November 22, 2024

Captivating: One Thing Is for Sure (Wounded Hearts – Passive Fathers)

January 29, 2013 by

Childhood. This word means so many different things to so many different people. To some it means pain…to others it means joy. It may even mean both.  We may have mixed emotions about our youth. We may not be able to identify what we feel.

Our childhood was different from the woman next to us. It was unique. The pain we may have experienced was ours, our wounds were ours. You may or may not be able to relate to the stories written in this chapter. But we can all write our own stories. Our own wounds and hurts.

“This is not Eden. Not even close.”

“You cannot be alive very long without being wounded.”

“Because we are the ones loved by God, the King of Kings, Jesus himself, who came to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free.”

These three sentences stuck out in my mind the most this morning as I read. The words are all too real. We do not live in a perfect world, and we all know hurt and pain. A good amount of this pain can be traced back to our youth. We can even trace the pain back to a specific event. Our world was, and still is, far from Eden.

To be honest, this topic is not an easy one to discuss and there is only one absolute that I know of.

Despite the wounds our fathers may have caused, despite the wounds formed in our childhood, there is one person we can count on to heal those wounds. To repair the hurts we have.

 God, the King of Kings, Jesus Himself

 

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Psalm 147:3

 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.

 

Here to heal the brokenheartedI don’t know what your childhood was like; I don’t know if this chapter touched areas of your heart that only God can repair. What I do know is that we all have wounds of some sort. And I know that only God, our Heavenly Father, can heal those wounds. No, we don’t live in Eden. And, yes, our world is a troubled place, ready to hurt at any turn. But rest assured that we have God on our side. The Bible states it clearly: He is here to heal the broken hearted, to set us free from the bonds of our wounds.

With Love,

Tonya

 

 

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Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

We are wounded. These wounds are different for different people, but they are present. Thank You for being the Healer we desire, the Healer we need. Our world can be a painful place; hurts and hindrances are hiding around every corner. But You, Lord, are our Shield and our Strength. Thank You for healing our broken hearts, Lord.  Thank You for setting us free.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

 

Your Assignment:

I listed two Scriptures today. Is there a scripture you turn to when the pain of a wound is present? Is there a Scripture that brings you comfort. Please share these Scriptures—they may bless and comfort others.

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

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

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

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Captivating: Nature vs Nurture (Wounded – Mothers, Fathers and Their Daughters)

January 28, 2013 by

I think most women ask questions like this:

Why is this the way I am?

         What made me, me?

We wonder what influenced our behavior, our actions, our taste in men, the choices in the friends we choose. We think about things like this. I know I do.

I know that God created me, He formed me in His image, and He knows everything about me.

But what makes me do what I do? Think what I think?

Nature vs Nurture?

The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology.

Are our actions and behaviors determined before birth and driven by genetics? Or, are they directed by our experiences, what we went through as children and even in our adulthood?

I believe that both play a part, we are our parent’s children. Some of their personality traits were passed to us at birth, and what we heard, saw and experienced while growing up plays a major role in how we see and live life today.

My daughter will be 10 on January 31. I see so much of me in her is surprises me sometimes. My situation is special, like many other women in the world. I had my daughter at 18; her biological father chose not to play a role in her life. I was blessed with a husband who treats and loves my daughter as if she were his own. What surprises me more than how much of myself I see in her, is how much of my husband I see in her, and how much of  her biological father I see in her. Though one has been with her for almost her entire life and the other has not.

Through my own experiences I have learned that our fathers impact our lives in more ways than we can see, but I guess it didn’t become concrete for me until I saw this in my little girl.

It has been said before that single women have advantages over married women. More time to devote to God, without the responsibilities of motherhood and of being a wife. There is another advantage that I didn’t realize until after I became a wife and a mom, is that I had the time to pray for myself and my future family. Prayers for a Godly husband and father for my children, prayers for myself to be a Godly wife and mother to my children; I pray these prayers daily for my family now, and I see God moving in great strides, but I encourage you to start now.

Pray for the influence you will have on your future children, or pray for the influence you have on the children you already have.

Biggest ImpactOur fathers made a mark on our lives, some of those marks were better than others. But our Heavenly Father has the biggest impact of all. Remember that despite the happenings of our childhood (good or bad), God created us in His image, and with His heart.

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

There are times in our adult life where we sit back and wonder how we became who we are today. What influenced us, whether it be good or bad? Our mothers and fathers were chosen to be our parents for a reason. They influenced our lives as children, and we grew to be the beautiful women we are today. Thank You for being the biggest influence in our lives.   Thank You for giving us Your heart. We may have questions about our life, why questions, hurts You can only heal, but we know Your hand is on our life. We know that despite the question of nature vs nurture that God is the ultimate designer of and influence on out life.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Your Assignment:

I know that our childhood can be a sensitive subject. Have you ever wondered what influenced your life, or who influenced your life? Have you ever thought about your past and questioned the influence your mother or father had?

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

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

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

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Captivating: Chapter 3 – (Pgs 56-59) Indulging – Eve’s Lingering Fear

January 24, 2013 by

Ladies, have you ever had that feeling that something was just “meant to be” or you just know that there is a reason God orchestrated something to happen?  Well, that is how I felt as I read the section of the book I am blogging on today.  If I wasn’t made to talk about this subject, I don’t know who was!

Yesterday Carissa talked about hiding our true selves.  The problem with hiding is that is doesn’t make the problem go away, it doesn’t ease the ache.  It just isolates you and, more often than not, causes you to turn to other methods to ease the pain.  We call them indulgences.  I love what the Bible calls them in Jeremiah 2:13—our “broken cisterns.”  These cisterns are different for every person.  What is yours?  Where do you tend to turn when things get tough?  When your emotions get too much to handle?  Food?  Shopping?  Alcohol?  Internet?  Television? Drugs?  The list could go on and on.

Yes, all of these things make can us feel better.  The problem is that it is a temporary fulfillment.  After a few minutes…a day…a week…the pleasure goes away and that ache is still there.  That is because we are created to be fulfilled by only one thing—the love of God.  Until you start turning to God to fill the empty places, you will never find true peace.  You may not think what you do is a big deal, that it’s harmless.  So I had a piece of cake; so my credit card bill just got a little higher; so I spent a night zoned out in front of the tv;  so what’s the big deal?  In my quiet time with the Lord this morning, I read this in my Bible and I immediately thought how perfect it is for today’s blog: It’s easy to slip into a quiet rebellion – going about your life in your own way.  But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you.  The choice is yours.  Will it be God, oryour own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute?

I speak from experience.  For many years I turned to food as my “broken cistern.”  It was my medication, it was my comfort, it was my love.  I was a compulsive overeater AND a bulimic.  I tried so hard to control my circumstances through food.  What a horrible idea!  As I neared 300 pounds, I knew something needed to change.  It was my focus.  I stopped focusing on the problem and the food and I started bringing it to God.  When I wanted to binge, I prayed.  When I was upset I turned to God instead of the kitchen cabinets.  In no way am I saying it is easy, there were many tears shed and angry words uttered in the process, and it is still an ongoing process, but after losing 90 pounds, and faltering along the way, I can say, without any reservations that turning to God instead of my indulgences made the life changing difference for me.  He is always there for us, no matter how far gone we think we are, no matter what decisions we choose.  The good news is that, according to Ezra 9:9, “God has not deserted us in our bondage.”

Are you in bondage?  If you need to make a change, what does that change look like for you?  Remember, it doesn’t need to be a “major” indulgence that keeps you from God, the enemy works in the little things, too.  These substitutes will never resolve the deeper issue in our souls.

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LET’S PRAY

Father, we come humbly to You today to ask for forgiveness.  We have turned to things other than You for comfort.  We have tried to ease our pain with worldly methods.  We know that You are the only answer.  We know You are the only one who can take our struggles away and give us the love and comfort we desire.  Thank You for the grace and forgiveness You offer every time we falter.  Give us the strength to turn away from the easy fix and to fix our eyes on You.  We ask this in Your Heavenly Name.  Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

What are your broken cisterns?  Where do you turn other than God when the stress gets to be too much or the pain is tangible?  If you have overcome these issues share some practical strategies with us.

 

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If you are interested in joining us for this online Bible study, click HERE to sign up.

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

 If you would like to contact Michelle in regards to this blog, please email her at:  Michelle@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Captivating – Chapter 3: Dominating Women – Desolate Women

January 23, 2013 by

I remember the moment like it was yesterday.  I was 8 years old and away from my family for the first time for a week of Kids Camp with my church.  It was one of the best, most memorable times of my childhood.  And the scene that follows left an immeasurable impression on my mind and heart.

While drying my hands in the bathroom, one of the counselors whom I greatly admired and loved, said to me, “Carissa, you’re so cute!” Boom.  The words were spoken, and those words felt so good.  I had a new goal.  I wanted to be “cute” all of the time.  I wanted to feel special, noticed, admired, and loved every day.

But the fact remains: I’m not as “cute” as I once was.  Over the past 17 years of my life, there have been way more “non-cute” comments directed my way.  And so, I’m sitting here, writing to you as a scarred and broken woman.  Because of the Fall, I’m cursed with a longing to be beautiful and irreplaceable. Since the world has shown me more coldness than warmth, I’m guarded.  I know I’m not alone in this either.  My guarded mindset is driven from fear—fear of being vulnerable.  Every woman deals with this fear differently.  The two main methods, pointed out by our authors of this book, are either domination or desolation.

So how do you deal?  Do you play the defense, trying to control your situation and others, sometimes even masking your controlling nature as “caring” for others?  Or are you a wallflower, preferring to be silent and unseen, thus also controlling your situation instead of surrendering it to God?

We must realize that these two attitudes are inspired by fear, a fear that was not sent from God.  Ladies, 1 John 4 affirms that “God is love.” And we know that “perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”  So if we live in love, then God lives in us and fear has no place to dwell.

So no matter which woman you identify with (either dominating or desolate…or maybe both) and no matter how much you try to control or how well you hide, God knows your heart.  He knows the motives behind everything you do.  He knows every thought, every attitude, every action, and every reaction.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

God wants you to know Him, too.  He wants you to know freedom from your fears and past hurts; He wants you to know the depth of His love for you.  He wants you to know that in His eyes, you are way more than “cute.”  You are beautiful and irreplaceable. He delights in you because you are captivating.

 

Praise Him,

 

Carissa

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Let’s Pray
Our beautiful and wonderful Savior, thank You for who You are, thank You for creating us in Your image, thank You for the beauty that you instilled in each woman.  Father, I pray that every day, we will wake to dwell in You because You are love.  I pray against the Evil One and his attacks on our hearts with fear and doubt.  Help us to daily surrender our lives to you – surrender our desires to both control and hide.  Father, we know that we can do all things through You because You are our strength.  In Your precious name we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment
Are you more dominating or desolate?  Can you see how these attitudes stem from fear?  What are some ways we can daily practice to abide in love and thus reveal the beauty within each of us?

 

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

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

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

 

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

January 22, 2013 by

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

Biting that apple changed everything…

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

 Proverbs 19:21

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

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

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

 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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

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

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

With love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

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

Your Assignment:

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

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

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

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

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Captivating: Chapter 3 – “Haunted By A Question” – What Happened

January 21, 2013 by

 

I had to laugh when I read the story at the beginning of the chapter. I laughed because I have been the woman accused of having too many groceries in my basket and because I have been the woman who was doing a silent count in my head of the basket in front of me, making sure they had the allowed amount of items.  It’s not only situations like that, it’s others. I can laugh now but after the “incidents” of losing my temper, jumping to conclusions, being unnecessarily rude, lacking faith etc. all I felt was a sense of guilt and shame. I asked myself the same question Stasi asked herself “What’s going on here?”

I’ve always wondered what the world would be like if Eve wouldn’t have eaten the apple… What kind of woman would I be then?

 

If Eve

 

Has this question ever ran across your mind?

“Eve was given to the world as the incarnation of beautiful, captivating God, a life offering, life-saving lover, a relational specialist, full of tender mercies and hope. She brought strength to the world, but not a striving, sharp-edged strength. She was inviting, alluring, and captivating.”

We often don’t feel like this. Life can be overwhelming, and we can feel caught in the struggle of balance. We may not feel inviting, alluring and captivating. ..

BUT, our God says we are. He created us as the incarnation of beautiful, each in our own way. We are relational specialists, a Gift from God. We are strong, a feminine strength that only women possess.

Deep in my heart I don’t believe that Eve’s decision that day changed God’s purpose for women. We were still created to be beautiful; we are still created in God’s image. We have tough days where we are the 15 or under police in the line at the grocery store, and we can’t explain our feelings. But God knows us, He knows who He created, He knows our tendencies, our strengths, our weaknesses and our struggles.

The days where we feel torn and unbalanced are the days we need to remember the most that we are God’s. We are inviting, we are captivating and we are alluring.

 

With Love,

Tonya

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Lets Pray:

Dear Lord, it is hard to be a woman some days. Our emotions and feelings can feel uncontrollable and we can’t justify our thoughts and actions, especially when they don’t line up with those of the woman we strive to be. But, on these days we know that we can turn to You. We can remember that we are Yours and that You created us. We don’t have the answer for the question of why we may react the way we do at times but the one definite thing we can rely on is that we can turn to You.  Thank you for loving us through our unbalanced imperfection.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Your Assignment:

On days where we wonder “what’s going on here?”, what do you do to bring your focus back to God?  What do you do to help yourself to remember that despite the situation you are still a beautiful woman (inside and out) that was created in Gods image?

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

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

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

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Captivating: Chapter 3 Reading Assignment – Haunted by a Question

January 20, 2013 by

Ladies, I hope you enjoyed studying Eve last week, from a whole new perspective.  I know that my thinking was challenged and I definitely had a couple of “a-ha” moments.  The journey of getting to know the feminine me that God created has been an eye opener.  This week we look into the fall, the fatal decision made in the Garden of Eden.  Here are our reading assignments for the week:

 

WEEK of January 20th – Chapter 3: Haunted by a Question

Monday: Jackie – Haunted by a Question through Eve, What Happened

Tuesday: Tonya – A Woman’s Deepest Question through The Curse

Wednesday: Carissa – Dominating Women through Desolate Women

Thursday: Michelle – Indulging through Eve’s Lingering Fear

Friday: Edwina – Weekly Review

 

LET’S PRAY

Lord, I ask You to come alongside each woman this week as we continue the study of Captivating.  As we look into the life changing decision Eve made, and the ripple effect it has had, let us be open to the message you have for us, the lesson you want us to learn and the growth you want to see.  Thank You so much for Tour love and grace, because without that we would be nothing.  In Your Name we pray.  Amen.

 

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If you are interested in joining us for this online Bible study, click HERE to sign up.

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

If you would like to contact Michelle in regards to this blog, please email her at:  Michelle@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Captivating: Weekly Review – Chapter 2 – What Eve Alone Can Tell

January 18, 2013 by

Weekly Review – Chapter 2 

Monday, Jackie took us back to the beginning of Creation!  Wow, the way she described this in her blog was simply beautiful!!  All this beauty was created as a place where God’s own image would dwell.  This would be the home of Adam and Eve.  The beauty of all the trees, birds, flowers, rivers, and such; and then God added two more things:  man and woman.  Jackie reminded us that the creation of Adam was different to the way God made the world.  He said the Word and it came into being but with Adam, He formed him from the dust of the ground and then breathed life into him.  How awesome this is to know that we were created differently than everything else and that we bear the image of God.  And when God created woman…WOW!  She is so perfect.  This first WOMAN! So beautiful, with flawless skin, long hair, the eyes, when she first set them on Adam. Talk about her body, her arms and legs….  A beauty to behold!  Jackie closes her blog with this reminder:  “Dear girlfriend, you are Eve, the crown of creation.  It’s no wonder you feel the way you do, the way you long to be the beauty or the princess in your story.  I pray that you will allow the Lord to restore what has been lost so that you can take your rightful place.”  What a beautiful reminder!

Tuesday, Tonya reminded us that God is relational.  God is relational. So are we.  God has a heart for romance. So do we.  God has a desire for intimate relationships. So do we.  God longs to love us. We long to love.  God longs to be loved. We long to be loved.   It’s time that we embrace the heart God placed in each and every woman. A heart that is created in the image of God’s heart.  We were designed in His image, this is why we are so in-tune with the relationships we keep. It’s not a weakness. It is another part of our heart that is created after Gods. God’s heart. Eve’s heart. Our heart.   There is one relationship that should be held higher than any other.  She reminded us that our relationship with God should never take the back-burner!  It should always be the most important relationship we have.

Wednesday, Carissa reminded us that we can be someone’s “Ezer” with just a smile, a positive comment, a loving remark.  I have to constantly remind myself that every day!  God gives us the opportunity to be someone’s Ezer with friends, co-workers, family, and even strangers.  You never know what just a little smile can do—you may have saved someone’s life! And that’s the beauty in you! That’s you, acting in God’s image, and loving a hurting world.  To be an everyday Ezer Kenegdos…that’s our mission!  She also reminded us that We, as women, are beauty incarnate.  She closed her blog with this reminder:  You are beautiful.  You are created in the image of God.  You are essential.  You matter.

Thursday, Michelle reminded us of our beauty; that We are created in God’s image.  Think about that.  Out of ALL the things that God created, everything, it is us that He decided to create in His image.  What an amazing honor. Jeremiah 29:13 it says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” He has confidence that if you truly get to know Him, you can’t help , but fall in love with who He is and want to make that relationship grow.   She reminded us of how beautiful we are because we are created in His image.  She reminded us to treasure the beauty that God created, and ended her blog with this reminder: There is a radiance in your heart that the world desperately needs.  Shine bright, ladies!

Today, I would like to close with this.  You are a special unique creature.  God created YOU for His pleasure.  He created YOU just as you are…no more, no less.  You are beautiful.  There is no doubt about that!  He created YOU in His image!   YOU are fearfully and wonderfully made!  You are exactly who God designed you to be.  Meditate on that!  Allow God to speak to your heart through this message this week!  Allow Him to show you the beauty that He created.  Allow Him to open your eyes to see the creation that He created!  Allow Him to teach you to LOVE this creation, just as you are!

I love you!  God loves you!  And until next week, as Michelle said, “Shine Bright!”  

Christi

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If you are interested in joining us for the online Bible study, and would like to be a part of our Facebook discussion group, click HERE to sign up.  Once we receive your registration, we will send you more details.

 

 

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Captivating: Why a Beauty to Unveil

January 17, 2013 by

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,

to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”

Proverbs 25:2

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We are created in God’s image.  Think about that.  Out of ALL the things that God created, everything, it is us that He decided to create in His image.  What an amazing honor.  As I was reading this passage I was so thankful and in awe of our God.  When we take time to truly contemplate all He is and all He does, it should bring us to our knees.  It’s amazing.

Now because we were created in God’s image, we can start to look at parallels in that relationship.  In Proverbs we read, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”   This is how He reveals Himself, and it is how He wants us, as women, to approach our lives also.  Does God go out and force Himself on anyone who will listen?  Absolutely not.  He wants us to know Him, and then grow more and more in love with Him each day.  In Jeremiah 29:13 it says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” He has confidence that if you truly get to know Him, you can’t help but fall in love with who He is and want to make that relationship grow.

This was a big “wow” moment for me as I was reading.  The way that God woos each and every one of us is the same way we should go about any potential relationship we may be considering.   He created us to be a mystery, a beauty to unveil, and we should take that to heart.  How do you behave when you are interested in someone?  Do you throw yourself at them?  Do you make it easy for them?  Do you give too much too soon?  I know there have been times in the past when I have done all of those things.  It has never led to anything good, let alone godly.  We need to use the example of our Lord.  Intimacy requires time; it requires a slow unveiling of the beautiful mystery you are.  I loved this quote, “Whatever else it means to be feminine, it is depth and mystery and complexity, with beauty at its very essence.“  Every single woman reading this right now has a beauty to unveil.  Every one.  You are created in the image of God.  What is more beautiful than that?

As we have read through this chapter on Eve, think about the amazing truths we have heard.  Why is it that we long for romance, we long for an “Ezer” and believe beauty is essential to life?  Because God wants these things too!  He created our uniquely feminine heart.  It is a beautiful thing.  We long because He longs.   This continues to blow me away!  As we finish up this chapter I ask each of you to not only remember this, but believe it:    “There is a radiance in your heart that the world desperately needs.“  Shine bright, ladies!

 

LET’S PRAY

Lord, we are so grateful to You for the way You love us.  Thank You for creating the beauty and mystery within us.  Please help us to keep that sacred.  We want to live out a life that honors the beauty You have given us.  Remind us to take it slow, and help us remember we are worth getting to know. We want to shine Your light through our depth, mystery and complexity.  In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

When you read the account of the Creation, you saw Eve, a woman, as the crown of creation and the final work of God. How did that make you feel? What did you think about that?

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If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study, click HERE to sign up.

Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

If you would like to send Michelle an email in regards to this blog, please send it to: Michelle@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Captivating: An Adventure to Share – Why Beauty Matters

January 16, 2013 by

An Adventure to Share:

Healer, Protector, Provider, Savior, Defender – BEAUTY.  So that last one isn’t typically in my vocabulary when I describe our God.  Before I read this part of Captivating, that may have been one of the last words I used to describe Him.  In fact, most of the words I typically use are associated with the heart of man – a strong leader.  But wait!  Women are strong too…in the most beautiful way!

Ezer Kenegdo.  I’m not sure I can even pronounce that right, so I’m glad this is an online study.  BUT how awesome is this concept! To be someone’s Ezer, to be someone’s “lifesaver,” to be someone’s only hope.  Wow.  WOW!  And that’s the role and the responsibility God has placed on the heart of every woman.

“Women are endowed with fierce devotion, an ability to suffer great hardships, a vision to make the world a better place.”

We can be someone’s “Ezer” with just a smile, a positive comment, a loving remark.  I have to constantly remind myself that every day!  God gives us the opportunity to be someone’s Ezer with friends, co-workers, family, and even strangers.  You never know what just a little smile can do – you may have saved someone’s life! And that’s the beauty in you! That’s you, acting in God’s image, and loving a hurting world.  To be an everyday Ezer Kenegdos…that’s our mission!

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After I graduated college, I moved to Philadelphia, a humongous city where I knew absolutely no one.  The year and a half that I lived there was the most trying time I may have ever been through.  Many times, I found myself so incredibly exhausted – in every way.  Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically.

Fortunately for me, I only lived an hour away from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.  One lonely Friday night, I decided to escape.  Escape people, my exhausting life and situation, and run away…to the beach.  So I threw some PJs, a beach towel, and my bathing suit in a bag, hopped in my old, rusted car and headed straight for the shore.  Did I have hotel reservations? No.  A plan for the weekend? Not at all.  But what did I find? As the sun was setting over the ocean, I found God.  As I walked through a local flower show, I found God.  As I listened to the crashing waves, I found God.  I found God because I found beauty.

When was the last time you stopped your life and found God like that? Have you realized yet that this beauty that we find in nature – we are that beauty?  We, as women, are beauty incarnate.

Does your life exemplify the beauty within you?  Set aside the make-up and jewelry, your career goals, your obligations, society’s pressures…I want you to take a big breath.  Come on, one big one!  And exhale.  Good!  Now surrender all of those things to God and ask Him to help you reveal your true beauty.  Ask Him to reveal it in your attitude, your thoughts about yourself and others, and your actions.

You are beautiful.  You are created in the image of God.  You are essential.  You matter.

Praise Him,
Carissa

Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for who You are and who You have created us as women to be: a living example of true beauty.  Lord, I pray that all doubts or thoughts of insecurity be surrendered to You.  We know, Father, that when we rest in Your beauty, all is well.  Lord, help us to be that example of beauty to those around us, that beauty that we were created to be.  We love You, beautiful Savior. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment
Find beauty today.  Meditate on the fact that YOU ARE THE BEAUTY YOU FOUND – and so much more!  Being with a woman who is at rest, a woman comfortable within her own beauty, is an enjoyable experience. She is trusting God, not striving to become beautiful, but allowing His beauty to more fully inhabit her.  Have you had the experience of being with a woman who was stressed, striving, worried? And how did you feel around her?

Which woman do you want to be?

If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study, click HERE to sign up.

Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

If you would like to send a personal message to Carissa in regards to this blog, you may email her at: Carissa@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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