December 25, 2024

Crazy Love: Week 1 / Chapter 1: “Stop Praying” (pgs. 25-26)

January 7, 2013 by

 

Were you shocked by Mr. Chan’s 1st chapter title…. STOP PRAYING?

I think it is one majorly BOLD statement….. so you KNOW I love it! 😉

I pray with all my heart that it made you stop for a minute or two in order to fully understand why THAT would be the first thing he would ask you to do.

The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing,” but Francis wants us to STOP praying. So what does he mean??? Well….

For some of us, our relationship with God has turned into only coming into His presence when we have a grocery list of demands from Him. Ouch. Now is a good time for a heart check and really understand the place we are in with our relationship with Him. Are we just wanting to take and take and take but not give Him our time and devotion in return?

I urge you to stay with this thought for a little while today and really dig deep into your heart and soul to see what your heart condition is like as we begin this journey to be OVERWHELMED by our relentless God.

Francis Chan asks us to view this video from his website. If you haven’t been able to view it yet, please do so now…

Our God is sooooo big! This presentation is certainly overwhelming and awe-inspiring! I know that I have been through seasons where I have been so boastful as I have come to the Lord…. full of “me me me” talk and so conceited in my language to our Creator. If that sounds like you today, please repent and quickly make this right. Your heart condition is so important and we all need this reminder now and then…….

We are here to serve God…. He is not here to serve us. He loves us and truly wants us all to have the desires of our hearts, but we need to strive to want those desires to line up with His. The more we grow closer in our relationship WITH Him, the more our will and His will fall in line together. So awesome! What an incredible promise from our Lord and Savior!

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You this morning asking for forgiveness if we have come to You in any way at all except full or awe and adoration. Search our hearts today, Father, and help us to see where we need Your supernatural cleansing in our souls. Help bind any condemning thoughts but give us a strength in our spirit that can only come from You to know that we will be changed from this day forward. We love You, Lord, and we thank You for bringing us together for this study. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen <3

Your Assignment:

In the grand scheme of life, you ARE insignificant…… but to God, you are EVERYTHING and you are VITAL to fulfilling His purposes on this earth. Let’s begin today exploring in a deep way HOW we really are coming to God. Is it with humility or entitlement? Are we BOLD or timid? Is it with adoration and thanksgiving or pride? Please share your thoughts with us in a comment or two here on our blog…

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 send Megan an email in regards to this blog, please send it to: Megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

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Crazy Love: Week 1 Reading Assignment

January 6, 2013 by

Hi there friends! Are you as excited as I am to journey through this Crazy Love study?! The time is finally here!

This book was very difficult to section off into daily reading assignments. So if you have any questions about what to read and when, please leave a comment or email me at Jennifer@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

On tap for today is reading the Foreword written by Chris Tomlin and the Preface written by our author, Francis Chan. There are so many convicting things just in these few pages. I practically highlighted every word! I thought about sharing some passages here with you, but I want you to read it for yourself first and soak in every word. Read through the foreword and preface a couple of times. Let it marinate. Ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart and speak to you. Be open and willing to change; to think differently. This book very well could change your life.

So, without further ado, here is the rest of our week one reading assignment!

WEEK ONE

Sunday, January 6th: Foreword/Preface/Chapter 1 Reading Assignment (Jennifer)

Monday, January 7th: Chapter 1 “Stop Praying” pgs. 25-26 (Megan)

Tuesday, January 8th: Chapter 1 “Stop Praying” pgs. 27-28 (Martha)

Wednesday, January 9th: Chapter 1 “Stop Praying” pgs. 29-34 (end at Before the Throne) (Donna)

Thursday, January 10th: Chapter 1 “Stop Praying” pgs. 34-38 (start at Before the Throne) (Jennifer)

Friday, January 11th: Chapter 1 “Stop Praying” Weekly Review and Chapter 1 Study Video from YouTube (Megan)

Let’s pray: Father we bow before you, hearts and minds open and alive in hopeful expectation for what You have for us in this study. Please reveal to us each, individually, the crazy, powerful, immense love that You have for us. Help us to release our doubts and fears to You and receive this love that You so freely give. Show us how to live boldly for You and allow You to do amazing things in and through us. We are at your feet, Lord. In Jesus holy and precious name we pray, Amen!

Your Assignment: Tell us one part of the Foreword or Preface that tugged at your heart. It can be one line, one paragraph, or more. I’d love to know what the Lord brought to  your heart as your read these pages. Once you comment here, head on over to our Facebook group and let’s talk some more!

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It’s All Because Of Crazy Love…..

January 4, 2013 by

If you’re reading this, God brought you here for a reason. I hope you know that in your dear heart, precious sister.

I’m Megan and it is so very nice to meet you! I’m one bold Jesus Diva and I love that our Divine Creator has crossed our paths so intentionally as we begin 2013 and prepare our hearts for Girlfriends Coffee Hour’s latest online Bible study for women…. Crazy Love.

Have you heard the song “Crazy Love” by Hawk Nelson? If not (and even if you have…) PLEASE drop everything you are doing and watch this music video:

 

 

I’m not sure if Hawk and Francis are friends or even if they even know about each other, but the lyrics of this song so perfectly encompass what the Crazy Love journey is all about.

“They say it sounds insane, we say that we’ve been changed

By the power of crazy love

This world, it looks at us like we’re ridiculous

Maybe it’s all because of crazy love”

Have you been changed?

Maybe you got saved last week or maybe you were saved back in 1975…. I don’t know your story, but I am eager to learn it! Maybe you were changed for the first few years, but lately you have struggled with not “being of this world.” Is that you? I know that I have lived through those seasons and it is so hard because you KNOW what you SHOULD be feeling inside and you CRAVE it…. you NEED it, but it can be so hard to find your way back. Relationships take TIME….. and building our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different from any other earthly relationship we have. I am so excited to see your time with Him change and grow as we go through this study together. If you invest your precious time and give God all you have through these next weeks, people will surely be saying that you sound INSANE from the power of God’s CRAZY LOVE!

 

Do people look at you like you are ridiculous?

I had a very limited amount of shopping time before Christmas which had me out in the stores in the hustle and bustle of the busy season! I think you can imaging that many of the check-out lines I homesteaded in were full of some pretty cranky elves. One circumstance I found myself in, many of my fellow shoppers were actually visually and verbally upset with me for not “losing it” with the frazzled worker. I actually ended up crying with her and praying over her cash register with her because I was so sad for how frustrated she was. One woman actually told me that I was “crazy.” I’ll be honest with you, it felt good! While I have my moments just like every other human, I know that God was up there smiling and happy with my job well done… and what a stand for His Kingdom! You might think I’m crazy too, and that’s okay….. but by the end of this study, my prayer is that you would, in a heart-beat, jump out of line and lay hands on that machine along with me! In Jesus’ name!

It’s all because of crazy love, dear sisters… and it IS contagious! Bless you for taking this bold stance in faith and know you are not alone! <3

Blessings,

Megan 🙂

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Hey there, ladies! Just a quick note from me (Jennifer) to say I am so excited to begin this study with each and every one of you! The depth and breadth of God’s love for each and every one of us surpasses anything we can even imagine. How does it feel to know you are LOVED that much? To know that no matter what you’ve done or think you’ve done, that God still loves you with an all-consuming love and desires a deep, personal, intimate relationship with you?

I know some of you may read that and think “He wouldn’t love me if He knows what I’ve done”. Let me tell you, sweet sister… God already knows what you’ve done. And He loves you anyway. He is just waiting for you with arms wide open. He is waiting for you to run to Him and begin walking alongside Him and do this life together.

Are you ready?

Are you ready to experience what God’s crazy love for you is all about?

Our study begins this Sunday, January 6, 2013!

What you will need:

  • Your Bible
  • A copy of the book CRAZY LOVE by Francis Chan (hardcover, paperback, ebook – whatever you choose!)
  • A notebook, pen, and highlighter to take notes while reading!

How the study will work:

Every Sunday, I will post your weekly reading assignment.

Mondays-Thursdays, right here on the the blog, a member of the women’s blogging team will post their thoughts regarding that day’s reading assignment. Read the day’s assignment in the Crazy Love book, come and read the day’s blog post, leave a comment for the blogger. Then head over to our SECRET Facebook group and discuss what you’ve read! The FB group is where we will dig deeper into what we are reading. This group is private and no one outside the group will be able to see what is posted.

Fridays – Weekly wrap up and study video

Saturdays – off/catch-up day (if needed)

If you have not yet joined the study, there is still time! Head on over to our sign-up page and get registered! We can’t wait to study along with you!

Much love and blessings,

Jennifer

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“Crazy Love” Coming Soon to Girlfriends Coffee Hour

January 2, 2013 by

Crazy Love

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What’s New with the GCH Online Women’s Bible Study?

December 2, 2012 by

We have just two more weeks left for the Winning Him Without Words online bible study, and then we will take a short break in order to spend time with our families during the Christmas season.  I hope you have all enjoyed this study as much as I have!  I know for me personally, it has really enlightened so many things for me, and in my marriage!  Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller did an amazing job putting this book together!  If you haven’t already, you should check out their website for continued encouragement!  That website is: www.SpirituallyUnequalMarriage.com.  Drop by and tell them what this study has done for you!  Be sure to tell them Girlfriends Coffee Hour sent you!

We would LOVE to have your feedback on this study! Will you take a few minutes to complete the following survey? Your responses will help us create the best online bible study experience for you! CLICK THIS LINK to fill out the short 10 question form. Your responses are completely anonymous, I promise!! Thank you so much!

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This week, our reading assignment is as follows:

Dec 3 – When to Pray the Most Dangerous Prayer / John the Baptist

Dec 4 – Agape Love / Crossing Threshold

Dec 5 – Prepared for God / Unanswered Prayers

Dec 6 – Perpetual State of Waiting

Dec 7 – Discovery / Prayer

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And now for our BIG Announcement!!

Our next bible study is going to be another one of those “Life-Changing” studies!  My church did this study a few years ago, and it was AMAZING, to say the least!!

Here is a video by author Francis Chan, about “Crazy Love“.

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Our Next Online Bible Study

“Crazy Love”

Begins January 6, 2013!

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Crazy Love

Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

By Francis Chan

With Danae Yankoski

Crazy Love

Crazy Love

God is LOVE! Crazy, relentless, all-powerful love. Have you ever wondered if we’re missing it? It’s crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe–the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor–loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. Whether you’ve verbalized it yet or not…we all know something is wrong.

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo?

Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions?

God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts–it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis Chan describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.

Girlfriends Coffee Hour is so excited to host this next Online Bible Study beginning January 6, 2013.  What an amazing way to start the New Year off, right?  We hope you will join us!!

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To sign up for this Online Bible Study, click HERE and follow the instructions.  You will also be given a link to where you can purchase this bible study.  We’re looking forward to learning about this “Crazy Love” with you!!  

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