November 21, 2024

GCH:decaf — Meet Robin!

January 10, 2013 by

Hello Decaf!!!

I am so LOVING getting to know all of you! Amazing…this week, we have had the opportunity to meet Amber and Diamond, Michaela, so far, and now I have the privilege and honor of introducing to you all a very awesome young lady ; ) My kiddos and I enjoyed meeting and having lunch with her last month. She was with her mom and dad, and the young ladies (their parents) that she enjoys playing soccer with, in the tournaments that she competes in all over the U.S.! Is that amazing or what?!!! I think she has the coolest Mom ever 😉 She is pretty cool herself!! Have you guessed who my person is yet????

The young lady that I have the honor of introducing to you is none other than….Robin Bolme!

Robin is 17 years old and she lives in Smyrna, Tennessee…I’m going to get to visit there one day really soon.  😉

Robin in the sun

Robin’s favorite musician is Matt Redman and 10,000 Reasons is her favorite song. I am going to have to check him out for myself! Courageous is her favorite movie of all time! Castle is her favorite TV show and ANY sport on ESPN is what she loves to watch. On Saturday mornings, she also loves playing soccer, soccer, soccer…did I say soccer?!!! My kids and I tried to catch her in action at one of her tournaments, here in Memphis, but it was raining so hard on that day, that we decided to wait until the next time to go see her!

Robin’s favorite style to wear is Jeans, T-shirts, and flip flops (Toms occasionally). She likes to EAT and be active! The eating part reminds me of her visit here to Memphis! We met her parents, her and her teammates and their families at Hueys restaurant! We had never been there before, but I will tell you that everyone had a GREAT time!!! Adults and all!! When you are finished eating, you can take your toothpicks that they place in your sandwiches and you can place the toothpick in your straw and you can blow them up out of the straw at the ceiling. The ceiling is made of this special material that will hold the toothpicks, and I was told by Mama T that at the end of the year, they have a contest to see who can guess how many toothpicks are there and whoever guesses the closest, wins; and the money raised is then given to the charity that was chosen earlier that year. How amazing is that?!! Can I say that Robin was the Queen for that day!!! My Justin tried to keep up, but he was no competition for Robin…he came close….NOT!!! LOL!! Just by spending that time with her, I could tell that she LOVES a good competition  : )

Sole Mio, an Authentic Italian restaurant, is her favorite place to eat. I will have to say that I will have to find that restaurant as well, and check it out. We definitely have that in common…just love me some Italian food!!!! Yum, Yum, Yum!!!

Robin stated that the one thing that changed her life was “God blessing her with the ability to play soccer well. (I have to agree) She said that it has shaped what her life looks like and who she is.”

I have to share something with you girls about Robin that I found out through the grapevine ; ) Robin has the wonderful opportunity to play soccer on a US National team in Austria this summer!! How AWESOME is that!! This kid Rocks!!! A small select number of students are chosen each year to play, and Robin was chosen to be the Goalie!!!! She loves to travel, but she is a little nervous about traveling abroad, and not knowing anyone. I could understand that. Let’s send up prayers for Robin, that she goes and meets lots and lots of new friends!!! What an AWESOME opportunity that God has Blessed her with!!!

Congrats Robin from ALL of us here at GCH: Decaf!!! May God continue to take you higher and higher, in the name of Jesus!

 

Tonya

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please email GCH_Decaf@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

We’ll be starting our next online Bible study soon! So be sure to keep checking back for sign-up details to be posted soon!

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

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 4 / Day 2 – Know How to Choose Your Words

October 23, 2012 by

The last two weeks have been very eventful in our home.  My husband and I went on a vacation and get this…we left all the kids at home.  Yeah.  We did.  I left my house to a bunch of young women, all busy, all strong and expected them to take care of themselves and not trash the place.  You know what happens when six young women from 23 to 14 years old are left to their own devices and their own communication skills?????  Wonderful stuff.  Did they disagree?  Yep.  Did they get on each other’s nerves?  Absolutely.  Did they say stuff they shouldn’t have? Uh huh.  Did they apologize and make it right?  Yes they did.  All that BEFORE I came home on Saturday night.

Has forgiveness worked its way all the way through their hearts yet?  Not yet, but it’s working. They all love each other and know that we are a family no matter what so they are letting their hearts heal.  I am so proud of my girls.  They stepped up and took care of each other the way the Bible says they should.  The Bible doesn’t say that once you are a Christ follower you will never sin again, or struggle with the words that come out of your mouth.  It says that we can learn to keep our tongues from saying things that will hurt other people.

How can a young person keep their way pure?

By living according to your Word.

Psalm 119:9

Have you noticed that sometimes you go along and it seems easy to keep control of your words and sometimes, usually when you are tired or hungry or sleepy, something hits you the wrong way and you snap.  Something comes out of your mouth you wish you could take back immediately…but it’s too late.  Once those words come out of your mouth, you can’t take them back.

That’s what happened last week in my house.  One of my daughters had played 6 soccer games in two weeks and was tired, sore and hurt.  On top of that, her team lost the championship game and she was disappointed.  One of my daughters is a fixer, a look on the bright side kind of girl.  Nothing wrong with either girl, but the two were on a collision course.  I had no longer gotten the words out of my mouth to my oldest daughter to keep the two of them apart (for their own good) than one hurt the other and the other hurt right back.  Hurting people, hurt people.  That has been a hard lesson for my girls this week, but I am so proud of them for trying to put their relationship back together.  It has affected the whole family.  Their words and actions didn’t only hurt them, it touched us all.

What if someone, say an unbeliever, heard what my daughters said to one another?  What would that have done to their witness?  What would that person think about the God that my girls serve?  In the book of James 1:26 the Bible says this,

“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”

Ouch!!!  That hurts just to read.  Our actions reflect on Jesus.  Our actions reflect on our Father.  My daughters had to tell their parents about the argument and harsh words.  Their words reflected on the way we have tried to raise them.  Their reaction to be quick to forgive and ask forgiveness was very much what we have tried to teach them.  The only way I know if they have learned their lesson is during times like these when they have to live out LOVE for themselves.  Yes, my girls hurt each other.  Yes, they knew what to do to begin fixing the hurt.  YES, they LOVE each other enough to try.  I’m a proud mom.

So how are we to talk the talk and walk the walk?  Micah 6:8 says this, “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To ACT Justly and to LOVE Mercy and to WALK Humbly with your God.”

You may have heard songs using this verse.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

http://youtu.be/pkM-gDcmJeM                  Courageous by Casting Crowns

http://youtu.be/-Ja3O0VVCAM                 The Walk by Steven Curtis Chapman

So after all this, what really matters?  If you are gonna talk the talk you better be ready to walk the walk.  If you say you believe in Jesus and that you love one another, you had better be ready to put that love into action.  It’s not enough just to SAY it, we have to ACT it out.  Let the world catch you acting like Jesus.  That is the best role model you could ever show them.  Sure we are going to mess up.  We aren’t perfect. But in that imperfection, we show the world how to turn and ask for forgiveness, love each other the way Christ loved us and then they will want what we have…a WALK that truly shows the LOVE in our hearts.

Let’s Pray:  Dear Father, We come to you today to thank you for your example.  For being very clear about what it is you want for us and from us.  You have shown us what is good and what you require of us.  Lord, teach us to keep a tight rein on our tongues so we won’t hurt one another.  Help us to be sensitive when we mess up and do hurt someone.  Help us to make it right quickly, so the damage is not severe.  Lord, we thank you for your Word that teaches us how to live.  We want to live so that the world will want a WALK like we have.  Talk is cheap, but the proof of your love is in our walk.  We love you, Lord.     AMEN (z)

Choose today to let your tongue bring healing to those around you.  Choose LIFE with your words.  I love you.

Mama T

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

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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A Daughter’s Worth: Week 4 / Day1 – Protecting HIS Name

October 22, 2012 by

 

There is this sick feeling I get sometimes.  One that leaves me feeling, honestly, to be the worst person in the world.  This feeling happens just after I choose to NOT stand up for my God in Heaven or anything I say I stand for.  It is the feeling of defeat, disappointment.  These feelings I never want, but somehow I get stuck with them when I do not want to defend my Savior.

During my teenage years I struggled with this the most.  I did not like the fact that I stood out from the rest of my “friends” because I went to church, or grew up in a pretty strict home. I tried to fit into being a cool, carefree girl, not having any real opinion or beliefs on God-all I knew about Him at the time was that He was in my heart but I did not know what that meant. I did not stand up for God or try to shine His light; instead I blew it out every morning before school. I didn’t want anyone to think I was weird or different. I did not fully understand what a relationship with God was. I was not about to try to figure it out when I could just be a fun girl with lots of friends.

Lots of friends quickly turned into no friends.  I didn’t understand this at all, I was doing what I thought they wanted me to do, why did they not like me?  I honestly believe that God was protecting me by taking me away from all of these relationships.  These friendships were not positive ones.  They were not bringing glory to God, nor were they lifting me up or encouraging me in my walk with Christ.   To my complete surprise, even though my friends had all left me, there was one friend that stuck like glue.  It was Jesus.

When I started learning about this relationship with God, I started to get that sick feeling.  Knowing the comfort the Lord so graciously gave me during this time, left me feeling so sick about how I was acting when it came to God being a part of my life.  I was so mad at myself for being so ashamed of wanting to KNOW GOD MORE. I was so disappointed in myself for not sticking up for God, or being confident in HIM.  This is why I so desperately want to help every single teenage girl come to know the love of God that they must defend every moment of every day.

My teenage years did not go so well.  I am so thankful that YOURS do not have to be anything like mine!  You have the strength and courage of the Holy Spirit living inside of you.  That power can make you be a difference maker in your school, home, or church.  YOU have the responsibility of standing up for God in a world that wants to push Him down.  You have the ability to share what HE is to you with others.  If you are scared or nervous or afraid you will not be liked, remember this verse: 1 Peter 4:14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.  If the result of standing up for God causes you to be unliked (totally made that word up) by many or even friendless, DO NOT FEAR!  In fact, you can rejoice because God tells you, YOU WILL BE BLESSED for standing up for the name of Jesus Christ!

As you are put in many different situations each day, resist the sick feeling.  Desire to feel the best feeling ever (that replaces the sick feeling when you honor God by defending His holy name) …the love of Jesus Christ and the joy His heart bursts with when He sees and hears you living as He wants.

Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your love.  I thank you that we have YOUR power inside of us to protect, defend, and stand up for your name.  I ask that as we go through our days, we are able to have the courage to stand up for what is right.  Give us the right words to say to share YOU with everyone you bring along our path.  Thank you for being with us and replacing that once sick feeling, with your blessings.  I love you!!  I pray all of these things in your precious name, Amen.

MUCH LOVE,

Diane

____________________________________________

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

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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The End of the Resolution: Leaving a Godly Legacy

September 23, 2012 by

 

I can’t believe this is the last chapter!  This study has gone by so fast!  I have enjoyed every single chapter; every blog post about these chapters; the prayers that have gone forth; the wisdom revealed; and so much more!  This has truly been one of the best studies I’ve done!

To close this study, the last chapter is about “Leaving a Godly Legacy…A Resolution to live today with tomorrow in mind.”

With the recent passing of my step-father, attending his funeral reiterated for me just how important it is to leave behind a good legacy.  But what about leaving behind a godly legacy?  I had to think about that for a minute.   When my life ends, will my children know without a doubt how much I loved Jesus?  Have I been a godly example to them?  Have I been Jesus with “skin 0n” to them?

Or not.

It’s the “or not” that I am sure all of us never wants to happen.  So let’s take this last chapter and learn exactly what it means to leave a godly legacy.  Let’s learn how to live today with tomorrow in mind.  And let’s don’t ever forget what we will learn.

 

Your Reading Assignment:

Monday: Read Choose Wisely  — Megan blogging

Tuesday: Read Unexpected Legacy AND Set In Stones – Beverly blogging

Wednesday: Introducing Donna Day — NEW Blogger for Women’s Ministry

Thursday:  Introducing Jennifer Mlcenzyski — NEW Blogger for Women’s Ministry

Friday: Introducing Sarah Boyer — NEW Blogger for Women’s Ministry

 

I hope you will join us in welcoming our brand new bloggers for the Women’s Ministry!  I’m very excited to see them on board with us.  We won’t be seeing Megan blog here for the Women’s Ministry anymore because she has started a brand new TEENS Group for Girlfriends Coffee Hour, and will be very busy heading that up!  I hope you will stop in and drop her a line every now and then.  You will see our “TEENS” link the top part of our webpage.  I’m sure she would love it if you stopped by!

Don’t forget!!! Our next Women’s Online Bible Study starts next week on October 1, 2012!!  We will begin an awesome study by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller, “Winning Him Without Words…10 Keys to Thriving in a Spiritually Mismatched Marriage“.  We are VERY excited about this study!!  This study will end on December 13th.  I hope you will join us!!  To sign up for this study, please email us at

WOMENS@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

We will send you all the details to get registered.  All you will need is a copy of the book, a pen/pencil, your bible, and a journal (if you like).  Each day, Monday through Friday, we will blog about this study RIGHT HERE on our website!  Then you will go to our Facebook Discussion Group, where we have set up a SECRET Facebook Group, so you can share your thoughts privately with just the women in that group.  The Facebook Groups are an awesome way to let your hair down, be yourself, be real, and not have to worry about the whole world reading your thoughts!  Plus, it’s a GREAT way to meet other Christian like-minded women and build friendships all over the world!  Give it a try!

That’s it for today!

We’ll see you tomorrow!

God Bless!! 🙂

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

The Resolution for Women: Week 5 – Boxes

July 30, 2012 by

Today, in The Resolution for Women, we talk about boxes.  Not the kind of boxes you bring your groceries home in, or the kind you pack your belongings in, or even the kind that you ship something in.  We are going to talk about the many boxes that women have in their lives, while still trying to achieve perfect balance in their life.

Are you guilty of having too many boxes?  Before you can answer that, you have to know what that question means first.  What I am asking here is how many things you have going on in your life that is pulling you in this direction, and that direction, and making you feel like your life is so out of balance!!!

Let’s take a look at our lives for a minute…..  How many boxes do we women have in our lives?

1.  Box for the Lord

2. Box for husband

3. Box for children / children’s activities

4. Box for taking care of home

5. Box for work

6. Box for family / friends

7. Box for church / ministry

8. Box for Self

9. Box for bible study

10. Box for community outreach

That’s ten different boxes, and that’s even with doubling some of them up into one box!

We women have a lot of responsibilities in our lives!  Many different boxes to take care of.  As you can see just from the boxes above that include just normal life, there is real good reason to see how a woman can get stressed sometimes, especially if she is focusing in so many different boxes that she isn’t able to give completely to the boxes that are important.

When we take on more than what God has called us to take on, our boxes begin to fall and crumble.  They don’t stay in their neat stack, the way God designed them to be.  When we don’t consider God’s priorities in our lives, we find ourselves having to move this box ahead of this one, and pushing that one behind another, and stressing because we really did need to do something with the original box, but now it needs to wait because you’ve fallen short in another box.  Can you see how this can happen??

God has called us to have order in our lives.  He has called us to set priorities and boundaries so that we can live a life that is balanced and not in chaos; feeling as if we are being pulled in so many different directions, that we don’t even know which direction we are supposed to go anymore.

So, how do we get our boxes neatly stacked and in order again?  You start by seeking God and what He wants as a priority in your life.  Then you start removing the boxes He says needs to go.  If that means you don’t do as many bible studies or serve in as many ministries as you once did, then so be it.  God knows what will bring balance into your life; and He knows which bible studies you need to be working on!

Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, that we find ourselves involved in so many bible studies, or Facebook groups, outside activities, community events, and so on, that we find other areas of our life is suffering because we are spending so much unnecessary time on these other activities that God didn’t want us in, in the first place!

Home life begins to suffer because we have so many different boxes that we are involved in.  Which is our main priority…home or ministry (also insert community events here)?  Your home is your first priority.  Your home is your ministry.  If your home is suffering because you are never home due to the number of ministries you are serving in, or other events you have volunteered for, you need to learn to start saying no.  God will find someone else to fill that position for that ministry or event, no doubt.  You do not have to do it all.  You are not Superwoman!  We like to think we are….but we are not!

Another thing to consider about being out of balance is that once we stretch ourselves into so many different boxes, we begin to get weaker.  Think of a rubber band.  Before the rubber band is stretched, it has a lot of strength and resistance.  But the more and more we stretch the rubber band, the less strength and resistance it has, and sooner or later it snaps!!

Spreading yourself too thin and into more and more of what God has not called you to do is like stretching your own rubber band.  The more boxes you put into your life, the further and further you are being stretched.  The further and further your rubber band is stretched, the less strength and resistance you have; the more health problems you begin to have; the more chaos you will see at home; and so on….and sooner or later, YOU WILL SNAP!!  Then what good are you to anyone, especially God??

Ladies, it’s time to take a serious look at our lives and the boxes we have lined up in front of us with our name on it.  It’s time to start seeking God and asking Him which box you can close and put it away neatly until He calls you to take that box out again.  It’s time to set some priorities.  It’s time to say no to some things, even if they look fun or popular!!  It’s time to step away from the things in our lives that is sucking the life out of us.  It’s time to start taking back your life, your family, your time with God, and time for yourself!!

Priscilla says on page 91, “Balance is not when the boxes are equally filled but when we are free to fill only those that are important for now, without feeling guilt over the ones that we’ve left for another time and place.  This is balance, little sister.  Remember it.”

____________________

Let’s pray: 

Father, we seek You today and ask Lord that You show us the boxes in our lives that need to be removed and stored away for another time in our life.  Father we ask that You give us wisdom as we review the areas in our lives that may be causing us to become out of balance, and give us direction on how to close these boxes.  Lord, help us to say no, when we need to say no.  Help us to not feel guilty, or that we are letting someone down if we don’t say yes.  Help us to achieve the kind of balance that YOU want in our lives; the kind that will bring us the peace that we so desire Lord.  Father, help us to put our priorities back into perspective, once again.  In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

Your Assignment:

Share below which boxes you currently have in your life.  How many different boxes are you handling?  Then ask the Lord which box(es) He wants you to remove from your life, to help you find more balance.  In the comments section below, share which box(es) that is, and how you plan to put that box away for now.  How will you find balance in your life so that you are more able to serve Him.

After you have completed this assignment here, go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group, and see what fun activity we have for you there!  You never now what we will come up with!!  If you do not belong to a Online Bible Study Group, and would like to, please email us at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we will be happy to add you!

Be Blessed,

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

The Resolution for Women: I’d Like a Word with You

July 26, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

We’ve talked a lot about Quiet Time this week, and being faithful to that time with God.  We’ve talked about Divine Appointments and being Faithfully His.  We were asked in one of our blogs this week to define what faith and faithfulness means to us.  Were you able to really sit down and think that through?

What does being “Faithfully His” really mean to you?  I’d like to start by seeing what it means to God, first.

In order to find out what being faithful means to God, we have to start by looking at His Word.  His Word….the infallible Truth.  He has given us His Word to teach us; mold us; refresh us; revive us; save us; teach us obedience; to draw us closer to Him; to show us how much He loves us; and to transform us.

He is faithful in His Word.  His Word is truth.  His Word is alive and sharper than any two-edged sword.  His Word is active in our lives, every single day.  His Word is living, and never returns void.  His Word is unchanging.  He Word is eternal.  His word is an historical account of where we come from, and where we are going.  His Word is love.

His Word defines who we are in Christ.  It lifts us up, and encourages us.  It speaks intimately and personally to reveal His purpose for our life!

There is so much to be seen in God’s Word!  It is up to us, though, to be faithful in reading His Word every day.

It is up to us to open this beautiful book of LIFE, and allow God to speak to us; to pour out His amazing Spirit upon us.

It is up to us to be consistent and intentional about allowing God to speak to us through His Word … in our Quiet Time.

It is up to us to choose to shut down the outside noise of life, and to just sit quietly with Him, allowing His Word to permeate our souls and our minds; to allow Him to reach us deep down inside.  That is the only way we will hear the voice of the Shepherd.

It is up to us to CHOOSE to spend this time with Him; to be faithful to Him through this time each day.

__________________

What if God suddenly decided one day not to be faithful to us anymore?  What would our world look like?  What would our marriage be like?  What would our kids be like?  That, my friends, to me, is a scary thought!!  I thank God every day for His faithfulness to me; for always being there, no matter what the circumstances, or time of day; and for always providing for me.

I see many prayer requests every day.  I see us all reaching out to Him, asking prayer for this or that.  Are we faithful to really seek Him for those answers?  Or is it easier to just put the request out there, and ask others to do the work for us?  I don’t mean that in a hateful way, either.  What I mean to say here is this, is it easier for someone else to pray for you, instead of you spending that time with God one on one?

Are you as faithful to Him, as He is to you?  Are you available to Him, when He needs to speak to you?  To be honest, I haven’t always been that faithful to Him.  Even today, I can see areas of my life that I need to resolve to become even more faithful to Him.

What about you?  Can you see areas of your life that you have chosen to let the world, or your circumstances, rob your time with Him?  Can you see areas of your own life where you haven’t been as faithful to Him, as you could be?  What can you do TODAY to change that??

___________________

In this chapter, Priscilla has shared five pages of scriptures with us.  She has suggested that we use these scriptures as affirmations over our lives, and the lives of our loved ones.  She has referenced not only the scripture, but the verse it comes from, as well.

I would encourage you to go through this list of scriptures and highlight the ones that speak to you; and then go to your bible, His Word, and find them there, and highlight them.  Date the scriptures in your bible, as the day that God spoke to you in His Word!  Speak these scriptures out loud, so you can audibly hear them with your own ears.  Faith comes by hearing the Word.  Speak these scriptures out over yourself and your loved ones each day during the quiet time that you are now going to choose to set aside for Him; and then just watch God’s word come alive!!! 

His Word will help renew your mind and your faith; and even your actions and attitudes toward Him will be changed!  Praise God!!

__________________

I will close today with our latest resolution:

 

 

I, __________________, will live as a woman answerable to God and faithfully committed to His Word.

Signed:  Christi Wilson

 

Will you join me in this resolution, as well?

______________________

Let’s Pray:

Father, we come before You today Lord, and ask for Your forgiveness for the times that we have not been as faithful to You as we could have been.  Forgive us Lord for the times that we have chosen worldly distractions over our time with You.  Forgive us for not being there when You needed us, Lord.  Father, we thank You for that forgiveness right now, and from this day forward we resolve to be more committed to Your Word, and more faithful to You.  In Jesus’ Name, the Name above All Names, Amen! 

Your Assignment:

Set aside some time today to spend with the Lord.  Ask His forgiveness for the times that you have chosen other things over Him.  Repent and receive His forgiveness, and then resolve to make better choices where He is concerned in your life.  Do whatever it takes to make time for Him, each and every day!

Don’t forget to head back over to your Facebook OBS Group and see what we have in store for you today!!  If you don’t yet belong to a Facebook OBS (Online Bible Study) Group, and would like to, please send us an email at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to add you!! 

Living Intentionally to Become More Faithful to My Lord and Savior,

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

The Resolution for Women: Divine Appointments

July 24, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

Priscilla so eloquently points out to us in this lesson that in Resolving to be faithfully His, we are….

  • Women who lean into His voice- listening, heeding, conforming our will to His.
  • Women who uphold the laurels of Scripture in the face of contrary opinion.
  • Women who do not ultimately answer to earthly authorities but to the One who created us, and called us to Himself.
  • Women who live with heaven’s purpose in view and heaven;s whisper in our soul.
  • In the world, but we are not of the world- not controlled by it, consumed by it, compelled by it
  • Heaven called, pursuing His purposes and driven by the passions He has placed within our hearts.

THIS is what makes us uniquely His! No matter what our sin-filled world throws at us, we will stand strong, ever faithful, to HIM and the laurels of His Word!

James 1:3 (ESV)

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Amen!!!! We KNOW that we will be tested and we KNOW that we will not always be our best and do our best to pass the test…. but THANK GOD He loves us anyway! Each and every single one of us as daughters of the Most-high King have a heavenly calling God has uniquely and divinely designed us to fill.

We will not be perfect, but we MUST be purposeful!

We will not live without blemish, but we are marked with God’s PRESENCE!

We must not be swayed by the whims and fleeting passions of this world, but be fiercely focused on Heaven’s call!

“The faithful are those who resolve to despise the pathways of earthly success

in exchange for the divine mission

given specifically and uniquely by the Father.”

So, it is time that we all ask ourselves the BIG QUESTIONS:

  • What do you sense Heaven is calling you to do and be?
  • What do you believe to be God’s overarching purpose for creating you and then setting you down in THIS generation at THIS particular point in history?
  • Are you seeking to discover it as you wake up in the morning listening for the hush of Heaven?

Do you know that THE BEST WAY to begin is by being faithful to what God has set before you RIGHT NOW? That is the truth! In this very season, you are being called to be uniquely YOU for HIS purpose. Please, dear one, don’t miss it!!! Don’t rush ahead and don’t lag behind! He needs so intentionally PRESENT in your current situation and circumstance for a divine reason. You might not like it, but really, it is not about YOU! You are here for a higher purpose and He will equip you with all you need for His purpose to be fulfilled. Live BOLDLY for HIM in this season! He CHOSE YOU!!!

No rain-checks allowed, dear friends! No re-scheduling and no cancelling. This divine Appointment is meant for YOU and YOU ALONE. Don’t miss it. Don’t be late. Just show up and let Him lead!

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, we come to you today with bold abandon! Father, we ask that you make our divine appointments crystal clear to us in our current seasons so that we can fulfill the unique purpose You have for us in this time and place. We don’t want to miss a thing, Lord! Help strengthen us supernaturally to keep us committed to what You are calling us to do and not be distracted by our fallen world. Lord, help us each day to stand in the gap for our sisters where needed to ensure that your purposes be fulfilled. We love you, Lord, and we thank you in advance for all you will do in our hearts, minds, souls and spirits! In Your son’s matchless name we pray, amen <3

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Your Assignment Today:

What is calling you to do and be in your current season? What is standing in your way of fulfilling this purpose in this season?

Share below in the comments section, what you will do this week to clear the way for God’s purpose within you to be fulfilled.  Then go on over to your OBS Facebook Group to see what we have planned for you today!  You just never know what we will come up with next!!

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

Ladies, I believe in you and know I am praying for you every step of the way as we resolve to be different, changed and so Faithfully His! He deserves our very best and may He get all the glory!

Many blessings,

Megan 🙂

Keep up with my journey on my blog here:

www.glorytoglorylifecoaching.wordpress.com

…and my husband Craig as he is on the Resolution for Men journey:

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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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!

_________________

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!

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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!
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