May 6, 2026

I AM Free to Run … (Part 3 of 3)

July 5, 2013 by

 

The Lord Is

So far, in this mini-series, we’ve talked about falling into temptation; worshipping idols; and what things in our life is taking precedence over the priority list.  Today, I want to talk about how to get back on track when we have fallen into the temptation of worshipping the idols in our lives, and allowing things to take the place of our priorities instead of God.

How do we get back on track and stay there?

  1. Identify what is causing you to get off track.

Have you sat down and made a list of the things that are getting in the way of you having your quiet time each morning, or quality time with your family, or building a better marriage or relationship with your kids?  If not, I would highly encourage you to do so.  Be real with yourself.  Be honest.

Identify the areas that are showing up over and over again.  Is it too much time on Facebook?  Is it spending money frivolously?  Is work taking up so much of your time you have nothing to give your family?  What about television?  Is it taking up so much of your time that there is no room for communication in your home anymore?

These are all areas that I had to take a good hard look at in my own life!  I know you can probably relate to some of these things yourself.

As I said in #1 above, we have to identify what is causing us to get off track first.

After we have discovered the “what”, it’s time to discover the why.

2. Identify the “why.”

Let’s take television as an example.   Ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Why am I watching television?
    1. Is it for entertainment?
    2. Is it because I am bored?
    3. Is it because there is nothing else to do?
    4. Is it because I just need some down time?

For myself, I work at home.  Until we started taking children into our home from Safe Families for Children, I was home alone most of the daytime hours when my husband would work days.  When he worked nights, I was home most of the time alone, because he was either sleeping or working.  So I found myself trying to drown out the silence!  I needed the noise because otherwise, it was just too quiet!  (Now that we have kids in the house, trust me, the silence is no longer an issue!)  🙂

But again, I have to go back to why the silence was bothering me.  The only thing I could come up with is that the silence represented me being alone.  I don’t like to be alone.  Yes, there are days where being alone is nice, but when it happens a lot, I don’t like it.  I would start to find myself getting bored, or lonely, so I would turn on the television for “company”.  Sounds weird, huh?  To put it in deeper context:  I was trying to fill a void in my life.

3.  Identify the “how.”

What happens when we try to fill a void with something other than Jesus?  What happens when we cave into our fleshly desires?  What happens when we don’t listen to the Holy Spirit prodding us to read the Word, or take a walk, or call a friend, or or or….???  We take our eyes off of Jesus, and we begin to sink, like Peter did in Matthew 14:28-30:

“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be you, bid me come to you on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” 

When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, and began to look at the storm around him, fear crept in, and he began to sink.  That’s what happens with us, too, when we take our eyes off of Jesus; the boredom, loneliness, worry, stress, fear, all begin to creep in, along with many other things!  As we talked about in Tuesday and Wednesday’s blogs, we have to keep our eyes focused on JESUS at all times, or we will fall into temptation!

Now that we have identified the triggers, let’s talk about HOW to get out of temptation.  We’ve already indentified one way: Keep our eyes focused on JESUS.  We are guaranteed a way out of temptation if we keep our eyes on Jesus.  Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 10:13, and see what God promises us here:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 

First we see that there is NO temptation that is able to take us over.  Why? Because God promises that He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.  He didn’t say we would never be tempted, or that we would never have fleshly desires, but He did say that He would provide a way out of these temptations when they did come!  Praise God!!  That is a promise that God has made to us!  Amen!

So the first thing we need to do is ASK the Lord for a way out of this temptation.  Asking means we need to communicate our weakness (John 15:5) to Him first, and then ask (2 Timothy 2:22) for His help.  Then since we already know that we are unable to get away from this temptation in our own power, we need to depend on GOD and His power!  Our flesh is weak!  But God is able to do anything, even the things that we think are simply impossible!

His way is always the best escape, or exit door, we can find!!  John 10:9:  “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved…”   God will rescue us, if we trust Him!  (2 Peter 2:9)

We also need to remember that we cannot do this in our own strength!  Our flesh will always fail!  (Colossians 2:21-23) It is only inHis strength that we are able to do ALL things!

Escaping temptation is our duty as a Christian.  We have to start by identifying the “what,” followed by the “why,” then proceeding with the “how.”  We have to trust that God will always provide a way out of our temptation…no matter what it is, and no matter how strong it is!  We need to keep our eyes focused on Him.  Cling to Him.  Surrender to Him.  Run to Him.  Never trust the flesh.  Always trust the Holy Spirit.

This concludes my series on “I AM Free to Run.”  I hope you have enjoyed it.  I hope you were able to gain something from this series.

My prayer for you is that you will always seek God, in the good times and bad; in the easy times and tough!  He is always there for you, no matter what your circumstances are, or how big they are!

Always remember, there is NOTHING impossible for God!

Always In His Love,

Christi

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Conquering Fear

July 5, 2013 by

GL header

Dear Megan,

I have been battling crippling fear for sometime now and it is affecting my whole life. I know I am trying to control this myself and not fully giving this to God. I really need some guidance on how to get started with giving back to God what is not mine to take on. Can you help me begin to reclaim God’s truth on my fear? Bless you, KL

My Dear KL,

Thank you for taking this first step to reclaim your abundant life back and not live gripped by fear! You are so right… God does not intend for you to hold onto this fear and He longs for you to release it all to Him! I know, it’s not as easy as saying that so I pray that this post will give you the tools needed to begin to give all of your fear over to your Heavenly Father and begin to stand on His truth!

There are four types of fears:

  • Fear of loss
  • Fear of Failure
  • Fear of Rejection
  • Fear of the Unknown

Many people struggle with one or more of these fears and they can paralyze you and keep you from God’s best. When I begin to work with a client on fear, we focus on this Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

The world would like for us to believe that we have no control over our fears and that our only recourse is to totally avoid all fearful situations. However, with Christ alive inside of us, we  KNOW this to be untrue! God asks us to stand in His strength when we’re afraid. As we focus on His perfect love, we will feel His perfect peace in the midst of every fear-producing situation.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Knowing the truth and acting on the truth is critical to conquering fear. The source of the truth is the One who said He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). The primary resource we have for finding God’s truth is His Word, the Bible. The first step in applying truth is to identify the lies behind the fears you are experiencing as to replace those lies with facts. John 8:32 says “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

FEAR: “I can’t help this intense feeling on fear!”

FACT: “This feeling is a bluff to my mind and body. It is not grounded in truth.”

Psalm 27:3

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

FEAR: “I have this feeling of doom… a feeling that I am going to die.”

FACT: “The time of death is in God’s hands. I will choose to trust Him.”

Job 14:5

A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months
and have set limits he cannot exceed.

FEAR: “I’m afraid of what others are thinking about me.”

FACT: “My peace comes from pleasing God, not in pleasing man.”

2 Corinthians 5:9

So we make it our goal to please him

FEAR: “I am hopeless and can never change.”

FACT: “In Christ, I am a new person. Nothing is hopeless.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!

FEAR: “I am so nervous, I can’t think clearly.”

FACT: “God will guard my mind and give me peace.”

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
FEAR: “To be safe, I have to be in control.”
FACT: God is in control of my life, and He is with me step by step.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

FEAR: “I feel trapped with no way of escape.”

FACT: “God always makes a way of escape.”

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂

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Happy 4th of July!!!

July 4, 2013 by

God Bless America

Words and music by Irving Berlin
© Copyright 1938, 1939 by Irving Berlin
© Copyright Renewed 1965, 1966 by Irving Berlin
© Copyright Assigned to the Trustees of the God Bless America Fund
International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.
Used by Permission

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. “

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

____________________________________

Take time out today to enjoy the freedoms
that we have been given as a
Citizen of the United States of America.

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

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

Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs in Your Diet

July 3, 2013 by

AskCrystal.jpg

Dear Crystal,

There is so much information about carbohydrates. I have friends who tell me to cut out all carbs and then I hear there are “good carbs” and “bad carbs.”. Which is it…and what should I do?

I need direction,

Confused

*****

Dear Confused,

It can be hard to figure out the truth about carbohydrates, and how to manage our weight and eat healthy. We are told we need carbohydrates and then told to cut them out. The truth is, it is impossible to cut carbs out of your diet completely.  Trying to live on a carb free diet can deprive you of the nutrients your body needs, not to mention leave you feeling lethargic and deprived.  The answer is filling your body with the right amount of “good” carbs not “bad” carbs in your diet.

HOW MANY CARBS?

Your body has a need for carbohydrates to give you fuel and energy.  To meet those needs, 45-65% of your daily intake should come from healthy carbohydrates. For example, at 4 calories for every gram of carbohydrate, a woman following an 1800 calorie diet would require approximate 225 grams of carbohydrates a day.

NOT ALL CARBS ARE EQUAL

Carbohydrates have received so much blame for weight gain because most Americans fill their diet with processed carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, white flour, cookies and other sugary filled foods.  The key is to fill your diet with good carbs that consist of plant-derived food such as fruits and vegetables, beans, and foods that are less processed like whole grain breads, wheat pasta and brown rice. 

One way to ensure you are eating the right carbohydrates is to have an adequate amount of fiber each day.  As a woman, you want to strive to eat 25 grams of fiber a day.

As stated in WebMD, fiber slows down the absorption of other nutrients eaten at the same meal, including carbohydrates. This helps by regulating your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes and fiber helps you feel full which aids in weight management.

Don’t give up your carbs completely, replace all of the sugary, “whiter” foods with healthy high fiber carbs.  Check out next week to learn what foods to add to your diet.

To Your Health,

Crystal

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I AM Free to Run … (Part 2 of 3)

July 3, 2013 by
1 Corinthians 10: 6-7, 13-14

These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.  The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.  So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.

Last night was another breakthrough in my media fast.  I went back to 1 Corinthians to review some of the Scriptures my pastor used in his sermon Sunday.  I want to talk about two things that kept revealing itself to me in the Scriptures above:

 

Idolatry – What is it? 

Idols – What are they?

 

Let’s start with idolatry first.

What is idolatry? 

The dictionary defines idolatry as:

    : the worship of a physical object as a god 

    : immoderate attachment or devotion to something

God instructs us in of 1 Corinthians 10:7 to not be idolaters, correct?   If so, we then need to ask ourselves if there are any idols in our life.  We need to start first by finding out what the word IDOL means.

The dictionary defines the word IDOL as:

idol

 noun \ˈī-dəl\

: a representation or symbol of an object of worship

 : a false god

I want to focus on the definition of “an object of worship”.  What does that mean to you?  The word worship means to praise something or someone; to honor; to put above.

In today’s world, there are many things that we worship, or idolize, that we may not even be aware of.  I’m talking about the things in our lives that we are “attached” to, can’t live without, we have to have every day, and so on.  These are things that if someone were to take them away from us we would not be happy at all!  These are things that we have become so attached to that they have become a part of our daily life without us even realizing it.  They are things that we think so highly of that sometimes nothing else matters and we get angry if anything comes in the way of us enjoying these things. Does anything come to mind when I say that?

Let’s take a look at some of the things that I am talking about and see if you recognize any of them:

  • Television
  • Money
  • Soap Operas
  • Romance Novels
  • Video / Computer Games
  • Drugs
  • Alcohol

And let’s not forget the ever popular Social Media:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Do any of these things mentioned above take a high priority in your life?  Ask yourself this question:  “If someone were to take any of these things out of my life, would it make me happy?”  If you answered NO to that question, then most likely this thing(s) are an idol in your life.

For me, I can see several things on that list:  Television, Money, Social Media, Games.  During this media fast that I am currently doing, I found out that taking away my Facebook or Pinterest is really a hard thing!  I really never realized how much I am on Facebook, and/or the reasons WHY I am on Facebook, until this fast!

Some of the reasons I like Facebook:

  • A way of connecting with family & friends (not a bad thing)
  • It’s a way to kill time
  • It’s a way to fill the void in my life
  • It’s a way to beat the loneliness

I have had to seriously look at the reasons why I was spending so much time on Facebook.  Was what I was doing on Facebook productive?  Most times, not.  It was just a way of killing time, or beating the boredom, or filling the loneliness.  Yes, I head up a Women’s Ministry where most of what I do is on Facebook, but I’m talking about the things outside of what I do in this ministry.  I was using Facebook to fill those voids in my life, when I actually should have been turning to the Lord!  Yes, I could hear God’s voice in the background asking for time with Him, but did I give it to Him?  Not always.  In fact, if I am going to be honest about all this, not a lot of the time!  I hate admitting that, but it’s the truth!  I was putting Facebook above God.  I was worshipping an idol…a false God was getting my worship instead of where my worship should have been going!

Can you see yourself in any of this?  I know I am not the only one.  If I were to come to your home and tell you that I was going to remove all of your televisions in your home for 30 days, how would you, and your family, react?  Would you panic?  Would you begin to get nervous?  Would you fight me to keep your televisions?  If so, your televisions are an idol in your home, and in your own life!

If I were to come to your home and tell you that I was only going to give you just enough money to pay your bills, buy groceries and gas, and a $25/week allowance, how would you feel?  Would you begin to panic?  Would you freak out wondering how you were going to buy all of those other things that you so desperately wanted, and just had to have?  I see another idol in your life!   Believe me, I am preaching to the choir here, too, Sister!!  I’m seeing these things in my own life, as well!  But I want to show you what the Lord has been teaching me about this, so that YOU can walk away from the idols, as well.

I’m not saying I am an expert in this area because this is all brand new to me, sort of.  I’ve known about all this stuff for many years, but to be honest, I’ve never really put them into practice.  I’ve just begun to realize how much of an idol certain things are in my life!  So I’m walking this journey along with you!  I just want to share what the Lord has laid on my heart, so you can begin to meditate on these things, too!

Matt6_24

I looked up the word mammon to get its true meaning.  It means: riches or material wealth.  But, I also looked at some synonyms of the word mammon.  This is what I found:

  • Possessions
  • Money
  • Gold
  • Almighty Dollar
  • Graven image
  • Idol

There’s that word again!!  Did you see it?  IDOL …  We just can’t get away from it, can we?

In verse 13 of 1 Corinthians 10, we are told that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able; that He will provide a way out.

Then in verse 14, we are told to flee idolatry.

If God is telling us to flee idolatry, and that He will provide a way out, we need to take Him at His word, and realize that it CAN be done! He isn’t going to tell us to do something if there isn’t a way to do it!  When I finally come to the decision that I am ready to remove the idols in my life, He will provide a way for me to handle the voids in my life!.  I need to trust that when I am struggling, all I need to do is pray and He will provide a way out.

I can choose to walk by the flesh and cave into these cravings for the idols in my life; or I can choose to walk by the Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to guide me.  The choice really is mine!

Ask yourself the same questions I’ve had to ask myself:  Is God really a priority in my life?  

I’ll be back Friday to finish up this quick series.  Until then, enjoy your 4th of July Holiday!

In His Love,

Christi

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

How to Make Cloth Dinner Napkins / Placemats

July 3, 2013 by

Ok, I will admit it…I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SEW that good at all!!!  But by golly, I’ve always wanted to learn! I only know how to sew a baby blanket, and that’s as good as it gets!!  LOL  So today, I ran across a pattern that looked so amazingly simple even I could do it!! And I did!  🙂

Now for you who are awesome seamstresses, you may think “Dinner Napkins/Placemats? Piece of cake!!” But for me, sewing does not come easily! It did for my grandmother and mother, but for some reason that creative gene has hidden itself in me, and is just now beginning to cause a stir in my heart; which I LOVE because I’ve always wanted to be creative like the two women in my life that I loved so very much! Their handiwork was simply amazing, and I’ve asked God, sort of secretly, in my heart for years to bless me with the ability to do some of the things that they did.

So when I say that is BIG for me to show my handiwork to you, it truly IS! I’m like a little girl at Christmastime just waiting for you to open my gift to you, and I can’t wait to see your expression when you see it! Yea, I know, I seem to get a little too excited at times!! My husband reminds me of that often! LOL

So without further adieu, here are the instructions to make your own Cloth Dinner Napkins/Placemats.

How to Make Cloth Dinner Napkins/Placemats

Items Needed:

Materials (to make 6 cloth napkins)

  • 12 fat quarters of quilting cotton (a fat quarter is an 18″ x 22″ piece of fabric found in most fabric stores for as little as $1)
  • scissors
  • ruler
  • chopstick
  • sewing machine
  • coordinating thread
  • iron

Directions:

Step 1

The directions I found instructed me to cut each fat quarter into a square measuring 18 inches x 18 inches.  Choose two fabrics that coordinate well with each other (I used just one piece of fabric) and place the two pieces of fabric right sides together. (For placemats as seen below, you will cut your fabric 11″ x 18″, and then follow all of the steps below.)

Step 2

Sew the squares together along the raw edges using a straight stitch and a 1/4 inch seam allowance, backstitch both at the beginning and at the end of the stitch to secure it. Make sure to leave a 3 inch opening along one side for turning the napkin right side out.

Step 3

Clip each corner to help give the napkin a nice pointed corner once turned right side out. Make sure not to clip the seam you just made!

Step 4

Turn the napkin right side out. Take a chopstick or other pointy-edged object and use it to help push out each corner to a nice point.  This is really a must for tight corners.  I used my fingers because I didn’t have any pointy object, and the corners turned out okay, but they could be better!  My first time…we’ll get by!! 🙂

Step 5

Press the napkin with an iron, making sure to turn in the opening a 1/4 inch.

Step 6

Topstitch around the napkin by sewing a straight stitch and using an 1/8 inch seam allowance, backstitch at both the beginning and end of the stitch to secure it. Topstitching will give the napkin a nice flat decorative finish as well as closing up the opening used for turning the cloth napkin right side out.

The total time it took me to make the six cloth placemats pictured below, including the cutting time, was a total of maybe an hour and a half!  That made me even more excited because I began to think of some awesome Christmas gifts I can give to my kids this year!!

I hope you will give this simple pattern a try, and let me know how you did! 🙂

cloth2(1)

 

 

 

Enjoy your beautiful Cloth Dinner Napkins/Placemats!!

 

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , ,

I AM Free to Run … (Part 1 of 3)

July 2, 2013 by

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been involved in a fast against media in my life: Television, Computer Games, Kindle Games, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and unneccessary texting.  It’s the first time I’ve taken on such a huge challenge all at once!  This fast is to last for 30 days.  I’ve learned a lot about myself, to say the least!  Over the next few days, I’d like to share some of what I have learned with you.

In the first week of this fast, I was ready to give up!  I was having a very difficult time staying focused, and staying away from the temptations of all of these areas of “excess” in my life.  I call them excess because the fast I am doing includes removing anything in my life that has taken time away from God, and my relationship with Him.  I had to really think about this when I was making my list of things that I was going to fast.

First of all, I had to really look at my life with a microscope.  I had to be honest about the things in my life where some days I would spend hours upon hours doing.  Facebook, as an example, is a huge area of excess in my life!  Why?  Mainly because of what I do for Girlfriends Coffee Hour, but also because I was spending HOURS a day just wasting time on “stuff” with Facebook because I was bored, or even lonely, at times!

So in my quest in looking for things that were taking time away from my relationship with God, and with my family, I had to get serious, and real with myself.  When I did that, I was really sad to see how much time media “STUFF” was taking up in my life, away from the things that needed me.  When I began the fast, I prayed “Lord, I am really going to need Your help with this because I know how drawn to Facebook I am!”

The first week…I FAILED MISERABLY!!!  The fast began on Monday, and by Saturday night I was ready to call it quits, I had failed to temptation so many times.  I prayed, “Lord, I am just not cut out for this!  I believe I have taken on way too much at one time!  I keep falling into the same temptations over and over again!  I’m just not any good at this.  I think I need to quit, Lord!”

The next day, I went to church.  My Pastor’s message was about keeping our eyes focused on the race, and on Jesus.  I just KNEW God had heard my prayer the night before, because this message was so “right on”, and just what I needed to hear!  I’d like to share some of it with you…

The whole point of this fast is to rid my life of the things that are taking time away from reading the Word, listening to God, praying, and building that relationship with Him.  It’s also about ridding the excess in my life to allow for more time with my family and other relationships.

My Pastor’s sermon was about running the good race, reaching the ultimate prize, running so others would see Jesus through this journey.  It was like this man had been reading each one of my daily blogs; which I doubt he truly is!!   But God gave him this message for today, and God knew that I needed to hear that message!

The message was titled “Free to Run”.

To start with, Pastor’s son had just finished a 100-mile run!  Yes, ONE HUNDRED miles!!! Can you only imagine!!  Never in a million years could I ever see myself running 10 miles, let alone 100 miles!  Right!?!

At one point in this 100 mile run, a friend of our Pastor’s son hit the 53 mile marker and he was just exhausted, thinking he could not go on. He was hurting so bad!  His wife kept encouraging him, and then she pulled a letter out from their daughter that encouraged him so very much!  “Come on, Dad. I know you can do it. I love you, Dad.  I believe in you!” and so on.  It was awesome!!  It was then that he stood up and continued to the finish line…running a total of 100 miles!  It just goes to show what we can accomplish when we have a team of encouragers motivating us to continue on! I loved that part of the sermon!

The overall story of his sermon today was that whenever we are doing something, anything—that includes reaching others for Christ, or showing Christ in our circumstances—we must not give up!  We must continue on toward the ultimate prize.

What is the Ultimate Prize in my fast?  To show what can be accomplished when we put our trust in Christ, and allow His strength and power to fill us up when we are weak; to be able to run and not grow weary; to walk and not faint; to shine the light of Christ through our struggles.  We should run with determination, and not toil along the way. 

Have you never heard?  Have you never understood?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.  He never grows weak or weary.  No one can measure the depths of his understanding.  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.  Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

He will give new strength to those who trust in Him.  We will soar like eagles; run and not grow weary, walk and not faint!  I really needed to be reminded of that Scripture.  The race I have been running with my media fast has been difficult.  I’ve caved into my fleshly desires many times.  My focus has not been on God…it has been on my own wants and desires.  I was choosing what is EASY, and not allowing God’s grace to take me over the edge to the other side of this journey, which is running the race WITH Him and not just in my own power.

I needed to hear again that my flesh is no longer the one I serve.  I have only one Master, and His name is Jesus!  I am not here to serve myself.  I am here to serve the One who loves me, encourages me, motivates me to keep going on!  Pleasing myself produces nothing for Jesus; and offers nothing towards eternal life—the Ultimate Prize!

When we run any race, or face any serious trials in our life, we need to always keep our focus on Christ.  It’s in Him that we are able to do all things, and in Him that we will be able to serve others.  It’s by that focus that we will bring others to Christ.  They will see that God is truly the only reason we are able to complete the race, or face the situation like we do!  That truly should be our ultimate goal anyway: to show Christ in all that we do!

I had not been doing that in this media fast.  I had only been showing others what Christi was able to do in her own power; which turned out to be nothing!  The Lord is my power, my strength, my grace, my hope, and my prize in the end.

The Lord Is

At the end of this fast, I want to hear God say “Well done, thine good and faithful servant!”  I want to hear others say that they saw Jesus through me.  That they were encouraged through my own struggles.  That they saw the true message: with God nothing is impossible!  That quitting is NOT an option!!

When it’s all said and done, there is really only ONE thing that matters:  Did I live my life for Him?

In His Love,

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

What’s Next for Girlfriends Coffee Hour?

July 1, 2013 by

Now that our Girls with Swords study has been completed, what’s next for GCH?  I’m glad you asked!

1)  We are very close to releasing our next online Bible study, titled “I AM“, written by Teresa J. Bolme.  You may have read some of Teresa’s blogs right here, every Monday, for the past 12 weeks, as she blogged for the Girls with Swords study.  She has spent many hours writing this next study, exclusively for GCH!  You won’t find this study anywhere else on the World Wide Web!!  It can only be found HERE!  If you have not already registered for this study, please CLICK HERE to be taken to the Registration Page.

2) “I AM” is in the final editing stages, and we are anticipating the release date of July 3rd.  When that happens, we will make an announcement right here and give you instructions on how you can purchase and download the study!  Remember, to purchase the study, all you have to do is make a donation to GCH in ANY AMOUNT to help us cover the ministry and website costs that we incur; AND this gives us the ability to offer free Bibles to those who don’t have one.

3)  When you purchase and download your copy of “I AM“, you will want to store it in a 3-ring binder, or take it to an office supply store to have it bound.  I am planning to take my study to the office supply store and have them bind it, so it will stay neater and more functional.  I’m really trying to figure out how I can get an actual signed copy of “I AM” from the author!! (hint hint)

4)  Everyone who has registered so far has already been placed into our GCH Fellowship Group.  Please don’t confuse this group with the actual Facebook Chat Room, which is where we will dig deeper into the “I AM” study.  The Fellowship Group is where we…well, fellowship!!  It’s a place to just let your hair down and have some fun!  It’s a place to make some new friends, share your favorite recipes, show pictures of your cute little animals, or even the kids/grandkids.  We share devotionals, and prayer requests in the Fellowship Group, as well!  It’s really just a place where faith, friends, and fellowship flourish!

5) Toward the middle of this week, we will start adding you to the actual study group (Facebook Chat Room).  THIS is where you will go each day to get that day’s reading assignment, and the link to the blog lesson that is posted for the day.  You will read the blog, and if you want, you can comment there; but you will come back to the Chat Room to dig a bit deeper into the study, and discuss it more as a group.  This is an awesome place to really ask your questions about the study, and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through what is shared in this group!  If you are not on Facebook, you will just read and comment on our blog each day.

6)  You will want to set aside some time every day, Monday thru Friday, to check into the FB Chat Room to see what your daily reading assignment is, and t0 find the link to the blog lesson for the day; maybe use this as your devotional time each day.  A lot of women use the GCH blogs as their morning devotional.  It’s a great way to start the day!  One word of advice:  Don’t give up on the study if you begin to fall behind on the study.  Just take some time to get caught up, and/or jump in right where we are in the study, and catch up later!  Just don’t quit!  We try to encourage women to stay on board even if you have gotten behind!  We all do that, but we are here to help you get back on track again!

What will you need for the study?

1. The “I AM” Bible study, of course.  Without it, it will be impossible to follow along!  You will need the book!

2. Your Bible

3. A journal

4.  Pen & Highlighter

 

So let’s run through this one more time:

  • The study will be released for purchase & download on Wednesday, July 3rd!  
  • Be sure to have the study downloaded no later than July 7th.  If you have any problems with purchasing or downloading the study, PLEASE email us at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com.
  • Have all your study tools on hand & ready for when the study begins July 8th!
  • You are more than welcome to invite your friends to join us, but REGISTRATION ENDS JULY 7th.

We look forward to studying God’s word with you through this amazing study “I AM“.

God bless,

Christi Wilson, Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

 

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

Blueberry Almond Muffins (Gluten Free)

July 1, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  As promised, for the next few weeks I am sharing some gluten free treats that you can bring to your bbq’s, picnics, hoedowns, and block parties.  Perhaps your family loves to hike or go backpacking—this recipe is perfect for you!  

2013-06-25 16.18.01

Today’s recipe is for gluten free Blueberry Almond Muffins.  These are full of protein, contain no refined sugars, and have no added fat (except the 1 tablespoon used for the topping).   Also, a nice substitution for the blueberries would be raspberries…don’t forget to see the tip about freezing them!

Blueberry Almond Muffins

makes 10 muffins

Ingredients2013-06-25 15.23.16
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
• 12 drops liquid vanilla stevia (or additional sweetener of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup blueberries, frozen*

Topping Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Directions

  1. Put blueberries into freezer
  2. Preheat oven to 350. Put liners into muffin tin
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, salt and baking powder
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs; then add honey, stevia, and extracts
  5. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and blend thoroughly
  6. Gently fold in frozen blueberries*
  7. Spoon batter into lined muffin cups
  8. Lightly pat tops down into rounded heaps; use a pastry brush to dab with butter and sprinkle with coconut sugar
  9. Bake for 22-25 minutes; the tops should be springy yet firm when they are done
  10. Remove from muffin tin immediately and let cool on a rack
  11. Keep in the refrigerator, or place into freezer storage bags or a container

* The purpose of freezing (or using pre-frozen) blueberries is that this batter is very thick; if you used non-frozen berries, they would smoosh. 🙂

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this blog post, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Need Thee Every Hour

June 29, 2013 by

I received an email the other day from Dear Friend who was checking in to see how I am doing and sharing about the current joys in her heart and life.  ‘Why an email’ <you might be thinking>, ‘when she could connect with me much quicker with a Facebook message?’  Yes, I surely understand your query…I mean if she did that…my iPad would sound out that I had a message and, perhaps, I would run right over and check it out…plop down in my chair…and immediately respond to her!  (Been there?  Done that?  Me, too…many, many, many times over!)  But, see, right now I am having a mutiny against the excess of media in my life.  So, I am severely limiting my Facebook time which includes messaging as well as cutting out any texting along with eliminating other media influence (television, radio, iPad apps, Pinterest, online games).

May I share with you what I wrote to Dear Friend?

“To answer your query about how I am doing…well, this is quite the ride!  Just sayin’!  Oh, the things that God is choosing to unearth…oh my.  He is showing me a thing or two (or twelve or twenty!) about some issues in my little heart.  Like what I do—or at least am tempted to do—when my little heart is distressed.  It appears that I try to assuage those feelings. Not good…. It has been brought to my attention that I do NOT consistently run to Him with my worries, my fears, my doubts, my hurts, and my pain.”

Yes…there it is.  This is where God has really gotten my attention!  He has unveiled my eyes to see that I allow other things to take His place as my Father, Provider, Protector, Healer.  He has promised to be my Stronghold, to help me, to deliver me, to save me…if I take refuge in Him—rather than trying to deal with it on my own.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
Over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them
from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.
Psalms 37:1-9, 39 and 40

There is a word I used in my note to Dear Friend—‘assuage.’  And when I wrote it I wasn’t quite sure it communicated just what the Lord had been reproving and correcting me about.  So I checked the dictionary (yes…online) and here’s what I found:

assuage, verb
pronunciation: [uh-sweyj]
definition: soothe, relieve
synonyms: allay, alleviate, appease, calm, compose, conciliate,
ease, fill, lessen, lighten, lull, make nice, mitigate, moderate,
mollify, pacify, palliate, placate, pour oil on, propitiate,
quench, quiet, sate, satisfy, soften, still, surfeit, sweeten,
take the edge off, take the sting out, temper, tranquilize

Ouch!  Wow!  Did that ever set me back in my seat!  And then the tears came…and I repented.  Because I surely do NOT ever want to be taking over where my heavenly Father wants to take care of me!  He is so much better at it than I; His care is perfect and meets my every need!

Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all the faithful pray to You while You may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.’
Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in Him.
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Psalms 32:5-11

AND, I must be honest, this has not all been light and easy!  But some good and encouraging things have surfaced, too!  One thing, for example, I realize that I am disciplined and not easily tempted ALL of the time.  Like my morning quiet time…just no way that I am allowing ‘you-know-who’ (satan) to steal that from me and my God!

And so I am encouraged!  With God’s help and by His grace…maybe His mercies that are renewed every morning, too…these things CAN be changed in my little heart!  I am a thankful girl for the purging and cleansing and purifying and sanctifying that my heavenly Father is choosing to do in me!  He is the Potter…I am the clay.  And thankfully I am getting molded more and more into the image of my Lord!

May I encourage you also?   ♥ 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty Hand,
that He may lift you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6 and 7

Praying for each of you!  ♥ 

♥  coleen

_________________________________

If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this blog post, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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