November 24, 2024

The Resolution for Women- Supernatural Selection

July 17, 2012 by

Memory Verse:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you.

I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit.

John 15:16

 We have three takeaways from today’s lesson that we cannot take lightly or breeze right past. Please read and then re-read today’s lesson intentionally, my dear sisters because THIS is exactly where our true value lies…….. THIS is our value in Christ.

1. God chose YOU.

2. God set YOU apart.

3. God has appointed YOU.

Did you read that in the verse typed above? You probably read it…. but did you really sink your teeth into it? Dear friends…. it is so important that we let each of these truths intentionally penetrate every part of our hearts and souls. Let them weave their way into all of the places you have been stuffing down the lies that have been said over you during the life and let God’s truth bring light to those dark corners and crevices.

Have you ever really thought about why you are in a certain situation or circumstance you are in? Have you? I want you to think about one aspect of your life and dissect it with me here about your unique value to that situation or circumstance. We started this process last week, remember? Priscilla shared with us why it is good to be a girl and we were challenged to look at a specific role we play in our life and note how we are good for it, necessary to it, an important component to it, worthy to be part of it, and trustworthy to fulfill your role in it.

I hope you did this exercise along with me last week. If you did, pull it out because we are going to look at it from a little bit of a different perspective today. If you didn’t, that’s okay too….. just think of one of the roles you currently play in your life and get ready to explore it with us here.

The role God CHOSE me for that I discussed last week was my role as “Mom” to Craig’s five kids from his previous marriage that I have since adopted. I joke with my daughter Vicky sometimes that when I was a little girl, I never dreamed of growing up to raise someone else’s FIVE children, but at the same time, I cannot imagine my life any other way. I know in my heart that God specifically had ME picked out for this not only because I am just THAT CRAZY (hahaha) but because I 100% fill the need in who I am that they were missing in their life. Does that make sense? Those 5 aspects that I bring to this role that I mentioned earlier explain exactly why God CHOSE me specifically for this role … it was just up to me to be obedient and bring my gifts and my unique self to this role for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in it.

God SET ME APART for this role. I am not like all the other moms out there. That used to be hard for me because I felt like such an outcast and like no one would ever take me seriously as a parent because I was so young and really did have NO IDEA what I was doing. But that was me giving into my insecurities as a parent from believing lies said over me my whole life. I never babysat, never changed a diaper, never cooked…. how could I possibly have what it takes to be a parent to my new insta-family? Well….. I could because God set me apart uniquely for THIS… at THIS moment in time, with THIS set of children, at THIS point in their lives and my life. When I tried to be the version of “mom” that I thought everyone expected me to be, it was a MESS!!! When I fully embraced each season we were in and lived fully in it, we ALL thrived! God has put me in every situation and circumstance in my to SET ME APART for this and every other role he places before me. It is up to me to CHOSE to thrive or merely survive in it. As I thrive, so do the lives He has entrusted to me.

God has APPOINTED ME. It really does not matter if I, personally, am happy with who I am or even happy with the circumstances I am currently living in. What DOES  matter is that *I* am specifically here for a reason intentionally and purposefully by God in His divine design. It is supernaturally ordained…. and He fully expects to reap much fruit from the seeds He is sowing through me being an obediant vessel in this circumstance and situation. I trust Him because he knows me intimately and I have grown and continue to grow to know Him.

He loved ME enough to make me like no other. He has given me this task that is mine alone to complete with His abundant help and empowerment. It would be denying HIM if I do not love myself as who I am… who He created. It would be denying His perfect plan.

I pray you are able to see this in YOUR role you chose to explore last week. Has God shown you yet WHY He uniquely created YOU specifically for that role? I would love to read all about it here in a comment on this blog. Please share how your unique role has come full-circle for you to know fully why he planted you where he did for His purpose. I would love to praise His work right along with you!

I understand now that my role in my kids’ lives is bigger than I could have ever expected ten years ago when I was “just” a weekend stepmom trying to keep my sanity as I navigated the turbulent waters of step-life. God had me in ever hard circumstance and every messed-up situation so that I can now speak into and encourage other stepmoms and kids through those hard relationships and confusing times. I have been there and I let God do His good work. I let Him use me and I continue to let Him use me no matter how ill-equipped or unworthy I feel. Feelings are deceptive but God’s truth is infallible!

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Let’s Pray: 

Lord, we come to You today so grateful for Your supernatural selection! Thank you for making each of us so uniquely for our individual situations and circumstances to fulfill Your purposes on this earth. We are not worthy in our eyes Lord, but thank you that we are in Your’s! Help us to see ourselves more as You see us, Father…. perfectly created in every way for purposes bigger than anything we could come up with on our own! Help us today to see each of the roles we have as You see them…. perfect and planned for Your purposes….. and help us be willing to be obedient to Your call on our lives within these roles. Rid us of our selves, Lord!!! Help us be real with ourselves and each other to finally be SET FREE from the lies that keep us from Your very best! We love you, Lord, and we thank you! Amen.

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Today’s blog assignment: 

Did you see it in there? Share whatever you feel comfortable about your role you explored and what God has shown you through this exploration.  When you have completed this assignment here on the blog, return to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group for today’s FUN Activity!!  You just never know what we have in store for you!! 🙂

If you are not a member of our OBS Facebook Group, and would like to be, please send us an email and we’ll be happy to place you!!   Our email address is:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

my blog: www.glorytoglorylifecoaching.wordpress.com

My Craig’s blog about the Men’s Resolution journey: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Many blessings,

Megan 🙂

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The Resolution for Women — Week 2 Overview

July 13, 2012 by

Weekly Review

Hasn’t this been an awesome week learning how to be God’s Girl!  Wow!!!  I have so enjoyed reading all of your comments this week!  It blesses me to no end to see how God is working in your lives, and how excited you are about it!  Praise God!!

I’m actually going to have our beautiful Megan Smidt, do the Weekly Overview this week.  I am actually at the hospital today having surgery on my finger!  So I pre-wrote this to make sure I could “talk” to you myself this week!  I hope you have enjoyed this last week as much as I have!

I must admit that I’m not really a girly-girl, but after this week’s lessons, I am sure encouraged to start looking for ways to become one!  It is such a blessing to be a GIRL!  God created us to be women for a reason!  He could have chosen to make you or I a male, but because of the special plan that He had for our lives and how He was going to use us to serve Him, He chose to make us a Girl!  I am honored to be a Girl!  I am honored to serve Him in whatever capacity He asks of me.

So, with that Ladies, I am going to turn today’s blog over to Megan so she can review this last week with you!  I pray that you will have an awesome weekend, and I’ll see you back here again on Sunday for next week’s reading assignments!   BE BLESSED!

Living Intentionally to Be My Best for Him,

Christi Wilson, Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

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HAPPY Friday, my dear friends!

WHAT A WEEK! I don’t know about all of you, but this book sure is rocking my world! It’s all good of course, but as I sort through all of the junk I am resolving and being released from FOR GOOD, I can’t help but be a super-girly emotional mess! God is healing some places in me that I didn’t even know were sick….. and I pray He is healing your heart and soul as well.

MONDAY: We had a giveaway and our BIG WINNER of that super cute t-shirt was Donna Slaten!!! Congratulations, Donna! We want to see a photo of you strutting your stuff in it once it arrives! 🙂

TUESDAY: We started off Week 2 learning what it means to have biblical femininity and to and live it out loud. Priscilla Shirer helped us to begin to understand the full scope of this aspect of our resolution by asking us to explore how we have seen feminist ideals affect women in the way they dress, act and make decisions. We thought about some ways we see young women today turning away from biblical womanhood and we mulled over what biblical principles of womanhood strike us as stifling or repressive.

That was a lot for my little head to digest…… but with all of your help, I made it through to day 2 and I’m glad you all did, too!  🙂

WEDNESDAY: We had a good time on day 2 as we talked all about how good it is to be a girl! What an affirming day this was! I loved how much I saw everyone encourage each other as being GOOD, NECESSARY, IMPORTANT, WORTHY, and TRUSTWORTHY in every single role we live in our precious lives on this earth! I struggled quite a bit with the “worthy’ part of this exercise and I heard from many of you that you did too, but what it all came down to was that even if WE don’t feel worthy, GOD deems us as super worthy and the more we let that seep into our hearts, we will believe it too and live our every role with the COURAGEOUS confidence that God calls us to have!

We also talked about the importance of raising our children and all the young people we come in contact with to understand submission to authority and the value of women. You all came up with some great ways YOU can influence the young people in your life to appreciate biblical femininity and be their very vest for God to get all the glory!

THURSDAY: It was all about submission in the last segment of reading for this week “Role Reversal.” With Priscilla’s help, we learned that surrendering to submission is not devaluing or demeaning your talents and gifts….. rather it provides boundaries within your potential can truly flourish! “Your strength can best be displayed, its benefits most fully experienced, when you choose the trusted, effective boundaries of God’s established order.” Wether leaders in your life live their responsibilities well or not, they will be held accountable for how they handle their role, just as we will be. It is our job to function well within our submitted roles all while we put our trust in God’s faithful love and goodness by obeying.

There is so much freedom and peace in that, dear sisters!

….and in that lies our second Resolution!

PURPOSEFULLY FEMININE

I will champion God’s model for womanhood in the face of a post feminist culture. I will teach it to my daughters and encourage its support by my sons.

Please sign here: x _________________________________

Please leave a comment below about one “ah-ha” moment for you this week! We want to know how this lesson spoke to your heart!

________________________________

Next week, our topic is
“Authentically Me— a resolution to value myself and celebrate others”.  
Oh…. I CAN’T WAIT for this!!!
 
Have a Great weekend Ladies!  See you again on Sunday with our assignments for next week!! 
Please keep in mind that if you have fallen behind in your reading, we weekend is a great time to get all caught up! 
 
Make today AMAZING, 
 
Megan <3 
www.glorytoglorylifecoaching.wordpress.com
 
Craig’s taking the Men’s Resolution Journey: 
www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com
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Let’s pray:
Father, thank You so much for all You showed us through Your Word about biblical femininity and thank You for every revelation in our spirit. We know it will be impossible to live this resolution OUT LOUD BOLDLY in our fallen world, but we know that through YOU all things are possible! We thank You Lord for what You are doing in all of our lives through this study.  We ask special blessings upon Priscilla Shirer, the author of Resolution, for the work she put into writing this amazing book!  I thank You for protecting all of our homes from any and all negativity and confusion that satan might try to throw our way to distract us from YOU purpose through this study. We love You Lord, in Jesus’ Name, AMEN!
 
After reading today’s blog, please return to our Online Bible Study Group on Facebook for your daily activity!  ♥  You just never know what we have in store for you!
 
 
If you are not currently a part of our Online Bible Study group, and would like to be, please send an email to GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!
Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Resolution for Women: Pretty In Print

July 10, 2012 by

And the winner of yesterday’s giveaway is…….

Donna Slaten!!!!!

Congratulations on being the winner of the gorgeous T-shirt!!! Donna, please email us @ GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com ASAP with your address & size (small to X-large) and it will be mailed to you within the next two weeks! WAY TO GO!!!!!

…and now for Pretty In Print!!!!!!

Memory Verse:

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:30

What Kind of Woman are you going to be?

One of my she-ros is Poet Laureate Maya Angelou. I would love to sit and have a nice cup of tea with her…. wouldn’t you? I honestly think that I have read everything that she has ever published and I have read it all more than once. She is 100% woman and I admire so much about her. Have you ever read her poem “Phenomenal Woman”? If you haven’t, now is your chance….

Phenomenal Woman

by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies.

I say, It’s in the reach of my arms The span of my hips,

The stride of my step, The curl of my lips.

I’m a woman Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, That’s me.
I walk into a room Just as cool as you please,

And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees.

I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, That’s me.
Men themselves have wondered What they see in me.

They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery.

When I try to show them They say they still can’t see.

I say, It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style.

I’m a woman
Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.
Now you understand Just why my head’s not bowed.

I don’t shout or jump about Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing It ought to make you proud.

I say, It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand,

The need of my care, ‘Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

 I believe THAT is the kind of woman God calls me to be. Phenomenal!!!! I can’t imagine Him expecting anything less from me, actually. As I devour His Word and let it breath into every aspect of my heart, soul, and being…. how can I be anything less than phenomenal for my God? He created me for it… specifically ME!!! I am the only woman on this earth who can do what He created me to do. If I don’t live each day to be intentional about my phenomenal femininity….. who will? He has created me to be ME….. every single circumstance and situation I have been in through my whole life has molded me into the perfect creature God has meant for me to be…. phenomenally for His glory!
Yes, I have seen how feminist ideals affect women in the way they dress, act and make decisions. I lived it for many years of my life. Those things have made me who I am now…. for better and for worse. They have helped me to appreciate all the more why I am here and look the way I look, act the way I act and make decisions the way I do for God to get all the glory! It wasn’t always for Him….. He knows that and He loves me anyway… purple hair and all!
How do I see young women turning away from biblical womanhood? I see them not being taught HOW to live with BOLD courage to embrace the incredible femininity that God means for all of us as Christian women. They are bombarded all day long everywhere they turn look and be how the world wants them to look and be…. and that anything else is NOT desirable or phenomenal and will not get them happiness, the job they want, success or a mate. As phenomenally feminine Christian women, it is OUR job to speak these biblical truths into their lives and into their influence. We cannot sit back and stay silent while we let the world influence our girls.
Personally, I do not feel stifled by any biblical principles of womanhood. I feel gloriously FREED by them! I am important, valued and treasured in the eyes of God. The world has never felt that way about me. The world will always tell me that i am not good enough, pretty enough, tall enough, short enough, thin enough or fat enough, dumb enough or smart enough. To God, I am perfect and wonderfully made. Period. He gives me guidelines in His Word to SET ME FREE, not to stifle me or make me feel repressed.
I don’t fit a mold… THANK GOD!!! I don’t look or act the way our world expects a God-loving, 36-year-old non-biological mother of 5 kids ages 14-20 should look or act. THANK GOD!!! I am phenomenal to my God and that is all that matters. My husband and my kids happen to love me just the way I am, so that is a nice bonus, too. I never fit into any mold growing up and I am so happy to say that as I have “matured” I have become more comfortable in my earth suit than ever and I can’t imagine being any other way.
God created you to be unique and to fill your shoes, and dress, the only way that YOU possibly can. Embrace it, dear sister, and know that you are PHENOMENAL just the way you are! Embrace your curves, embrace your femininity, embrace every way that you are uniquely YOU and live BOLDLY how GOD created you to be….. with biblical femininity and grace by just being YOU <3
Lord, I pray that You sing the sweetest love songs over each of Your precious daughters today. Show her how she specifically can live for YOU in her own uniquely phenomenal biblically feminine way. Help her to feel amazing in her earth suit and may You get all the glory, Lord, for the amazing way she stands for YOU in this fallen world. Renew her spirit today and help her see herself as you see her, Lord….. beautifully feminine in every way! Speak into her tender spirit about any priorities she might need to realign with Your Word on this issue, Father, and help guide her to be all that You have created her to be. In Your Son’s name we pray, amen <3

HOMEWORK:

Your assignment today… comment on this blog post about how YOU specifically can encourage women in your direct sphere of influence to turn towards biblical womanhood.

Be blessed and be a blessing….. and don’t forget to go back over to our Facebook group and see what fun we have for you over there today! 🙂

<3 Megan 🙂

my blog: www.glorytoglorylifecoaching.wordpress.com

Craig’s blog: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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The Resolution for Women — Weekly Overview

July 6, 2012 by

Well, how was your first week with The Resolution for Women?  Were you able to make some changes in your life, or at least see some areas where changes are needed?  I know I did!  I saw a few things!

Our Memory Verse of the week:  

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

Monday we talked about making “every bite count” and enjoying your life where you are right now!  Taking the time to smell the coffee, and enjoying what God has given you; scraping up every last crumb of that amazing dessert!  No matter what age you are, there is still time to start enjoying your life TODAY!  Resolve to make that change in your life; spend more quality time with your husband and children, and move on from there.

Tuesday we talked about the “secret” to contentment.  Do you remember what the secret is?  Choosing to recognize that God has already supplied us with everything we need in life, and choosing to be perfectly content with what He has already given us.  Only then will we be able to fully engage in life in a way that we never have before….living life to the fullest.

Wednesday we talked about His “overflowing blessings”.  Here we learned how to be more comfortable with giving, because we have learned that God’s got our back, no matter what!  To use the abundance that He has already given us to give to others, and not to worry about “what if I run short by giving what I have to someone else”.  This was truly an eye-opening chapter for me!!  How about you??

Thursday we talked about the “balancing point”.  Again, another eye-opening chapter, for me!  What is true contentment?  Priscilla describes in so many different ways in this chapter, but the one that I liked the best was this, “It’s a balance.  A holy equilibrium.  A genuine gratitude for what the day brings, all the while maintaining a controlled anticipation for tomorrow may offer.”  I LOVE that!!  Having gratitude for today, and a “controlled anticipation” for tomorrow!  Meaning, not allowing ourselves to get ahead of God and begin to worry about tomorrow!

I don’t know about you, but I have learned a lot in this section of the Resolution for Women!  Be sure to go back over this first section once more, before we head into next week.  Highlight areas in each chapter where you feel God is speaking to you about.  Then pray and ask Him to help you resolve to become increasingly satisfied in your life, as Paul was.  Ask Him to teach you to be content.  As Paul said, being content is a process that we need to learn.  It isn’t something that just happens overnight.  But it is something that can be learned!

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Next week, our topic is “Purposefully Feminine — a resolution to champion biblical femininity”.   Another awesome chapter!
 
Have a Great weekend Ladies!  See you again on Sunday! 
 
Living Intentionally for Him,
Christi
 
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Let’s pray:
Father, thank You so much for the lessons we have learned this week.  As Paul learned how to be content in all things, Lord, we ask that You help us learn to be content in all things, as well.  We understand that in our own power, it can’t be done completely, but through You, Lord, we can truly learn to be content!  We thank You Lord for what You are doing in our lives through this study.  We ask special blessings upon Priscilla Shirer, the author of this book, for the work she put into writing this amazing book!  We love You Lord, in Jesus’ Name, AMEN!
 
After reading today’s blog, please return to our Online Bible Study Group on Facebook for your daily activity!  ♥  You just never know what we have in store for you!
 
 
If you are not currently a part of our Online Bible Study group, and would like to be, please send an email to GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!
Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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