December 22, 2024

Captivating: Chapter 12 Weekly Review – End of Study

March 29, 2013 by

Girlfriends, what an awesome journey we have been on for the last couple of weeks. I pray that you are more than convinced of your awesomeness!  You truly are Captivating.

On Monday, Jackie told us that we have an irreplaceable role to play in this world. God is waiting for us to accept that role so that He can use us for His glory. You and I have the power to influence our world for God.

Tuesday with Tonya we learned that what God asks us to do can seem more than what we thought possible. Being what God requires us to be can seem overwhelming at times. But, by saying ‘yes’ to God, and by going where God is asking us to go, and doing what God asks us to do, we are also acknowledging that we have faith in His covering—faith that He will take care of everything else.

Carissa shared some awesome truths with us on Wednesday. She said that we might not be where we are ‘called’ to be right now, because God is preparing us for His plans that are to come. We can’t see the big picture, but God can. He has you right where you are for His reasoning.

On Thursday, Michelle encouraged us to not be afraid of who we are, who we were created to be. It is time to stop hiding. Let us all step out in faith. Let us be real and present in the moment.

Girlfriends, I want to encourage you to be strong in the Lord. Yes, things come our way that paralyze us, and it feels like we will never recover, never be able to get up and walk again, but I want to remind you of the cross. When you are blinded by fear, think of what happened at the cross. God is in control!

I love you and hope that you will join us in our Women’s study that started on Monday, Girls With Swords. I feel armed and dangerous!

Let’s Pray:
Father, thank You for each lady that participated in this study. Thank You that You have great and wonderful plans for their lives. I pray that they will always know that they are Your children and that You love them unconditionally, Amen.

Be blessed!

Edwina

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Captivating: Chapter 12 – “Be Present” – “Take My Hand” (pgs 217-220)

March 28, 2013 by

We have spent an amazing 3 months together.  We have explored our femininity, our gentle side, our warrior side, and one thing we know is that we are meant to be a complete woman. The woman God intended us to be.

As we wind down this study, how has it affected you?  Have you been able to connect with Jesus, your Lover, your Father, your Friend?  This is what He wants for us girls.  To be authentic.  Not to be a woman in a magazine, your neighbor or your friend.  He wants you to be YOU.

So who is that woman?  Have you discovered her?  If I have learned anything through this study is that we cannot be afraid to be who we are.  Who we were created to be.  It is time to stop hiding, ladies.  Step out in faith.  We need to be real and present in the moment.  Now.  If not, all our hard work will go to waste.

Throughout this study we have talked about freedom.  We need to live that out now.  Freedom to love and to be loved, freedom to be who we are, freedom to live completely and fully in Christ.  God loves you, and He wants you…all of you.  If you need a reminder of who that is:

Page219

I am so excited to see what God has in store for each and every one of you.  Live large, wonderful women, God wouldn’t want it any other way.

My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.”    Song of Solomon 2:10

*****

LET’S PRAY:

Father, as we wind down this study, I know You will remain with each and every woman.  If the time ever comes when we start to question who we are in You or who we are meant to be, I ask You to please come alongside us in love and confirmation.  Remind us.  Help us to live fully in You as You created us to do.  We love You, Lord, and thank You for loving us with an unfailing faithfulness.  We pray this in Your Holy Name.  Amen.

 *****

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Captivating: Chapter 12 – “In The World” – “Do Not Give Way to Fear” (pgs 212-215)

March 27, 2013 by

People always talk about their “calling.” It’s such a Christian-ese phrase.  “So what led you to that decision?” “Well, I believe it’s my ‘calling’.”  Now, I’m not trying to put down anyone who may have used this word.  In fact, I use the word often.  Typically, after frustration grips my emotions, I cry to God, “LORD, WHY CAN’T YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT MY CALLING IS! TELL ME WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BE! OPEN THE DOOR ALREADY!”

Once I lose the anger, I remind myself of the truth.  And the truth is this: much like the reasons God allows bad things to happen to us, He may have us in a place we aren’t “called” to be right now because He is preparing us for His plans that are to come.

We can’t see the big picture, but God can.  He has you right where you are for HIS reasoning.  It’s also similar to why you may be single and lonely right now.  God has a reason.  God is preparing you for your “calling” every single day you awake.  He’s preparing your heart for something that is to come that will be so worth the wait, the patience, and the persistence!

So the question remains: how do you find your “calling?” In an effort to help you find that answer, our authors pose the following questions: What is it you yearn to see happen? How do you long for the world to be a better place? What makes you so angry you nearly see red? What brings you to tears?

The answers to those questions are different for each person – praise God! And those answers are the desires within our hearts, desires that God set within us even before we were born. Those answers are invitations.

“They are invitations to bring your heart to your Lover and ask Him to clarify, to deepen, to speak to you about how and when and with whom.”

I am reminded of this passage in Matthew 6:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (verses 25-33).

So maybe you know a few answers to the questions above.  What’s keeping you from pursuing them? What’s keeping you from action? For me, Stasi and John hit the nail on the head when they discussed that terrible four letter word: F.E.A.R.

Fear of failure, fear of disapproval, fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability…I could go on.  But all of these fears have one thing in common—They are not from God.

As we have journeyed this book together, I pray that each of you has found who you are in Christ.  You are a strong warrior princess made to share in an adventure, made to serve and to love.  But no warrior princess can realize her own strength and purpose if she hides away in the castle her whole life.  No, we are called to take risks!  Risk the failure, risk the disapproval, risk the rejection, and risk the vulnerability.

Jesus did that.  And if we are called to live like Him, we must live radically, fully entrusting our lives to Christ. One of my favorite authors and inspirational speakers, Bob Goff, states in his book Love Does:

“Every day God invites us on the same kind of adventure. It’s not a trip where He sends us a rigid itinerary, He simply invites us. God asks what it is He’s made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable need of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then, leaning over us, He whispers, “Let’s go do that together.”

Ladies, I pray that each of you will live, breathe, and act that verse. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

2Tim1_7

Praise Him,

Carissa

*****

Let’s Pray:

Father, I thank You for the life You’ve given each of us. I thank You that You have promised each of us a purpose and to use us to further Your great kingdom.  Father, in our days of doubt, remind us that You use all things (and situations) to Your glory.  Lord, draw close to us, reveal Your plans for our lives to us.  We want to know You and serve You more. Father, in Your time, give us the courage and will to pursue those desires You’ve set deep in our hearts.  We love You so much! In Your precious Name, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Spend time in prayer today, drawing closer to God, asking Him to deepen your desires and reveal His plans for you. He is faithful; He will answer.

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Captivating: Chapter 12 – “Your Irreplaceable Role” – “In Your Relationships”

March 26, 2013 by

We are not all cut from the same cloth, we do not have the same background, we do not have the same personality, and we don’t always see things the same way. Some of us may be more outgoing; some of us prefer to be center stage while others of us would rather stay behind the scenes. Women come in different shapes, sizes, personality type, demeanors, etc. We are a creation of variety and of differences. Yet despite the various aspects of us and our lives that make us different there are things that we as women share; and one is “a heart that is alive and passionate.”

God desired and designed women to have this heart, a heart that “keeps relationships a priority.” At times this may seem like a burden, especially when the relationships seem one-sided, or the relationships seem to cease to exist. And these relationships are not only romantic relationships, but friendships and family relationships. I’ve said before that when I study a book like this I try to find one or two things that stand out to me and touch my heart, today it was this: “No one can be to the people in your life who you can be to them. No one can offer what you can offer there are many things God calls us to do, but loving well always comes first.”

Sometimes what God asks of us can seem that it “requires more of our heart and soul than we thought possible.” Sometimes being who God is asking us to be in our relationships can seem overwhelming.  By saying “yes” to God, and by going where God is asking us to go, and doing what God asks us to do, we are also acknowledging that we have faith in His covering—faith that by saying “yes” to Him, He will take care of everything else.

Ladies, don’t ever doubt that we are “unique feminine” don’t ever doubt that we are “designed differently,” and that we are beautifully and wonderfully made.

Ps139_14

Let us remember that we “need to be as cunning as a Rahab, an Esther, and a Tamar.” We are captivating, we are beautiful, and we are created by the Creator of all things; we are made on purpose, for a reason, and made with love.

With Love, Tonya

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You, thank You, thank You. You have made us uniquely feminine and  You made us for a reason. Sometimes these reasons can seem overwhelming, sometimes they can seem too much to handle. But thank You for being there, thank You for Your covering, thank You for Your unique design.  In Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Look at the stories of Rahab, Esther, and Tamar again. Look at their characteristics. How can we learn from their cunning; how can it apply to our world today?

*****

Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book study has begun!!

GWS

To join us, click on the picture above and complete the registration form.

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

We hope you will join us!

 

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Captivating: Chapter 11 – Warrior Princess Weekly Review

March 22, 2013 by

Girlfriends, after reading this week’s chapter, I cannot wait for our next study to start. I just know that God is preparing us for great, awesome things, and I am certain that we will come out victorious when we follow His plans for our lives. I want to encourage you to sign up for our next study if you have not done so yet.  Go to our sign page located HERE to enroll today!!

On Monday, Jackie’s prayer for us was that we will be prepared to fight our daily battles knowing that we are more than conquerors. Christ won the battle on the cross for us, and we need not fear for THE  BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD. Face each day like a true Warrior Princess. Not only are you beautiful, but you are also wise, cunning, strong, courageous, and victorious.

On Tuesday, Tonya shared with us that emotional attacks in life are very real. These attacks are not limited to our minds, or our hearts, but are aimed at our bodies as well. Satan is out to hurt us, and he will do so at any cost. Although Satan has his ways to try to get us defeated, God’s ways are stronger, more powerful, and made specifically to protect us.

On Wednesday, Carissa wanted to know from us whether we believe that each one of us are warriors in Christ. We have God’s strength to sustain us when we feel we can’t take another step, another breath, another disappointment, another insult, another negative feeling. Talk to God, share with Him, rest in His presence and in His control over things that may seem uncontrollable. Nothing is too much to handle for our God.

On Thursday, Michelle reminded us to remember that we are warriors. Each day we must put on the armor of God to battle the demons that Satan sends our way. No one is immune to it, but the more we prepare ourselves for battle, the better our chances are to conquer the enemy each and every day. Stay strong, be prepared, and depend on God!

Girls, God wants us to succeed! Let’s be strong and equip ourselves with the full armor of God at all times.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for equipping us so that we can be more than conquerors at all times and so that You can get the glory. We love You and need You, Amen.

 

*****

GWS

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Captivating: Chapter 11 Warrior Princesses – “Relational Attacks” – “A Warring Bride” (pp 193-197)

March 20, 2013 by

Sword and Roses

Whoa. When I read what Stasi and John shared in the “Relational Attacks” section, my mind flooded with past situations with roommates, boyfriends, family members, and friends where the Spirit of Accusation applied.  I bottle things inside of me.  I let those negative feelings fester, and I dwell on the situation at hand.  How dare she not take out the trash after I’ve done it the past five times! If he really cared about me, why would he have said those things? He said, she said…the situations play on.  This Spirit of Accusation doesn’t just occupy our heads.  It occupies our hearts.  As the prophet Jeremiah reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9). Many times, what we harbor in our hearts are lies and evil.  But there is freedom in Christ.  There is freedom in prayer.

Do you believe that there is a spiritual war that rages around us?  Even when you sit alone in your room, supposedly secure from all physical danger, the war ensues.  But we have no reason to fear; we have power in Christ.  So no matter what she didn’t do or what he said, God has given us power over those evil thoughts and negative feelings. This chapter really brought to light the power of prayer.  When we call on His name, He is faithful to deliver us. 

I’m ashamed to say that my first reaction to unhappy situations is not always prayer.  I usually let my feelings overwhelm me until I have time to “cool down.”  This chapter has challenged me though.  The next time a situation arises, I want to take a step back, denounce the evil that is at work, ask for the Lord to take the situation and help me see how He wants me to handle it.  Just as Jesus was tempted in the desert, we, too, are tested in our faith daily.  Satan knows our weaknesses, but we are not to give him a foothold.  Let’s take the power that is already ours in His name and use it! I love the quote from our authors on page 196:

“Christianity is not a passive religion.”

We know that oftentimes the Lord will allow hardships so that we may grow in our trust and faith in Him.  Even Paul speaks of a “thorn” that tormented him:

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Ladies, God is so good! He will never give us more than we can handle.  Do you believe that?

Do you also believe that we are warriors in Christ?  We have His strength to sustain us when we feel we can’t take another step, another breath, another disappointment, another insult, another negative feeling.  He is with us always, and His power is available to us through our communication with Him. Talk to Him, share with Him, rest in His presence and in His control over things that may seem uncontrollable.  Nothing is too much to handle for our God.

Praise Him,

Carissa

*****

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for who You are and for offering Your power and Your strength to us.  In Your Name, I pray that we take hold of that power daily.  Lord, as situations arise to test our faith, that we will stand firm in the knowledge of Your presence and protection.  Let us be warriors for You.  Thank You for Your strength that sustains us through the everyday battle called “life.”

Your Assignment:

Is there a situation in your life that you need to turn to God?  Do that today. In love, work to reconcile relationships, and know that you have power in Christ to do all things.

*****

Have you signed up for our next Online Bible/Book study yet?  If not, you will want to right away!  This is going to be an amazing study!!  The study begins March 24th!

Click on the picture below to be taken to the sign-up page.  Once we receive your registration, we’ll email you further details.

GWS

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Captivating: Chapter 11 Warrior Princess – “Fighting Back” – “Emotional Attacks”

March 19, 2013 by

Sword and RosesWhen I’m working with new clients or patients one of the things I make sure to stress from the beginning is that when it comes to life and the things we go through in life, our mind, body, and soul are all connected. What we are going through does not just affect one of these areas and one area cannot be affected without the other two areas being touched also. These three aspects of our lives are interconnected, and make up who we are.

Emotional attacks in life are very real.  These attacks are not limited to our minds, or our hearts, but are aimed at our bodies as well. The example Stasi uses of dizziness made me think. This was something I knew, but also something that I didn’t think of on a regular basis, it was one of those “oh yea” moments for me. I learned a long time ago not to put anything past satan. He is out to hurt us, and he will do so at any cost. “Demons smell human brokenness like sharks smell blood in the water, and they move in and take advantage of our weakened soul”. Yes, satan has his ways, but God also has His, and His ways are stronger, more powerful, and made specifically to protect us.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:26-27

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:8-9

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”.

Luke 10:18-19

For reasons I have yet to understand, society makes it seem as if mental health is a taboo subject. The need to seek out the professional help of a counselor to the need for medicine such as anti-depressants has been made to appear as a negative “out”. This is far from the case. The act of verbalizing your thoughts and feelings to a Christian counselor or trusted advisor can be one of the best decisions made by someone. If God is leading you to speak to someone, then please do. God has given individuals in this world a gift to help us through our struggles in life. There are a lot of things in our life we overlook because we see them as “normal”, and even if they are not as “normal” as we would like them to be, we are hesitant to talk to someone about them. My favorite quote from these two sections was this one, “It’s amazing what we will live with because we think it’s normal when it’s not”.

What if I don’t know what should be normal and what shouldn’t be normal?

 PRAY

Constantly talk to God, if something feels less than normal to you then talk to Him and ask.

The title of one of these two sections is “Fighting Back”; it’s time we fought back, it’s time we told satan, “no more”. But we can’t do this alone. Let God “began to train our hands and heart for battle”. Let Him touch our hearts, minds and souls

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With Love,

Tonya

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, normal is a word that has taken on many meanings, and can be hard to figure out. Please touch our hearts, minds and souls and show us what you have intended for us, what is normal Lord? What do we need to bring to you? Lord remind us that our body, mind and spirit are all connected, we cannot address one without the others. Thank you for caring for all of us Lord. Lord, I pray that when we question normal, or when we question ourselves that we automatically come to you, Lord I pray that we make praying without ceasing a normal part of our life. Thank you for your tools, and thank you for your protection.  In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.

Your Assignment:

What are your thoughts on fighting back? What does it mean to you?

*****

Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book study will begin March 24th!

GWS

To join us, click on the picture above and complete the registration process.

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

We hope you will join us!

 

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Captivating: Chapter 11 – “Warrior Princesses”

March 18, 2013 by

“And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.  Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:13 and 14

I love the story of Esther, I have read it many times, and I have watched the adaptation of the story in the movie that Tommy Tenney made “One Night With the King” countless times.  The movie was created beautifully, from the choice of actress to the setup to the beauty pageant and, of course, the colorful wedding of Esther to the King.  As much as everything else is beautiful, it does not take away the purpose of why Esther was chosen by God to be Queen.  She was to fight for her people and deliver them from Haman’s vicious plot.  After seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, Esther used the only weapon that was available to her—food.  She prepared a feast for the King and Haman.  After they had eaten, Esther told the King what Haman’s plot was: to wipe the entire Jewish nation from the face of the earth.  Well, Haman’s evil plans did not succeed because of the courageous act of this Warrior Queen Esther.

Esther is a true example of the Warrior that we all are.   Just like Esther, each one of us faces battles in our everyday lives.  They may not be as enormous as preserving the existence of a nation, but we cannot deny that they weigh us down, causing us grief and many sleepless nights.

As long as we are alive, we will be required to put on our armor and fight.  We may be called the “weaker sex” but we are not weak.  We are warriors too.  We are in the war zone the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed and the next day is no different.  Some of the battles may seem mundane but still they give us stress.  We battle with our looks when we glance in the mirror; we battle with comparison just as soon as we walk out the door; we look at how others are dressed and we wish our clothes fit the same way.

Then there are battles that we face that are relational, such as misunderstandings with our families that distress us.  The workplace is no different.  We don’t agree with our colleagues, our bosses take us for granted, and we are overworked and unappreciated.

Throughout the day we are bombarded with decisions that we need to make whether we are at home, work, or school.  What happens during our day can make us feel great about ourselves or depressed.

So much of what happens in our day attacks our minds more than any other part of our body.  We need to guard what goes through our minds more than anything else.  Once a thought comes in, we think about it some more, it develops and the more we think about it the more it takes root and then it becomes an action.

No WarriorIt is so important that when we wake up in the morning, we should prepare for the battle that is ahead of us.  No warrior goes to battle without ammunition.  In the same way, we cannot wake up and begin the day without putting on the armor of God.  Just like Esther had to pray and fast to meet with the King, we, too, ought to prepare for what’s ahead of us.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.   

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.    In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.    Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Ephesians 6:10-18

Prayer should be part of our lifestyle as Warrior Princesses; we need not wait for a situation to arise that is beyond us in order to invoke a prayerful attitude.  Just like a soldier takes instructions from his superiors, we too need to meet with our Maker to take instructions for our daily living.  Our enemy is real and he is not chained.  He is “…like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  If you are not dressed for battle then he will prey on your mind, body, and soul.

I pray that as we go through this chapter this week, we will be prepared to fight our daily battles knowing that we are more than conquerors.  Christ won the battle on the cross for us and we need not fear for THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD.  Face each day like a true Warrior Princess.  Not only are you beautiful, but you are also wise, cunning, strong, courageous, and victorious.

In closing let me leave you with thes words that Paul spoke to Timothy and permit me to change them to suit us Warrior Princesses.

“You then, my daughter, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.   Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.  Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.   The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this”   (2 Timothy 2:1-7).

Be Blessed

Jackie

**********

 

LET’S PRAY

Father, thank You so much for giving me Your armor so that I can wear it in readiness for the battles that I face each day.  I will face each day knowing that the battle is already won.  May I seek Your face so that I may not be unaware when trouble comes.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 about the full armor of God.  Take time to know what each piece of armor means and literally practice putting it on.

Why would Paul tell us to put on the full armor of God?

 

 GWSOur next Women’s Online Bible/Book Study begins March 24th!  

Click on the Girls with Swords book to the left, complete the registration process, and we will email you further details!  We hope you will join us for this amazing study!

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

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Captivating: Chapter 11 Reading Assignment – “Warrior Princesses”

March 17, 2013 by

WEEK of MARCH 17 – Chapter 11: Warrior Princesses

Sunday: Michelle – Reading Assignment

Monday: Jackie – Warrior Princesses (Intro)

Tuesday: Tonya – Fighting Back – Emotional Attacks

Wednesday: Carissa – Relational Attacks – A Warring Bride

Thursday: Michelle – Warrior Princesses

Friday: Jackie – Weekly Review

________________________________________________________

Join us for our next Online Bible Study

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Begins March 24th!

Click on the Girls with Swords book to be taken to our sign-up link.  Complete the registration steps, and as soon as we receive confirmation that you have signed up, we will email you further details!  We hope you will join us!! 🙂

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Captivating: Chapter 10 Review – “Mothers Daughters Sisters”

March 15, 2013 by

I am going to start off by telling you that I did not really want to read this chapter. I have put off reading it, until I could no longer. But God….

On Monday, Jackie reminded us that some of us might not have fond memories of our mothers because of the pain our mothers may have caused. She said that no matter what happened in our past, a mother/daughter relationship is the most important of all. It is the relationship that helps us when we grow up and become mothers ourselves.

On Tuesday, Tonya shared with us that the redemption and healing of a relationship is possible. Through some of the most difficult situations and circumstances God will rebuild ties that were severed forever. He will mend together the pieces of our heart that we thought were not able to be fixed.  Redemption is possible. Healing is possible.

On Wednesday, Cariss reminded us that we did not have to give birth to be a mother. All we have to do is care about someone, offer a listening ear to that person, and encourage him or her to simply be who God created them to be.

On Thursday, Michelle reminded us that an important aspect of a successful relationship is your own personal security of  your identity in Christ. Fallen women want people to come through for them, they have been hurt so they withdraw to avoid further pain. Redeemed women know Christ has come through for them, and are freer to give of themselves and ‘put themselves out there.’  They know they are valuable and secure in the Lord, so they are able to be vulnerable.

Girlfriends, I told you earlier that I put off reading this chapter. A lot has happened in my life, and a lot is still happening, where it concerns my mother. Today I am just so blessed to say that I serve an awesome God. When we choose to trust God and forgive without being forgiven by those who are supposed to love us the most, God can make us whole, He can use us in His Kingdom! He will come through for us!!!!

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Let’s Pray:

Father, what a privilege to be in Your presence again. We need You all the time. Help us to mother those who are in need of love, direction, or just companionship.  Amen.

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GWS

Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book Study begins March 24th!  Click on the Girls with Swords book above, complete the registration process, and we will email you further details!  We hope you will join us for this amazing study!

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