{"id":7658,"date":"2013-01-20T00:01:59","date_gmt":"2013-01-20T05:01:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=7658"},"modified":"2013-01-20T00:02:27","modified_gmt":"2013-01-20T05:02:27","slug":"lifes-healing-choices-the-commitment-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/20\/lifes-healing-choices-the-commitment-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"Life’s Healing Choices: The Commitment Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. \u00a0Matthew 5:5<\/strong><\/em> (TEV\/NIV)<\/p>\n

During our second week of the Life\u2019s Healing Choices study, I was confronted in several areas of my life where I must have control.\u00a0 When I don\u2019t feel like I have the desired level of control, the world spins around me and anxiety reigns in an ugly way.\u00a0 Conflicts arise in my relationships with my kids & my husband, and the anxiety just grows and grows.\u00a0 And, gaining my perceived level of control doesn\u2019t make anything better because those around me are already irritated and annoyed with my actions.\u00a0 So when I read the first page of Chapter 3, I knew this week is going be even more hard-hitting for me.<\/p>\n

John Baker writes, \u201cWe take desperate measures, trying to keep our life\u2019s hurts, hang-ups, and habits up in the air so they don\u2019t come crashing down around us.\u00a0 We try so hard to keep up a good front- pretending that everything is okay \u2013 when in reality, we\u2019re struggling with real pain and real issues that we desperately try to ignore<\/strong><\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 He continues, \u201cwe start feeling guilty about our behavior \u2026 I should be able to change<\/strong><\/em>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Yep, once again, I admit \u2026 that\u2019s me.\u00a0 Juggling everything for everybody, hoping nothing comes crashing down, yet I\u2019m crawling inside with anxiety, worry, and fear that my lack of control will be found out.\u00a0 I should be able to do it all!\u00a0 I should be able to change the world around me!\u00a0 I should \u2026 I should \u2026 I should.<\/p>\n

Ah, but there\u2019s where the problem lies.\u00a0 I was never designed to do it all, or be all.\u00a0 Especially not in my own power, strength, and energy.\u00a0 We saw last week how we must plug in to God\u2019s power to overcome our past experiences, and daily strive to become closer to Him.\u00a0 This week\u2019s lesson will be on letting go.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

_______<\/p>\n

Choice 3: Consciously choosing to commit all my life and will to Christ\u2019s care and control.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We will learn the things that keep us from making this choice, how to move forward & toward Him more, and how God will be with us every step of the way<\/strong><\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Remember, God never told us that life would be easy.\u00a0 But He did promise that our load would be lighter and easier to bear if we allowed Him to walk alongside us.\u00a0 Matthew 11:28-30<\/strong> reminds us…<\/p>\n

\"Matthew11_28thru30\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When I read that verse, I think of my idea in 2011 to participate in the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati.\u00a0 I\u2019m not a runner, but I can walk.\u00a0 I walk every day \u2026 from the parking lot to my office building.\u00a0 I walk with the family \u2026 at fairs, festivals and activities on weekends.\u00a0 I can handle walking for 13.2 miles \u2026 without formal training \u2026 because I walk every day!\u00a0 Pretty crazy, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 Well, that was my thinking at the time.\u00a0 But I showed up, and started walking before dawn that gray, rainy May day.\u00a0 I saw friends at the 3 mile mark that had come to cheer for our group of walkers.\u00a0 By the time I saw mile 6, I was near tears.\u00a0 I did not expect the hills and inclines during the walk, and started doubting my ability to finish.\u00a0 I condemned myself \u2026 \u201cWhat were you thinking?\u00a0 Whatever made you think you could do this?\u00a0 You\u2019ll never finish!\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what did I do?\u00a0 I called a girlfriend in Virginia who had participated in long walking events and cried.\u00a0 She encouraged me, told me she was proud of me for trying, and said to keep going. \u00a0I sent text messages to my mom, and received periodic messages asking where I was in the walk.\u00a0 \u00a0I reached out to those who could help me move forward, and 4 hours 7 minutes after I started, I actually finished the half-marathon<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 I had blisters on one foot, pain in my hip & ankle from shifting my gait to avoid more blisters, but I finished<\/strong>.\u00a0 My sister, who had completed the route as a runner, met me at the finish line and told me she was proud of me. While my Encourager’s may not have been with me physically, they helped bear my burden of doubt, provided encouragement, and kept me moving forward \u2026 one step at a time<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

God may not be physically visible & touchable in our lives.\u00a0 But He is still there giving us the encouragement, the strength, and the \u201cYOU CAN DO IT<\/strong>\u201d that we need.\u00a0 Will you turn to Him for whatever challenges you face this week?<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0Reading Assignment for Week 3: Chapter 3 of Life\u2019s Healing Choices<\/strong><\/em>
\nMonday: Laurie will discuss Principle 2: The Commitment Choice
\nTuesday: Leslie will discuss Beginning to Move Forward
\nWednesday: Kim will discuss Stepping Across the Line
\nThursday: Amy will discuss Make The Choice & Action Steps
\nFriday: Laurie will bring it all back home with a recap of our week<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Pray: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Lord, we have all tried to manage our lives on our own, and we\u2019ve failed to do it in ways that fully honor You.\u00a0 Show us through the week\u2019s study how we can fully turn over all areas of our lives to You.\u00a0 Your Word promises that we have already been given ALL blessings, so help us recognize daily where You have shown mercy on us.\u00a0 You will give us the power, strength and desire to do all that\u2019s before us, but we need to surrender to You first<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 Thank you for loving us with a love that knows no end.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n

\u00a0************************<\/p>\n

Power Verses for Chapter 3: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Romans 10:9<\/p>\n

Matthew 17:20<\/p>\n

Matthew 11:28-30<\/p>\n

Psalm 37:5<\/p>\n

Psalm 25:5<\/p>\n

2 Corinthians 1:9<\/p>\n

Psalm 143:10<\/p>\n

Proverbs 3:6<\/p>\n

\u00a0_______________________<\/p>\n

If you are interested in joining us for the amazing online Bible study, and would like to join our private Facebook Discussion Group, click HERE<\/a> to sign up. \u00a0Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.<\/p>\n

If you would like to send Amy a private email in regards to this blog, please email her at: Amy@girlfriendscoffeehour.com<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. \u00a0Matthew 5:5 (TEV\/NIV) During our second week of the Life\u2019s Healing Choices study, I was confronted in several areas of my life where I must have control.\u00a0 When I don\u2019t feel like I have the desired level of control, the world spins around me and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":7715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[22],"tags":[1283,90,147,412,416,425,570,608,654,1493,1491,723,1497,1496,1495,1494,1492,1135],"class_list":["post-7658","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-victorious-healing","tag-2-corinthians-19","tag-amy-butterfield","tag-bible-study","tag-gch-victorious-healing","tag-gchvictorious-healing","tag-girlfriends-coffee-hour","tag-john-baker","tag-lifes-healing-choices","tag-matthew-1128-30","tag-matthew-1720","tag-matthew-55","tag-online-bible-studies","tag-proverbs-36","tag-psalm-14310","tag-psalm-255","tag-psalm-375","tag-romans-109","tag-womens-bible-studies","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/Matthew11_28thru30.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p39pHp-1Zw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7658"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7668,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7658\/revisions\/7668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7715"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}