December 24, 2024

Crazy Love – Week 2 / Chapter 2 “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” Weekly Review

January 18, 2013 by

Weekly Review

This week has been all about living in the present and living each day as if it were our last. Here’s a re-cap…

Monday, I shared with you about living each day as if you don’t have another…not putting things off and certainly not wasting time we have on this earth.

Martha had some pretty bold words for us on Tuesday about it being not about YOU. She warned us that we all really need to get over ourselves. Ouch…. But so very true.

On Wednesday, Donna shared with us about legacy and had us ask ourselves a very important question…. “What will you leave behind?”

Jennifer shared Brooke’s story with us on Thursday and we were all totally inspired to action about how fully we are living our lives to point people to God!

Yes… this has certainly been a powerful week and I pray each lesson has been a blessing to you <3

 

Francis Chan has THIS video for us about Chapter 2. Please watch it now…..

 Your Assignment:

What is your one BIG TAKEAWAY from this chapter and Francis Chan’s video for us for this week? How has this kicked you into action for change? Please share with us below 🙂

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, thank You for another week and for the blessing of this study. I pray that as we go into our weekend, that You continue to mold our hearts and help us to begin today to live like we have no tomorrow. Help us turn hearts to You, Father, and live OUT LOUD for Your glory! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen! 

Blessings,

Megan 

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

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

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

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Crazy Love: Week 2 / Chapter 2 – “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” (Brooke’s Story)

January 17, 2013 by

“You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age.”

— Brooke Bronkowski —

___________________________

I will be honest with you. When I read through this section of the chapter, at first I felt a sense of hopelessness. How does someone so young inspire so many? How does someone so young preach the gospel to her peers, hand out Bibles, and share the love of Christ without fear? And, how does someone so young, who could have done so much more, die at such a young age?

At her funeral service, at least 200 students came forward and accepted Christ. 200 students. God used the life of a willing servant, who happened to be just 14 years old, to transform hundreds of lives while she was alive as well as through her passing.

What am I doing to have an impact? What could I ever do that would have that great of an impact? If I take a good, long, hard look in the mirror, can I truly say that I am a willing servant?

(Stay with me here. . . I know we are digging through a lot of deep stuff in this study!)

God has divinely placed each and every one of us where He wants us to be. You are uniquely female for a reason. You are in your family unit, married to a certain person (or single), raising particular children, all for a purpose. You are in your job not by chance, but because God willed you to be there. If we believe that the Lord is ruler of all; that He orchestrates all things and directs our every step, then we know the following to be true—our daily interactions with store clerks, salespeople, neighbors, and family are placed in our path for a reason. Not one thing is by chance. Every moment of our lives comes from above.

I am sure that each of us has experienced a divine appointment with someone in this world. It could have been a stranger (did someone pay your toll? hold the door? smile at you for no reason?) or someone who we know well (a spiritual mentor, a family member, or friend). God places people in our lives at certain times to serve a need that we have. He shows His love and faithfulness to us in this way.

On the flip-side…have you ever thought about God divinely using you in someone else’s life to help them meet a need that the Lord knows that they have? It could be as simple as a friendly smile or holding a door. It could be more-–buying coffee or lunch for the person in the drive-thru behind you or starting a conversation. Are you actively looking for these moments? Do you go through your day seeking God and waiting for Him to speak to your heart?

The differences we make in this life do not have to be extravagant. We are all wired differently to serve a specific purpose for our Lord. Just because you do not hand out Bibles or share the gospel with everyone you meet does not mean you are not of worth or of value to God. We are difference-makers by actively seeking our Lord, listening to what He says, and looking for opportunities to do His Will in this earthly world. God wants a willing servant. When He has your heart, He will direct your steps. And all of our steps are different.

So, although at first I felt a sense of hopelessness and condemnation reading the author’s words in this section, because that is what Satan wanted me to feel…now I know that God is using me in the way He knows He can. He used Brooke in the way He knew would work in HER life, based on her divinely created personality and attributes. And He will use YOU, too…as long as you listen and let Him. Brooke’s story is amazing…but so is yours.  Amen?

LET’S PRAY:

Father, as we reflect on the life of young Brooke, let us not lose heart for what we are not doing; yet, let us look forward to what we can still do while we are here. Help us to lay the past down and to forgive ourselves for any missed opportunities. Continue to work in and through us as we go about our daily lives, showing us who we can serve and how we can serve them. Let us become willing servants for You, oh Lord. In Jesus name, we pray–Amen!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Leave a comment and answer this question: How can we live differently knowing that the next interaction we have with someone, even a stranger, is one that is divinely orchestrated by the Lord?

 

Would you like to read a bit more about Brooke? I found a link to this news article discussing her accident where her friends talked about her deep faith. An incredible young girl.

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

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

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

 

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Crazy Love: Week 2 – You Might Not Finish This Chapter pages 45-47

January 16, 2013 by

ARE YOU READY?

This question should get us thinking. I would like to think I would be like Stan, ready to meet Jesus with His name on my lips if these were my last words. But am I really? None of us knows how long we have here; God is the only one who plans that. We are not in control.

Now that concept makes me feel a little uneasy, being a bit of a control freak. I like knowing the next move; I like routine; I like everything falling into place. So I have learned over the years to roll with the punches and leave it in God’s very capable hands. When you have a husband or children, you know (or quickly learn) life is not always going to be set. You can make plans, but they sometimes have to be changed on the fly. I have learned this lesson the hard way at times.  Then again, it is somewhat freeing to know that we have a big God who has our steps counted out and has a plan for our lives. Especially when we think about lasting things.

Do we take every opportunity to share Jesus with people we know are lost? I’m guilty of not taking advantage of those times. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and think I don’t have the time. Sometimes it’s my own selfishness that hinders me; and other times it’s been because I worry what they will think of me, if they’ll think I’m some kind of crazy person.

About 10 years ago I worked at a “Coffee Cart” in our local library. It was just a small cart that served snacks, Latte’s and Cappuccino’s. It was tucked away in the back corner of the bottom floor of the library. I worked there for over 5 years til they closed down. During that time, I felt God giving me a new way to look at people. All walks of people came through the library. Most of them would stop and get a snack or something. I saw hurting, lonely people and my heart went out to them. So I prayed that God would give me boldness to share Jesus with them. I’ll tell you I was never so blessed in my life! I was able to encourage and share Jesus and sometimes they even let me pray for them! It’s so amazing how God works that out when we move ourselves out of the way and let Him take over. I don’t know if I left lasting memories of myself, and I don’t care. I just pray that they had an encounter with Jesus and hopefully changed their lives.

Have we taken the time to ask God to give us boldness in our everyday lives? To our co-worker who needs a kind word or to that waitress who is so tired and has had a bad day? How about our own family members who we know are lost?

Never in a million years would I think that one of my children, who was brought up in the truth, would not be serving God today. I have a 21-year-old son who has fallen away from God and chosen not to serve Him, at this moment. I haven’t lost hope though. I pray for him on a daily basis and trust God for his salvation. I also know it’s my son’s choice. He knows the truth. All I can do is pray for him, love him unconditionally, and leave little nuggets of Jesus in him every time I see him. He knows I pray for him, I’ve told him that. And I am the first person he calls when life gets tough. We have a good relationship in spite of his choice. I pray though that what he remembers most about his mom is that she loves Jesus. I want Christ to be my legacy. And someday I hope he will take it to heart and accept Jesus Christ for himself.

As Mr. Chan says on page 46, ” in fifty years, give or take a few decades, everyone we know will be gone.”

 

What will we leave behind?

In Christ,

Donna

Let’s Pray:

Oh God help us today to be bold, to see people as You see them. To love them with YOUR heart. Give us opportunities to share Jesus with someone and then let You work. For the glory of God. In Jesus’ name we pray-Amen

Your Assignment:

What kind of legacy are we leaving for the next generation to see? Would you be brave and ask God for boldness to share His message with people you meet?  He will give you the right words and people in your daily path if you just ask Him. Let us all know what you think you can do and then let’s pray for one another as we leave our legacies of faithfulness.

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

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

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

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Crazy Love – Week 2 / Chapter 2: “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” pgs. 40-45

January 15, 2013 by

It is Tuesday, and my day to blog.  Please don’t tell Christi, our Administrator,  but I don’t have a blog ready to post.  Absolutely nothing would come to my mind to write.  Well, nothing that was creative, descriptive, fun, exciting – – something that I thought would impress you and keep you leaning on your seats for more of my writing.

So, for the past week, I have gone to bed every night, shall we say, a little bit – – STRESSED.

I so related to Chan’s thoughts on worry and stress as it pertained to the ministry God has called him into on pages 40-41.  For the past few years, God has opened up doors of opportunities for me to write and teach that I never dreamed would be a part of my life.

“Hey, God,” I want to shout:  “You have opened up doors for me, but it is killing me at times trying to meet all these deadlines.  I don’t mean to complain, but I thought I had retired.  Talk about justified stress!  I think I fit the bill!  Just take a look at the things You are asking me to be responsible for.  For starters  – – – –

“Whoa, whoa,  whoa,” I suddenly heard God shouting back at me. “Go back and read Chan’s words on page 44:  “You need to get over yourself!”

As that phrase zoomed out in front of me, my thoughts turned back to writing this blog.  Perhaps that is why I couldn’t think of anything to write this week – – God was trying to teach me a lesson. Did He really need me?  After all, where was I when He created the world?

At that point, a song kept going over and over in my mind, and that is what I want to leave you with today.  Perhaps it will minister to you more than any words I could pin at this time.

Let’s listen to it together.

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Be blessed,

Martha

Let’s Pray: 

Father God, help us to remember that life is like a vapor.  May we relax and enter into Your presence, rejoicing always and not be anxious for anything.  May we roll all our cares on You, knowing that You are in control.   In Jesus name I pray, Amen

 

Your Assignment: 

Be honest.  Tell how those words “You need to get over yourselves”  relate to you?”

If you would like more information about Crazy Love Bible study, please email us at: GCH_Womens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com, OR click HERE to be taken to the sign-up page.

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

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Crazy Love – Week 2 / Chapter 2: “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” pgs. 39-40

January 14, 2013 by

James 4 13-14

Do you live each day as if your life could go on forever… or like you could die at any moment?

A little light discussion for today, right? I know, I know….. you’re thinking:

“But Megan….. it’s MONDAY!!!!!!” Yes, it is… and what if it was your LAST?

If you’re anything like me, on any given day you are spread in any number of directions. You are top chef, home manager, taxi driver, appointment setter, taker and reminder. You take care of everyone in your life…. and pray you maybe have some time in your day to care about YOUR hopes, wants, dreams ands needs in there, too.

Mr. Chan brings to our attention in our reading today that “on the average day, we live caught up in ourselves.” Ouch. I hate to admit this as much as you do, but he’s right….. isn’t he? Today needs to be the day that you look at every day forward (including today) differently.

Just stop for a second and catalog what all had to happen in order for you to even be reading this blog….. What does that REALLY look like? It doesn’t just happen, you know?  I’m not even going to get unto how you actually got to the place where you are reading this blog because I could write for days just on that idea alone……. but simply for your computer to be able to function in such a way as to bring these simple words and images on a screen for your eyes to feast on….. THAT is amazing. I realize that this blog is probably not a life-saving thing for you and you would certainly survive if, for some reason, technology wasn’t being your friend today and you were unable to read these fine words……

….but how AWESOME is it that it DOES work? Each little megabyte and gigabyte…. they all work together for the glory of God to give you some food for thought as you prepare your day. That is pretty neat… and it is certainly bigger than you or me.

We always act like we have more time… That we will just do “it” tomorrow or that “it” can wait. What if there is no tomorrow? Y0u certainly would have missed this message if you didn’t read it today and I can’t help but then think that maybe lives would miss out on your perspective about it as a comment that you didn’t post as a comment for the world to see all because you missed the message.

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Goodness gracious…. please leave a comment today because it certainly is not guaranteed that you will be able to do it tomorrow 🙂

I think that NOW is a good time to pray <3

Dear Lord, thank You for this revelation as we begin our second week of this study. Help us today to begin anew living in the moment and not caught up in the past or the future…. but letting YOU lead and guide our steps in the now to be able to live abundantly in Your presence daily. Thank you, Lord, for this provision! Help us to live with a new sense of urgency with Your plan in the forefront of our hearts and minds. We love You Lord and we thank You for this guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen <3

Your Assignment…..

How DO you live each day??? Do you live each day as if your life could go on forever… or like you could die at any moment? What do you need to change TODAY to begin to live with the urgency that God wants of you? Please leave me a comment below and let’s get this conversation started without delay!

Blessings,

Megan 🙂

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If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study for Crazy Love, click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

If you would like to email a private message to Megan in regards to this blog, please email her at: megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

 

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Crazy Love – Week 2 / Chapter 2: “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” Reading Assignment

January 13, 2013 by

1Cor10_31

We made it through week one! And what a week it was! There is so much to dig through in this book! This week’s chapter will really get your wheels turning and make you think about how you are spending the time you have on this Earth. So, let’s get right to it!

 

Chapter 2: “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” Reading Assignment

Monday: Chapter 2 “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” pgs. 39-40 (Megan)

Tuesday: Chapter 2 “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” pgs. 40-45 (Justified Stress) (Martha)

Wednesday: Chapter 2 “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” pgs. 45-47 (Thank God We Are Weak/Are You Ready) (Donna)

Thursday: Chapter 2 “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” pgs. 47-51 (Brooke’s story through end of chapter) (Jennifer)

Friday: Chapter 2 “You Might Not Finish This Chapter” Weekly Review and Chapter 2 Study Video from YouTube (Megan)

LET’S PRAY:
Lord, we come before You this Lord’s Day and ask that You prepare our hearts and our minds as we read the next chapter in our study. Convict us where we need convicting; teach us where we need teaching; guide us where we need guiding. Father, show us how to live our lives here on Earth to the fullest, following your lead, and doing Your will. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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

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

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

 

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Crazy Love – Week 1/ Chapter 1: “Stop Praying” Weekly Review

January 11, 2013 by

 

Can you believe the first week of the incredible study is coming to a close? I am in shock! What an awesome week! Not only have the blogs been amazing, but I have enjoyed reading all of your comments and insight so much! God is so good! Please join me as I take a brief look back on week one…

Monday you and I were urged to stop praying and start exploring how we are coming to God in our quiet time. Mr. Chan asked us to take some time to dig deep and really take a look at our posture as we come into the presence of Our Lord and Savior.

Martha took a deeper look at God’s vast creation with all of us on Tuesday and she also had us think back about our relationship with our earthly father. We were asked to meditate on God’s greatness and wonder.

Donna took us on quite a journey on Wednesday as we explored the many attributes of God. We were asked to take a look at what holds us back from acknowledging God for who He is.

On Thursday, Jennifer worked through with us how so many aspects of God are bigger than anything we can even comprehend. We read about Isaiah and John and we were urged to again to be quiet and still before our Creator as we focus on His greatness in awe.

Francis Chan has a video for you as we complete chapter 1. I would love for you to watch it now….

In this video, Mr. Chan talks about asking God to create something new for you… not to repeat great quiet times you have had with Him in the past but a NEW awesome time with Him and in His presence! A new fire… a new passion! Let’s take a hard, real look at our prayer life where it maybe has become routine and breathe new life into it TODAY!

Let’s Pray….

Lord, thank You for all of the wonderful insight given to us this week about our prayer time with You. Thank You for so faithfully meeting us right where we are, and Father we thank You for breathing new life into our souls today! Help us to be contagious, spreading your light to all the lives we interact with today and may our passion for You be evident to every life we touch. We love You in a crazy way, Father, and we ask You to keep stoking this fire that is growing within. We crave to be forever changed by You and Your Word. In Your Son’s matchless name we pray, Amen <3

Your Assignment:

Remember yesterday when Jennifer asked you to really think about what the first words out of your mouth would be when you are in the presence of God…. if you literally saw Him right in front of you?  You KNOW it is TIME to fall CRAZY in love with God, ladies……. How will you NOW incorporate THIS new posture and language into your prayer time with God? Leave me some comments below all about it!

Blessings,

Megan 🙂

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If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study for Crazy Love, click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

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

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Crazy Love: Week 1 / Chapter 1: “Stop Praying” – Before the Throne (pgs. 34-38)

January 10, 2013 by

This week we have looked at creation from the expansive galaxies to the smallest creatures. We have examined the eternal attributes of God. But, have you ever spent time thinking about what it must be like to BE with God in Heaven; to actually BE in His presence; to SEE Him? If you have not taken the time to read Revelation 4 and Isaiah 6, click this link and read it now.

What image comes to your mind of what it must be like to be in the actual physical presence of God? As Isaiah said, “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5). What a powerful statement! As sinful humans, we aren’t worthy to be in God’s presence. We just aren’t. God is perfect and holy. But, He loves us so very much that He sent Jesus, His Son, to make a way for us to be with Him in Heaven one day. What response do we have other than bowing down in worship to our King?

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
To receive glory and honor and power,
For you created all things,
And by your will they were created
And have their being.” (Revelation 4:11, emphasis mine)

God created every single galaxy, placed each star; he created every creature that roams the earth… including you and me. He could have created anything, but it is by His Will that we are here. He wanted us. He wants us still. And even though we are human and cannot seem to get out of God’s way most of the time, He still loves us without conditions and without expectations. His only desire is that we acknowledge Him, accept Him, and love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. He wants to be part of our lives; to walk this rocky road of life with us. He wants our heart. And not just a piece of it – He wants the whole thing.

Will you give Him your whole heart and trust in his enduring faithfulness to see you through?

I leave you with one of the most incredible worship songs ever – Revelation Song by Kari Jobe. Spend some time worshiping the King of Kings today. Imagine that you are John standing in the Throne room, experiencing what he experienced. Put yourself right there. Think of it each time you begin your prayer or devotional time. It’s quite a picture, isn’t it?!

LET’S PRAY:
Father, you are deserving of our enduring love, praise, and worship. You create and sustain all things. It is by YOUR WILL that all life was created, Lord, and we can do nothing but bow to you in thankfulness for who you are and what you do for us each and every day. Help us to see You in all things and to see beyond our current circumstances to the abundant life that you have for us in Christ. And it is in His precious and holy name that we pray, Amen!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
I have the “Living Crazy Love” study guide to go along with this book and I’d like to pose the question that is in the guide because it goes so well with today’s blog post. What do you think would come out of your mouth the moment you first saw God? What would be the first words you would say?

If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study for Crazy Love, click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

If you would like to email a private message to Donna in regards to this blog, please email her at: Jennifer@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Crazy Love: Week 1 / Chapter 1: “Stop Praying” pgs. 29-34

January 9, 2013 by

I love what Francis Chan says on page 29 of our study today: “Most of us know that we are supposed to love God; that we are supposed to read our Bibles and pray so that we can get to know Him better; that we are supposed to worship Him with our lives. But actually living it out is a challenge.” I was so blessed when I read that! To actually have that said, out loud, was a relief to me, because some days it IS a challenge. Life just seems to get in the way:  husband, kids, school, job, dishes, just everyday life. Hard things we can’t understand too, like divorce, betrayal, death. Wow! Those things pull us away from reading, praying and worshiping. That “amnesia” flares up and we forget!

Let’s go over the defining attributes of God that Francis Chan pointed out to us in this section.

God is Holy: In Exodus 3:14 we read: “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am’.” No one can change that. And yet it is so hard to fathom! So, in other words, He is everything. He is our all. We just can’t brag on Him enough because He IS all that and even more!

God is Eternal: Francis points out that we would probably all agree to this, and yet we don’t really comprehend it because we are limited to time, beginnings and endings. God has always been and always will be. Psalm 102:12,17 says “But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever, your renown endures through all generations….. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” We, however, are here only for a short time.

God is All-Knowing: YES in the deepest part of me that I hide from everyone else, God knows me! Hebrews 4:13 says “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.” That is sobering. I like that “He doesn’t have to know us so well, but He chooses to.” In spite of my sinfulness. So why do we question? Do we know more than the One who created us? He sees the whole picture from beginning to end. He is not obligated to explain Himself, we just need to trust Him.

God is All-Powerful: Psalm 115:3 says: “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever pleases Him.” If He wanted He could destroy us in a second. He could create a whole new world and not even blink an eye. And He can take care of every little thing we have on our plates if we yield it to Him.

God is Fair and Just: One definition Of justice, Francis tell us, is reward and/or penalty as deserved.  God never excuses sin. We must let God decide and mete out justice and judge what is fair. He is always consistent. And thank God He does it!  I don’t want that responsibility!  As Francis Chan says, When you get your own universe you can make your own standards.

Let’s put it all into perspective as much as I can: When life gets in the way, when the hard times come, when we struggle sometimes to just keep it together – remember God. Don’t let the amnesia take over or you will miss out.

God is Holy and you can’t change that. Even if you think He’s far away, He’s not. And He is working it out for us.

Because He is eternal, He is not limited by anything.

Because He is all-knowing He sees us and knows the deepest parts of us that we keep hidden from everyone else. He knows your doubt and your lack of faith. He chooses to know us well.

Because He is all-powerful He’s got it under His control; we need not question, we just need to trust.

Because He is just and fair He has to punish sin. But because He loved us, chose to know us, and is concerned for us, He made a way. He sent His son to be spit on, laughed at, beaten and killed to pay the penalty of our sin that we could know Him.

Because He is GOD He knew it was the only way.

He loves you – worship, praise and adore this God who is our Father and loved us that much.

When you can’t see His hand, trust His heart.

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Let’s pray:

Father we are so humbled that You love us. We thank You that you have all of these attributes that we can count on. Help us to trust You. To keep in perspective that You are GOD. Let us not forget to worship and pray and adore You. Be with every woman today reading this. Pour Your love out over them and let them bask in your Holiness. In Jesus name we pray-Amen

Your assignment:

Name some of the things that hold us back from acknowledging God for who He is? What steps can you take to not let the amnesia set in and live a full life in Christ? Then let us pray over these for you and bless you.

In Christ,

Donna

If you are interested in joining this amazing online Bible study for Crazy Love, click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with further details.

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

 

 

 

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Crazy Love: Week 1 / Chapter 1 – “Stop Praying” (pgs. 27-28)

January 8, 2013 by

The story goes of two men walking along the beach.  One man said to the other:  “Tell me all you know about God.”  His friend reached down and scooped up a handful of water in his hand and said:  “What I know about God, I can hold in the palm of my hand.  If you want to know more, you will have to go swimming for yourself.”

On pages 27-28 in our book, Chan expands on God’s diversity, creativity, and sophistication in the universe, on earth, and in our own bodies.  I marveled at how the thought of it just engulfs him. 

I sense his excitement in the video, “Just Stop and Think,” as he walks along the beach in awe of God’s creation, and his realization of how the God of the universe could love him so much.  One can readily tell that he is genuinely in love with God, as well as has a deep understanding of how much God loves him. I feel his intense desire that we, too, embrace this crazy kind of love he is being overwhelmed with in his relationship with God. Crazy!

But, to be honest, I have to grab hold of those truths for myself.  They cannot be poured into me by someone else, even a teacher such as Chan.  I have to experience it in order for that craziness to be a part of my life.

For me personally, I have caught just a small glimpse of this crazy love that God has for me through the relationship I had with my earthly father.  In his book entitled Father Hunger, Robert McGhee stated:  “as you see your earthly father, so shall you see and relate to God.” 

I shall never forget teaching this concept to a group of inmates at Stiles Prison in Beaumont, Texas. I made the statement that “my daddy had a sense of humor, and I often laugh out loud with God, because I believe He has a sense of humor, too.”  To which an inmate replied:   “Woman, you must be crazy.  God doesn’t laugh.  He is standing there just waiting for you to mess up, so he can swing his axe at you.”

I said:  “Tell me about your own father.”  At that point, he began to cry and related how he was physically abused as a child and how hard his dad use to “whip up on him.”

My heart broke for him because, you see:

  • My dad was firm in discipline, but gentle and not abusive. 
  • When the deed was over, it was never brought up to me again.  
  • He was fun to be with.
  • I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was, indeed, crazy in love with me. 

As secure as I felt in my dad’s love, my heart tells me that his love could not reach to the height and depth of God’s love for me.

And so, I ask you:  Do you want to experience this crazy love that Chan is, not only talking about, but obviously experiencing?  If so, let’s go swimming together toward the King of Kings.  I long for more glimpses of the One who bought the whole world to get a piece of the treasure, which is you and I.

*****

Let’s Pray:  Father God, may we worship You for who You are, and never cease to have the praises of God flowing from our lips.  Show us anything in our lives that is hindering our relationship with You.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Your Assignment:  Did you follow Chan’s suggestion at the bottom of page 28 to meditate on the Almighty One?  If so, what did you discover in your silence?

Be blessed,

Martha

If you would like more information about Crazy Love Bible study, please email us at: GCH_Womens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com, OR click HERE to be taken to the sign-up page.

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

 

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