May 6, 2026

Life’s Healing Choices: Chapter 8 – “How Can We Use Pain to Help Others” (pgs 247-250)

February 27, 2013 by

“This is your life, child; this is why I’ve allowed so many years of pain and suffering, to help another of My children in need.” God spoke these words to me, not too long ago. It’s amazing, the second great commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself and that love must be shared by sharing your story of hope, so that all can see Jesus in you. 1 Peter 5:2-4 “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers, not because you must, but because you are willing as God wants you to be. Not greedy for money but eager to serve, not lording over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

The phone rang over the weekend. She wanted to give up, throw in the towel—just keep doing what she was doing until it finally took her from this life. Alcohol had its grip on her, and she cannot stop this cycle. Going to bed with the shame of doing exactly what she promised herself she wouldn’t do and waking up with so much pain that she didn’t have a choice, but to repeat the events of yesterday. She needed hope , not from someone who had it all together always, but from someone who has experienced falling apart—someone like me. She knows my God put all my pieces back together, and she wanted to know how. She talked and let it all out, over 400 days of the habit. She just needed hope. Who knew my pain was for a purpose? He did!!!!  I am so thankful and grateful and humbled to be His servant, that He entrusted me with such a story of addiction, recovery, forgiveness, and a life changed through Him and for Him.

The “Y” in Recovery stands for yield. “Yield your heart, mind and body to God.” Here’s what He wants from your yield:  take your everyday, ordinary life—your eating, sleeping, going to work, play—and place it before God as an offering. He will use every bit of your life, recycle it and help so many! Embrace what He does for you!  It’s the best thing you can do for others! Don’t become so well adjusted to your life that you forget the main purpose. What is that purpose, you say? Use your mess for His ministry.

The “Y” in Recovery also stands for YOU. You are amazing and so worth all His efforts!  See, He loves you that much, to not just leave you in a state of contentment, but to make you see how desperately you need Him and how desperately others need to see your dependence on Him. Don’t waste what has happened to you!!  Fear not, He will guide you to who needs you most.

1 Peter 3:14 says “Do not fear what they fear, do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord; always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect–keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” That pretty much tells you word for word how to tell your story. His word is our guide, my friend.

Ask boldly for the strength to carry His message and pray for discernment. His Spirit will guide you to who needs answers; answers to questions like…How did you recover? How did you do it? On the hard days when you couldn’t muster the strength for mascara, how did you even pour the milk for the children’s cereal? How did you breathe and put one foot in front of the other? What kept you from giving up? You know your story, and you know how you made it. Don’t waste it, I keep repeating this, but it’s just so crucial to your own recovery as well as someone else. You will get more out of this than they will. On Sunday, when I was reminded of still being in that pit, I knew I never wanted to go back. God sends us those to remind us of how it was and how we don’t ever have to go back there.

I end this with praise and a reminder that there is strength in numbers.  There is strength in His name, there is healing in His name, and redemption in His name. Be the light to all; use your story, His story. Go ye into all the world and tell everyone who will listen…

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, You have been so evident and present in our lives these past weeks and years. You have spoken to us through Your Word as if You were sitting right next to us. You have brought us to this place. We know now You have a plan. You are inviting us to share Your truths with hungry and thirsty men and women. As we now prepare to lead Your sheep, please prepare the hearts of those You are calling. Give them a hunger in their hearts, an open schedule, and a desire for more of You and a hope that comes from You. Give us a love for each and every one, no matter who You bring our way. Give us Your vision and wisdom as we step out and tell our story and recycle our pain for Your purpose. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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If you would like to email Kim in regards to this post, please email her at kim@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

 

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Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – “Profile of the Obsessed” – pgs. 139-143 (Servers/Givers/Sojourners/The Engrossed)

February 27, 2013 by

As we continue our study of chapter 8, let’s dive into four more profiles of the obsessed. What does it look like when someone is obsessed with Jesus Christ?

Servers –In Matthew 13:44, Jesus tells about the Parable of the Hidden Treasure: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” Chan suggests that many American churchgoers may be limiting their love for God because they are so hesitant to do anything for Him. The man in this parable discovered the Kingdom of Heaven by accident but realized its worth immediately – he sold everything he owned so he could buy the whole field.  He gave up everything he had for the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet, God offers it to us as a free gift, ready for whoever is willing to accept it.

People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people.

Givers – When I flipped the pages of my Bible to James 2:14-26, our theme verse for this section, some words that I had written there recently leaped off the page at me: “Faith in Christ spurs us to ACT”.  When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He begins to change our hearts to become more like His. It is a gradual, but continual, process of sanctification that only He can do. He commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). If you stop and really think about that statement, it is very profound. We are all very me-centered, selfish humans. Just because we wear the label “Christian” does not mean that we are immune. We must bring our selfishness to the cross every single day. But…If we love others as much as we love ourselves, can you imagine what the world would look like? What if we stopped making excuses and started ACTing?

People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world.

Sojourners – Grandma Clara sounds like quite a woman. Have you ever known anyone in your lifetime that was so Heaven-focused? This earthly life is but a blip on the screen, but to us, with our struggles and challenges, joys and sorrows, sometimes we get overly focused on the here and now. We forget to look past the current situation to envision eternity with Christ, where no sickness or struggle will be found; where we will all live in glorious harmony praising our King. Oh what a day that will be!

A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.

The Engrossed – The first commandment says that we must “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5). This command encompasses every aspect of us as human beings. Heart, soul, and strength make up who we are as individuals. The Lord says we should love Him with everything that we have and all that we are. We should not limit our love in any way. So, what does that mean exactly?

Deut6_5

It means not holding back from God. He already knows everything anyway, so do not be afraid to talk to Him and be honest with Him. He knows you and loves you deeply. He WILL help you through anything you are facing. And the more you lean on Him, the more deeply you will fall in love with Him.

A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.

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Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for showing to us what profiles of an obsessed follower of Christ looks like. Although we are human and fall short every day, we know that Your grace keeps pushing us forward and helps us to achieve new heights day after day. Thank You for Your unending and overflowing grace, Father. Convict our hearts and show us how we can fall more deeply in love with You. It’s in Your Son’s matchless Name that we pray, AMEN!

Your Assignment:

Which of these four profiles convicted your heart? Why? What step of faith can you take to act on this conviction?

 

If you would like to send a private message to Jennifer in regards to this blog post, you may send it to: Jennifer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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At Home w/ GCH – No More “Junk” Drawer

February 26, 2013 by

junk drawer

The dreaded junk drawer. What state is yours in? Before you answer that, I have a confession story to tell you, that might just make you feel better if yours is a mess.

Once upon a time, four years ago to be exact, I had not one, but TWO junk drawers. Both were the stuff-everything-in-there-until-practically-overflowing-and-if-anyone-ever-lays-eyes-on-this-I’ll-be-mortified kind of junk drawer. Screws & screwdrivers (don’t those belong in a toolbox?), old video rental cards and my college i.d. from years ago (shouldn’t those be shredded?), receipts, batteries, recipe booklets, more receipts, every writing  utensil known to man, sunglasses, report cards, pads of paper, tealights, keys to the car that was sold a couple years prior, keys that I don’t know what they opened…you name it, it was in there. {Feel better? I thought so.} Then one day, I decided to use my OCD tendencies for good instead of evil, and started living by the golden rule. No, not that one. This one: A place for everything, and everything in its place. The junk drawers were banished from the kingdom, and we all lived happily ever after.

So, again I ask, what state is your junk drawer in? Is it happily organized, a chaotic mess, or somewhere in between?

Pop quiz! What’s my golden rule? That’s right! You get a gold star! Now let’s work on finding a place for everything in YOUR drawer. Assignment: Find the time this week to clean and organize your junk drawer.

  • Empty the contents out onto the table or counter.
  • Wipe the drawer clean, including the crevices and corners of the drawer.
  • Now sort everything….
  • If it doesn’t belong in there, put it where it belongs. If it’s in there BECAUSE it doesn’t have a dedicated place where it belongs, CREATE one for it. This is, in my opinion, the number one cause for messes. If it doesn’t have a home, it will wander. Simple as that.
  • If it’s garbage, throw it away. Be selective in what you keep.
  • Put the remaining items into small boxes or baskets that will fit in your drawer. This is the biggest step you can take to make sure your junk drawer (which you can now call something else, because it doesn’t look so junky anymore) stays neat and organized! I heart boxes! As you can see, the only items I don’t have in a box are the extra notepads for my fridge, my scissors, and my coupon binder.

If you’re looking at the picture of my drawer and swoon over those boxes like I do, you can find them HERE. Not only are they pretty, but watch this: presto change-o!!! …*…*…*…*…

junk drawer 2

Cool, right? Not that lids are essential, but boxes like this would work GREAT for people who have a tendency to overstuff. How many pens or sticky notes do you really NEED in your drawer, right? If you have a problem corralling the clutter, make it a rule that if it doesn’t fit with the lid closed, then it’s too much for the drawer. (As you can see, my one exception is my box with the tape in it, only because the tape is too tall for the lid to fit. The other open box is for my glasses and lens cleaner, and I never bother putting the cover on that, because I know I won’t put other “stuff” in it.)

Don’t want to spend money on boxes? Improvise! Before I bought these, I used Velveeta boxes, and those worked just fine! You can even use double-sided tape to pretty them up with scrapbook paper. Beautiful spaces make me want to keep the space beautiful.

Love & Blessings,

Shandy

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Be sure to visit Shandy’s personal blog Aprons ‘n Pearls for crafts, recipes, home keeping tips & more!

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Life’s Healing Choices: Chapter 8 – Why Does God Allow Pain? (pp 242-247)

February 26, 2013 by

 It was only 2 years and 2 months ago…I was sitting curled up in a ball crying on the floor of my bedroom asking God this question: WHY GOD? Why did I have to go through such heartache and misery? Why did some people treat me horrible as a child? Why did nothing ever help me feel better? Why did You not heal me and save me from all the shock treatments, hospitalizations, abandonment, and rape? Why did You let me suffer for so long with major depression and horrendous anxiety and not help me?

I’m sure every one of you has asked this question before about some hard event in your life. Why? This three letter word is so powerful and can paralyze us and get us stuck if we let it. Today we are going to talk about why God allows pain and suffering if He is such a good God. Baker breaks this question into 4 different parts

1. God has given us a free will
2. God uses our pain to get our attention
3. God uses pain to teach us to depend on Him
4. God allows pain to give us a ministry to others

From the beginning, when God created man He gave us free will. He allows us to make choices—good or bad, and, right or wrong. Although our Creator, He gives free will and wants us to choose whether we accept Him or reject Him. He does this because He wants us to love Him freely by choice, not by demand. He does not force us to love Him.  John Baker describes this very well by saying: God didn’t want a bunch of puppets.

FreeWill_LHC_Ch8

This free will God gives us is both a blessing and a burden. Unfortunately, bad choices cause painful consequences which can really hurt us and others. My choosing to drink not only hurt me but also my family. I chose to be sexually promiscuous, and it resulted in me getting myself into dangerous relationships and caused a lot of hurt. Free will is given to every one, which means that all the other people in this world get it too. Wrong choices that other people make cause pain not just to them, but to others also. An example of this (which has always been something hard for me to understand) is an innocent family who was hit and killed by a drunk driver. What about the child who was raped, or the teenager who brought the gun to school and shot classmates? In these kinds of situations I always asked how could God let that happen? It happened because God gives us all free will, even that drunk driver, child molester, and murderer. God could have prevented that hurt by taking away that person’s free will. But if He had done that, in order to be fair, He would have had to take away your free will, too. Unfortunately, pain is part of the “free will package.” (Baker)

God uses pain to get our attention. Pain is God’s wake-up call: “Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.” (Baker) Today, without a doubt, painfully hitting rock bottom and running out of options was exactly what I needed to get my life straightened out. I could not hide my physical shakes from alcoholism any longer. I could not go up any higher on my Xanax legally. I was told that if I continued to drink that I would have to leave. Not just losing all the people that mattered most to me scared me enough, but also the physical and mental torment of drinking and mixing Xanax caused withdrawals and horrific hallucinations. All I could see in my future were visions of myself walking the cold sterile hallways of the mental hospital behind locked doors (this time permanently); and losing my family for good finally shook some sense into my hard, thick head! It had to be that drastic and that painful in order for me to finally look up and pay attention.

God uses pain to teach us to depend on Him.  Although God did not give us the pain (we caused that to happen), we can learn to trust and rely on His power more holy as a result of our being made “more aware” of our weaknesses. Apostle Paul, out of his pain and experience tells, “We were really crushed and overwhelmed…[and] saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us.” 2 Corinthians 1:9 LB  It’s in our deepest pain, we can finally see that we need help. That we are powerless and we need God who is the only one that can save us.

Lastly, God allows pain to give us a ministry to others. Pain in our lives makes us humble, understanding and sympathetic to others preparing us to serve. This is what’s called recycling pain (Choice 8). When we turn to God for healing, He comforts and gives us what we need. He uses our pain so when others are troubled we can encourage them, be sympathetic, and comfort them like God has done for us. Who better to talk with as an alcoholic or drug addict, than to a former addict who has been delivered and restored? What a difference it is to have someone who understands what struggles we have been through and will listen without judging. What a beautiful blessing it is for us to help others and spread the good news of God. Our pain can give hope to others, and heal us also.

I remember the first time I shared my testimony was on my Facebook timeline. I have friends all the way back from when I was a little girl. All those years when they knew me, I had been very good at pretending I was happy; I put on a very convincing show to everyone. I can imagine how shocking it was for many to read. Yes, some people thought it was a foolish move to tell my personal business, while others were inspired. God used me in a great way to reach out to many who had addictions and mental illness that day. I had, and still have many friends and their friends who have come to me and shared with me their hurts and struggles because they felt safe and understood. From then I have been able to give my testimony at my home church, and also shared it on this ministry. Each time it heals me even more and I get to add to the healing! What joy it brings our Father in heaven to see our pain turn into something good. It is so important to SHARE your story! What a wonderful way to praise Him for helping you to overcome your hurts, hang ups, and habits!

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Let’s Pray:

Thank You, God, for comfort, love, free will, and healing. Oh Father, what a wonderful blessing it is for us to be able to share our story and experiences, journey, weaknesses, and how You got us where we are today. Lord, please use us and recycle our pain we have had to help and encourage others who may be going through the same thing with gentleness and respect. Today, Lord, may we witness to others and speak to them the Good News of Your mighty love and kindness. Father, we love You so much!  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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If you would like to send a private email to Leslie in regards to this blog, please email her at:
Leslie@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

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Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – “Profile Of The Obsessed” (pp 134-138)

February 26, 2013 by

In this chapter of Crazy Love, Chan gives us a profile of being obsessed with Jesus.  Keep in mind that obsessed means ‘to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic.’ 

On pages 134-138, Chan lists three more ways in which we should examine ourselves to see if we are obsessed with Jesus to the point that we are faithfully living out His word. 

  1. Friends of All – People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another.  Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him.  (1 John 2:4-6; Matthew 16:24-26) 
  2. Crazy Ones – Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo.  A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don’t always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth.  (Luke 14:25-35; Matthew 7:13-23, 8:18-22; Revelations 3:1-6)
  3. The Humble – A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle.  Obsessed people know that you can never be “humble enough,” and they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.  (Matthew 5:16)

May I share my heart with you as each of us begins to examine ourselves in view of these three ways.  It is my belief that we go through seasons of our lives where the Holy Spirit is nudging us to be more obsessed with Him, and even points to the door He wants us to enter to make that happen. 

For me personally, there was a particular season of my life when, I indeed, looked pretty Crazy to those around me for following Jesus down the path that I felt He was leading me.  Some even called me by that name!   In fact, there were even times when I felt a little crazy myself because I was traveling down a road with Jesus that was completely out of my comfort zone of faith.  We were on a road together that was, shall I say, “not my normal way” of life.  Believe me, it would have been much easier for me to turn around and go back than to face the opposition that I encountered.

But, I learned some very valuable lessons during that season of my life:

  • If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
  • His grace was sufficient enough to carry me through that season of my life, despite the opposition. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
  • Probably, the most important lesson I learned during that time period was:  I had to “let go and trust Him” for the outcome of where He was leading me.  After all, isn’t that what faith is?

As for being Humble, there was one season of my life when I had to face being humbled.  Come to think of it, there were two seasons of my life—no, make that three.  Oh, my gosh, numerous  times are flooding my memory now as I write this blog when I had to face the big H.  I am beginning to see that it is  just like Chan says:  “the sin of pride is always a battle.”  So I might as well look for it to come around and around again until I reach heaven’s door.

I said all of this to show you where I’ve been and where I am at in this present season of my life ;and that is “Friends of All,” as it pertains to giving to the poor.

“Do you have a problem with giving to the poor?”  you might be wondering.

My Answer:  I don’t have a problem with giving to the poor at all—it is because of the season of my life that I am in at the present time that I am a little hung up.  You see, I am retired, and though my husband and I have a comfortable income coming in, it is certainly not like it once was when we had big salaries, plus bonus checks coming in that took care of our family’s needs.  There was also enough money left over for fun and recreation, long vacation trips, and even care-free spending at the mall.

As a result of this decrease in salary, I feel a strong need to be a good steward of MY MONEY.  Wait!  I don’t believe I just said that.  “MY MONEY?”  “Lord, forgive me; it’s YOUR MONEY.”

Oh yes, I believe God wants me to be a good steward in regards to money. But, quite honestly, out of my desire to feel “secure,” I find myself “hoarding my money,”  (excuse me, God’s money) after I give of my tithes to the church. 

Right now I feel the nudge to become Friends of All and give to those who don’t even have an income coming in like I do, that is “if I want to be obsessed with Jesus.”   

And that’s my story on these three.  What about you?  What is God speaking to you about?

WhatIsGodSpeakingToYouAbout

 

 

Be blessed,

Martha

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Let’s Pray: 

Father God, first of all, we open our hearts to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to show us where we are not being obsessed with You. Help us to make changes in our life as You would have us to. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Your Assignment: 

Where do you feel you need to make changes in your life in view of these three areas to become more obsessed with Jesus. 

 

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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Captivating: Beauty Flows From a Heart at Rest – Beauty is Inviting (pp 132-138)

February 26, 2013 by

When I read the description of the two women, I saw a lot of what I am in Janet and a lot of what I wanted to be in June.

Despite our various personality traits or where we may feel in our lives, despite how we feel about our journey, or how successful we feel we have been on this journey, it is reassuring to know that we are beautiful. In every woman lies a God-given beauty. A beauty that we hide through our striving to be what we feel we should be, a beauty that we hide after hurts in life have caused us to question this beauty.

“Beauty indwells every woman…So the choice a woman makes is not to conjure beauty, but to let her defenses down.” 

Right there, that’s the key—our defenses. The book describes these defenses as our normal means of survival. We set up these defenses around our hearts and minds and keep others out, while at the same time keeping ourselves in. These defenses stop us from being who God designed us to be. But how do we let our defenses down…how do we embrace this God-given beauty?

Rest. What is rest, and most importantly, what is a heart at rest. In today’s busy world, rest is not a word we hear very often. But rest doesn’t mean an opportunity to relax in a quiet room without interruption from others. In this sense, rest means the opportunity to be who God created us to be without striving to be what we think we should be, without having to hide who we are. “That the more His we become, the more ourselves we become; more our true selves.”

I always try to find a line or two in each section that speaks to my heart. In these sections it was the following two lines:

“You are free to be you, it’s one of life greatest gifts.”

Despite what life and others may say, I know deep down that God created me for a reason, He created all of us for a reason.  He knew what character traits we would have, and He placed them in us for a purpose. Through Him and His love we can all embrace who we are, and open our hearts to rest.

 

Cap_Ch8_TonyaE

We do not have to be a ‘June’ to be at rest, or to have an inviting heart towards others. Like so many other discussions we’ve had, we need to simply let God in, let Him in to heal us as we walk in faith. Let our true selves come out as He shows us just how beautiful we are. Let Him in to show us the reality of 1 Peter 3:3, 4

 1 Peter 3:3 and 4

3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

We need only to put our defenses down to let Him show us that we are inwardly beautiful.

Zephaniah 3:17

17 The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.

He will quiet us with His love. He will lower our defenses with His love. He will allow our hearts to rest with His love. And He will make our hearts inviting with His love.

With Love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

Rest, open, inviting, these are words that may not resonate with us, Lord, for we do not always see the beauty that You have placed in our lives and in our hearts. Our defenses and strongholds that we have created to protect us are stopping us from being the women You created us to be. Lord, please break our strongholds and help us to bring down our defenses through Your love. Thank You for Your love; a love that quiets, a love that heals, a love that allows us to see our true beauty through Your eyes.

In Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.

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Your Assignment:

We so often overlook our beauty because in our eyes our flaws stop us from seeing it. Today we are all going to post a trait that makes us unique, that makes us who we are. God has placed so many beautiful characteristics in each one of us. “We are free to be us. It is one of life’s greatest gifts.”

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 If you are interested in sending a private message to Tonya, please email her at TonyaEllison@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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Life’s Healing Choices: Chapter 8 – “Recycling Pain” (pp 241-242)

February 25, 2013 by

Choice 8: Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.

Matthew5_10

Can you believe it?  We are actually on our last week of this study.  It has been an amazing journey with all of you.  As we close up this study, we are going to talk about recycling our pain—sharing the testimony God has given us and our giving to others, so they may know the love and grace we have been given.  I don’t know about you, but I use to think as Moses did, “Who am I?” that He should use me?  But God doesn’t use the strong, or the wise, or the mighty. “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are  (1 Corinthians 1:27, 28).

God wants to use those very things you want to leave behind, pack away, or just simply not talk about to help others.  When I first completed this study, 3 years ago, one of the sentences that stuck out to me was “God never wastes a hurt.”  He wants to use all the pain and struggles we have gone through to show others His power.  It is during that time when we become weak that His strength shines.  “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength“ (Isaiah 40:29). 

As you continue this journey beyond this week, and allow God to be first in your life, you will see that everything we have is a gift from God.  Our recovery and healing are built upon the strong foundation of our faith in Christ.  As we share what He has done in our lives, others will see Him living through us.  In Matthew chapter 5, just after the Beatitudes are delivered from Jesus during His sermon on the Mount, He tells us we are ‘…the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden’ (verse 14).  He then says,”Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify Your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:15, 16).  He wants us to place His light in us on that lampstand to shine before others.

As He is the Potter and has made us His vessels, think about vessels and light.  As we become broken vessels and He puts us back together, visualize a pot that has been broken and put back together—cracks here and there.  Now place it next to an unbroken vessel.  Which one, when a light is placed inside, would shine the most?  The broken and healed vessel, as the light will shine through the every crack.  God has healed and put us back together with His power, placed His light inside us to shine so others can see and all glory can be given to Him.

I have had the privilege of giving my testimony many times in the past year.  I love to tell people what God has done in my life.  God has given me the love and grace to be out of the gay lifestyle for three and a half years now.  That is just the frame of His testimony in me.  The masterpiece He has created within that frame has been given freedom from abusive relationships, manipulation of everyone around me, guilt, shame, anger, doubt, setting expectations beyond reach, dishonesty, and other struggles.  He has taken all my sin, dipped it in red, and made me white as snow.  My life has gone from chaos to peace, from despair to hope, from guilt and shame to honor, and from sin to salvation.  I am also happy to say He has taken me from strength and independence to weakness.  For in my weakness, He is made strong.

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Let’s Pray:

Most gracious and heavenly Father, we are so in awe of all You have done for us.  Of the grace, mercy, and love You have unconditionally given each one of us.  Thank You for Your healing from all things we have struggled with in our own might.  Lord, as we continue to seek You, show us how to be that light that will not be hidden, shine through us so others will see all Your glory.  Help us to spread Your message of hope and freedom.  Let our lives be that living testimony for You.  Lord, bless each person who has joined this study with Your healing power. Restore within their lives anything that has been damaged or destroyed.  Your word says that You will replace what the locusts have eaten. Father, we stand on Your word in agreement.  We love You, Lord, and give all the honor and glory to You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

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

 

Filed Under: Victorious Healing Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – “Profile of the Obsessed” Lovers – Risk Takers (pp 129-133/ Kindle LOC 1673-1724)

February 25, 2013 by

obsessedwithjesus

Does this describe you? Are you a LOVER?

Now…when God prompts me to give, I give freely, I really do. But how open am I to giving without prompting?

This reminds me of a time in my life when God prompted me to do a very kind, loving, and selfless act to someone who I held much unforgiveness in my heart for. This person had hurt my family and my children for a long time.  But when God prompted me to extend kindness to them, I knew it was the right thing to do; but I also knew I would be unable to do it without His help and guidance.

Have you ever been in this position? How did it turn out for you? For me, I completely gave the situation over to God, and He totally showed off in every way! It did not turn out how I ever imagined it would, but He certainly knew exactly what He was doing, and it was 100% the right thing to do. He is so good!

However, I know I would not have come up with doing this on my own. I had shown this person kindness in the past in other ways, but in ways that were far less extraordinary and disruptive to my life. Reading this part of the chapter really made me stop and think about how foolish this is if I am truly living with a Crazy Love for our Heavenly Father.

“People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.”

Are you a RISK TAKER? I know I have been known to pray before trips for God to protect my family and keep us safe. But is that the best prayer? Chan suggests in this section that what we ought to be praying something more like this: “God, bring me closer to You during this trip, whatever it takes….”

Would that be hard for you to pray? I must admit, I love it.

It is what my heart believes…truly, it is. Whatever it takes, in whatever I do, I want to become a more fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and become closer to Him…. Safety would be nice to have, but really, that is not necessary if it is not God’s will. What is there to be afraid of, really?  If we truly trust God to provide and we trust His perfect plan and provision for our lives, then this prayer certainly is most appropriate.

Blessings,

Megan 🙂

Let’s Pray:

God, we want to be obsessed with You in every way. We want every person who interacts with us to not just think we are “nice” but that we are crazy and madly in love with YOU!!! Help us be rid of any mistrust or unbelief we might be carrying and become more fully passionate and devoted to You. We love You, Lord, and we thank You for opening our eyes and hearts to Your Truth! In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.  <3

Your Assignment:

What aspects about your faith need to change in order for you to be a lover and risk taker as you strive to be fully obsessed with loving our God? Please share with us below 🙂

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

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

Captivating: Chapter 8 – “Beauty to Unveil – The Essence of Woman” (pp 128-132)

February 25, 2013 by

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Isn’t it amazing that when God created man and woman, He gave them different characteristics that are unique, but at the same time represent His nature?  When we look at the essence of a man, it is portrayed in strength. This is shown when men take their rightful role to provide for us, protect us, speak up for us, and shield us from emotional harm and spiritual attack.   A strong man represents the Warrior characteristic of God.

Stasi shares that strength is what the world longs to experience from a man.  “The strength of a man is first a soulish strength—a strength of heart. And yes, as he lives it out, owns it, inhabits his strength, he does become more handsome. More attractive. As the fruit of an inner reality.”

The Essence of a woman on the other hand is Beauty, which represents the Captivating side of God.  In the Captivating study guide Stasi notes that “Beauty is a hard subject for women to talk about.  Our desire for beauty has caused us countless tears and untold pain.  The world’s view of beauty is unattainable for the majority of women… and yet we long for it.”

1Sam16_7

Our longing to be beautiful has led us to compare ourselves with others.  We have bought countless magazines, tried every diet ever created, bought beauty products just because our favorite actress or model is advertising them, our hair has gone through different phases (some days we want it short and straight; other days we want it long and curly).  Still at the end of day we feel the same—we don’t feel beautiful enough, tall enough, slender enough, and the clothes don’t fit the way they did on the mannequin.

It is not wrong to look beautiful.   We decorate our homes and put flowers on the table. We wear perfume, paint our toenails, color our hair, and pierce our ears, all in an effort to be ever more beautiful.  However, much of our struggle to accept who we are comes into play when we have bought into the ideologies of the world which idolizes outer beauty.

The Bible teaches that every woman is made in the image of God.  Every woman bears His image in her heart and carries within her the very essence of Beauty.  Apart from God, beauty gets twisted, used, and abused.  Being beautiful on the outside doesn’t mean a woman has a beautiful heart.

I heard this profound statement from one of the sermons of Bishop T.D. Jakes, “What is happening on the outside is a reflection of what’s going on the inside.”

Girlfriends, Beauty starts on the inside—deep down your heart.  When you believe that you are beautiful from your heart, it comes out on the outside and it doesn’t matter whether you are wearing yesterday’s fashion or today’s trendy clothes.  Your beauty radiates on the outside and it is seen by the way you carry yourself, the smile on your face, the way you talk, and the way you view life.

Beauty that comes from the inside is what this world longs to see from us.  It is such Beauty that speaks and people listen, it invites others in and makes them want to stay forever.  It is beauty that nourishes, comforts, inspires and it is transcendent.   It is this Beauty that draws us to God.

I want to bring us to the verse in 1 Samuel 16:7.  “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.‘” God gave Samuel an assignment to go to the house of Jesse to anoint a king.  Jesse brought out seven of his sons and paraded them for Samuel to choose.  Jesse felt that they were suitable for the job but each and every one of them was rejected.  I am sure these men were tall and handsome, muscular, and probably had a military training as some had been part of Saul’s army.  As much as their looks and build were concerned,  they should have made the cut.  However, that’s not what God was looking for.  Apparently, there was another son, the youngest of them, who was out in the wilderness taking care of sheep.  No one remembered to call for him when Samuel arrived so they had to send someone to get him.  When David came, the Lord told Samuel to anoint him as king.

David was the least among his brothers and no one took notice of him.  But the Lord did.  The Lord saw David’s heart as he took care of the sheep, the way he rescued them from the lions and the bears.  David spent his time talking to God and getting to know Him.  This time was not in vain because it was what prepared David for the role of a lifetime, Israel’s king.

This may be your story, no one has noticed you and has not seen how beautiful you are.  You are the last to get the invitation to a party—if the invitation is even sent.  You are considered as a chaperone for your sisters, the least to be offered anything.  You long for someone to see the true you.  Do not be discouraged because the Lord knows and sees your heart.  He sees how beautiful you are and He calls you His beloved.  Let your beauty shine because that is the essence of who you are.

“Beauty is the most essential and, yes, the most misunderstood of all the feminine qualities. We want you to hear clearly that it is an essence every woman carries from the moment of her creation. The only things standing in the way of our beauty are our doubts and fears, and the hiding and striving we fall to as a result.”  – Stasi Eldredge

Be Blessed!

Jackie

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LET’S PRAY:

Dear God, You are beautiful and I believe I bear Your image.  But You know that I don’t feel very pretty let alone beautiful.  Would You please come to this place in my heart…this core place…and reveal to me Your own beauty?  Please heal the places in my heart that have been assaulted and hurt regarding beauty, and establish Your truth here.  Do You think I am beautiful? How? Why? Please help me, Jesus.  It’s in Your name that I pray.  Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

When we speak of strength as being the essence of masculinity, we are not talking about big muscles.  In the same way, when we speak of beauty as being the essence of femininity, we are not talking about a woman’s outward features.  If God dwells in your heart by faith, and God is altogether lovely, what does that say about your new heart?

If you are interested in sending Jackie a private message in regards to this blog, please email her at: Jackie@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com
Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

At Home with GCH: Appetizers Again – Mini Quiche

February 25, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This month we are doing a series on appetizers…I love ‘em!!  How about you?   I would love for you to leave a comment below sharing with us YOUR favorite appetizer(s)!

This week we are making bite-size crustless mini quiche; have you ever had them? Pop-‘em-in-your-mouth yumminess!  These little appetizers are excellent to make ahead of time and freeze, then pull out to warm for a quick breakfast.

I made two types: Spinach&Swiss with Bacon, and Broccoli-Cheddar with Ham.  I have given you the basics—for both types—and then a few suggestions for optional fillings.  Whether you do them crustless (low-fat, gluten-free) like these or wrapped in some yummy, flaky crust, these are delicious!  You can let your imagination and taste buds lead you to making a variety or two that your loved ones will enjoy!

And I would suggest doubling or quadrupling the recipe (as I did); these go fast!  My husband can eat almost the whole batch (one dozen mini quiche) by himself… I’m just sayin’!  🙂

IMG_0161

Mini Quiche (makes one dozen)

Egg Filling

3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Whisk these 4 ingredients together, thoroughly blending the eggs.  Pour into a container with a spout (for ease in filling muffin tin) and set aside.

Spinach&Swiss with Bacon

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (option: packaged, cooked bacon)
4 tablespoons chopped onion
1+ tablespoons dried dill or tarragon (optional)
1/2-3/4 cup finely grated Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease with melted butter (or spray with cooking spray) your mini muffin tin; be thorough.  Place spinach in colander, allow to defrost, and then squeeze dry (with your hands); set aside.  Cook bacon, cool, and crumble.  Saute onion in a bit of the bacon drippings until soft.  When done, mix with spinach and herbs.

Evenly distribute the veggies, the bacon, and the cheese among the muffin cups; these should be at least 1/2 full. Then carefully pour the prepared Egg Filling mixture into each muffin cup.  Fill almost full.  Bake @ 375 for approximately 12-15 minutes until the eggs puff and are lightly golden brown.  Remove from oven; let sit for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from muffin tin.  If you have thoroughly greased your muffin tin in preparation, this shouldn’t be too hard.  I used a small, flexible spatula—but a teaspoon or small knife will do—and just run it around the edge of each quiche to loosen.  Serve immediately.

Broccoli-Cheddar with Ham

4 tablespoons chopped onion
olive oil
1/2 cup frozen, chopped broccoli (cooked and cooled)
1/2 cup ham, chopped small
1+ tablespoons dried crushed rosemary or marjoram (optional)
1/2-3/4 cup of finely grated sharp Cheddar

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease with melted butter (or spray with cooking spray) your mini muffin tin; be thorough. Cook frozen broccoli in small saucepan, drain and cool; set aside.  Saute onion in a small amount of olive oil until soft; when done, mix with broccoli, and herbs.

Evenly distribute the veggies, the chopped ham, and the cheese among the muffin cups; these should be at least 1/2 full. Then carefully pour the prepared Egg Filling mixture into each muffin cup.  Fill almost full.  Bake @ 375 for 12-15 minutes until the eggs puff and are golden.  Remove from oven; let sit for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from muffin tin.  If you have thoroughly greased your muffin tin in preparation, this shouldn’t be too hard.  I used a small, flexible spatula—but a teaspoon or a small knife will do—and just run it around the edge of each quiche to loosen.  Serve immediately.

Filling Variations (choose one from each category)

  • Veggies:(1/2 cup) of either sauteed mushrooms, peppers, seeded tomatoes, zucchini, butternut squash
  • Cheese: (1/2-3/4 cup) of your favorite Cheddar, Monterey Jack, goat cheese, Gruyere, Parmesan, Fontina, Provolone, Gouda
  • Herbs: (1+ tablespoon) of your choice of parsley, chives, tarragon, basil, dill, rosemary,  marjoram
  • Meat: (1/2-3/4 cup) finely chopped ham, cooked&crumbled breakfast sausage or bacon

Crust Options  OK, should you want to make your mini quiche with a crust (oh yum!) you have options, too.  This is a little ditzy and time-consuming but well worth the effort for those that love crust!

After choosing (and preparing, if necessary) your option, cut out into approximately 2+1/2″ diameter rounds; I used a juice glass.  Gently fit into mini-muffin tin cups.  Bake @ 400 for 20 minutes or so ’til egg is puffed and crust is lovely and golden.  Allow to sit in the muffin tin for 2-3 minutes; remove to a cooling rack OR serve immediately.

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

♥  coleen

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

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