Memory Verse:
You did not choose Me, but I chose you.
I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit.
John 15:16
We have three takeaways from today’s lesson that we cannot take lightly or breeze right past. Please read and then re-read today’s lesson intentionally, my dear sisters because THIS is exactly where our true value lies…….. THIS is our value in Christ.
1. God chose YOU.
2. God set YOU apart.
3. God has appointed YOU.
Did you read that in the verse typed above? You probably read it…. but did you really sink your teeth into it? Dear friends…. it is so important that we let each of these truths intentionally penetrate every part of our hearts and souls. Let them weave their way into all of the places you have been stuffing down the lies that have been said over you during the life and let God’s truth bring light to those dark corners and crevices.
Have you ever really thought about why you are in a certain situation or circumstance you are in? Have you? I want you to think about one aspect of your life and dissect it with me here about your unique value to that situation or circumstance. We started this process last week, remember? Priscilla shared with us why it is good to be a girl and we were challenged to look at a specific role we play in our life and note how we are good for it, necessary to it, an important component to it, worthy to be part of it, and trustworthy to fulfill your role in it.
I hope you did this exercise along with me last week. If you did, pull it out because we are going to look at it from a little bit of a different perspective today. If you didn’t, that’s okay too….. just think of one of the roles you currently play in your life and get ready to explore it with us here.
The role God CHOSE me for that I discussed last week was my role as “Mom” to Craig’s five kids from his previous marriage that I have since adopted. I joke with my daughter Vicky sometimes that when I was a little girl, I never dreamed of growing up to raise someone else’s FIVE children, but at the same time, I cannot imagine my life any other way. I know in my heart that God specifically had ME picked out for this not only because I am just THAT CRAZY (hahaha) but because I 100% fill the need in who I am that they were missing in their life. Does that make sense? Those 5 aspects that I bring to this role that I mentioned earlier explain exactly why God CHOSE me specifically for this role … it was just up to me to be obedient and bring my gifts and my unique self to this role for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in it.
God SET ME APART for this role. I am not like all the other moms out there. That used to be hard for me because I felt like such an outcast and like no one would ever take me seriously as a parent because I was so young and really did have NO IDEA what I was doing. But that was me giving into my insecurities as a parent from believing lies said over me my whole life. I never babysat, never changed a diaper, never cooked…. how could I possibly have what it takes to be a parent to my new insta-family? Well….. I could because God set me apart uniquely for THIS… at THIS moment in time, with THIS set of children, at THIS point in their lives and my life. When I tried to be the version of “mom” that I thought everyone expected me to be, it was a MESS!!! When I fully embraced each season we were in and lived fully in it, we ALL thrived! God has put me in every situation and circumstance in my to SET ME APART for this and every other role he places before me. It is up to me to CHOSE to thrive or merely survive in it. As I thrive, so do the lives He has entrusted to me.
God has APPOINTED ME. It really does not matter if I, personally, am happy with who I am or even happy with the circumstances I am currently living in. What DOES matter is that *I* am specifically here for a reason intentionally and purposefully by God in His divine design. It is supernaturally ordained…. and He fully expects to reap much fruit from the seeds He is sowing through me being an obediant vessel in this circumstance and situation. I trust Him because he knows me intimately and I have grown and continue to grow to know Him.
He loved ME enough to make me like no other. He has given me this task that is mine alone to complete with His abundant help and empowerment. It would be denying HIM if I do not love myself as who I am… who He created. It would be denying His perfect plan.
I pray you are able to see this in YOUR role you chose to explore last week. Has God shown you yet WHY He uniquely created YOU specifically for that role? I would love to read all about it here in a comment on this blog. Please share how your unique role has come full-circle for you to know fully why he planted you where he did for His purpose. I would love to praise His work right along with you!
I understand now that my role in my kids’ lives is bigger than I could have ever expected ten years ago when I was “just” a weekend stepmom trying to keep my sanity as I navigated the turbulent waters of step-life. God had me in ever hard circumstance and every messed-up situation so that I can now speak into and encourage other stepmoms and kids through those hard relationships and confusing times. I have been there and I let God do His good work. I let Him use me and I continue to let Him use me no matter how ill-equipped or unworthy I feel. Feelings are deceptive but God’s truth is infallible!
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Let’s Pray:
Lord, we come to You today so grateful for Your supernatural selection! Thank you for making each of us so uniquely for our individual situations and circumstances to fulfill Your purposes on this earth. We are not worthy in our eyes Lord, but thank you that we are in Your’s! Help us to see ourselves more as You see us, Father…. perfectly created in every way for purposes bigger than anything we could come up with on our own! Help us today to see each of the roles we have as You see them…. perfect and planned for Your purposes….. and help us be willing to be obedient to Your call on our lives within these roles. Rid us of our selves, Lord!!! Help us be real with ourselves and each other to finally be SET FREE from the lies that keep us from Your very best! We love you, Lord, and we thank you! Amen.
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Today’s blog assignment:
Did you see it in there? Share whatever you feel comfortable about your role you explored and what God has shown you through this exploration. When you have completed this assignment here on the blog, return to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group for today’s FUN Activity!! You just never know what we have in store for you!! 🙂
If you are not a member of our OBS Facebook Group, and would like to be, please send us an email and we’ll be happy to place you!! Our email address is: GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com
my blog: www.glorytoglorylifecoaching.wordpress.com
My Craig’s blog about the Men’s Resolution journey: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com
Many blessings,
Megan 🙂