November 25, 2024

Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 – “A Sword Is Born” (pgs. 17-19)

April 1, 2013 by

(Your Reading assignment for this week can be found HERE)

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, NLT, emphasis mine).

Lisa Bevere begins by discussing the origin of swords and how they are found throughout the Bible. As I prayed and sought the Lord’s leading in what He wanted me to write about today, He only gave me these verses and a few words. I think they are enough. His Word is always enough.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5, NLT, emphasis mine).

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son (John 1:14, NLT).

Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. The Bible tells us that He existed with the Father before the heavens and the earth were created. His presence brings light in the darkness, which can never go out. His Word (the sword) speaks of His deep and abiding love for us—for all time. He loved (and loves) us so much that he became fully human, experienced the sufferings of life, and died a sinner’s death on a cross. His love is unwavering and true. He loves even those who do not love Him. Jesus is love. Love eternal.

JesusLoveEternal

 

 

With Love,

Jennifer

 

*****

Let’s Pray:

Father God, You are the giver of life, the One who loves each of us beyond comprehension. Lord, help us to accept that love today. Use us to reach the hearts of those who are doubting, questioning, or struggling. Fill us with Your Spirit of love and enable us to show that love to someone else today. We love You, Father. Amen.

 

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 1 Weekly Review – “You Are a Target”

March 29, 2013 by

Next Week’s Reading Schedule

Picture this scene:  The long awaited girlfriends road trip had begun. The five girlfriends had been planning this get-away together a whole year.  It was to be a time for studying the Word of God with other believers at the women’s retreat, plus a time of rest and relaxation from their busy lives being a wife, mother, and the many other hats they wore throughout the year.  They were riding down the road giggling so hard that their sides were splitting. 

Then all of a sudden, they saw a road sign up ahead that read: 

Prince of Darkness

The laughing stops as Jennifer, the driver of the car, pulls over to the side of the road. They all sat quietly for a few minutes, each absorbed in their own thoughts as to what they should do now. 

Finally Jennifer spoke up: 

Girlfriends, let’s face it!  We did not even have to leave our homes to know that a battle is waging. Satan is desperate.  He tries to discourage us and make us doubt our God and His goodness.

It is time to recognize that, as Christians, we are automatically targets of the enemy. Satan will stop at nothing to tear apart our relationship with the Lord. He wants to keep us away from reading the Bible. He wants to prevent us from fully participating in a Bible/Book study by distracting us. He does not want us to be in fellowship with other believers. If he sees a spot to weasel his way in, he will try to do it.

The Bible says that I have a weapon against any attacks from the enemy. That weapon is the Word of God.   I believe we can be a hero in God’s army. When we tuck God’s Word into our heart, we are able to defeat the enemy the same way Jesus did in the wilderness. He refuted Satan’s attempts at trickery by repeating the truth from God’s Word.  

We now have a choice to make.  We can choose to be a hero in God’s army of warriors or not. As for me, I choose to keep going. Who’s with me?

Teresa spoke up next. 

Look, at it this way, girls.  We must have something of value Satan wants to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us.  Personally, I think a  few of the reasons Satan puts a TARGET on us are:

  1. We are a target simply because we are human.
  2. God loves us and created us for a relationship with Him.
  3. Satan cannot fix his problem himself and be returned to a relationship with God.
  4. If he can’t have a relationship with God, then neither can we. NAH! NOT! Whatever!
  5. Satan knows that every soul close to God is capable of great and wondrous things.
  6. Satan knows how the story ends.
  7. Satan is fighting to keep God’s precious creation distracted, distressed, and demoralized so that we don’t experience the fullness of our place with Him in heaven.

You know, Lisa Bevere says, “I believe that the attacks on your life have much more to do with who you might be in the future than who you have been in the past.  That statement made me realize that God created me for a purpose in this time.  I have a choice to fulfill that purpose and live a rich and satisfying life that God wants to give me or I can let Satan steal, kill, and destroy me. 

I choose to be a HERO!  I’m with you, Jennifer; let’s keep going!

Tonya spoke up next.

Okay, girls, the reality of the situation is that we, do, indeed, have a target on our backs. We are women, we are Christians, and we are determined to take up our swords and fight back. These three combined make us a very real threat to Satan and he will do what he thinks he can do to throw us off of our path.

But, there is a bigger reality than this one—the reality that we have God on our side, the reality that His promises are stronger and more powerful than any threat Satan has made. “There is no way we can or should fight this battle alone.” We don’t have to, we don’t need to, and we can’t. We NEED God’s heavenly support.

We as women are faced with a choice, “Will we be an unarmed civilian, victim, prisoner of war, or a hero”?

There is a target on our back, but the swords we hold are bigger and stronger than the weapons being thrown at these targets. Our swords, our prayers must not be influenced by what is around us; they need to be powered by looking to the One who created us to be warriors. 

“I’m with Jennifer; let’s move forward!”

Diane spoke up next:

“Hey girls, you know what just occurred to me?  Hebrews 12:1 says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, which is the faithful followers of God whom we learn about throughout the Bible.  They were people just like you and me throughout the Bible who have run their race and won!  Each one of these people had one thing in common—they lived by faith and not by fear.  They let God control their lives, and not fear.

Satan will never be able to live for God.  He has no choice but to live by fear.  His fear drives Him to attempt to destroy God’s chosen ones.   That is what he is trying to do to us now—implant fear in us to keep us from going ahead with our journey.

I’d say we must follow the examples of the faithful followers of our heritage, put on the full Armor of God, and trust that God has a plan for our lives, one in which we are a Hero for God.

I’m with you, Jennifer.  Let’s keep going.

I, Martha, was the fifth girl on that trip.  I had sat silently while my friends were discussing our options for continuing our journey. I now had to make a decision.  As I saw it, I must decide if I wanted to enter this territory where I was marked as a target, or get out and walk back the way our car had come from—alone!  These gals were determined to go forward.

As each of my friends had spoken from their hearts, I saw something different in them. No longer were they just friends, giggling on a road trip; they had caught a glimpse of who they were in Christ, and were not afraid of facing an enemy who had already been defeated anyway. They had convinced me that we were warriors!

Without a speech, I just said to Jennifer:  “Crank her up, Jen.  Let’s keep moving.”

Let’s Pray:

Father, God, we thank You for each lady who has signed up for this course.  Having read their comments this week, I know that, they, too, are ready to move forward using the sword that You have given us, defeating all the attacks the enemy tries to throw at them.  I pray Your blessings on each of them as we continue our journey together.  In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

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Girls With Swords: Chapter 1 – “You Are A Target” (pgs 3-6)

March 25, 2013 by

Our daily reading schedule for this week can be found by clicking this link.

*****

Eph6_13

We do not have to leave our homes to know that an epic battle is waging. On any given day, point your internet browser to any major news website and you will see how desperate Satan is. Violence, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, envy and judgment seem to permeate our society. In fact, it may even discourage some of you; make you doubt our God and His goodness.

Sisters, it is time to recognize and understand that we are a part of this battle. As Christians, we are automatically targets of the enemy. Satan will stop at nothing to tear apart our relationship with the Lord. That is his business. It is his only job. He wants to keep us away from reading the Bible. He wants to prevent us from fully participating in a Bible/Book study by distracting us. He does not want us to be in fellowship with other believers so he will use our insecurities or past hurts to prevent us from moving forward in our faith journey. Anything is up for grabs. Not one of us is immune. If he sees a spot to weasel his way in, he will try to do it. I use the word *try* because we hold the ultimate power. We can look to God to help us through these difficulties, or, we can allow the situation to take us captive and restrict the Spirit’s work in our life.

Which will you choose?

I say this not to scare you, but to warn you. The battle is being waged. Thankfully, we have a Mighty Savior who sends us to the frontlines fully equipped to fight the enemy and to beat crush him at his own game.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT

The Lord gives us many defensive weapons in our arsenal to fight the enemy. We have a belt, body armor, shoes, a shield, and a helmet. However, there is just one offensive weapon: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

What is the Word of God?

  • For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12, NKJV).
  • All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work (2 Timothy 3:16 and 17, NLT).
  • Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path (Psalms 119:105, NLT).
  • In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5, NLT).

When we tuck God’s Word into our heart, we are able to defeat the enemy immediately when he tries to attack us. Before Jesus started His ministry, Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. For forty days and nights, He fasted and was very hungry (Matthew 4:2). He refuted Satan’s attempts at trickery by repeating the truth from God’s Word. “Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus” (Matthew 4:11). By claiming God’s truth and promises and wielding them as a weapon to the enemy, Satan had no choice but to flee.

Can I get an AMEN to that?!

Ladies, I know life is difficult. It can be busy. I truly hope and pray that you will delve deeply into this study. Commit to it. Make it a part of your daily quiet time with the Lord. It has the potential to impact your life in a radical way. God wants to use us to reach the lost, to save those that we may think seem gone forever. No one is beyond saving. No one. We can be a hero in God’s army of warriors. But, ultimately, it is our choice.

Who’s with me?

*****

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, as we begin our study of this book, please let the truth from Your Word soak into the depths of our souls. We want to be prepared for the battles that are coming our way and to be a hero fighting for You, Lord. Please remove anything that will prevent us from focusing solely on this study. Help us find a daily quiet time with You to read and study what You want to teach us through this book. We know You have already won the battle, Lord. We thank You that You are a God who loves us so much and who equips us with all that we need to fight the enemy. We have all that we need in You. Guide and lead us in the weeks to come. We pray this in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 *****

If you are interested in joining us for this online Bible study, please click HERE to complete your enrollment.

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Meet the Founders of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

March 18, 2013 by

Christi Wilson

Founder  –  Blog Contributor 

Meet Christi Wilson.  She lives in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.

Christi is the wife to her wonderful husband Gary, mom/step-mom to her amazing kids Tiffani, Heather, William, and Joshua, and grandmother to her awesome grandchildren Michael, Brandon, Makenzie, Brooklyn, Kyler, Alaina, Jayden, Austin, Kylee, and CJ.

Christi has been involved in Women’s Ministries for ten years.  She was part of the Women’s Team with Christian Motorcyclists Association for nearly 9 years.  She  has been coordinating Online Bible Study/Prayer Groups on Facebook, since 2011, when she created the first Facebook Prayer Groups for Proverbs 31 Ministries.  The Lord led her into starting her own online Bible study ministry, and that’s when Girlfriends Coffee Hour was born!

After over five years of being empty-nesters, Christi and her husband became foster parents for children in crisis.  Although foster parenting can be quite challenging, the rewards are far more numerous!  This was truly a God-thing!  Coming from a background of physical and emotional abuse, she can relate to the hurts that many of these children go through in their life!

She also loves to read, study the Word, cook, and play word games.

She gave her life to Jesus on March 23, 1984, when He saved her from suicide, drugs, and alcohol.  She believes that without Jesus, we are nothing.  He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness in our lives and accepts us right where we are in our lives…blemishes and all.

 

Megan SmidtMegan Smidt, CLC – Co-Founder –  Blog Contributor 

Megan is a Certified Christian Life Coach specializing in Relationship Coaching and more specifically, Blended Family Relationships. She also works part-time as Personal Assistant to Christian Musician Yancy.

She and her husband Craig have been married 8 years.  She is the adoptive full-time mother to Craig’s 5 children from a previous marriage, all ranging in age from 21 years old to 14.  Megan is from sunny Southern California, but has lived in middle Tennessee since 2007.

Megan is very active in her church and in ministering to women. She leads a family small group in her home every week along with her husband and she works with teenagers at church on Thursday nights.   Megan also regularly does speaking engagements on various topics concerning Christian Women and is a Certified Christian Life Coach with clients all over the world.

Megan loves to travel and spend time with family and friends. She enjoys reading, music, movies, photography, paper crafting, sewing and roller skating.  She is silly, fun, and loves making new friends!

You will learn more about Megan when we introduce her new Glorious Living blog on Friday!

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We are so very excited to start this next study, Girls with Swords, with you! Lisa Bevere is an amazing author who will bring you deeper and deeper in your walk with the Lord!  If you haven’t signed up for this study yet, you will want to TODAY to reserve your spot!  To sign up, click on the picture below, and you will be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the registration process, we will email you further details.  

GWS

Study Begins March 24th!

Sign Up Today!

 

 

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Our Next Women’s Online Bible / Book Study Begins March 24th!

March 15, 2013 by

GWS

 

“Lisa Bevere is one of God’s most powerful voices for this time in our history.” — Sheila Walsh, core speaker of Women of Faith

“As you read Girls with Swords, you’ll be empowered to face your challenges with boldness and learn to live like a hero.” — Robert and Debbie Morris, pastors, Gateway Church, Dallas-Ft Worth, TX

“Read this book with fair warning: You are about to engage in a powerfully courageous life!” — Christine Caine, author of Undaunted and co-founder of The A21 Campaign

“In Girls with Swords you will be challenged to join the ranks of Christians who are already moving forward in their faith.  Don’t be taken out of the fight! Stand firm and experience spiritual victory!” — Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte NC

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I’m a huge Lisa Bevere fan.  I’ve been a fan of hers for years, all the way back to “Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry.”  I had the privilege of seeing Lisa and John in a conference, here in Wisconsin, several years ago.  It was one of the most empowering, invigorating, spiritual conferences I’ve been to!  Lisa and John both have an amazingly strong desire to reach others with the Gospel!

When I first heard about this new book Girls with Swords I knew immediately that I had to get it!  I immediately felt God say “This is your next GCH study!”  Even though we continued to discuss other studies, I always came back to this book!

The day I got the book, I wanted to read it right away; but I put it aside until I could really focus on what I was reading.  I’m so glad I did because this is a book that you don’t want to just skim through.  You will want to study this book!  It is that important!  If you take this book and really study it, it truly will bring you victory!  Promise me that you won’t just skim through this book!  I want  to see victory in your life, just as much as Lisa did when she wrote this book!

So, how do you sign up, you ask?  That’s the easy part!

There are three steps to take to make sure you get the most out of this study:

1) Buy the book.  You will find links on our sign-up page for the hardcopy and the Kindle version of Girls with Swords.

2) Sign Up HERE

3) If you are on Facebook, you will need to send a Friend Request to our GCH Admin, so we can add you to our secret Facebook group where we will dig deeper into this book as a group.  You do not need to be on Facebook to follow along with this study.  BUT, you will get so much more out of it, if you can join our study group!  As soon as you complete the registration process, we will email you further details.

Before I close, I want to share one more thing with you.  This is shared on the inside cover of this book.  It will give you an idea of what you can expect from this book.

“Creatively forging the imagery of swords, the Word of God, and the Cross, Girls with Swords will teach you:

  • How to speak the language of heaven on earth
  • What it means to intercede
  • What it means to carry your cross
  • What it means to be discerning
  • How to disarm the enemy
  • Why women are the enemy’s target-and why God needs them to be heroes

It’s time to take up your sword and be a hero!”

 

We hope you will join us for this amazing study!

 

God’s VICTORY is waiting for YOU!

Christi Wilson, Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

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To send Christi a private email in regards to this website, blog, or ministry, you may email her at: Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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Life’s Healing Choices: Week 2 – Plugging In To God’s Power

January 16, 2013 by

 

“Believe it or not, things work better when they’re plugged in.”

–John Baker, Life’s Healing Choices

 

A couple of months ago, I had a sink that would not drain—a sink full of yucky smelling water. I flipped the switch up and down on the disposal…and nothing. Being the fixer that I am, I bought three Rubbermaid containers and filled them up with this stinky sink water so that I could wash dishes.

I have a big family.  Four kids and a husband equals many, many dishes and utensils. To add to the inconvenience of this, we live on the 18th floor of a high-rise condominium.  In order to dump these containers took a dolly and manpower. After going to all this trouble, I finally called Maintenance up.  He took one look under my sink and said, “The disposal works better plugged in!” Are you kidding me? It was that simple? Imagine the trouble I could have saved myself if I had just known to plug it in.

It’s like that in our spiritual life, as well. Can you imagine the pain and heartache we could have saved ourselves from, if only we had just stayed plugged in to Him. His power is ours if we just stay connected to Him.  Believing in Him is not enough to get rid of our hurts, habits and hang-ups.

For me it wasn’t enough to keep me from taking that bottle of painkillers or taking that drink or running headfirst into an eating disorder.  I was saved, but I wasn’t satisfied; and salvation without satisfaction is a stronghold just waiting to happen. To be satisfied with God, we must really get to know Him, to read His word, and stay connected to Him. He gives us all we need to live this life that He has given us. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” Again, we have to come to the end of ourselves and allow Him to do the very thing we cannot do alone. Truly that means anything. I love John Baker’s statement about how when we stop trying to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, that we’ll find Christ will stand us up on our feet!

Now that we believe, we must receive! Believe He is who He says He is, and then cry out to Him for help. Tell Him what He already knows. He just wants to hear you say it. A simple yet extremely difficult four letter word—HELP!!! He will come to your rescue, but you must be ready for change.

Ever heard the saying that God loves you just for you, but too much to leave you that way? It’s so true. Change is hard; change is scary; but change is good when we serve a good God. We must pray for the willingness to change and His answer will always be “Yes, child! Here is the willingness you asked for and the need for my power!  Here’s the plug…just use it.” Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God Who is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve His purpose”. The first choice we talked about was admitting we needed Him.  The second choice—the Hope choice—is getting the help we need. What freedom we will find from our pain! We can breathe again, right?

Remember His promise? Oh how I do love this verse! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2). Whatever you are dealing with today, please know that He wants to take it from you. He is able, and more than willing, to help you change whatever needs changing. His power is readily available to you. You just have to say the words, “Help me, Jesus!  I cannot do this on my own!”

Let’s Pray:

Dear God,  we praise You today for the loving God that You are. Your patience with us and Your love for us is beyond our comprehension and so undeserved. Please help those today who need to lay some things down at Your feet to have the willingness to ask and the power to change. And for those that aren’t quite ready, again I ask for Your loving arms to protect them and keep them safe until they are. Thank You for this freedom from addiction and our own human nature. Keep us connected to You so that we may be Your hands and feet to others. We love You, and thank You for giving us Your Spirit. For it’s in Your Son’s Precious Name I pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

In what area of your life could you use God’s triple power surge and how? Remember, comments made here are public. You do have the option of signing in anonymously.

If you are interested in joining us for the online Bible study, click HERE.
Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send a private message to Kim in regards to this blog, please email her at kim@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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Captivating: Chapter 1 Review — The Heart of a Woman

January 11, 2013 by

 

Gen1_27

How are you after reading this first chapter? How are you feeling about who you are as a woman created in the image of God? So many emotions went through my heart as I read this chapter. Some of them were raw and some were just those emotions that you could not describe because they are mixed.

A couple of things jumped from the pages of the book straight into my heart. Let me just highlight one or two things that I found to be fundamental while read this chapter. “God created you as a woman. “God created man in his own image … male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

Whatever it means to bear God’s image, you do so as a woman. Female. That’s how and where you bear His image. Your feminine heart has been created with the greatest of all possible dignities-as a reflection of God’s own heart. You are a woman to your soul, to the very core of your being.”

“Every woman in her heart of hearts longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. That’s what makes a woman come alive.”

 

With that said let us go through our review. There are so many things to take away from this first chapter alone.

Monday: Introduction: I (Jackie) started us off by telling you what this book is not about – what we are failing to do as a woman.

• I also talked about the stereotypes that we face as women and that we should not be defined by them. Whether I relate more to Cinderella or Joan of Arc, the most important thing that I should embrace is that I AM A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.

• Lastly, I shared about the expectations that have been placed upon us by our families, cultures and churches. How the Proverbs 31 woman has impacted on our lives.

Tuesday: Unseen, Unsought, Uncertain – The Heart of a Woman: Tonya pointed us to the reality that most of us women avoid dealing with matters of the heart and how she feels like a failure because she cannot live according to the standards of a woman.

• Tonya shared this profound statement and I quote “One night, a while ago I was reading this verse and I realized that I need not guard my heart from outside influences but I also need to guard my heart from myself; from my mind and from my words, from my self-imposed standards. I realized that what I say to myself can do just as much damage as what others may speak into my life.”

Wednesday: To Be Romanced – Beauty to Unveil: Carissa took us to the movies as she talked about how love transformed Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice. She highlighted the reasons why most of us women are ashamed to show our desire to be seen, wanted and pursued.

• Our culture tells us to be ashamed of such desires. • Women don’t want to show that they are vulnerable and helped by being romantic.

• Most of us have hardened our hearts so that we do not show the desire to be the Beauty because we feel like the Beast of the story. Carissa also noted that a shared adventure does not necessarily have to be shared with a man. It simply involves people.

“I know that God has a great adventure in store for each of us – and as women, it’s our duty to seek it.

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” We must seek Him to discover these desires – the desires that He’s laid on our hearts from our very creation.”

Thursday: By Way of the Heart:  Michelle looked at how we were created as men and women.

• Men want a battle to fight, adventure, a beauty to rescue; women want to be romanced, to play a role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. “A woman in the presence of a good man, a real man, loves being a woman. His strength allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real woman loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man; it draws out his strength. She inspires him to be a hero.”

• Michelle also highlighted the fact that as much as we have these desires “the reality of all this is that many of these desires haven’t been met, hopes or dreams have been broken. And that is okay for now. This is why we are here. This is why we draw close to God. We don’t want to live that double life where everything is fine on the surface, in front of your friends, family, and church; but when you go home and are alone, it doesn’t feel fine. It feels like something is missing. God doesn’t want us in this place. He will meet us there, and He will bring us to where we are meant to be.”

Let me conclude our review with this from Stasi. “God did not place these longings in our hearts to torment us. Rather, they reveal the secret of who we truly are and the role that is ours to play. There is so much hope here, hope to become the woman you secretly long to be, the woman who is romanced, irreplaceable, and utterly beautiful.”

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LET’S PRAY

Father, thank You for this week. Thank You for helping me understand who I am as a woman and that I should not be ashamed of the desires that You have placed in me. I was created for romance, I am irreplaceable and beautiful. Help me to allow these truths to sink deep in my heart so that I can embrace my femininity. In Jesus Name. Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

There so many things to take away from chapter 1 and I have just reviewed but a few. Share in the comment section below statements, quotes or Bible verses that have left a mark in your heart from this chapter.

Be Blessed,

Jackie

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: Jackie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Life’s Healing Choices – Week 1 – Make the Choice

January 10, 2013 by

 

Well, we’ve almost made it through the first week.  How are you holding up?  If anything like me, you’ve had moments of denial, shaking your head, stammering for words, and just sheer amazement (& maybe even a little bewilderment) at what we’ve read and learned.

What is the first principle?  Realize that I am not God.

Should be easy, right?  Anyone think they “should” be able to hold it all together as wife, mother, employee, church-goer, volunteer, etc?  We should be able to do everything, at once without a break or help, right?  Super Mom!  Wonder Woman! Well, not if you learn God’s plan for your life.  He expects us to need Him, and to accept His guidance in our lives.  He knows we can’t do everything, and especially not by our own power.

John Baker provides three steps for us at the end of each chapter: Pray About It, Write About It, and Share About It.  So let’s get started!

PRAY –

Ask God to give you courage to admit your weaknesses, your struggle to control the world around you, and your inability to hold it all together.  There is nothing “weak” about admitting you cannot do it yourself.  God knew that we couldn’t do it without Him.

Ask for His power to fill your life and provide the strength you need to make changes in your life.  Ask for His peace when you are fearful, His comfort when you are unable to rest.  Matt 11:28-29

If you can’t find the right words, remember … there are no right words.  There is no special incantation to mutter that will make it to God.  At times you may not have the words to speak, and that’s when we are reassured that He already knows, and the Holy Spirit will intervene on our behalf. (Romans 8:26)

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.(NLT)

 

Matthew 11: 28-29

 

 Above all remember that He will hear our cries,

He will answer us, and He will deliver us (Ps 34:4)

I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. 

He freed me from all my fears. (NLT)

WRITE –

Throughout this journey, you will want to take the time to write your thoughts to the questions posed in our book.  Often, the process of writing will help to clear our thoughts, help us see truths more clearly, and offer insight on what God is saying to us.  Find a notebook or journal to use for your thoughts.  Keep it in a safe place, and remember it is your private journal.  While there will be times of sharing, we will be guided on when to share, what we’ll share, and with whom.

When I first thought of keeping my journal “safe”, I thought about keeping secrets … are we really called to keep secrets from our spouse?  Then I realized, it’s not about keeping secrets but learning how to manage & control emotions.  I can easily spout off from the emotional core of my being … with tears, and irrational thoughts.  We call this “emotional vomiting” because it just spews forth without purpose or consideration.  I view the journal as a way to work through this sickness and learn how to express my thoughts, emotions, and experiences with clarity, purpose, and control so that I don’t put off another person.  As I tell my kids, “just because it pops into your head, it doesn’t have to come out of your mouth. “

Baker gives us five writing guidelines on page 24 to start the process:

  • What people, places or things do you have the power to control?
  • What people, places or things have you been attempting to control?
  • Describe how you try to control your image, other people, your problems, your pain?
  • Write how fear, frustration, fatigue and failures of trying to be the “General Manager of the universe” has affected your relationship with God & others.
  • What specific hurt, hang-up or habit have you been denying?

SHARE –

Throughout this study, we will encourage participants to share with someone they can be honest and totally open with.  I would strongly advise that you make this someone of the same sex because the information we work through may stir up emotions and experiences that are not appropriate with a member of the opposite sex.  Even if you think your husband, boyfriend, or platonic guy-friend is this person, you may want to find someone else to talk to first …men have a tendency to want to fix things for us, to protect us, and make all things right in our world.  This is not the role for our sharing-partner.  And, we don’t want to encourage a level of intimacy with someone outside of marriage that is not appropriate for women seeking God’s will in their lives.This is not to say you cannot (or should not) share with your spouse.  Just realize that sometimes a person outside of the immediate circle may have different insight & suggestions for you.

This group is not a counseling session, nor an affiliate of the Celebrate Recovery program.  At times, it may be necessary for you to seek professional counseling with a trusted pastor or licensed therapist.  We are here to facilitate a book study and encourage learning & personal growth through Bible study.  In Titus we are encouraged to support each other, learn from each other, and encourage one another as women.

After you’ve taken the time to reflect and write your answers to these questions, we welcome your comments below, or visit our Facebook Group for additional discussion.  If you are not currently a member of our Facebook Group, you can click HERE to sign up for this online Bible study, and you will be added to this group.

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Dear Lord, thank You for the journey You have given to each of us.  We realized that You alone are God, the only one with the power to bring change in our lives.  We ask that You shower us with Your grace, open our eyes to the truths of our lives, calm the fears as we take different paths than the ones we’ve always walked, and remind us daily that we are not alone in this process.  You are ever-present, ever-loving, ever faithful.  Through Your power, we can do all things.  Amen. 

If you are interested in joining us for this online Bible study, and would like to join our secret Facebook group, click HERE to sign-up!  Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send a personal comment to Amy in regards to this blog, please email her at:  Amy@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

 

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Captivating: Introduction

January 7, 2013 by

 

Stasi Eldredge

 

 

Welcome Girlfriends,

It’s time to begin our journey through Captivating.  Are you ready? LET’S DO IT!

I must say that I was happy to read in the introduction that Captivating is not another book about all the things that I am failing to do as woman.  In this book, we are not going to go through 12 steps or 10 ways or 5 things on how to become Captivating.  No all of such books are bad or not worthy of your time but I am sure you and I have read a number of such books and like our author Stasi Eldredge, you have been left feeling like “you are not the woman you ought to be.” 

I am pleased to note that femininity cannot be prescribed in a formula.  So this means that I should not judge myself if I don’t love playing dress up, tea parties and china or if I shudder at the thought of women who love to hunt or go hiking through the mountains.  As a woman I have to be happy with who I am whether I am a professor, an athlete, a mom, a secretary or a social worker.  Whether I relate more to Cinderella or Joan of Arc, the most important thing that I should embrace is that I AM A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.

It is sad that as women we tend to fall into stereotypes, if we don’t fit a certain group or clique, we sideline one another and this puts so much pressure on us to conform to a particular lifestyle.  We need to know that although we may have different lifestyles or likes or dislikes, we share something deep and true, down in our hearts.

Through this book we will find out what is at the core of each woman’s heart? What are our desires? What did we long for as little girls?  What do we still long for as women? And how does a woman begin to be healed from the wounds and tragedies of her life?

 

We are going to find that precious thing that has been lost –

OUR PRICELESS FEMININE HEART.

Do you remember when you first knew in your heart that you were no longer a girl, but had become a woman?  Was it high school or college? Or when you got married or when you become a mom? Like our author Stasi, I don’t either.  I have gone through all the phases of life as a girl and then as a woman but I cannot really pin point the exact moment when I can say wow, I feel like a woman now.  I sometimes look at myself in the mirror and still see the little girl in me.  The little girl who still wants to play with a Barbie doll, or the teenager who wants to stay indoors and read the romance books that the adults around her are reading or the first year student who wants to curl up and talk hours on the phone about the college guys or gossip about who is dating who or who got humiliated at the fresh man’s ball.  When I got married I couldn’t wait to join the women’s clique and talk about our husbands and children, share the secrets about how to treat your husband with respect or how to raise godly children, how to take care of the home and all sorts of things that we as women talk about when we are all gathered in one place.

In each phase of life, there are expectations that are laid upon us by our families, our churches and our cultures.  There are reams of materials on what we ought to do to be a good woman.  But that is not the same thing as knowing what the journey toward becoming a woman involves, or even what the goal should be.

As Christian women, most of us have been told that “you are here to serve.  That’s why God created you: to serve; in the nursery, in the kitchen, on the various committees, in your home and in your community.”  We are expected to be sweet, helpful, disciplined and composed.  Not a hair out of place.

Most of us look to the Proverbs 31 woman as an example of how femininity ought to be.  The more we try to do what she did, the more we fail.  In the end we become tired and disgruntled.  How did she manage to do all that she did and have time for friendships, for taking walks or read good books, our author asks?  Is this the measure we are to use in order to be characterized as godly women?

Let’s take this journey together to get the answer the above question and more.  Let us recover together the things we have lost. Most of all let us come to the point where we accept that we are CAPTIVATING.

 *****

LET’S PRAY

Father, thank You for being with us as we begin this journey together.  I pray that we will allow You to remove the things in our lives that have hindered us to become who we truly are.  Help us to embrace our true femininity and not the stereotypes that we have accepted in our lives.  Most of all lead us to the place where it all begun, in our heart.  Begin anew with us.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

 *****

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Let us get to know one another by sharing who we are by identifying the characters that we relate to? Are you a Cinderella or Joan of Arc, or Mary Magdalene or Oprah?  What delights you tea parties and china or are you the adventure type or woman who loves to hunt, mountain climbing or parachuting in the sky?

 

Read Proverbs 31 and tell me your thoughts on the Proverbs Woman.  In what way do you relate to her?

 

Be Blessed,

Jackie

 

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 Jackie in regards to this blog, you may email her at: Jackie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Life’s Healing Choices – Week 1 – Admitting Need

January 6, 2013 by

“Each of our lives is tangled up with hurts that haunt our hearts, hang-ups that cause us pain, and habits that mess up our lives.” (Baker, page 1)

Ouch! What a sting those simple words can bring. And immediately I begin the defense – I’m only hurt because of what other people did to me. I don’t have hang-ups, that’s just the way I am. Habits? They’re coping skills necessary to deal with life & the people around me. We’ve all done it, allowing the behaviors and attitudes to continue.

But hope is here! January 2013 marks not only a new year, but a new journey in your life. It’s a time for change … to shed the habits, hurts & hang-ups that affect your relationships, your life, and your walk with Christ. Using the book “Life’s Healing Choices” by John Baker as our discussion tool, the GCH: Victorious Healing ministry will lead you on this journey to joyful change, freedom, and blessings only He can provide to us.

RECOVERY. What comes to your mind when you see or hear this word? Do you brush it off as something only addicts or alcoholics deal with? Or do you think only of illness, surgery or other physical ailments? The truth is very simple. We all have hurts in our life that require healing. Some of us choose to symptomatically treat our hurts with food, chemical substances, spending sprees, toxic relationships, and more. But true healing, not just masking of symptoms, is possible only through the power of Christ in our lives. RECOVERY.

There are eight basic principles we will uncover during our study together:

  • Realize I am not God.
  • Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me. Consciously choose to commit my life and will to Christ’s care & control.
  • Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God and to someone I trust.
  • Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life.
  • Evaluate all my relationships.
  • Reserve a daily time with God.
  • Yield myself to God to be used to bring His love & Good News to others.

What areas of your life do you have power (control) over? What areas of your life are spinning out of control? What coping skills do you use to get attention, or protect yourself? How do you handle pain & disappointment? What hinders our ability to admit our need for change, or help?

“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul” (Invictus by Henley). What comes to mind when you read those words? For me, it’s a sad commentary on how many of us live our lives. So often we believe we can handle our lives on our own. We determine our futures and no one will keep us from doing what we want, dream, or desire. Our decisions will only affect us. No one can tell us what to do.  But this idea is what causes so much of our pain. Until we realize that we are not in control of our lives, and allow God to do what He intended for us, our pains, hurts, habits, and hang-ups will continue.

Are you ready to “let go, and let God”?

In “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount” by Oswald Chambers “There must be a dominant, personal, passionate devotion to Him, and only then are all other relationships right.”

God tells us “You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there” (Jeremiah 6:14 TLB). How many times do we try to ignore our hurts by saying we’re fine, or nothing’s wrong? How often do we try to tend to issues by our own power because we don’t want to burden others, or appear weak or “out of control?”Denial only hinders our growth more, freezing us in our pain, insecurities, and worry even more. Denial encourages us to keep secrets as we continue to pretend that our lives are going well. Denial brings shame, anxiety, and a false sense of protection from our pain.

The admission of our powerlessness is the first step on our journey. From here, we need to leave to stop denying our pain. There’s only one God, and you ain’t Him, so stop trying to control your life as if you are.

God promises so much more.

  • Light in our darkness (1 John 1:5-7).
  • Rescue from the darkness (Ps 107:13-14).
  • Healing from our pain (Jeremiah 30:17).

So, join us this week as we explore this principle deeper. Instead of packing for a journey, get ready to unpack all that baggage you’ve been carrying around! But I warn you, this journey won’t be an easy one. However, I promise that we have the best Guide with us because He promises to never leave us, nor forsake us. Ever!

 ___________________________________

Reading Assignment for Week 1:

Chapter 1 of Life’s Healing Choices
Monday: Laurie will discuss Principle 1
Tuesday: Leslie will discuss The Cause of our Problems
Wednesday: Kim will discuss The Cure for our Problems
Thursday: Amy will discuss Make The Choice, Action Steps to make it real in your life
Friday: Laurie will bring it all back home with a recap of our week

Ps6_2-3

Restoration is possible. Will you move towards this for your life … today?

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Principle 1 Power Verses:
Jeremiah 6:14
Ecclesiastes 11:4
Job 30:27
Romans 7:15-17
Proverbs 14:12
Job 17:11
Psalm 6:6-7
2 Corinthians 1:9

If you would like to join this amazing online Bible study, click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send Amy a personal message in regards to today’s blog, please email her at: Amy@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

 

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