4)

But why?  Why bother following His ways when the other ways seem to be so much more fun, or seem to have a better pay off.  I say to some trusted friends all the time, “I don’t understand, why do I have to be “perfect” for God to give me someone?  This Christian here is messed up, that one over there is messed up, yet God gave them someone to love them.  Why am I different?  Why not me?  Does God think I’m not good enough?  Is he punishing me?”

Girls, the reality is that God is not punishing us in our singleness, and we are definitely worth it.  He has amazing plans for us, if only we put our trust in Him.  Look what He says in Matthew 19:29: And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. Ruth received her 100 times.  She found her godly husband and all that went along with that.  Is that God’s plan for all of us?  I can’t say it is.  What I do know is that the rewards for following Him are far greater than any temporary pleasure that come of following the ways of this world.  Stay strong girls.  You are worth it!!

Let’s Pray
Father God, we ask you to give us strength.  We want to stay strong in your promises.  Some days the temptation of worldly sin seems so strong.  We don’t know if we have what we need to overcome it.  But we know that when we don’t have what we need, you supply it.  In Your strength we can conquer anything and make the choices that are best for us.  We know you have amazing plans for us. Even when we don’t know exactly what they are, we rest in the promise that they exist.  Thank you Lord for being there for us in our weakness.  In Your Name we pray. Amen.

Your Assignment
Please leave a comment below sharing your struggles with obedience.  Is it hard to resist the temptations of this world?  If you don’t struggle, what are some of the strategies you use to avoid these feelings?  How can we pray for you?

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If you are interested in joining our Singles Online Bible Study Discussion Group, please click on the “Sign-Up Here” button located at the top of our web page, and follow the instructions!  We’ll be happy to add you to our group!!!

God bless,

Michelle

 

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Winning Him Without Words: Is it possible to thrive?

October 3, 2012 by
Is it possible to thrive in a mismatched marriage?
 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”
Hebrews 13:5
Like Lynn, one of our authors, I too remember a time in my marriage where I was on my “throne”. I married this man, shouldn’t he meet my every need?
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Shouldn’t he greet me in the morning, with no morning breath, and bring me breakfast , in bed cooked just the way I like it? bring me my morning coffee as he goes out the door to work? And shouldn’t he be available to help me with the kids or housework or laundry? After all wasn’t he my Husband, partner, my life-mate? Aren’t we supposed to be doing this together? I know that sounds absurd, but I really did think that!
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Thinking only of myself and judging him from my “throne”- it’s a lonely and sometimes angry place to be. My husband is a believer, but I think whether you are both believers or not, As we go through this life together we are not always on the same page, Spiritually speaking. The highs and lows of our life and walk with God come sometimes at different times for us. Until I realized that I was actually trying to push him to where I was, then God would speak to me and remind me that I was only responsible for my walk with Him. God would take care of my husband and his choices.
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WOW! What freedom I felt then! I could love my husband, have fun with him, live life and raise our children, and not worry about where he was with God. The unreal expectations I had for my husband were just that- unreal! My husband will never fulfill all my needs, he can’t!  But God can, if I let Him.
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I can rest and know God will take care of all of it  My husband as well as myself. When I let God be in control he takes away the anxiety of my life. God meets me right where I am and meets hubby where he is too. My marriage can grow and THRIVE!! I can rest assured God has our backs in this marriage-After all he created marriage!
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When we yield our marriage to the Lord of life-He takes it and molds it. He works together and sometimes individually on each of us to make our union the best it can be. All I need do is get off my “throne” and hand my scepter over to God, pray for my husband and let God work! He will never leave me or forsake me. Like Lynn says: recognize Jesus is with you always and is intimately involved in our marriage and that is life changing!
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 Let’s pray:
God we want to get off our “throne” and hand it over to you. Help us to love our husbands no matter where they are with You. I pray we can yield our marriage to You and rest assured You will take good care of it because You WANT our marriage to be successful. Be the Lord of our life and marriage I pray in Jesus name-amen
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Your assignment:
I sometimes struggle, because I am a control freak, with letting my husband make decisions for our family so I pray daily that I will leave him and the decisions he has to make to God. If you have the same “throne” problem I do tell us some of them and  ways you can get off the throne and hand your scepter t0 God.
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If you would like to join our Women’s Online Bible Study & Facebook Discussion Group, click on the “Sign-Up Form” button above, at the top of our page, and complete the sign-up form.  We’ll be glad to place you upon your request!!
God’s Blessings On Your Day,
Donna!
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Lady In Waiting: New Friends / New Surroundings / New Faith

October 3, 2012 by

 

Today’s lesson is brought to you by Tonya Ellison – GCH Singles Ministry

I want to be a woman of God. I want my thoughts and actions to glorify Him. I want to find my worth in Him before I look for that love and validation in any other person. I want to develop a relationship with Him before I invest time into any other relationship. How do I fully embrace this?
When I started reading this book last week I came up with a little saying on these three sections:

 

Person, Place and Faith

(because faith is more than just a thing)

New friends (person):  Who am I allowing to influence me?  How many times have I found myself spending time with friends and something just didn’t feel right? I’ve been in seasons in my life where I have to stand back and ask God and myself “How did I get here? What’s the deal? And to be perfectly honest I didn’t consider my friends to be part of the problem. I’m grown, I’m not doing what they’re doing, and I’m just there spending time with them.  I’m not letting them control my thoughts or actions either.

I was wrong. Like the authors said, I wasn’t spending time with other Christian women who encouraged me to live my life for God, women who “spurred” me forward on my journey.  My friends weren’t necessarily pulling me down but they weren’t pushing me forward either.

I’m not sure if you’ve experienced this but being a Christian woman in today’s society isn’t always going to make you the most popular person in the group. I found myself looking the other way and ignoring the behaviors of my friends because I didn’t want to lose them as friends and because I didn’t want them to look at me differently, mainly because I didn’t want to feel alone.

“Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals”

1 Corinthians 15:33

New Surroundings (Places):  I have to ask God where He wants me to be. Like the example in the book it can be something as minor as a choice between two activities, or something as big as a move across states. He has places picked out for us, whether it is a church, a job or a home. He knows where He wants us.

Surroundings pt. 2: Culture. The culture we find ourselves in today is not always the most growth producing place to be. I have to ask myself on a daily basis if I am reflecting a “Christ-like culture, or am I molding to the culture of the world? I understand how hard it is to not do as others do.

We need to reflect His culture;

we need to be influenced by his behavior.

New Faith:  “…devoting as much energy to Jesus as I would in a relationship with a boyfriend.”  Wow! I want to devote more to Him than I would, my husband, my kids, my job, my friends, more than everything. Without a true relationship with Him, without a true journey with Him, I am not going to become the woman He destined me to be.

I have to give Him my all

before I can give any part of me to anyone or anything else.

So, what does this all mean to me? I need to look at who I spend time with, where I spend my time, and my willingness and readiness to place all of my faith in God and focus on my relationship with Him.

Who and what am I allowing to stand in the way of my reckless abandonment?

Let’s Pray:
Lord, I pray that you open our eyes and our hearts to the new things we need in our lives. The new areas that will allow us to grow in your love and to be the women you destined us to be. Please help us to love our friends who have not broken their alabaster box at your feet without allowing them to influence our thoughts and actions. Please help us to seek your will when it comes to where we need to be, where we need to work, worship, live. Lord please give us strength when we walk our journey with you, when we choose your culture over the culture of the world. Thank you for your grace in this journey. Thank you for your hand on our lives as we strive towards reckless abandonment.  In Jesus’ name Amen.

Your Assignment:

In the comment section below, please answer the following questions:  What do you look for in friends? What do you do, or does a friend do for you in regards to encouraging growth, and a stronger relationship with God?

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:24

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If you would like to take part in our Online Bible Study Facebook Discussion Group, please click on the Sign-Up Here button located at the top of our website, in the Menu Bar.  Once we receive your request, we will add you to our group!

 

Blessings,

Tonya

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Winning Him Without Words: “The Alone Factor”

October 2, 2012 by

 

We can depend on the Lord to show us where we are today in our marriage and where He wants us to be in the future. (Lynn Donovan, pg. 27)

My husband is not a believer. Although he supports me, he does not share my faith. I have come to accept his decision and respect his choice; however, there will always be a part of my life that I feel I cannot share with him.

And it hurts.

My belief in God began at a very young age. My relationship with Him began only two years ago; four years into my marriage. It was like a light bulb clicked on and life finally made sense to me. My friend invited me to a women’s retreat with her church. I accepted. And life has never been the same. But, my zeal for God seems to not make sense to my husband. At first, I had to hide my faith. I hid my Bible. When I was going to a Bible Study, I would tell him I was going to meet with some new friends from church. When we got in the car to go somewhere, I immediately changed the Christian radio station to the more mainstream station he prefers.

I had no idea how to act. I felt isolated and alone. There was this newfound blossoming of faith within me, but I could not share it with the one person who is closest to me. I felt like I was living a double life.

In fact, I still am.

I am still trying to figure out how to live this spiritually mismatched life. Although I have come a long way (I can now openly read my Bible in front of my husband and talk about my church activities without feeling uncomfortable), I still flounder. God still has much to teach me about honoring Him despite my circumstances.

“It matters not how we came to be in our crazy, mixed-up and unexpected marriage situation. What matters is that God desires that we honor our marriage commitment and fulfill our marriage vows through His power and His strength. We can’t do it on our own.” (Lynn, pg. 28)

Lynn’s message hit me at my core. God wants our marriages to be beautiful and thriving. He desires us to honor our commitment and fulfill our vows. And the only way we can do it is through HIS POWER and HIS STRENGTH.

We cannot do it on our own.

Did you catch that?

We cannot do it on our own.

And why would we want to?

We live for a Savior who desires to do life with us. That actually gives me a sense of peace. I am truly not alone in this. Our Heavenly Father is walking right alongside us, infusing us with power and strength every single day. He knows the aching of our hearts. He knows our longings. He wants the same thing for our husbands and for our marriages. He will not leave us flailing.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20(b), NIV)

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Let’s Pray: Lord, help us to see and to understand that we truly are not alone in our mismatched marriages and that you are right there, walking side-by-side with us through every step. Show us how to release the pain that binds us and causes anguish in our spirit for our unsaved spouse. Provide us with your power and your strength to get through each day and teach us to fix our eyes solely on You, the One responsible for our husband’s salvation. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray, Amen.

Your Assignment: Leave a comment below telling us one thing you can do for your spouse today to honor God and your marriage.

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For those who are reading this blog and would like to join the Bible study, we would love to invite you to join us!  Click here and fill out the form at the bottom of the page (you can also click the SIGN-UP link in the menu bar above to be taken to the form). It’s that simple!  We hope to see you soon!

Blessings to you,

Jennifer

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lady in Waiting: Ruth’s Reckless Abandonment

October 2, 2012 by

Ruth is one of my favorite characters in the Bible.  Every time I read her story I discover new things about this dear Lady of Reckless Abandonment.

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But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1: 16).

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What a profound statement from Ruth to Naomi, her mother-in law.  Today we are taking a trip to meet this wonderful woman.  What makes her say such words to Naomi?  What did she “taste” to make such a reckless decision to leave her people to follow her mother-in-law to Bethlehem in Judea?

Let us read the Bible to meet these two precious women of Faith.

“In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

3 Now Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

When she heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and to me.9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”
Then she kissed them and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has gone out against me!”

14 At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.  15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”  16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.”  Ruth 1:1-18 NIV 1984

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When Ruth married into Naomi’s family, she saw something different about the way this Jewish family lived their life.  She must have wondered about these people who were foreigners in their land.  They had different gods in Moab and Ruth and her people worshipped them.  However, these foreigners worshipped only one God, Jehovah.

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You see Naomi and her family did not leave their God and faith behind when they left Bethlehem in search of food.  They did not try to fit in so that the people of Moab would accept them.  They didn’t comfort to the ways of the Moabites.  They knew that their stay in Moab was temporary and when the famine is over they were going to return home.

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As Naomi spent her time with the two women Orpah and Ruth, she must have told them how God took them out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  How God fought their battles as they passed through other countries on their way to the Canaan.

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However, we should note that this family lived in Israel during the time when the Judges ruled.  This was a time when people lived as they pleased.  They would do all sorts of evil things in the sight of the Lord.  God would use other nations to oppress Israel in order to get them on the right track.

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So to have this family to live their faith in such a time as this and in a foreign land for that matter is something to be applauded.  Their faith won Ruth’s heart and she didn’t want to stay behind and continue to live a mediocre life.  She wanted to go with Naomi so that she could meet this God and know Him the way Naomi knew Him.

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Ruth’s decision to follow Naomi to Bethlehem impacted generations for eternity.  Ruth is found in the genealogy list of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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LET’S PRAY
Father, I realize that the time that Naomi and Ruth lived is not different to ours; I pray that as we live this life, we will fearlessly share our faith and let others know whom we serve, the One True God.  Like Ruth and Naomi, I want to live my life with reckless abandonment to you.  Help me Lord in this decision I have made.  In Jesus Name. Amen.
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YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
Answer one, or all, of the following questions below in our comment section:

  • If you look at your own life, how are you living your faith?
  • Are you living in such a way that someone can leave their lifestyle to follow you?
  • What impact am I making for the generations to come?

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We would love to invite you to join us for this Online Bible Study!   The Sign-Up button is located at the top of our website page, in the Menu section. Click on that button and follow the directions. It’s that simple! We hope to see you soon!

Be Blessed,

Jackie

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Daughter’s Worth Week 1: Friends and Boyfriends

October 2, 2012 by

AHH, Love.

Everybody wants it.  Everybody needs it.  How do you get it?  Where do you get it?  Is it really OK to ADMIT that you need it?

The Bible says in Proverbs 18:24,

“A man(or woman) that has friends must show him(or her)self to be friendly and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”

Proverbs is a book of Wisdom written by Solomon almost 3,000 years ago.  I don’t think very much has changed in that time.  If we want friends we have to act friendly.  God gave Solomon wisdom because Solomon asked for it, then he shared his wisdom with us all these years later.

How do we show ourselves friendly?  We put a smile on our face, introduce ourselves, do something nice for someone, consider someone else’s feelings above our own…the possibilities are endless.  We have to be open to friendship.

As long as we are afraid to be friendly, we will not be making any friends.  No one wants to be lonely.  Movies are more fun with a friend, restaurants are more fun with a friend, games are… you get it – FRIENDS are a good thing.

Be the one who reaches out first.  You don’t know what that other person is going through.  God could be using you to fill a need in their life.  Be willing to be a friend.

What about the second half of that verse, “There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”?  Can we have friends that are closer to our hearts than our own family?  I think so.  We don’t get to pick our family members (and sometimes we are too much alike to get along well).  Friends come along and fill in those places in your heart that time and distance cannot separate.  Through fellowship with this group of women and teens at Girlfriends Coffee Hour I hope you see how easy it is to love friends in different states and countries.  I hope you find a “soul sister” that you can open your heart to.

I pray that all the friendships we are building here bring out the best in us.  We should challenge each other to be better people.  Having good friends boosts our self-esteem.  We have a more well-rounded life.

Someday…..

What happens when friendships turn into something more?  As teens, you begin thinking about that special someone.  As Christ followers we should be thinking about that someone who God has prepared just for us.  Sometimes it’s hard to be patient for Mr. Right when we want a boyfriend RIGHT NOW.

I’ve heard some Christian teens say they won’t have a boyfriend or date until they find the person they are to marry.  Yet others enjoy having friends to hang out with and get to know in each life stage.   Which theory is right?  Can they both be right?  There are so many ways to think about dating and friendship.  Both schools of thought are ok.  The Bible even addresses the issue.  Because people are different, they have different needs – some need many friends while others need 1 or 2 really close friends.

Some girls need to have a boyfriend to feel happy, while others don’t want to be bothered with stinky old boys.  Either way your relationships should bring out the best in you – your attitudes, your behaviors, your SMILE and should bring glory to God.  Christ-centered friendships are AWESOME!  God made us this way and He wants what is best for us.

BONUS:

I interviewed a very nice young man for this blog, so I could pass some good information on to you young ladies.

Question: What do you find attractive in a girl?

Answer: I find attractive a girl who has a good head on her shoulders.  A girl who wants to try to be successful in her life.  A girl who has good values.  Who follows God, and tries her best to be close to family and really close friends.  A girl who values having a good time and having good memories, but not through drinking or drugs or bad behaviors.  A girl who is smart and funny and means well in her intents, but also will stand up for herself and what she believes in and the people she cares about.

Question: How do you know if a girl is real or fake?

Answer: There’s no real way to tell, you just have to trust them with how they act and see how it goes.  And I guess you could kinda tell if they put forth a lot of effort into the things they do and the passions they have and the people they care about to show they really do care and are genuine and aren’t fake.  And also I believe if she has a lot of faith in her relationship with God then that’s another way, too.

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I can’t wait to see you young ladies grow spiritually and closer to each member of your study groups.  Branch out and fellowship with the people in the :decaf Fellowship group.  God has brought together some very special Daughters of the King.  Open your hearts as we dive into the study,  A Daughter’s Worth, and see just how special we all are to our Heavenly Father.

PRAY WITH ME:

Heavenly Father, We thank you for this opportunity to make new friends.  You know our hearts and that we love you.  If we could speak all the languages in the world, but didn’t love others, we would be just a bunch of noise.  If we could understand all of God’s secrets and had all the knowledge in the world, but we didn’t love others, we would be NOTHING.  If we gave everything to the poor and sacrificed our bodies and felt really good about ourselves, but if we didn’t love others, we would have gained NOTHING.

We read in your word that Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  We thank you for your example of LOVE to us.  We love you Father and we pray that our hearts will be open to experiencing our WORTH in your eyes.  AMEN

Love,

Teresa Bolme (Mama T)

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For this Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. We will begin the devotional part of this study next week, so really, you have until NEXT MONDAY to get your book! You can even order it 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 teens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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