February 24, 2025

Resolution for Women- The Encourager

September 12, 2012 by

1 John 3:18

“We must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.”

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The Intentional Encourager

 In our chapter, Priscilla was amazed that a very young 22-year-old Solomon – when given the opportunity to gain health, wealth, prosperity, and prestige – asked God simply for WISDOM to lead the people he was made king over.  This amazed me as well.  I have 4 children ranging in age from 17-26 and if given the opportunity to gain health, wealth, and prosperity OR wisdom – my crowd would certainly choose health, wealth, and prosperity. What child this age today wouldn’t?  Once again, like Priscilla, my initial thoughts were the same – King David certainly must have raised his child the right way ~ a way different from what I raised my own.  Do you see the similarities of this situation with times today?  They really aren’t any different.  We all have character defects or deficiencies, we all make errors in judgement and King David did as well.  Priscilla says, ‘He made some colossal mistakes in both his personal life and his parenting’; as we all have done and continue to do.

  ‘My son Solomon – God has chosen him alone – is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God.’            Chronicles 29:1-2

Solomon has been instructed to build God’s temple – did you get that?  God’s temple!  That is HUGE! …..and although he recognizes that his son is “young and inexperienced”, he also realizes that he is the chosen one.  That God chose Solomon to be king, to lead his people, to get His temple built.  Now it is his job to support, encourage, and most of all BELIEVE and have faith in his son to accomplish this undertaking. David does just that.

Like most parents, I have high expectations for my son and daughters.  I want them to have wisdom, health, wealth, prestige and all the blessings God promises in His word.  Unfortunately there have been many choices made by my children that were not in their best interest, that go against God’s instruction – that have caused me to lose faith in them, that have caused me to stop believing in them in many areas.  Shame on me.   I certainly was not perfect growing up and only in the last 4-5 years have built a relationship with Jesus Christ that has given me the desire and conviction to make my life’s decisions based on my Heavenly Father’s desires, the desires found in His word.  God didn’t give up on me.  God believed in me.  However, it remains very hard difficult to give my children that same gift (virtually impossible! – although we know with God all things are possible!)

As God’s child,  He was with me every step of the way growing up.  I know this because I should have been a ‘street kid’.  As a teenager my brother and I were being raised by my father.  He left our house to move in with his girlfriend and we had free reign.  Our dad wasn’t there giving us parental guidance, he wasn’t cooking for us or taking care of us.  I remember living in that mobile home (our home), just me and my brother (who was only 18 months younger than me) wanting to take care of him. There was no desire to ‘party’ as many teenagers do today. There was no desire to stay out until all hours or to do drugs or drink. God delivered us from what could have been a disastrous young adulthood.  He gave us wisdom.

The lesson being taught to us today is that we MUST be INTENTIONAL (and we have heard this word throughout many chapters n our study) with our children.  We must INTENTIONALLY encourage them, we must INTENTIONALLY provide them support (and I’m not talking about financial support or treasures), we must INTENTIONALLY believe in them.  We have to trust that our Heavenly Father has them – after all, they are His children.  We are simply here to give them earthly guidance and support until such day that they are reunited with their Father in heaven.  They are on loan to us.  We must never give up providing them with the spiritual food they need to get to know their daddy.  We must believe that they are going to do GREAT things in the course of their lives, that they too will build a relationship with God that will allow them to give their children what David did to Solomon.  This is a hard task ladies – a tough, tough task.  It is for me anyway – maybe it’s easier for you guys.  Perhaps you are in a different place in your life than I am in mine.  However, the lesson remains the same.  BE INTENTIONAL with your children.  As we have read in the past chapters, our jobs as parents don’t end when our children become adults.  Even with our grown children we must be INTENTIONAL in our actions towards them and continue to ‘train them up’ in the ways of the Lord. We must believe in them, encourage them, and support them – Intentionally. What incredible life gifts for them!

Let’s Pray:

Father, work in our lives.   Work in my heart Lord and in the heart of every reader here.  Allow us to become convicted and determined to be INTENTIONAL with our children AND the children of this world – those in our churches, in our communities, in  other cities and countries we visit.  Especially those father that do not have a parental figure in their lives.   You know every situation Father – for every parent and every child.  Provide us with the wisdom, guidance, and gentle nudges OR large pushes necessary to give our children the gift of belief in them, of encouragement, and the desire to continue spiritually feeding them regardless of where they are today in their personal lives.  May we be more like David in our daily walk with our children.

Your Assignment:

List some of the immature actions and temperaments in your children that may discourage you.  Keep this list in a place where you can always be reminded to pray regarding them, and consider who you can enlist to encourage your child in these areas (along side of you).  Carefully consider how you can make the overarching tone of your relationship with your child one of encouragement.  Please comment and let us know how we can pray for you in your walk, attempting to be more like David with Solomon.  or God with us.

[My note:  It is very difficult for me personally, psychologically, to see the roses over the thorns many times with my children.  This prohibits me from giving them the encouragement that I need to.  Especially with my son, who is covered in thorns.  This lesson has challenged me.  I will be praying for each of you in your own lives and request you cover my family in yours. Thank you for this.]__________________

Don’t forget, on October 1st, we will begin our brand new Online Bible Study, right here, entitled “Winning Him Without Words” by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.  If you are in an unequally spiritual marriage, you won’t want to miss this study!!  It is AMAZING! (as a personal note, I have read this book – I have communicated with these authors over the past year and they are amazing.  Their personal stories changed my life.  Their words confirmed what my own pastor said when he counseled me in my own marriage.  I pray that you will join us for this study as well!)

To sign up for this study, please send an email to:  Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com and we will send you all the details you need to get started!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Be sure to jump on over to our Facebook Group for the daily activity!! If you do not yet belong to this group, and would like to, send us an email at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com with FB GROUP in the subject line, and we’ll be glad to add you!

 With the greatest love ever and many hugs,

<3 Kelley

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Resolution for Women- The Soul Shaper

September 11, 2012 by

1 John 3:18

“We must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.”

___________________________

In today’s lesson, Priscilla talks about 3 roles a mother must take on if they are going to love their children well….

The Soul Shaper

The Intentional Encourager

The Discipline Dealer

Mama and dear friend…. I need you to understand right now that YOU are a soul shaper for your children.

It is so vitally important that we pray for our children. These prayers need to start forming in our spirit before we even have them and they must continue to grace our hearts and lips even after they leave our nest and have their own homes and children.

A Soul shaper must….

  • beware that her prayers for her child are significant
  • understand that once her child has received salvation, she is God’s primary tool to work alongside the Holy Spirit to see that the transforming process occurs effectively in her child’s soul.
  • know that she cannot accomplish this without involving her church and relatives to assist in the effort.
  • know along with her spouse that the main responsibility of this soul shaping is theirs.
  • not allow anyone else to take her or her spouse’s place as the primary influencers in the child’s life
  • help the child to become sensitive to God’s conviction
  • teach the child how to recognize God’s way of directing them through their conscience
  • continue to walk this out along with the Holy Spirit as the child grows and matures.
  • continue to seek the Lord for guidance for how she can be used to guide her children in their adult lives.

Dear friends, I hope with all my heart that you see what an intentionally BOLD role you play as your child’s soul shaper! You cannot be lazy about it or turn a blind eye. You must intentionally, every single day make this deliberate choice to invite the Holy Spirit to help you in your actions and speech in order to mold your child’s soul. What an honor and privilege!!!

Please…. if you haven’t already been walking out this bold task, start today. Don’t look back but look straight ahead at what the Lord is asking of you on behalf of His children that He has entrusted you with on this earth. HE deserves no less and neither do they. You will not be perfect… I hope you know that and are okay with that. Being human, we are flawed…. but what is so important is that you believe with your whole heart that your parenting is KINGDOM BUSINESS!!!!

You also must come at this call from a proactive stance and not one of defense. Don’t wait until your child is in trouble to cover them in scripture… we must each live each day being creative and consistent in how we clothe our children in the Word of God. What does this look like?

  • diligently and deliberately read the Bible to your kids
  • post scripture throughout the house
  • play worship music
  • be in fellowship with other believers
  • write scripture on the napkin in their lunch for school
  • send them scriptures in txt messages and emails
  • do devotional together as a family
  • ___________________________. (you fill in the blank)

we all know that if WE as women and mothers love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, that we can only then be able to fill this role to its potential and be our best for our children. If you are not regularly in the Word and being fed spiritually…. make it happen today. If you’re not going to church regularly, start this weekend. Your children, wether unborn, non-biological or adult NEED you to! As Priscilla so eloquently puts it….

“A transformed child start with a transformed mom”

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Let’s Pray:

Lord, we ask that you give us bold revelation into this area of our lives today. We don’t want to be the same, Father…. we yearn to be THIS deliberate for our children, who are your’s first. Renew our hearts, minds and spirits to be able to give each of them all we have everyday to work alongside the Holy Spirit in shaping their souls. Thank you for this provision, Lord, and we thank you in advance for all you will do. Amen <3

Your Assignment:

Please leave a comment below telling us how you can creatively live your Christian life openly before your children… in REAL LIFE…. be realistic here, friends and tell us what you are already doing or what you are going to do. If you don;t have children of your own, tell us how you can do this with other children in your life. If your kids are grown, how can you begin to think outside the box to do this? If your children are very young, how can you creatively do this now?

___________________

Don’t forget, on October 1st, we will begin our brand new Online Bible Study, right here, entitled “Winning Him Without Words” by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.  If you are in an unequally spiritual marriage, you won’t want to miss this study!!  It is AMAZING!

To sign up for this study, please send an email to:  Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com and we will send you all the details you need to get started!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Be sure to jump on over to our Facebook Group for the daily activity!! If you do not yet belong to this group, and would like to, send us an email at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com with FB GROUP in the subject line, and we’ll be glad to add you!

 Be a Blessing today and everyday,

Megan 🙂

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The Resolution for Women – How do you Heal an Unbroken Heart

August 29, 2012 by

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom Shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, Send me!

Isaiah 6:8

Wow, what a week to have me blog for this chapter!  I just came back from a life changing trip to Nicaragua.  This wasn’t my first mission trip though, in fact, last year I went to Guatemala with all intentions of going back. God started working on me way before we left on August 11.  I signed up to go to Guatemala then a Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference was scheduled in the same month – due to financial reasons I had to choose one or the other.  I chose Proverbs 31 as I felt like God was working on me to expand my personal ministry and begin writing or speaking.  So….I registered for the conference.  A few weeks later at church I see where my own church is taking their first independent mission trip to Nicaragua! Immediately God let me know that I was supposed to be on that team  – so I cancelled the conference registration and joined the missionary team.   My wonderful husband had given me the conference money which I now needed for the mission trip and I was able to raise the rest without issue. Yes, God was at work.  When I almost raised all the money needed, the people at work asked me how much more I needed, I told them $125 – they raised $82 for me.  I talked to our pastor taking us, his records had me only owing $80 and I had just received $82!  I preface this story telling you this so you understand how from the very beginning, when I was asking God to show me what ministry activity I was supposed to participate in – He was there – setting me up the entire time.

With that resolved, Like Priscilla in our story today, I now prayed for a broken heart – for the biggest, cracked, shattered, brokest broken heart because you just can’t heal one that is unbroken.  I truly wanted to FEEL the pain, I wanted to understand, I didn’t just want to go through the motions.  I needed to be broke.  Does that make sense?

The first 5 days of our mission trip were spent in a village called Salinas Grande.  It is on the ocean and is built around a salt mine. It was about 8 miles of dirt roads, Many houses were lean-to’s wrapped in black plastic, some were block but were open to weather.  People rode horses and yes, we saw many horses with make-shift wagons (piece of flat plywood) that they would ride multiple people or things on.  Most had electricity with mostly 1 lightbulb hanging for light. However running water was not an everyday gift in most houses.  People went with buckets and containers to get their water; sometimes on bikes, sometimes on horses, sometimes walking.   Oh yes, the heart was breaking already.  Thank you Jesus.  How can we have so much and they have so little?  Why God?

We met a 90-year-old beautiful, precious woman at one of the feeding programs.  She was manually hoisting the water from a very deep well with a bucket and pulley.  Our guys tried to lift the water to see how she managed, they could not lift it far!  God, she’s 90 and happy, I said.  This is life for her; but why? We all have clean running water into our homes – and this elderly sweet lady had to drop a bucket into a well for hers?  More heart break….I gave this woman the biggest hug I could possibly give.  There is no language barrier with a hug!  And the GREATest news…..We had a person on our team who dealt with water pumps at work and we were able to give this her running water at the flip of a switch.  No more pulling her water up with a 10 gallon bucket!

The children were beautiful.   They would come to the feeding programs at lunch time and get a nice hot lunch. These are funded by missionary teams through Open Eyes Ministries. They would come up on bikes or walking with their empty bowls and spoons and for some, this might be the only full meal a day they get.   Can you feel my heart shattering…..being totally broken.  And I prayed for this! I needed this!  The ladies would cook over their fires, no stoves for them, preparing a big bowl of rice, a big bowl of beans, and a big bowl of some kind of meat and vegetables and we would serve these beautiful little people.  We’d play with them – they loved to play ‘football’ (soccer), we had some doing the hokey pokey with us and a translator – All God’s people, but living a different kind of life.

We went into a pastor’s home for a sewing ministry – the young girls were learning how to sew and were making school uniforms to help furnish uniforms to the children at schools that didn’t have the money for them.  Someone in ministry had gotten them Brother Sewing Machines to work with – they looked so out-of-place in this pastors open house with chickens and little biddies running through it – they even had a couple of green parakeets  running around – but they were happy.  It was HOT and there wasn’t much air running through the house, but here these girls sat learning a trade  because someone cared.  Amazing Grace! God is so good! The navy blue skirts they made had perfect pleats.  I stood in awe.  I had to donate to this ministry.  They were working so hard to give back and they didn’t have enough themselves.  —-crash, shatter—-bang…

I know this is getting long-winded, but I have to tell you about the final straw!  We went into the schools to teach lessons to the children. We taught Honesty, Optimism, Integrity, and on the last day we took them the gospel.  I had the opportunity for the first time to stand up in front of this class and teach them about taking Jesus into their hearts, asking for forgiveness of their sins, teaching them that their slate would wash clean, and they would be new.  In my class, I had 22 students and a teacher pray the prayer of salvation!  Oh be still my heart!  Further shatter…..completely broken – emotionally exhausted.  We had 94 total give their hearts in the school that day!

I will end by telling you that I left Nicaragua with a shattered, broken, destroyed heart.  God made sure that it would never be the same again.  Even as it healed, the remnants of the cracks would remain.   I now know that my heart is in ministry for the lost.  For those that do not know Jesus Christ.  I am on a life mission to be part of the groups that change things in the world for those are less fortunate, and many times lost.   I won’t ever be the same person after this trip.  God used it to change me so I in turn could change the lives of others.  I’m thankful to Jesus for shattering my heart. For showing me the way.  I pray that if you have never had your heart spiritually broken, you pray for it.  Pray that God takes it and shatters in it pieces. The beauty of what you feel afterwards will change your life as it did mine.

_________________________

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for breaking my heart.  Thank you for allowing me to share my broken heart with others; allowing me to be a vessel for you.  Bless each one that reads this blog today and each one that doesn’t.  I pray that you will work in our lives, in our hearts, and mold us and shape us to be missionaries to the world – starting right here in our own towns and cities.  Thank you for the running water, the electricity, the way of life we have here in the USA.  Work with us so that we can take some of our wealth, spiritually and otherwise, to other places in the world, blessing your children there as we are blessed.  We ask these things in your name, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Perhaps you’ve been burned when trying to reach out too drastically, people have taken advantage of you or misunderstood your motives; but when you to go minister Christ’s love to another person, what is your real reason for going?  What’s a better way to evaluate your success than with measurable, feel-good results alone?

After you have commented below, go back to our Online Bible Study Group on Facebook to see what our Daily FUN Activity is. If you do not yet belong to our OBS Facebook group, and would like to, please send an email to:

GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

We’ll send you the details needed to get you into this group!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

With Big Hugs and a Big Heart, 

<3 Kelley

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Resolution for Women- Look Again

August 28, 2012 by

I feel so ill-equipped to write the blog post for today’s lesson. I pray you will bear with me as the Lord leads my fingers as they dance across the keyboard…..

Have you ever found yourself in a similar circumstance to the one that Priscilla describes in today’s lesson? Maybe it was at your church or a conference or even watching the news on television….. but have you ever been bombarded with image after image of horrible, unspeakable travesty that make you want to run from it and hide you face?

I have.

For me, it happened a month or two ago when I was catching up one afternoon on Facebook……

I’m “friends” with many of the teens I work with at church Thursday nights and, as you can imagine, I like to encourage them in their walk with the Lord in social media channels like Facebook. On this day, I was at a loss for what to say.

This BEAUTIFUL daughter of the King who I met through my own children at church had started dating a Muslim boy, had renounced her Christian faith, and was excited to show off her new look wearing her burqa veil. I didn’t know what to do. I could not click “like” but I also didn’t want to make her feel like she isn’t beautiful to me…… I wanted to reach through my laptop screen, scoop her into my arms, and help encourage her right back towards her Heavenly Father…… but I didn’t know how to do that in the constraints of reality… so I prayed.

I prayed a lot.

I started reading more and more about the Muslim faith and a woman’s place within that religion/ culture. I kept praying and learning and I found out that many members of my church family had been praying too.

THIS MORNING I popped on Facebook to post today’s FUN in our Resolution Group and I saw this gorgeous face staring back at me once again and my heart sank. Yes, I have been fervently praying for this precious soul, but I still have not acted on encouraging her or speaking into her life in any way…… and then God nudged me….

He reminded me that she sees every single word I post on my own Facebook page every day. She has not unfriended me so I get to assume that she has at least read one or two encouraging things I have posted! However, I know that God is calling me to be more bold than this with her heart…. and I know He will equip me with all I need to do His work in speaking into her heart…. or any other dear heart that He might show me that is in need of His pure, unconditional love.

My town has been in the national news over the recent past about many of our residents not being happy about a Muslim Training Center that is enlarging its current structure here and I am sad to say that I do not feel that some of my brothers and sisters in Christ here have handled their disapproval of this in the most constructive or Godly manner…. I don’t want to fall into that category…. but I also want to respond in a way that glorifies our Father and shows love for all people. I know he will give me the words to share with any young woman He puts in my path and I know He will also equip YOU to represent His Kingdom in a mighty way for whatever cause He places so intentionally on your dear heart.

Habakkuk 1:3

3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Priscilla reminds us that God puts these images and circumstances in front of us for a reason….. it is simply up to us whether we choose to do something about it or not. I know it is hard not to look away or just pray that SOMEONE ELSE will make a difference with it… but why not allow yourself to be that instrument, that willing vessel for God’s work to be done in this earth? Certain injustices will stir your heart in ways it wouldn’t the heart of another. God has divinely designed YOU to specifically impact that injustice in a unique way that only YOU can, dear sister. I know you don’t feel ready, or able, or prepared…. that’s what God is for!

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Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father….. please please please break our hearts for what breaks your’s!!! Then, we ask that you give us the courage that only can come from You to act in such a bold way as to make a difference for Your Kingdom. We no longer want to stay idle….. we know that You have been preparing us to take action in this season and may You get all the glory, Lord! Give us your eyes, give us your heart, give us your love and give us your strength for we know we could never do this in our own power. Help us to lift one another up as we search our hearts, Lord, and may our relationships be ever strengthened for this stand we will take. In Your Son’s name we pray, amen <3

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Your Assignment:

In the comment section below, tell us about what global or local devastations are you currently seeing that stir compassion in your heart? What has kept you from doing something to help? What is one thing you can do and would be willing to make time to do?

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After you have commented below, go back to our Online Bible Study Group on Facebook to see what our Daily FUN Activity is. If you do not yet belong to our OBS Facebook group, and would like to, please send an email to:

GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

We’ll send you the details needed to get you into this group!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Many blessings,

Megan 🙂

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The Resolution for Women: Structural Soundness

August 21, 2012 by

“Blessed are those whose way is blameless”

Psalm 119:1

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It just would not be right if I typed one more word without quoting Mrs. Shirer from page 147…

“No doubt, this point of resolution calls for an intimate, personal, introspective look at what’s going on in our hearts and homes. It touches on some of those allowances we make behind closed doors, in the quiet of our dens and living rooms, where laziness and leniency have been known to hang around after dinner and stay up into the wee hours. That’s why, honestly, it often requires a resolution like this before we recognize that these things we’ve been sanctioning with our time and attention are a glaring contradiction of who we are and what we say we believe.”

It is all about compromise, ladies….. and with God, THERE IS NO COMPROMISE!

These compromises can come in many shapes and forms and you can probably easily justify them…..

  • watching a movie or television show you shouldn’t watch
  • listening to music you shouldn’t fill your ears with
  • flirting with an old flame online
  • reading a book you shouldn’t be reading
  • eating food in amounts you shouldn’t be eating or to fill a void
  • ________________________________.

I am not interested in telling you what parameters you should have in place for this, because that is not my place 🙂 BUT…. I really would like you to take a good hard, honest look at what you are spending your time on and filling your precious senses with and decide whether you are compromising purity and virtue for the sake of entertainment.

O U C H….. yes, this hurts…. but it is more than necessary that we rip this band aid off in one clean yank rather than continue to live this charade.

We cannot continue to discourage one thing in public and then derive pleasure from it behind closed doors. The world, and God, needs us to stop being one thing on the outside and something entirely different on the inside. He NEEDS this from us in order to fulfill His purposes AND for us to be living in the fullness of what He has for our lives.

THIS is integrity.

Structural Integrity is when something doesn’t just look good, it also has strong functionality. What is the use of a house that looks nice if it will fall apart at the sign of any storm? You wouldn’t want to be seen in a gorgeous new dress if you knew that if you bent down, it would rip at the seams from weak construction. We cannot continue living day-to-day in the hypocrisy of our own actions.

Priscilla shared something with us in this chapter that MUST be shared here. John Wesley (an evangelist) received these words from his mother:

“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things- in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind- that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself.”

Yikes!!!! So dear sisters, which do WE want more…. God’s best, or your personal favorites?

Psalm 101:2-3 (NLT)

2 I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me?

I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.

3 I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.

The verse gives us some guidelines that we would do well to live by:

  1. Have no tolerance for evil.
  2. Closely monitor the type of people you allow to influence you
  3. Recognize your need for divine help

So….. the big question to ask ourselves here today is: “Are you who you claim to be?”

Understand that God’s goal for you through your integrity isn’t to take away all of your fun, like it might look on the surface. He wants so much more for you than that, dear one! His goal is to “position you as a clean, pure, available recipient of His best, most fulfilling blessings.” He needs you to leave all of these compromising distractions behind so that He can fill you with His best!

That’s what I want and I hope you want it, too! Let;s dig deep today, my dear friends, so that we can once and for all be a complete open, pure vessel ready for God’s best!

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, You know how hard it is for us to let go of these worldly pleasures so I ask You to please kelp give each and every one of us the strength and courage we need today to stand for YOU and Your best for us! Impress upon our minds, hearts and soul what You need us to stop compromising in and help us to kick it all to the curb! We want to begin living the same life in private that we profess to live in public. We want YOur best, Lord, and although it won;t be easy, we know it will be worth it! In Your Son’s pure name we pray, amen <3

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Your Assignment:

What do you participate in right now that weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, and/ or takes the relish off spiritual things? Please share with us in a comment below….

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After you complete this assignment, then go back to your Facebook Group and see what Megan has for us for our daily activity.  I’m sure it is going to be interesting!!  If you do not belong to one of our FB Groups, and you wish to be added, please send us an email to: GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to add you!!

Join us back here tomorrow where we will discuss the next chapter of this section:  The Three Percent DIfference.

Be a blessing,

Megan <3

…don’t forget to read what the men are up to over on Craig’s blog…

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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The Resolution for Women: All Clear

August 15, 2012 by

Jeremiah 31: 34

“I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sin.”

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Don’t you wish  forgiveness was as easy as Priscilla describes in today’s chapter, using the “Delete” button?  I mean look at the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s!  Perhaps if only one of them had used the ‘Delete’ button years and years ago, the incredible family feud that has gone on for so many years, taking many lives, would have been long over – instead they have made history over a lifetime of unforgiveness.  In scripture it tells us the following ~

 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”      Ephesians 4:32

Being around someone you don’t like and being kind is one thing; however,  forgiveness has to be the hardest pill for us to swallow.  “Excuse me Lord, you want me to forgive Her“?  [emphasis]  How many of us have asked that question over and over with various people in our lives.  It’s so much easier for us to just ignore people – stop associating with them – or chalking them off in our lives rather than doing as Jesus would and forgiving them.   It’s built into our flesh – it’s human – there is no “delete” button.

How many of you have someone in your life that you need to forgive?  How many have a dark cloud hanging over your head because this issue is not resolved? Doesn’t it truly keep cropping up? Perhaps you miss a family function because of this or you actually find yourself missing this person you’ve chosen not to forgive~ both situations very irritating, keeps the wound festering even long after the event.  Unfortunately, we cannot seem to hit that “delete button” to free them and to free us.

Well, it’s time to hit the “delete” button.  Scripture makes it clear.  Jesus has made it clear.  Do not let one more day go by without reaching way deep down inside of your heart to forgive to, lift the burden this carries on your life.  Not only will you feel better yourself mentally and physically, but you will be following the desires of God’s heart.  THIS is worth it all by itself!

So,  if forgiving others is tough, what about the need to forgive yourself?  Well, that’s a whole different story, huh!?

The following story is true and it breaks my heart to tell it; however, it’s a story that truly screams out forgiveness in every sense of the word so I need to share it.

I have a friend and  when he was away one day, his oldest son was riding his bike outside and fell; his mother ran out the door to rescue him.  Unfortunately, while mom was outside with her injured son, his 2-year-old brother went through an opened sliding glass door and into the pool drowning.  Horrifying, right?  RIGHT!  Can  you absolutely imagine the pain of this mother?  Do you think she has forgiven herself today?   The true answer is, I honestly do not know for sure.  Her mistake cost her son’s life ~ that is a level of forgiveness I cannot even imagine having in this situation.

And, what about this little guy’s father?  This baby boy was the apple of his eye, his heart – and now he was gone due to an accident caused by a simple mistake.  An open door.  And he wasn’t there to protect him.  He couldn’t save him. Outside of not being able to forgive himself, what about forgiveness for his wife?  The wife who left the door open that his baby went through The turmoil that must have (and likely still does) cause him agony. How does one dig that deep?

Here’s the GREAT part.  Here’s the part we need to get and understand…..Priscilla says, “No human forgiveness is strong enough, not even your own, to ever free you from the torturous remainder of your offense and the cloak of guilt in it lays on your shoulders”  – did you hear that  NO HUMAN FORGIVENESS IS ENOUGH .  There is only one way to lift that black cloud, to free yourself from the bondage and years of suffering and that is to accept the gift that Jesus Christ has given us – the gift of freedom – freedom from our sins.  He forgives US – we in turn need to forgive others.

Priscilla says it best when she says, ‘He felt the crown of thorns pressed onto His head.  He took the beating……..He hung on Golgotha’s tree.  That’s when you received all the forgiveness you’ll ever need.  When he cried, ‘It is finished!’.  It was done.”   – The ‘DELETE’ button pressed.  For us.  For each and every one of us.

Do not let another day go by without forgiving yourself or someone else.  Press your Delete button today. Jesus did.

———————————————————————————————————————

Your Assignment:

  • Describe in your own words the differences and connections between forgiving yourself and receiving God’s forgiveness.
  • Choose one past action that you’ve held against yourself, and then prayerfully (INTENTIONALLY)  consider the Lord’s payment for this sin. Choose to receive it for yourself.
    ______________________
    Let’s Pray:
    Father God, thank you for the gift of forgiveness.  For dying on that cross for us and freeing us from all of our sins.  It is my prayer Father that whatever burdens we carry internally or those that we carry for others be removed as we remember that day on Calvary.  May we intentionally work in the name of forgiveness.  We ask these things in your humble name. We love you Father, Amen.

Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Love,

Kelley <3<3

Read all about Craig’s Resolution for Men Journey here: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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Resolution for Women: Shhhhh

August 7, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

  Luke 6:45

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”

WOW Ladies!  How many of you can relate to the picture above?   Be honest, be really really honest……Well?  No, you have to be really honest!  Can you?   Okay, I’ll admit – I can.   But…..if you don’t agree, can you at least agree that talking is one of the things women do best – We TALK. We love to talk!    We talk about everything and talk some more.   Many times we talk before we think.  We talk when we should just be quiet – when we should pray.  We like to talk.  It’s in our blood!

Have you been in situations where you have been listening to people talk and they are excited about being the first to tell someone something?  They absolutely love being the person to share news or happenings – they enjoy being in the position of getting noticed for what they are telling and talking about – even if its negative.   This is certainly not wisdom and can be rather embarrassing for her and those around her.

“Wisdom – knowing what to say and not saying it” – This is the definition Priscilla shares with us in our book. How many times have we been in situations where we said things when we should have just kept our mouth shut. Let’s face it ladies, for the majority of us, this happens quite often, or DID, before we met Jesus and began to learn wisdom.

With me, when I started building a relationship with Jesus Christ and started studying The Word, I too realized that I talk way too much (hold your laugh) and unfortunately not all of it would bring glory to our Father.  My husband was forever telling me I needed to ‘hush’;  I was talking too much, telling too much, and it would be better for all if I just stopped talking. Truth be told, he was right many times – Yes, I hate to admit it, but the Hubby was right.

I love the way Priscilla writes about this subject.  The following, shared by Priscilla in our chapter, really struck me personally.  When you read these statements what were your thoughts?

  • Silence is our friend. Silence is our strength.   –   I love this!  It’s amazing what we can do with silence now that we have a  relationship with Jesus.   Silence IS our friend and IS our strength!  All we have to do is utilize it, all to glorify Him.
  • A woman who is quick to listen is one who gathers up all the information before releasing her reaction.   WOW – YES!   This is my goal!  How about you!?
  • When she speaks, her advice and assessments are sensible and sober. Prudent and purposeful.  – these sisters represent WISDOM – Wisdom is a blessing!

In God’s Word, sweet sisters, it is made clear.    We need to stop and listen to the direction of our Father before acting or discussing a situation.  We need to remember that words DO have power – and not all power will glorify our Lord and Savior. We need to pray more and talk less.  We need to remember that we are children of the King.  We need to reach out and take hold of the wisdom we know comes from our Heavenly Father ~ and actively display this Wisdom in every situation.  We need to grow in the quiet.   I challenge you to read the following scriptures and become convicted by the words written especially for us.

‘…..the tongue of the righteous is pure silver’  Proverbs 10:20

‘The tongue has the power of life and death’  Proverbs 18:21

‘Be still and know that I am God’     Psalms 46:10

Remember, Silence is our Friend.  Silence is our Strength

———————————————————————————————————————

Your Assignment:

  • What would immediately change for the better in your life if you began exercising the spiritual restraint of silence?
  • Try it for just a day or two.  Deliberately keep from saying something that’s better left unsaid.  Allow the bait of another’s unkind or inappropriate remark to land without hooking a response from you.  Record what you observe about yourself and the change in the dynamics around you.

____________________

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

Father God thank you for the blessing of silence.  Change our hearts so that we may use this silence to prepare our words and actions in such ways to bring glory to you in all we do.  In addition, may we remember the power of words and the damage it can cause, as well as the praises it may bring.  Thank you for these blessings.  Thank you for each sister here. We love you Father and We ask these things in your precious and Holy name.  Amen.

___________________

Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Love,

Kelley <3<3

Read all about Craig’s Resolution for Men Journey here: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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Resolution for Women: The Gift

August 7, 2012 by

Our Memory Verse

Luke 6:45

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”

My sweet sisters in Christ…..

We are going to do things a little differently today here at Girlfriends Coffee Hour. As I was praying over writing this blog post, God put it on my heart to give you a gift. I hope you don’t mind and I certainly pray that it is a blessing to every single one of you.

First, I need you to ready today’s lesson in our book if you have not done so already. You can find it on pages 112-115 of our books.

Then, I need you to come right back here and read the rest of this post.

Priscilla tells us today that really actively listening to someone is the greatest gift we can give them…… as it is also a blessing God bestows on each of us. I need you to understand that by really listening to someone else…. you are also the benefactor of one incredible gift that should not be pushed aside or re-gifted. If someone ever trusts you so much that they share their heart with you, please understand that you have been given a priceless gift that you should treasure. I need you to BE THIS to someone today.

This is your gift. Each of you are going to write our blog post today. After you complete today’s assignment, I need you to come back here and tell all of us what it was like to give and receive this beautiful gift of listening and being trusted with someone’s heart. We don’t want to know the details of the conversation….. we just want you to share your heart with us about what it was like. Please say you’ll do it!

_____________________

Your Assignment:

Today’s assignment will not cost you one precious penny…. but it is priceless!!! As Priscilla shares with us on page 115: “…listening is one of the most significant ways He blesses us. Therefore, quite predictably, it’s one of the key ways that we can bless others. ”

Please, dear sisters, choose to listen today….. REALLY listen! Who has been fighting for your attention? Please do not put them off for one more day…. give them all you have today and you might just be surprised by what you hear! FIGHT the urge to put your two cents in!!! Keep your conversation priceless by keeping your examples, criticisms, laughs and insults to yourself.

Report back to us here about who you shared this time with today and how God showed up! I triple-dog-dare you to do it…. and I can’t wait to listen in on how it goes <3

____________________

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

I’d like to thank you in advance for meeting each and every woman reading this right where they are today in spending time with another of your precious souls. Give them your discernment, Father, of when to speak affirming, encouraging words and when to be silent. Have this time be all about the other person, Father, and I pray you give each and every woman the time back that they spend investing in Your Kingdom today. We love you, Lord, and we thank you for this lesson. May our actions spill over into every life we interact with and may we also be heard… really heard,…. by those we yearn to connect with the most. In Your Son’s name I pray, amen <3

___________________

Now it’s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!  I’m guessing it’s going to be a fun one!!  If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we’ll be glad to add you!!

Blessings,

Megan 🙂

Read all about Craig’s Resolution for Men Journey here: www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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The Resolution for Women- Week 5: It Only Works When I Breathe

August 1, 2012 by

The past two-three weeks at work have been crazy!  I was assigned 3 projects to work on all at the same time, all with deadlines of yesterday.  I also had my Online Bible Study groups , my family, grandchildren to spend the night, was planning for a mission trip to Nicaragua, and was attempting to keep up with all the day-to-day tasks.  By the way, the list goes on!   I desperately needed oxygen.   Unfortunately for me it was not dropping out of the sky ready to be used!   In addition to this, the ‘boxes’ that we talked about the other day that could be rearranged or moved around were not the ones that were labeled W O R K, they were the things I enjoyed – the things that brought me peace.  Lovely, huh!?    Have any of you ladies had this problem?   –as I chuckle!   Of course you have.   To bed late, up way too early, running kids here, running kids there, working, doing laundry – running yourself ragged – trying to do it all…..needing a LARGE oxygen tank!   Suffocating from attempting the impossible. Do any of us think about how destructive this behavior is to our bodies? Nope, we totally believe we can do it all!  In our book Priscilla explains what this type of behavior provides us ,

“by running yourself ragged, trying to do everything morning till night, you’re in essence trying to be God. Overwork is a form of unbelief.  You’re saying through your actions that you don’t believe He can take care of everything, meaning you’re on the hook for it” (page 109)

Ladies, it’s time to stop and smell the roses, time to find your oxygen tank whatever, wherever that may be.  There is no possible way that you can help anyone else – not your children, your husband or anyone  else when you are out of ‘gas’.  I will be honest, even during those very difficult weeks at work recently, I made time for the one thing that totally relieves me of stress – even if only for a few minutes – my MuayThai class.  For 1 solid hour 3 times a week no matter what goes on, I go and hit pads, kick bags – relieving every ounce of frustration and finding my’oxygen’.    I would leave work so tired, seriously feeling like I could go straight home and go to bed, then I would change into my gym clothes and head to the gym.  By the time I left, the good endorphins in my body were rolling, my energy level was up, and thankfully I had found my oxygen tank – right in the nick of time!

So let’s think about this ladies.  What is something that you can do each day to re-energize?  Perhaps it’s your quiet time with God, or maybe your on-line bible study time.  Perhaps it’s an amazing tough workout at the gym or a much-needed date with your hubby.  Whatever it is, it is necessary to reach out and grab it, to find that oxygen tank and use it!  For me it’s an hour in the gym, for you this time may mean 10 minutes with Jesus.  Whether it’s a quick outdoor walk or getting an hour-long massage – it is absolutely imperative that you take this time to replenish your soul, to fill your lungs with fresh air, to suck up the molecules necessary to rebuild the cells throughout your body – Only then can you be the person you need to be for yourself and for those that are depending on you.

And let’s not forget to seek guidance from the Lord as we handle the many things we do.  We need to work with Him and let Him show us the tasks and priorities we need to be addressing, not all of them belong to us  – although we think they do!

Assignment for Today

When will I put on my oxygen mask so I can ….  bre-e-e-eathe?  What does my oxygen mask look like?   I would like for each and every sister here to commit to some time each day to breathe and replenish their body.  Share with us what that will be for you.

Prayer

Dear God, Guide and direct us each day as we go through our daily tasks.  Help us to reach for our oxgen in whatever form works for us, Provide us with the understanding Father that you are the only one in control, you are the only one capable of handling all of the tasks laid out for our lives.  Father, we love you and thank you.  We worship  you and praise you.  It is in your name we pray.  Amen.

 ___________________

After you have completed this assignment here, go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group, and see what fun activity we have for you there!  You never now what we will come up with!!  If you do not belong to an Online Bible Study Group, and would like to, please email us at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we will be happy to add you!

Love,

<3 Kelley

…Don’t forget about the Men’s Journey over here:

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

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The Resolution for Women: Anything, Everything, and Whatever

August 1, 2012 by

“Anything, Everything and Whatever”

From Christi:  I would like to take a moment to introduce you to Beverly McCormick, our newest Blogger for Girlfriends Coffee Hour.  I am very excited that she has agreed to become a regular on a blog!  I hope you enjoy her blogs, as much as I think you will!  Welcome Bev, to the Girlfriends Coffee Hour Blogging Team!

________________________


We can’t do anything well, when we choose to do everything, so we decide to just do whatever.

WOW, this statement hit me hard as I studied this lesson.   Then I took a look at our scripture verse for today,“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory”. 1 Cor. 10:31.

and then another scripture came to my mind, “And whatever you do, whether  in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through him”.  Col 3:17.

God is really trying hard to give us a message through this study today

Whatever we do

Do it for His glory

Then give Thanks.

Like many women we constantly feel like we are failing at everything, we go to bed feeling inadequate, that we just don’t have what it takes, that we just don’t have it together like everybody else. As this lesson taught us we set the bar too high, we get discouraged, we can’t do anything because we are exhausted from trying to do everything.

As Priscilla’s friend told her and should stand for us too “you cannot do a thousand things to the glory of God, but you can do one or two.”

And Paul teaches us that we should zero in on our unique set of “whatever you do” qualities, because there is value in the way we do them.

God has put us where we are in this season of life for a reason.  It may not be the most glamorous role we will have, it may not have been our choice, but it was the place He designed and chose just for each of us. We are in this place (this season)  on purpose.

God is not concerned at all about what we think we should have accomplished in our life or where we should be or how we compare to others, but God is concerned about what we are doing in the place (the season) that He has assigned us to.   God doesn’t ask us to do what other people are doing.   He wants us to do what He has told us to do and do it with all our being in the place we are in, even if the place is the “whatevers”.

Here are some of my “whatever” places that my life consists of:

-laundry
-dishes
-cleaning
-mothering
-chauffer
-cook
-library assistant
-mechanic
-nurse
-teacher
-wife

We must realize what God has gifted each of us to do and do them with all our might as unto the Lord.   Each of us will have our own set of “whatevers” because each of us are uniquely designed for a purpose.

We must take a moment to consider what God has uniquely equipped us to do as well as what He’s asking of us or (what He’s NOT asking of us) in this season of our life,  then no matter what day it is, or how old we are or what the moment demands we can be ourself,  fully believing that our personal “whatever you do” is fulfilling the purpose of God and that it will bring Him glory and honor (in anything and everything).

Pg. 100 of todays lesson from Priscilla Shirer “Resolution for Women” Paul’s instructions are not meant to inspire us to become like somebody else – to start doing more of the things they do, like they do them. It’s calling for “whatever YOU do”. There is value in the unique way you mother your children, love your husband, do your job, oversee that committee, participate in that organization and spend your time.  It’s what YOU do, how YOU do it and that’s what He has promised to undergird with His power, causing Himself to be magnified through your actions.

Be encouraged my dear sister, we are where we are on purpose – by His design. We are in this specific season of life for a reason, so whatever your whatevers are – do them all for His glory and don’t compare your whatevers to someone else’s.   Be faithful and accountable for the tasks He has assigned specifically to you for they are “preparation” for the great “whatevers” He still has yet to come in your life.

______________________

Let’s pray:
God I thank you for all the ladies who are participating in this Bible Study and I pray that You help us all to “see” that we don’t have to “do everything” and that it is OK to say no, or there may be times we need to put things in the background and wait a while (until You are ready for us Lord), help us Lord to seek You so that in “whatever “ we do, we do it ALL for Your glory. Amen!
 
_________________

Your Assignment:
Share some of your whatevers with us and also share if there are some whatevers in your life that God is showing you needs to be shifted to the background and replaced with what currently matters most with where He is moving you to in this season of your life.

After you have completed this assignment here, go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group, and see what fun activity we have for you there!  You never know what we will come up with!!  If you do not belong to an Online Bible Study Group, and would like to, please email us at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we will be happy to add you!

Love to all,

Beverly

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