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Today’s lesson is brought to you by Tonya Ellison – GCH Singles Ministry<\/strong><\/p>\n I want to be a woman of God. I want my thoughts and actions to glorify Him. I want to find my worth in Him before I look for that love and validation in any other person. I want to develop a relationship with Him before I invest time into any other relationship. How do I fully embrace this? <\/p>\n Person, Place and Faith<\/p>\n (because faith is more than just a thing)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n New friends<\/strong> (person): \u00a0Who am I allowing to influence me? \u00a0How many times have I found myself spending time with friends and something just didn’t feel right? I\u2019ve been in seasons in my life where I have to stand back and ask God and myself \u201cHow did I get here? What\u2019s the deal? And to be perfectly honest I didn\u2019t consider my friends to be part of the problem. I\u2019m grown, I\u2019m not doing what they\u2019re doing, and I\u2019m just there spending time with them. \u00a0I\u2019m not letting them control my thoughts or actions either.<\/p>\n I was wrong. Like the authors said, I wasn\u2019t spending time with other Christian women who encouraged me to live my life for God, women who \u201cspurred\u201d me forward on my journey. \u00a0My friends weren\u2019t necessarily pulling me down but they weren\u2019t pushing me forward either.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure if you\u2019ve experienced this but being a Christian woman in today\u2019s society isn\u2019t always going to make you the most popular person in the group. I found myself looking the other way and ignoring the behaviors of my friends because I didn\u2019t want to lose them as friends and because I didn\u2019t want them to look at me differently, mainly because I didn\u2019t want to feel alone.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals\u201d<\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 15:33<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Surroundings<\/strong> (Places): \u00a0I have to ask God where He wants me to be. Like the example in the book it can be something as minor as a choice between two activities, or something as big as a move across states. He has places picked out for us, whether it is a church, a job or a home. He knows where He wants us.<\/p>\n Surroundings pt. 2: Culture. The culture we find ourselves in today is not always the most growth producing place to be. I have to ask myself on a daily basis if I am reflecting a \u201cChrist-like culture, or am I molding to the culture of the world? I understand how hard it is to not do as others do.<\/p>\n We need to reflect His culture;<\/p>\n we need to be influenced by his behavior.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Faith<\/strong>: \u00a0\u201c\u2026devoting as much energy to Jesus as I would in a relationship with a boyfriend.\u201d \u00a0Wow! I want to devote more to Him than I would, my husband, my kids, my job, my friends, more than everything. Without a true relationship with Him, without a true journey with Him, I am not going to become the woman He destined me to be.<\/p>\n I have to give Him my all<\/p>\n before I can give any part of me to anyone or anything else.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n So, what does this all mean to me? I need to look at who I spend time with, where I spend my time, and my willingness and readiness to place all of my faith in God and focus on my relationship with Him.<\/p>\n Who and what am I allowing to stand in the way of my reckless abandonment?<\/p>\n Let’s Pray<\/strong>: Your Assignment: <\/strong><\/p>\n In the comment section below, please answer the following questions: \u00a0What do you look for in friends? What do you do, or does a friend do for you in regards to encouraging growth, and a stronger relationship with God?<\/p>\n And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.<\/p>\n Hebrews 10:24<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n _______________________ <\/p>\n Blessings,<\/p>\n Tonya<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today’s lesson is brought to you by Tonya Ellison – GCH Singles Ministry I want to be a woman of God. I want my thoughts and actions to glorify Him. 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\nWhen I started reading this book last week I came up with a little saying on these three sections:
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\nLord, I pray that you open our eyes and our hearts to the new things we need in our lives. The new areas that will allow us to grow in your love and to be the women you destined us to be. Please help us to love our friends who have not broken their alabaster box at your feet without allowing them to influence our thoughts and actions. Please help us to seek your will when it comes to where we need to be, where we need to work, worship, live. Lord please give us strength when we walk our journey with you, when we choose your culture over the culture of the world. Thank you for your grace in this journey. Thank you for your hand on our lives as we strive towards reckless abandonment. \u00a0In Jesus\u2019 name Amen.<\/p>\n\n
\nIf you would like to take part in our Online Bible Study Facebook Discussion Group, please click on the Sign-Up Here button located at the top of our website, in the Menu Bar. \u00a0Once we receive your request, we will add you to our group!<\/p>\n