May 8, 2026

Saturdays with Shauna: Knitting!

October 13, 2012 by

Now that the weather is getting cooler here in Middle Tennessee, there’s nothing more relaxing to me than curling up under my favorite blanket with a steaming cup of hot chocolate next to me and a quick knitting project in my hands!  I discovered a love for knitting several years ago.  For me, it is calming and I get a sense of accomplishment when I can finish a quick project in a few hours’ time.

One of my favorite projects is a simple knit hat, which can be finished in one sitting if you have a few hours to spare.  Even if you don’t know how to knit, this is a great starter project and I’ve posted links along the way to help you learn!  A great resource for learning the basics is knittinghelp.com. There you can find free videos that show you how to do everything from cast on, knit, purl, cast off and everything in between.  So if you don’t understand something, search for a video on knittinghelp.com or check their message boards.

Now, let’s get started! 🙂

 Simple Knit Hat (adult size)

 

This is me sporting one of these hats I made last fall

 You will need: 

Size 13 knitting needles – 16” circular 

Size 13 double pointed knitting needles (set of 5)

One skein of Lion Brand “Hometown USA” Super Bulky yarn (weight 6) in your choice of color (or about 5 oz/81 yards of any other super bulky weight yarn of your choice, I just prefer to use Hometown USA because it’s inexpensive – $2.79/per skein on amazon.com — and comes in a variety of great colors for fall)

A large-eyed tapestry needle

A stitch marker 

A tape measure

To start, cast on 48 stitches using the circular needles.  If you are unsure how to cast on, see this video:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/long-tail-cast-on

Row 1:  Knit and join together, being careful not to twist.  Knit the entire row, marking the beginning of the row with a stitch marker.  To see how to join and make sure not to twist, see this video:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/circular-needle

And to learn the “knit” stitch:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/the-knit-stitch-english-english  And here is some information on using stitch markers:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99967

Knit every row until your work measures 8” long.

After you’ve got 8” knitted, you’re going to K2tog (knit two together) all the way across the next row.  Here is a video on how to K2tog:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/knit-2-together-english

Knit the next row.

Switch your work to the double pointed needles.  At this point, you should have 24 stitches, so just slip each stitch onto a double pointed needle – 6 stitches on each of the 4 needles.  Use the 5th needle in the set to work with.  Here is a video about working on double pointed needles (DPNs):  http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/double-pointed-needles

K2tog across the next row.

Knit the next row.

Now you’re ready to finish!  Cut your yarn and leave a 6” tail.  Thread this into your large-eyed tapestry needle and carefully transfer the remaining stitches off of the DPNs and thread your needle through them.  Pull the yarn tightly to gather the top of the hat.  Then stick your needle through to the inside of the hat and turn the hat inside out so you can weave in the end of the yarn on the inside where it won’t be seen.  Here is a post that talks about weaving in ends:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109276

Basically, you’re just going to work the yarn tail through a few stitches inside the hat (make sure you’re not going all the way through!  You don’t want to be able to see it on the right side of the hat) so that it doesn’t unravel.  After you feel like it’s tucked in there good and won’t come out, you can cut off any remaining length of your tail.

Guess what?  You’re DONE!  And you have a cute hat that you made to show off to all your friends!  It was fast and inexpensive too!  You could whip out a few of these for Christmas presents and bless everyone you know!  And as you learn more about knitting, you can add your own variations such as stripes in different colors or incorporating the purl stitch to make your hat look different.  I’d love to see your hats and hear about your projects, so please leave a comment below!  I hope you enjoy making many hats in the future and if you’re new to knitting, I hope this tutorial has sparked your interest in the craft!  Happy Knitting!

<3 Shauna

You can visit Shauna Jared’s personal blog, Work Home Play, for more crafts, DIY projects, and recipes!

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Saturdays with Shandy: 6 Weeks to Make Your Home Shine for the Holidays! Week Two

October 13, 2012 by

This past week, we decluttered and tackled front porch and entryway cleaning projects. How did everyone do??? It wasn’t too hard, right? A little bit each week will add up to a whole lot of stress removed from our holiday celebrations! Remember, we are taking before & after pictures every week, and will have the opportunity to share them in our Facebook group on Saturdays only, so be sure to head over there today to post your pictures! I can’t wait to see what everyone has accomplished so far!

This week, we are going to focus on our living and dining rooms. In our house, our front room, or “keeping room” (also known as the living room, great room, parlour, or sitting room) is where we spend much of our time, and is where we invite our guests to sit and make themselves at home. Keeping rooms, historically, were a room right off the kitchen where Colonial families would gather to glean warmth from the kitchen stove. It’s not so different today, as many homes have fireplaces in their living rooms. Not mine, sadly, but many. *sigh* But it is our gathering place, and is where we spend most of our time together as a family.

As such, it should be a comfortable, warm, inviting place, free of clutter, dust, and otherwise unpleasant things. And then there is the dining room. The place where we pray together, break bread together, and fellowship together. If we had Jesus as a guest in our home, we would invite Him to have a meal with us in this special room, so we want this room to be the best it can be, right? Homey, clean, and welcoming. The living room, dining room, and kitchen (which we will get to next week) work together to be the hearts of our homes, so let’s give them the love they deserve.

Have you ever thought about using your five senses when it comes to making your house a home?  The way a house smells speaks volumes about the people that live there, especially the one(s) responsible for housekeeping. What do you smell when you enter your home? Do you have wonderful smelling candles burning, or perhaps a loaf of bread baking in the oven… or do you smell something offensive to your senses? What do you see? A clean, cared for home… or is it unkempt and unorganized? What do you hear? Maybe hymns, contemporary Christian music, or Christmas songs playing in the background… or do you hear harsh, unpleasant noises?

What do you feel? When you sit down on your couch, do you have a soft blanket, or maybe a homemade quilt draped nicely over the edge… or are there crumbs, pet hair, or little plastic Army men there that you’re constantly brushing away? What do you taste? Do you have goodies on hand for unexpected guests, and dinner in the oven every night for your family… or are you constantly scrambling to throw something together or running for take-out way too often?

These things either help to make a house a home, or a place to dread coming home to. Which one are you creating? I encourage you to think about these things as we continue to work on making our homes shine for the holidays!

 ______________________________

Let’s pray:

O taste and see that the Lord is good! You have blessed us with wonderful abilities to sense the world around us, Lord. Let us be ever mindful of how we can use these gifts to serve our family and friends. Be with us this week as we work to make our homes inviting, peaceful, comfortable places where we can fellowship with one another and where we would be proud to welcome You for dinner. Help each of us to remember to give You thanks before each meal, Lord. Remind us to slow down, and let there be a revival in gathering around the table to eat as a family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Your assignment:

TODAY – Comment below to let us know if you are mindful of the five senses when cleaning and decorating your home, and what you do to make your home pleasing to the senses. Be sure to post your before & after pictures in our facebook group! Read the assignments for the week so you are prepared for what’s to come. Now let’s get cleaning! 🙂 Clean all blinds and window treatments in your living and dining rooms; clean any mirrors and picture frames you have on display… anything with glass. No sense in getting the glass cleaner out repeatedly! If you’re not sure how to clean your blinds, dust your ceiling fan, clean a microfiber couch, etc… go to our Saturdays with Shandy board on Pinterest for some awesome tips! http://pinterest.com/gchministries/saturdays-with-shandy/

Monday – Dusting day! Dust living and dining rooms from the top down: ceiling fans, ceilings & walls, baseboards, and woodwork; clean TV, electronics, and remotes; dust shelves, mantles, tables, other wood furniture, decorations, lamps, etc.

Tues – Clean all doors, doorknobs, light switches, and fingerprints/scuffmarks on walls. Get out the touch-up paint and take care of any places that need to be touched up.

Wed – Clean out and vacuum the couch and other upholstered furniture. Vacuum or sweep & mop the floors in your living and dining rooms, moving all the furniture.

Thurs – Organize! Go through any drawers, cabinets, etc. and organize your belongings, getting rid of anything you no longer need or use.

Fri – Catch up on anything you haven’t completed. If your upholstered furniture and/or carpeting needs cleaning, clean them or have them cleaned. Did you remember to clean with the five senses in mind? Maybe light a candle, or put on some soft music. Then enjoy your evening! You’ve earned it!

———————————————————————————————————-

We’d like to invite you to be part of our online Bible study! Click on “Sign-Up Here” at the top of the page to learn more or to register for the Women’s Bible study and be added to our facebook group!

If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Lord & Savior and would like someone to pray with you, email Prayer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com and someone from our Prayer Team will contact you soon.

Blessings,

Shandy

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

Winning Him Without Words: Weekly Overview

October 12, 2012 by

“Whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge:  

thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”

Ruth 1:16  

Yes, that was the scripture the minister spoke over my husband and me on our wedding day.

  1. From a peanut farm in Georgia to Tripoli Lybia, North Africa and on to Maine, Louisiana, Texas. Never would I have thought that  “going whither he goest and “lodged” would take me to so many places.

  2. His people became my dearest family.

  3. And then it happened – -seven years into the marriage, I met someone that separated us.  His name was Jesus, and at that point, my husband’s god was no longer my God.

It was then I set out on a mission to accomplish my #1 goal in my marriage – – -“Save my Husband,”  so that he would, not only go to hell, but enjoy this new man in my life with me.

But, no matter how hard I tried, he wouldn’t buy into it. To add to my place of defeat, I received a prophetic word that said:  “Sometimes we are looking for a closer relationship for our loved ones, when at the moment God is looking for that relationship with us.”

What I wanted to say to this person giving this prophetic word was:  “You missed it.  God and me are tight!  It’s my husband who needs to be in a relationship, and I am going to be the one who helps him obtain it.”  But, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder one day and politely told me that He didn’t need my help; He could handle things.

And so it was, I had to stop doing what our author, Lynn Donovan, refers to as “spiritual ambush.”  [pg 40]

As Beverly, Jennifer, Donna, and Sarah outlined each topic in Chapter 2, they bought us to a place of discovering

  • where we have been on our journey in trying to “Save Our Husbands”

  • where we are now

  • and where the Holy Spirit is leading us.

    ___________________________

Let’s review their points on Chapter 2 now.

Monday:  Don’t Save Your Husband, Save Yourself – -Beverly told us of all the many things she once did to get her husbands saved and in a relationship with the Lord. Beverly describes these manipulative efforts at soul winning as a handbook on how NOT to win your spouse to Christ.

Beverly arrived at an important decision about her soul winning efforts: “I decided long ago to accept that it’s God’s job to change hearts. That decision frees me to pursue my relationship with God without the added burden of having to bring my husband to faith. All I have to do is love and enjoy him. That’s God’s plan for me, and he gives me all the grace I need to accomplish it.

May we do likewise.

Tuesday:  It’s Safe to Relinquish Control – -Jennifer pointed us to the fact that we know that we can’t save our husbands, but relinquishing our control is hard to do.  She agree with the reasons that Lynn stated that made it so hard.   [page 44]

  • I am the only believer my husband encounters on a regular basis

  • I am the one person who is actively praying for him

  • If I do not show my husband Jesus, who will?

But, Jennifer pointed to Lynn’s statement that made a humbling impression on her to stop the control game.  You are underestimating the power of the Lord in your life.  [pg. 44]

May we do likewise.

Wednesday:   Throw Me a Life Preserver:   Donna pointed us to the reality that we are always in need of refining within our marriage. Forgiveness is one thing that is usually part of that refining process, which could go back to things that happened to us in childhood.  It is those experiences that might have left us with anger, bitterness, and a controlling nature.  Those things hurt our marriage and each other.

Donna summed it us by saying:  “I have found that when I hang onto God and trust him to be in control I find freedom and, to quote our author, God can change little ole me and my marriage for His glory.

May we do likewise.

Thursday:  A Daily Prayer / How Should We Pray—Sarah brought us back to the place we should be before we got on the bandwagon of trying to Save Our Husbands – – -Prayer!

Even with that revelation, Sarah points to the fact that we have to rid ourselves of distractions, get focused, and the ultimate question of “How to Pray.”

What works for Sarah has been:

  • Praying in the morning, which frees my mind of the day’s worries because nothing has happened yet to worry or stress me out! Another benefit to praying in the morning is I am better prepared to handle anything that may come along to worry or stress me out!

  • To stay focus, Sarah started a prayer journal, as Lynn suggested.  She says that by writing her prayers out in long hand, really brings her focus onto the paper and away from the distractions in the room.

  • How to Pray, Sarah says that praying from her Bible, using the right scriptures for what she needs God’s help in, but really didn’t know how to ask.  She turns those scriptures into a personal prayer.

Sarah’s new prayer life is inspiring a special person in her life – – HER HUSBAND!

May we do likewise!

Friday:  Discovery/Prayer:  Father God, if I could pray just one simple prayer for myself, and this whole community of women who are desiring a closer walk with you, it would be this:  “Help us to be doers of your word, and not just hearers.”  Those things that you have revealed to us this week are priceless.  Help us walk them out.  In Jesus name, I pray.

_______________________________________________________________________

For those who are reading this blog and would like to join the Bible study, we would love to invite you to join us!  Click here and follow the instructions, (you can also click the SIGN-UP link in the menu bar above to be taken to the form). It’s that simple!  We hope to see you soon!

Above all, if you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like to have someone pray with you, please email us at Prayer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com. and one of our prayer team members will contact you.

Blessings to you,

Martha

 

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

Lady In Waiting: Ministry of Listening, Helps, and Non-Newsy Works

October 12, 2012 by

This blog post is brought to you 

by Diane Meyers

Where is Your Glue Gun?
1 Corinthians 10:31: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.  This verse is one of my LIFE VERSES!  When I spend time in the word, every so often I read a verse that the highlighter does not even do justice to!  These verses struck a chord in my heart, and because of that they change me.  These verses are my strength in weakness, my light in darkness, my solid ROCK when shaken; or LIFE VERSES as me and my sister like to call them!  1 Corinthians 10:31 is one that really struck me when I read it.  I’m not sure if it was because as I read it over and over again, I thought of everything that I had once done in my past that was the complete opposite of giving glory to God; or, if it was because I instantly thought of everything that I would do from that moment forward to GIVE GOD GLORY.  Probably both, this verse was my motivation and God used it to lead me to live a life full of helping others.

.
Every single day I (WE) encounter broken after broken hearts.  These hearts come in all shapes, sizes, and pieces.  It is the heart of the lady you sit next to at work who cannot go home because she is her husband’s punching bag.  It is the heart of the man that you pass by at the bus stop wondering how he is going to provide for his family because at his last interview he was too experienced or just not what they are looking for.  It is the heart of the little boys and girls you hear about on the news who are ripped out of their homes and now living with temporary families.  It is the heart of the lives of every single person that you encounter who does not know their Savior in Heaven personally, that ought to make you want to grab a super-size glue gun and help fix these broken pieces.  I know I have my glue gun, all because when I look into the faces of these broken lives all I see is my old, glory-less self; the lost little girl in a big scary world.  I see the hurt behind their smile, the pain in their eyes, and I know them all too well.

.
Can I ask you some things that you either will not get or crave to find out the answer to?  Where is your glue gun?  Have you been renewed from all of your hurts?  Do you know what it is like to be made new, with no broken pieces all because of the glue guns of others that God is the power source to?  If yes, don’t you want to be that glue gun to others, leading them to the only power that will heal them, help them, and restore them; Jesus Christ.  If no, be honest to God; let Him know where you need those broken pieces to be glued together again.  His glue lasts forever.

.
Matthew 25:40 And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”  There it is, another LIFE VERSE.  That one hit me even harder, everything I have ever done to anyone I did to God.  That realization brought about a huge change in how I treat others.  Now, I still do see myself in the brokenhearted of the world, but even more so I see Jesus.  When people look at me, I want them to see Jesus, NOT ME.  This verse also helps me remember that God is with the brokenhearted, and I want to be where God is.  I have come to love my single days instead of dreading them because I get to spend them looking for Jesus, among the brokenhearted.

.
There are opportunities all around me and YOU to share God’s light.  Are you sulking in your singleness that it is blinding you from taking advantage of all of the opportunities God is giving you to minister to others, and live each day with HIM (where you just so happen to be the happiest, not in a marriage)?  Being single is the perfect time to ask God to bring the brokenhearted along your path.  This is the time to spend listening to others needs instead of focusing on the one need you think you need that God has not given you yet-a husband.  This is the time to figure out your LIFE VERSES, and share them with the world.  This is the time to find that glue gun and go on a journey with God to find the broken pieces.  Don’t let what the world says about being alone and single ruin your happy.  And better yet, LET THE WORLD KNOW you are not alone, you are with God; and they can be too!

.
LET’S PRAY:

Lord, I thank you so much for always shining through when I write.  I thank you for this time we have to hear from YOU.  I pray that each and every one of us that is along this journey together desire to seek your face among the brokenhearted.  I pray that you bring opportunities into our lives to help others come to know you as their personal Savior.  Lord, we love you so much, and I just pray that we learn to be happy, productive, single women, helping to FURTHER YOUR KINGDOM, give us your strength Lord.  I pray these things in your Son’s precious name, AMEN!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:  

What are some things you have done to help others all around you?  Are there people in your life that you know God has placed in it so that you can minister HIS love to them?  What areas of helping, listening, and staying humble do you enjoy most or struggle the most with?  Please comment answers below, I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!

Join Us!
Want to join the conversation in our Online Bible Study Facebook Discussion Group? We would love to have you, just click the Sign Up Here button at the top of this page and follow the directions. See you there!

.
If you have not accepted Christ as your Lord & Savior, we would love to pray with you. Please contact our Prayer Team leader by emailing Prayer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com. Someone from our prayer team will contact you soon!

Blessings,

Diane

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lady In Waiting: Ministry of Service, Writing, and Hospitality

October 11, 2012 by

This blog is brought to you

by Katie Blumberg

 

For me, the excuses began in college. I wanted to meet the perfect man, and in order for that to happen, I had to become the perfect woman. In my mind the perfect man for me would be studying to become a pastor or a youth pastor, therefore I would need to become the perfect pastor’s wife. How does one attain this high and regal status? By becoming a Biblical Studies major of course! Now don’t get me wrong, I loved studying the Word and diving through Scripture, pursuing the Lord, and learning about how to do ministry well in my every day life. I do not regret what I studied in school because it has made me the woman I am today; however, my initial intentions were not the holiest! I thought that as I waited for my future man, I would have to give up on becoming anything but a future wife of someone.

Continuing on to graduate school… Studying something that may lead to a job, rather than just a marital status… Pursuing a long-term mission’s trip to another country… Traveling to the other side of the country for a summer to work in a ministry position… Taking a fellowship in another state where I could pursue my dreams of owning a coffee shop, and be connected with other Christians who are figuring out life post-college… Joining Youth With a Mission and traveling the world spreading the good news… Moving in with my aunt in Georgia and doing ministry in her church… The list goes on and on. These are all service opportunities, dreams, and passions that I gave up as I waited for my future husband. “I’ll do that when I get married,” or “What if doing that leads me away from the man that I am supposed to be with, and I miss my opportunity with him?” were always thoughts that held me back from accepting my singleness and running towards my dreams. So here I sit, snuggling my cat in a city I feel safe in, surrounded by people I feel safe with, at a job that is safe. I only fear now that I will get married, eventually, and wonder what could have been if I had pursued the desires of my heart when I was single.

Ladies, you have all been blessed with gifts, desires, and passions. Some you may be figuring out, others you have known your entire life. Use them! Don’t wait around for your husband to arrive thinking that you will be able to pursue those things then! He is not going to make you any more able to be you than you can be RIGHT now! Have you been blessed with a servants’ heart? Find out the needs of those in your neighborhood (ministry is not confined to a four-walled building we call the church!) and help them!

Has the Lord given you the gift of encouragement? Write a letter, and email, send a text, or meet a friend for coffee and tell them how much they have blessed you. Is opening your home to friends and family exciting to you? Break out your best dishes, cook up a delicious meal and invite over everyone you know! Please don’t stuff those gifts inside thinking you’ll pull them out on a rainy day or that your husband will help you to become the woman you were meant to be.

Use this time to build relationships with amazing, godly women who will encourage and lift you up, surround you with love, keep you accountable, and push you to use those gifts for the Lord.

“It is doubtful that there could ever be a better time to serve Jesus than this “moment” of singleness. Rather than wasting precious moments fantasizing about an earthly lover, take advantage of your free hours each day to serve the Lord of Heaven. If you are frustrated and distracted, rather than fruitfully serving Jesus, then ask Him right now to adjust your vision.” (pg 33).

Take this time to let the Lord teach you who you are, what you love, and how you will be used to advance his Kingdom. Your husband is not going to tell you those things, and guess what?! I bet that amazing man will be even more attracted to you if you have spent time figuring these things out, building a strong foundation in Christ, and serving the Lord and your neighbor even without him by your side! Take the risk you have been putting off for fear of losing your chance with ‘him.’ Figure out your love language, and start loving on everyone who comes across your path!

___________________________

 Let’s Pray:

 Abba, Pappa; thank you for your grace and mercy on us. Thank you for bestowing gifts upon us to bless you and others with. Please teach us to prayerfully and thoughtfully use these gifts in the way that you intended. Give us the courage to explore our interests; teach us who we are in YOU, so that we never lose our identity, even in marriage! Instill in us a servants heart, and a desire to seek out your plan for our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

What have you given up for fear that you will miss out on finding the man of your dreams? Are you waiting to start something big because you think you need a husband to help you? If so, what step are you going to take to stop sitting around bored and day-dreaming about your fantasy man, and start acting on what the Lord has given you? Let’s get started ladies!

 ___________________________

Meet Katie Blumber – Blog Contributor Singles Ministry

Katie is a recent graduate from a small Christian liberal arts school, with a degree in Biblical Studies and Human Services. She has a huge ache for deep justice in her community and city, and longs to do God’s work in her every day life.

She is a barista at a local coffee shop, where she gets to serve amazing coffee and interact with people all day long. She volunteers at her church, loves going to shows and discovering new bands, and spends time with her amazing friends any chance that she gets.

For Katie, life is all about living out Christ’s love in the community that she lives in.  She is also passionate about purity, healthy relationships, and teaching others to see themselves the way that Christ sees them.

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Winning Him Without Words: Daily Prayer Life / How Should We Pray?

October 11, 2012 by

This blog post is brought to you today

by Sarah Boyer

A Daily Prayer Life/How Should We Pray?

I can certainly relate to Lynn when she says she struggled with praying purposeful prayers.  I find that when I sit down in the evening and finally have some quiet time to myself, my mind wanders so easily. I start to pray for the people on my prayer list and I start to think of how that person is doing at that moment. Then my mind trails off to something totally unrelated. I try to get back on track, but I just can’t stay focused.

As I said in my post last week, I have changed the time of day I have my prayer time. I pray and read from the bible in the mornings now. I have found that by praying right away in the morning, my mind is free of the day’s worries because nothing has happened yet to worry or stress me out! Another benefit to praying in the morning is I am better prepared to handle anything that may come along to worry or stress me out!

Lynn also has a wonderful solution for staying focused. She suggests starting a prayer journal. She says that by writing her prayers out in long hand, it really brings her focus onto the paper and away from the distractions in the room. Another thing I think is neat is she is able to revisit her old prayers and look back on how God answered those prayers for her. Was it answered the way she wanted or did he have something else in mind for her? Usually we will find that God had his own plan to answer our prayers and it always turns out to be the best answer!

So how should we pray?

Matthew 6:6-8 reads: But when you pray, go into your private room, and closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open. 7) And when you pray, do not heap up phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. 8) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

I am guilty of trying to impress God with my prayers by adding excessive words and repeating myself over and over, making sure I thoroughly covered everything. But God already knows my needs without all my extra words and phrases. Try to pray like Matthew 6 suggests and meet with God in a quiet, private place. Then follow this simple “formula”:

  • Give God thanks for all the blessings He has given you

  • Confess all your transgressions and ask for His forgiveness

  • Ask him for your needs in a clear and simple way (pray for your husband in secret and God will answer that prayer in the open!)

  • End your prayer in love for Him

If you are having trouble finding the right words, like I do, pray from your bible. I recently bought myself an amplified bible with the concordance in the back, plus a daily devotional prayer book. I use them both to help me find exactly the right scriptures for when I need God’s help but don’t really know how to ask. I read those scriptures in first person, so as to turn them into a personal prayer. I cannot TELL you how much this has helped my prayer time. It has purpose and structure and guess what?

Praying from the bible has brought about tremendous blessings in my marriage! My husband has even noticed a significant change in me. He is the first one to point out the blessings that have come to us ever since I have started praying this way. Even though my husband is a believer, he isn’t into praying together and things like that. I wish he was! I keep thinking our marriage could really benefit from prayer time together, but he isn’t there yet and I won’t push him. We learned from earlier in this chapter, your husband’s salvation is in God’s hands, not yours.

I do believe that God is using me as an example to my husband. As I get deeper into my relationship with God and become more at peace in our circumstances, my husband does notice and hopefully soon he will want to be right by my side, praying with me. What a joyous day that will be!

_________________

Let Us Pray:

Father God, please help us to have a more purposeful prayer time with you. Help us to be focused on your word and give us wisdom to understand what your word is telling us. Help us to keep our prayers simple and to the point. Continue to make us an example for our husbands and children to follow. In your precious name I pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Below, share with us what you currently do or what you are going to do to have a more purposeful prayer time.

______________

For those who are reading this blog and would like to join the Bible study, we would love to invite you to join us! Click here and follow the instructions, (you can also click the SIGN-UP link in the menu bar above to be taken to the form). It’s that simple! We hope to see you soon!

Godspeed,

Sarah

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

Lady In Waiting: Diligence and the Ministry of Teaching, Encouragement, and Prayer

October 10, 2012 by

 

I was (and sometimes still am) an excuse maker.

“I’m too busy”

“I don’t know what to say”

“What difference will I make?’

“There are better qualified people”

Diligence in ministry is something that I was not, and honestly it is an area that God is still working on.

I did little things here and there at church. But a big lesson I learned was that it doesn’t stop at church. There were and continue to be so many opportunities in where I can be diligent in these areas; I actually saw more opportunities outside of my church than inside of it.

He calls us to do many things in his name; three of those are to teach, to encourage and to pray. My famous line was “I’m busy” or “I don’t have the time”; and yes, truth be told I am busy, but so is everyone else.

I had to stop making excuses.

Teach. Encourage. Pray.

The book asks a great question that can be applied to all three areas “Are we giving out as much as we take in?” I know that I take in a lot, whether it’s quiet study time with God, encouraging words (my love language is words of affirmation) or people praying for me.

I have to ask myself some questions. Am I teaching others, sharing the truths god has shown me? Am I encouraging others, whether it is my co-workers, or the frustrated mom in the store? Am I forming “duets” and lifting others up in prayer? Am I praying for others on my own?

Just yesterday I was in Wal-mart, a young mother was shopping with her little girl and the little girl was way beyond done with the shopping trip. The mom was frustrated which caused the little girl to express her dislike for Wal-mart even louder. I’ve been there. A smile to the mom and to the little girl, plus a reassuring word to the mother about not being alone in the world of toddler tempers tantrums and a prayer for the two; I feel that God had me go down that isle for a reason. It was an opportunity for be to give back.

I’m not always diligent in these areas. I talk myself out of opportunities (a lot); I make excuses (a lot). But He always gives me more chances (a lot). He gives us opportunities to teach, encourage
and to pray.

God doesn’t require us to be the most outgoing, the most eloquent, the most educated or resourceful women. He requires our time and our willingness and diligence.
God will provide us with the words, knowledge and tools to do the things he asks us to do.   I say that because I am not the most extroverted person out there and I was using my excuses to stay that way.

It’s funny, the more I explain to God why I can’t do these things the more opportunities He creates for them to be done. Yes, He is a God of humor. He does something else as well, He brings back the feelings I had when I had someone teach me, when I had someone lift me up and encourage me, when I knew that I was being prayed for.

I had to give back what I took in.

I have to give back what I take in.

Let’s Pray:
Lord, thank you for the teaching, encouraging and prayer that you have allowed us to receive, thank you for those who took in, and gave back out to us. Please open our eyes for such opportunities; for the chances for us to give out to others in need. Thank you for the time you have blessed us with, please let us see the time as a tool, and please let us to be sensitive to the words you give us and the urging you put on our hearts to do as you ask. Thank you for the opportunities to be diligent in teaching, in prayer and in encouragement.

Your Assignment:

Remember a time in which you were taught, encouraged or prayed for. How did it feel? Share some examples of situations in which you gave back what you took in. Reading examples of others may teach and encourage the rest of the group to step out and give back.

__________________

If you would like to take part in this Online Bible Study, and join our Facebook Discussion Group, please click on the “Sign-Up Here” button located at the top of our website, in the Menu Bar.  Once we receive your request, we will add you to our group!

God bless,

Tonya

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Lady in Waiting: Full Place Setting, Enviable Singleness and Unrelenting Pursuit

October 9, 2012 by

As I read the passages for today, two very distinct ideas came through for me. In trying to decide what to talk about, I felt I should share the full spectrum of my feelings while I read and re-read the passage, so I will try to talk about both without too much confusion!

In “Full Place Setting”, the authors talk about a friend who, at first, was saving her best for when she found her future husband and got married.  When she realized she didn’t need someone in her life to treat herself to the best she had to offer, it freed her.  She deserved china and crystal just as much as a single woman as she would as a married woman.  I agree with this 100%.  While I may not have china or some of the finer things in life, I do like to treat myself to things like manicures or a good haircut.  I like to use glasses and not plastic cups.  I like to wear pretty pajamas.  To do less implies that we are worth less without a husband and that is simply untrue.  So I am reading and thinking “Hey – I got this…no problem…finally something I don’t struggle with!”

Then I thought of it.  My mattress.  Yes, my mattress.  I moved out of my parent’s house when I was 26.  I had to buy all new furniture, and my new queen bed, finally graduating from the twin I had slept in all my life!  I am now 41.  This mattress is 15 years old.  It has rips, it sags, I constantly flip it, but it doesn’t take long before I need to do it all over again.  Now why am I telling you about my beat up mattress?  Guess what I say every time I wake up with a sore back, or I am changing the sheets and I see the rips or handles falling off?  “When I get married, I’ll get a new mattress set.  It will be a fresh beginning.”  My mattress is my “paper plates”!  Do I not deserve a good night sleep as a single woman?  To wake up without pain?  To feel like I am worth more than rips, tears and a big sag.  I don’t have to wait until I will be sharing my bed with a man to get a new mattress.  I am worth it all on my own!  (Now to find the money!  )

Now, in the rest of the passage I was called to look inward and see if I am doing all I can in service during my time as a single woman in Christ. I feel that I have fully embraced this time as a pursuit of Jesus and service.  My situation is a little different, because I am a single mom of a 5 year old boy.  Some may use this as a reason not to do as much at church, but have looked at the last 3+ years as a great way to include my son in the life of the church, so that he develops a love for it as much as I have.  I will not lie.  I have a lot on my plate, and I have been praying for guidance in whether God still wants me in all the places he has me.  That does not mean that I don’t enjoy everything I am involved in (or it wouldn’t be so hard to think about letting something go!), but admittedly it is a juggling act and sometimes I am very grateful for grace!

If you have not gotten involved at your church yet, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.  Pray to see where God leads you, think about what you enjoy, and if you don’t like babies I wouldn’t suggest the nursery as your first volunteer experience!   God may surprise you.  When I was first saved, I felt the calling of God clearly in the areas of youth and music.  I got involved in youth group right away, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that it became my time to get involved in the Worship Team.  Be sensitive to the spirit.  One place I never thought I would be is the head of women’s ministries in the church, but the fruit I have seen from serving in this ministry is truly humbling.

.
One of the best ways to combat feeling sorry for ourselves in our time alone is to serve others in need. So ladies, take some time to pray today.  Where does our Lord want you?  Where can you be of service to Him? In your church?  In the missions field?  In your local community?  My guess is that God knows exactly where you belong, and can’t wait to see you shine! And remember, use the fine china along the way!

Let’s Pray
Lord I know that you have amazing experiences in store for every woman reading these words right now.  Help them to see where they are needed.  If they already faithfully serve you, give them the strength to continue on their path.  All that we do is for Your glory.  At times it is easy to focus inward on ourselves, and our situation.  Jesus help us to be humble as we serve and be reminded that it’s not all about us.  We are needed, we are useful, and we deserve to give ourselves the best along the way.  In your Holy Name we pray.  Amen

Your Assignment
Please leave a comment below sharing your experiences with service.  Do you currently serve in your church or other organization?  If so, how does that help you?  Does it help you?
If you are not currently serving, what things are you interested in that could lead to service opportunities?  Have you prayed for guidance?  Talked to someone at your church?  What would you like to see come out of that experience?

Blessings,

Michelle

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lady in Waiting: Lady of Diligence, No Time to Waste and Free to Follow

October 8, 2012 by

LADY OF DILIGENCE – The perfect time to make the most of every opportunity is while you are single.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)

Before I got married, I used to wonder why the young married ladies of our church stopped being active in church after they said I do.   We discussed this at one of Singles Ministry meetings because it puzzled us.  How come the gifted lead singer in the choir with a beautiful Soprano could no longer usher in the presence of the Lord during the worship service?  That beautiful voice was now seated quietly in the pew opposite her husband.

I got that answer when I got married.  I realized that my time was not mine alone.  I had to consider that my husband’s needs came before my own.  I could no longer just come home, change clothes and leave for an evening meeting.  There was dinner and other things to be prepared.  Most of ministry meetings took place in the evenings and since I was at work all day, I could not be out in the evening as well.

“God has called me to live now. He wants me to realize my full potential as a man right now, to be thankful about where I am, and to enjoy it to the fullest. I have a strange feeling that the single person who is always wishing he were married will probably get married, discover all that is involved, and wish he were single again! He will ask himself, ‘Why didn’t I use that time for the Lord when I didn’t have so many other obligations? Why didn’t I give myself totally to Him when I was single?’ ”

John Fischer could easily have written the above with me in mind because as a single woman, I was so zealous for the Lord.  I grabbed every opportunity that came my way to reach out to others.  I was out of the house on Monday for Youth Meeting, Tuesday for Bible Study, Wednesday was mid-week service, Thursdays, we had Singles Ministry meetings, Friday evenings and Saturday were mine to have girlfriends over for  slumber parties, watch movies and talk all night.   Housework was also thrown in the mix.  Sunday was a day spent at church starting with teaching Sunday school, ushering in church during the main service and in the evening, community outreach.  You must be rolling your eyes just by reading this schedule but I enjoyed doing this so much.  No out of boredom but because the time was just perfect for me.

Now, to adjust all this to married life and staying at home in the evening really took some doing.  It’s a topic on its own!  I asked my husband for at least two evenings.  But overtime even the two evenings were too much until I settled for just Sundays.

“The single woman can be involved in the Lord’s work on a level that a married woman cannot because of the distractions and responsibilities of being a wife and mother. Ironically, some single women can be so distressed by their single state that they become emotionally more distracted than a wife and mother of four children.  Page 26.

It’s so easy to judge when you are seating on the other side of the table.  But when you get there you tend to appreciate things more.  I always admire a mother with children who are under 5.  To get them prepared and be on time for any activity is really work.  While I only need 45 minutes to get ready, she needs at least 2 hours or more!

Let’s end today by thinking about what Jackie and Debbie asked us.

Are you busy serving Jesus during your free time, or do you waste hours trying to pursue and snag an available guy? Ruth was a widow, but she did not use her time sponsoring pity parties for all unhappy single women to gather and compare the misery of datelessness. When she and Naomi moved back to Bethlehem, Ruth did not waste a moment feeling sorry for herself. She went right to work. Instead of being drained by her discouraging circumstances, she took advantage of them and diligently embraced each day. Page 27.

I don’t know about you but I am challenged by Ruth not to waste time anymore.  You have all the freedom to follow Christ wherever He may lead you.  I still dream of visiting India one day for missionary work!

___________________________

LET’S PRAY

Father I thank you for challenging us through the life of Ruth who did not waste time feeling sorry for herself as a widow but she did her work diligently.  Lord help us to open our eyes and see that the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few.  May we seize the opportunities that come our way so that we may joyfully serve you.   In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Life is so full of traumatic situations.  Single ladies have their share of such situations.  In the comment below let’s discuss the following:

 

  1. Has someone disappointed you in the past that you feel like you cannot fully serve the Lord in any way?

  2. Have you put your life on hold and you are using this as an excuse for not serving Jesus?

 

If you would like to take part in our Online Bible Study and Facebook Discussion Group, please click on the “Sign-Up Here” button located at the top of our website, in the Menu Bar.  Once we receive your request, we will add you to our group!

 

Be Blessed,

Jackie

 

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Winning Him Without Words: Don’t Save Your Husband – Save Yourself!

October 7, 2012 by

 

What can we expect from Chapter 2, you ask?  The answer is short, sweet, and simple: How not to spiritually ambush your spouse!  Okay, maybe not “simple”.  While I read this chapter, all I could think of was how many times I could relate to what Lynn was sharing!!  I had to chuckle at how many of the “ambush attempts” she mentioned, were things I had tried in the past, too!!  haha!

It was SO IMPORTANT to ME that my husband understood just how important salvation was, that I would like a Nazi trying to ambush his every waking moment to get him to give his life to Jesus!  HELLO!! Can you say “Bible-thumper”????  Yes, that’s who I was!   But God…..

Ohhhhh, But God began to show me some things about my walk with Him; and some things about my husband’s walk with Him!

He began to show me what was my responsibility, and what was HIS (God’s) responsibility!  I had to learn to give God control of my husband’s salvation.  I had to learn to trust God!  I had to tell myself over and over again “God’s Got This!”  That is my favorite mantra now, in everything:  “God’s Got This!!  I wonder today just how many times God looked down and said “Good Grief Girlfriend, I’ve Got This!!! Let It Go!!!”

Letting Go was the key!  The key to not only my peace of mind, but to my husband’s salvation.  I had to learn to let go and get out of God’s way, so that He could do what He needed to do … without my interference!!  I was never going to save my husband!  I didn’t have the ability to save my husband….ONLY GOD DID!  I had to get out of God’s way!

I had to stop nagging him about reading his Bible.  I had to stop leaving Christian material lying around everywhere, so he would see it.  I had to stop talking.  I had to start listening!  But most importantly, instead of nagging, I had to start praying!!!  I had to get on my knees every day and pray, asking the Lord not only for my husband’s salvation, but asking God to help me stay out of His way, so He could do what He needed to do in my husband’s life!  Girlfriend you have no idea how many times I had to almost put duct tape on my mouth to shut me up!!!  My husband probably wanted to do that a time or two, as well! haha!! (I can laugh about that today….!!!)

GOD’S

GOT THIS.

So back to Chapter 2.  Here is your Reading Assignment for this week!  Remember, each day you have a certain section to read so you can follow along with our blog posts.  We take a chapter a week, and break it into sections and blog about each section.  That way it gives us a way to really focus on that particular section!  THEN we go back to our Facebook Discussion Group, and talk about that section just a tad bit deeper!  I hope you will join us!  Click HERE if you would like to sign up for this study and join our FB Group!

YOUR READING ASSIGNMENT:

Monday: Oct 8 –

Don’t Save Your Husband – Save Yourself –  Beverly

Tuesday: Oct 9 –

It’s Safe to Relinquish Control –  Jennifer

Wednesday: Oct 10 –

Throw Me a Life Preserver  – Donna

Thursday: Oct 11 –

A Daily Prayer / How Should We Pray – Sarah

Friday: Oct 12 –

Weekly Review / Discovery / Prayer – Martha

Let’s Pray:

Oh Heavenly Father, as we read through this chapter this week, open our eyes Lord to see what You have for us!!  Open our hearts Lord so we are able to receive from You.  Lord, I pray against any hindrances that may stop us from reading this week, or participating in the discussion group.  Lord I know that the message in this book is such a powerful message for those of us who are unequally yoked!

Father, help us to see clearly how we are in Your way, and what we need to do to get out of Your way!  MOVE US out of the way, if You have to, Lord!

Lord, I pray for the unbelieving spouse of each reader that comes to our blog each day, and I ask for a Spirit of righteousness to fall upon them!  Bless them Lord, with a thirst for salvation!  A thirst so powerful that nothing will quench it…but You Jesus!  Repair hearts Lord that have been damaged in the past by “religion” and “legalism” Lord.  Set the captives FREE, Lord, In Your Precious Name, AMEN!

____________

Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Would you like someone to pray with you?

Email our Prayer Ministry at Robin@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com.  Someone from our Prayer Team will contact you shortly!

Enjoy your reading this week!  I’ll see you in the Women’s Group!  🙂

In His Love,

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »