December 23, 2024

Captivating: Chapter 6 – Let Him Father You – A Deeper Healing (Pg. 106 – 112)

February 14, 2013 by

Daddies.  I have come to find that this can be a tough topic for many women.  Some have had wonderful doting fathers that made them feel like princesses.  More often than not our dads have fallen short in some way, and sometimes not intentionally.  Some work to provide and give their family as much as possible, but leave us emotionally void, never saying “I love you” or knowing we are cherished.  Some say all the right things, but their actions do not show love or respect for their family.  And unfortunately there are fathers that take advantage of their position in the family and violate their daughters in ways that no girl should have to experience.  What is wonderful though is that no matter what your experience with your dad, you have a Heavenly Father that loves you and cares about you more than any human father can, no matter how amazing they are!

I, like Stasi, have heard many times that we view God through the lenses we view our own fathers.  I can definitely see the validity in that, and I have seen women who definitely do that, but I don’t know if that is necessarily true for everyone.  For me, my dad was one of those dads that worked very hard to provide for our family.  I also knew that he was always in my corner.  But he was not someone who made me feel cherished, or like his little princess.  “I love you” was rarely verbalized in our house, and there was no “twirling around” in dresses or cuddling up in his lap that I can ever remember.  Despite that, I put my daddy on a pedestal and thought he could do no wrong.

To this day, I have very similar feelings.  But my view of God was just the opposite.  I thought of him as the “punishing God” just waiting for me to mess up.  Someone to be afraid of, and who would never “be in my corner” or provide for me.  So I viewed my Heavenly Father much differently than how I viewed my earthly father.  I think it was more about the faith I was raised in, rather than my dad.  I don’t think I ever heard God referred to as a father, except in prayers I was given to memorize, and even then it just seemed like words and not an actual relationship.

But praise Him that I know the truth now.  I know who He is.  He is my Daddy, my Papa, my ABBA Father.  I can snuggle up in His lap whenever I want, and He welcomes it.  I can talk to Him about anything and everything and He listens like I am the only person in the world.  I can ask Him, “Do you love me?  Am I beautiful and captivating?” and His answer will always be yes.  Isn’t that amazing?  What a loving God we serve. Do you believe this for yourself?  Are you still working to earn His love?  Rest easy sisters, there is nothing you can do to make Him love you any more or any less than He does right this minute.

A line in this chapter really stood out to me, “What if you have a genuine and captivating beauty that is marred only by your striving”.  Wow.  That stung a bit, and I definitely saw myself in that comment.  I know God loves me, right now, where I’m at, human and stumbling.  He does, and He loves you too.  So why do I still try to earn His love in so many ways?  I tend to try too hard in all relationships, tend to overthink every issue I face, put too much energy into pretending that everything is fine, try to do more and more for God through ministry or studies or any other number of things.  I am striving.  And I am holding myself back.  I am learning that is isn’t about “doing for” God, it is about “being with” God.  I take comfort in that.  I need to sit in His lap more and listen.  I need to embrace His love.  I need my Daddy.  How about you?

 

Captivating_Ch6_109

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LET’S PRAY

Lord we come humbly to You today.  Father, we need Your love.  Come to the core of our hearts, come and bring Your love for us.  Help us to know You for who You really are, and perhaps not as we see our earthly fathers.  Reveal yourself to us.  Reveal Your love for us.  Show us what we mean to You.  Come and father us, we need You Daddy.  In Your Heavenly Name we pray.  Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Part of the reason women are so tired is because we are spending so much energy “striving”.  So much energy devoted to suppressing issues and keeping a good appearance.  We want to give you permission to relax. Rest in the security of the Lord’s love.  Let it go sweet sister! How does the thought of giving up all that struggling make you feel?  

 

 

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Captivating: Chapter 6 – Will You Let Him? (pp 92-98)

February 12, 2013 by

“Will you let me come for you?”

Yesterday we talked about letting God into our painful places to bring healing. The miraculous movements that He will make in our life, the beauty that He will bring in place of the ugly pain and hurt that has piled up for so long; if only we let him. Yesterday we said “if you let Him,” today it’s a question: “Will you let Him come in?”

For so long we have done things on our own…for so long we have trusted our own system, our own way of dealing with the pain…for so long we have been doing it wrong. To borrow from the quote that John and Stasi included in this section, “The trouble with steeling yourself against the harshness of reality is the same steel that secures your life against being destroyed secures your life against being opened up and transformed.”   The walls I built—the walls we built—were an attempt to protect what remaining parts of my heart I felt I had left and I think that goes for a lot of women. We want to hold on to what we feel we have left, but in doing this we shut out the one person who can heal those damaged parts, the one who can make our hearts whole again.

God promises to be tender, to care for our hearts in a manner that would never bring pain.

Hosea 2:14

Therefore I am now going to allure her

I will lead her into the desert

And speak tenderly to her.

Another version I read said that He would “speak comfort to her.”  Imagine the healing and comfort and peace we can have if we say ‘yes!’  If we open our hearts to God and let His hands repair what years of pain has broken down. He is knocking on our hearts. Knocking and waiting. Knocking and waiting. He knocks and we hold more tightly to that key; he knocks and we fear that opening the door will bring more pain.  We fear that it will make us more vulnerable than we already are. But, lovely ladies, it is very opposite from that. Opening the door to Him will heal that hurt, He will strengthen us through His love, and He will remind us that ours are hearts of beauty and wholeness.

 

Psalm61_1thru3

Ladies, God is knocking and asking us to turn the key over to Him.  He is asking us to unlock the door and let Him in to begin the healing work He wants to do. He is asking us to stop believing the lies of our hurts and to remember the healing message in His truths.

I have worked as a hospice bereavement counselor for three years,  One of the main pieces of information I give to patients and their families is to allow themselves to feel the emotions they are having. Not to stuff and ignore…but to allow the emotions to flow.  To cry, to be scared, to be mad, that it is okay to feel in response to their situation. To “let it out.” We have to let ourselves feel again, ladies; to feel without fear of opening ourselves up too much, to feel without fear of being wrong in our feelings. To feel with the knowledge that God has our heart in His hands, to feel and give those feelings to God, the fear, the anger, the hurt.

He is knocking. He is waiting at the door to our hearts. He wants us to cry out to Him…to give Him the key.  He wants us to let Him in to heal our hurts.  To make our hearts the complete masterpiece He designed them to be.

With Love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, thank You for not leaving us.  Thank You for knocking and waiting. Thank You for not giving up on the women you created us to be. Thank You for Your love and compassion, for Your healing touch. I bind the spirit of fear in Jesus name, it has no control over our lives, it has no say in our emotions. Our hearts belong to You, Lord.  In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Your Assignment:

There is a prayer on page 101 (I’m not sure what page it is in the electronic version, but it is at the end of the “Renounce The Agreements You’ve Made” section. It is a prayer for the spirit of truth, it is a prayer to renounce the lies we have believed over the years.

If you journal, this would be a great place to write this prayer.  If you feel comfortable, you can pay it in our private Facebook group, as well.

Also, please stop in and share your thoughts from these sections. Your insights may bless another.

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

 

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Captivating: Chapter 6 – Healing the Wound – Hemmed In (Pgs 92-98)

February 11, 2013 by

I’m sitting at my computer stirring my coffee, allowing the warmth, and the soft vanilla smell to wake me up on this beautiful morning. I had finished reading the first two sections of the chapter and the words are still working their way into my heart. There are times when I read the book that I will re-read, look up definitions, and look up Scriptures to help me understand what I’ve read. But this morning was different. As I was curled up in my favorite reading and writing spot—the corner of our love seat—the words I was reading were an echo of what God has been speaking to me for quite some time. Hiding wounds and building walls around them is something that I have, unfortunately, become very good at. Some wounds are old while others are still fresh.

I wasn’t letting anyone near these wounds, especially not God. These wounds were destroying my heart, they were starting to show in other areas of my life because I had set up walls, I had refused access. I was taking care of it.

God had to “thwart” me. He had to step in front of me and stop all my ways from working. This summer was the time in my life when I came back to Him, wounded and aching.

I want to clear something up first: I hadn’t strayed so far from Him that I was completely living in the world. I was still going to church regularly.  I was still being kind to others. I was still trying to live the good Christian life.  My wounds were well-hidden. To be wounded, and in need of God’s healing touch, does not mean you have to be the prodigal daughter, the one who has abandoned all of her childhood teaching to go explore the world.  It means that life’s hurts, whether self-inflicted or created by others, are hindering us from being the woman God created us to be.  They are stopping us from truly being ourselves.

These sections hold some very serious topics, it may even feel overwhelming to think of it all at once.  But, if anything is taken from these sections, please let it be these four words…

If you’ll let Him

 Isaiah 61:1-3

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

*Healing. Releasing. Comforting. Providing. Bestowing. Joy-giver. Beautifier.*

We are told why Jesus has been placed on this earth, like the text says, it is not just to offer us salvation and then leave us to our own devices. He has come to continue to make us who we were designed to be. For this, I am so thankful. I am a work in progress. We are a work in progress.

Captivating_Ch6_Blog1This summer I turned to God broken and hurting and He was there to save me…but He is not done. Thank God! Despite our wounds, despite our hurts, despite the past that we as women carry He is not done with us and He will do everything it takes to rescue us and set our hearts free.  If we let Him, He can, will, and wants to be all of these things to us. If we let Him, He will make our hearts whole.

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, You told us that You came to heal our wounds, to make us beautiful, to free us. Thank You. We try to handle our wounds ourselves. We build walls, we hide them. Healing our wounds is a job for You, Lord. Please forgive us for trusting in our own methods more than trusting Your words, and Your heart. Please help us to take a step back and allow You in to those walled places, those places of pain. Please continue to mold us into the women You designed us to be. I pray for peace, strength, and joy, Lord.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.

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Your Assignment:

What are your thoughts on these sections? What touched your heart?  What do you have questions about?

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 If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.  Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

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Captivating: Chapter 5 Review

February 8, 2013 by

Wow, ladies!  As women we have special powers that absolutely terrify the enemy! Please join me as I try to summarize this week’s truth-revealing blogs which were written by our fabulous bloggers!

On Monday, Tonya reminded us that this journey we are on might be tough at times, but that we can be assured that the AUTHOR of our stories is walking along with us.

Then again on Tuesday, Tonya said that despite what our history was, or how it leads those around us and in society to see/feel about women… please rest and be assured that God’s plan is playing out. His will is being done and we are living according to His purpose. Don’t look past the history, don’t look past the influence it has on our world today, and don’t overlook God’s hand in that history.

On Wednesday, Carissa shared with us that Satan is fighting a losing battle. We have won! And we are crowned princesses of the MOST HIGH !!!!

On Thursday, Michelle told us that HOPE DOES NOT PUT US TO SHAME. Do not let the trials we face cause us to cave. Let it bring us to our knees, to the feet of our Great Redeemer. In Him we receive our HOPE.

Girlfriends, for years I have believed the lies of the enemy. I believed that I could never be loved…that I would end up alone…that I am not good enough…. Ohhhhhh, BUT GOD….

Be blessed!

Edwina

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If you are interested in joining us for the “Captivating” online Bible study, click HERE to sign up. Once you register, we will email you further information.

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Captivating: Chapter 5 – Further Assault – What’s Going On

February 5, 2013 by

I love history.  I love to know how things were in time past, and how those things affected present times. I think that knowing about history is vital to understanding the world today; I feel that the same applies for us as people. Our history explains so much of our present.  It answers a good deal of the “why” questions, as individuals and as women as a whole. Our history may be different depending on the generation we were born in, the country we call home and even our family dynamics, but there is one common factor: women have not always been the most liked or respected of God’s creations. Stasi and John go as far as to use words such as “special hatred” and “diabolical” when referring to society’s general opinion of women.

No, the thought of our history does not bring on a warm fuzzy feeling, and it leaves me scratching my head in wonder of how thoughts and opinions could come to pass in the first place. But, like so many other things in life, I don’t have the answers and there is only one thing I am left to do. Turn to God.

There are three things that I can rely on when it comes to explanations I wish I had, but don’t.

1.         God allowed this history to be what it is for a reason.

2.         God knows what He’s doing.

3.         He’s doing it for a reason.

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Despite what our history was…or how it leads those around us and in society to see/feel about women…please rest and be assured that God’s plan is playing out.  His will is being done and we are living according to His purpose.  Don’t look past the history, don’t look past the influence it has on our world today, and don’t overlook God’s hand in that history.

With love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, we don’t know why things happen in this life. We don’t understand why people think the way they do, or have the opinions about women that they have. What we do know is that Your will is being done. “All things work together for good to those who love God.” Thank You for this promise.  Thank You for Your love.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Our history has been a troubled place. How has the past of women shaped your way of thinking, if at all?

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE.  Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

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Captivating: Chapter 5 – The Whole Story (A Special Hatred intro)

February 4, 2013 by

I can relate to Stasi’s story during the introduction of this chapter—not in relation to gardening—but to various other “assaults” in my life.  I can recall the first few events happening, words being said; in other words, the first few “hail stones” falling. I can recall watching the damage happening from afar but feeling as if I was powerless and couldn’t do anything. And I remember standing in the middle of the destruction, asking myself question after question. The loudest question being “Why?”

I am a firm believer in taking time in stepping back to look at the whole story. Taking the time to see all the who’s, what’s, when’s, where’s and why’s of a situation.  It doesn’t mean that I am going to change my opinion of a situation or change my actions, but I like to know the whole story.  In school when we were told to read a passage, I would read some above and below that passage to get a better understanding. When I read a Scripture in the Bible, I do the same. I read a few more verses above and below the highlighted one.

Looking more into the story at either end can answer questions we are holding in our minds, it can clarify confusion, or bring a hidden part of the situation to light. When I’m reading, I like to find one or two things in the material that especially stand out to me, that touch my heart. Today it was these words:

“But, in order to understand the lingering doubts in your own heart regarding your femininity, in order to understand why it is so rare to encounter a truly alive and vibrant woman, you must hear more of the story.”

We must hear more of the story. While doing this can answer questions and help to reveal some of the unknowns, it can also bring to light things we have tried so hard to forget. I urge each and every one of us to be willing to look at more of the story—more of our story.  I take great peace in knowing that this journey may be tough at times, but the Author of our stories is walking along with us.

All who hate me whisper against me,

Imagining the worst for me.

Psalm 41:7 (NLT)

Read more of the story…

I know you are pleased with me,
for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
You have preserved my life because I am innocent;
you have brought me into your presence forever.

Psalm 41:11-12 (NLT)

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, our stories are sometimes things we choose to hide. To step back and look at the various assaults in our lives can bring pain that we have tried hard to hide, and forget. As we see in Your Scriptures, Lord, looking at the whole story can bring peace and understanding; it can bring healing. Give us courage and peace as we walk these journeys, as we look more into the story to find answers for questions we have had for a lifetime. Thank You, Lord, for walking with us. Thank You for not leaving us to do this alone. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Your Assignment:

Looking into more of the story can be an intimidating task. What is your initial reaction on doing this? On looking at the whole story?

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

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Captivating: Chapter 5 – A Special Hatred (Reading Assignment)

February 3, 2013 by

Happy Sunday, Ladies!

This week we will be reading and sharing on Chapter 5: A Special Hatred. We will be looking at the way the enemy fights so hard against women. In order to live the life that Jesus wants us to live, we must be aware that we have an enemy who is busy trying to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. Let’s stand up to this assault and really embrace this chapter.

 

Monday: Tonya – A Special Hatred (Intro)
Tuesday: Tonya – Further Assault through What is Really Going On Here
Wednesday: Carissa – A Special Hatred through On a Human Level
Thursday: Michelle – There Is Hope
Friday: Edwina – Weekly Review

LET’S PRAY:

Father, we stand in expectation for what You have for us as we begin week 5. If we are struggling, help us to let our fears go.  We know that the enemy is trying to steal our joy.  We strive to live completely in You and for You.  Show us the lessons we can learn, and grow us in ways we can’t even imagine.  In Your Name, we pray.  Amen.

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If you are interested in joining us for the “Captivating” Online Bible Study, please click HERE.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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Captivating: Chapter 4 – Wounded Femininity – Unholy Alliance

January 31, 2013 by

Shame

Shame is a powerful word.  To me, it is one of those words that means so much more than the definition reveals.  According to dictionary.com, shame is “The painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another.”  The painful feeling; yes, pain being the key word.  Many of us have had something unpleasant happen to us in our lives.  Something that makes us feel “less than”—less than what my family needs…less than what the boy is asking for…less than what God wants from me.  It is what we do with those feelings that define our outlook.

When we turn those feelings of “less than” into BELIEFS that we actually are less than, then shame is born.  God doesn’t want us to live in shame.  Shame makes us hide, makes us think that we are not worthy.  Not worthy of meaningful friendships, not worthy of voicing our opinions, not worthy of love.  We are not even comfortable in our own skin.  We are so worried we will get hurt again; we just pack ourselves away and play it safe.  This is a very lonely place to be.  As daughters of The King, we need to fight these thoughts that do not speak truth into our hearts.

Created for MoreAs Romans 10:11 tells us “As scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.’”  This is the life He has for us if only we believe.  Some of us may have trust issues, even with God, but now is the time to change that.  Start praying today, right now, and ask God for forgiveness for putting your trust in yourself rather than in Him and then ask for His help.  He wants you to be free of any feelings of inadequacy.  You were created for more.  You are His creation.  No matter what you have done, no matter what pain you have endured, no matter where your thoughts have taken you, once you confess your sins He sees you as pure as snow.

As we read in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson they shall be like wool.”  Let it go, my sisters!  Free yourself to live completely in the life the Lord intended for you.  This is my prayer for you.

LET’S PRAY

ABBA Father, thank You that You love us no matter what. Please forgive all our sins and, Father, please help us to forgive ourselves and overcome all the unnecessary feelings of guilt and shame.  Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Our wounds often cause us to feel shame and hide ourselves. Do you ever feel this? In what ways are you aware that you are hiding these days?

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If you are interested in joining this Online Singles Bible Study, click HERE.  Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

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Captivating: One Thing Is for Sure (Wounded Hearts – Passive Fathers)

January 29, 2013 by

Childhood. This word means so many different things to so many different people. To some it means pain…to others it means joy. It may even mean both.  We may have mixed emotions about our youth. We may not be able to identify what we feel.

Our childhood was different from the woman next to us. It was unique. The pain we may have experienced was ours, our wounds were ours. You may or may not be able to relate to the stories written in this chapter. But we can all write our own stories. Our own wounds and hurts.

“This is not Eden. Not even close.”

“You cannot be alive very long without being wounded.”

“Because we are the ones loved by God, the King of Kings, Jesus himself, who came to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free.”

These three sentences stuck out in my mind the most this morning as I read. The words are all too real. We do not live in a perfect world, and we all know hurt and pain. A good amount of this pain can be traced back to our youth. We can even trace the pain back to a specific event. Our world was, and still is, far from Eden.

To be honest, this topic is not an easy one to discuss and there is only one absolute that I know of.

Despite the wounds our fathers may have caused, despite the wounds formed in our childhood, there is one person we can count on to heal those wounds. To repair the hurts we have.

 God, the King of Kings, Jesus Himself

 

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Psalm 147:3

 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.

 

Here to heal the brokenheartedI don’t know what your childhood was like; I don’t know if this chapter touched areas of your heart that only God can repair. What I do know is that we all have wounds of some sort. And I know that only God, our Heavenly Father, can heal those wounds. No, we don’t live in Eden. And, yes, our world is a troubled place, ready to hurt at any turn. But rest assured that we have God on our side. The Bible states it clearly: He is here to heal the broken hearted, to set us free from the bonds of our wounds.

With Love,

Tonya

 

 

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Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

We are wounded. These wounds are different for different people, but they are present. Thank You for being the Healer we desire, the Healer we need. Our world can be a painful place; hurts and hindrances are hiding around every corner. But You, Lord, are our Shield and our Strength. Thank You for healing our broken hearts, Lord.  Thank You for setting us free.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

 

Your Assignment:

I listed two Scriptures today. Is there a scripture you turn to when the pain of a wound is present? Is there a Scripture that brings you comfort. Please share these Scriptures—they may bless and comfort others.

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

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Captivating: Nature vs Nurture (Wounded – Mothers, Fathers and Their Daughters)

January 28, 2013 by

I think most women ask questions like this:

Why is this the way I am?

         What made me, me?

We wonder what influenced our behavior, our actions, our taste in men, the choices in the friends we choose. We think about things like this. I know I do.

I know that God created me, He formed me in His image, and He knows everything about me.

But what makes me do what I do? Think what I think?

Nature vs Nurture?

The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology.

Are our actions and behaviors determined before birth and driven by genetics? Or, are they directed by our experiences, what we went through as children and even in our adulthood?

I believe that both play a part, we are our parent’s children. Some of their personality traits were passed to us at birth, and what we heard, saw and experienced while growing up plays a major role in how we see and live life today.

My daughter will be 10 on January 31. I see so much of me in her is surprises me sometimes. My situation is special, like many other women in the world. I had my daughter at 18; her biological father chose not to play a role in her life. I was blessed with a husband who treats and loves my daughter as if she were his own. What surprises me more than how much of myself I see in her, is how much of my husband I see in her, and how much of  her biological father I see in her. Though one has been with her for almost her entire life and the other has not.

Through my own experiences I have learned that our fathers impact our lives in more ways than we can see, but I guess it didn’t become concrete for me until I saw this in my little girl.

It has been said before that single women have advantages over married women. More time to devote to God, without the responsibilities of motherhood and of being a wife. There is another advantage that I didn’t realize until after I became a wife and a mom, is that I had the time to pray for myself and my future family. Prayers for a Godly husband and father for my children, prayers for myself to be a Godly wife and mother to my children; I pray these prayers daily for my family now, and I see God moving in great strides, but I encourage you to start now.

Pray for the influence you will have on your future children, or pray for the influence you have on the children you already have.

Biggest ImpactOur fathers made a mark on our lives, some of those marks were better than others. But our Heavenly Father has the biggest impact of all. Remember that despite the happenings of our childhood (good or bad), God created us in His image, and with His heart.

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

There are times in our adult life where we sit back and wonder how we became who we are today. What influenced us, whether it be good or bad? Our mothers and fathers were chosen to be our parents for a reason. They influenced our lives as children, and we grew to be the beautiful women we are today. Thank You for being the biggest influence in our lives.   Thank You for giving us Your heart. We may have questions about our life, why questions, hurts You can only heal, but we know Your hand is on our life. We know that despite the question of nature vs nurture that God is the ultimate designer of and influence on out life.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Your Assignment:

I know that our childhood can be a sensitive subject. Have you ever wondered what influenced your life, or who influenced your life? Have you ever thought about your past and questioned the influence your mother or father had?

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If you are interested in joining this online Bible study, please click HERE to sign up.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

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

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