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June 11, 2010

Live As God’s Girl: Confidence to Live Whatever God Calls You to

Filed under: Christian living,Confidence,Faith,Life as God's Girl,Prayer,Relationship with God,Walking with God,confident living — Brenda @ 1:22 pm

The Lie Between Me and God

I confess to you that lately my prayer life has been like the weak tea we drink with the flu instead of the strong, rich coffee I drink while spending the early morning dawn with the Lord. Yep, I’ve faithfully met with God morning after morning and recited my list of requests, but the passion and vigor are gone.
I’ve known for awhile my prayer life needed a jolt, but it’s hard to diagnose and treat oneself. Then a few days ago God reached down and handed me the antidote I desperately needed. On His prescription pad was written, “Satan’s greatest victory is when he convinces Christians their prayers are powerless.” I hadn’t totally bought into that lie, but it heavily tainted my prayers. Hey, I haven’t seen lots of answered prayer lately, so God’s gonna do what God’s gonna do. What’s the use? Right? Just look at the requests that have been on my list for years.
Closer examination of my sick prayer life revealed that I truthfully couldn’t even say I haven’t had answered prayer. My focus has been on me getting what I want. I haven’t looked past my selfishness to see what God has been up to in my life and on my behalf.
No wonder my prayer life is like weak tea (which I cannot stand even when I’m sick). I have not infused it with the strong, rich faith it needs to please God and invite Him to work in my life. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6, NASB).
For me realizing the truth is half my battle to obedience. Wow. So that’s what Satan was up to. No more weak tea for me. Now with each sip of my rich morning coffee I speak from my heart to God’s heart on specific items on my prayer list. Instead of harboring my disappointments, I share them with Him and let Him deal with them. No more reciting requests. God and I are having a conversation about a few things every morning. I do more listening and lots of thanking Him for caring and reaching down to work in my life.
Is your prayer life like weak tea or strong, rich coffee? Will you take time to have a conversation with God about something on your heart? I’d love to hear about it.

May 4, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday–Really the Last One

Filed under: Bible Study,Christian living,Comparison,Confidence,Encouragement,Life as God's Girl,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God,Walking with God,celebrate life,confident living,next step in life,persistence,priorities — Brenda @ 11:55 pm

This week was my answers to your questions. In the notes below I answer two questions. However, a third question came in at the last minute and I discussed it without notes. Let me know if you would like the information we discussed on difficult relationships and I will work it up for next week.

The Journey

Both of the questions I received this week can be answered in a discussion on “The Journey.” That’s what you are about to begin. You have finished Princess Unaware and hopefully you have lots to think about and put into practice in your years to come—in your journey. So I want to discuss a few things to encourage you and help you persevere on your journey.
First, I’m not sure if we discussed what I mean by “your calling.” Your calling is the fabulous life God planned for you. It is the family you have, your spiritual gifts, your talents, maybe a career, your ministry—anything God brings to into your life for you to do. He also gives us a passion. Is there something or a group of someone’s that you want to help? A cause or ministry that you are dying to contribute to? The answer to those questions is your passion.
One question I received asked if our callings could change. Depending on how you define calling I would say yes. God can do whatever He likes in our lives. I do believe our gifts are pretty much ours for life. I have been very much who I am today all my life. It has taken many years for me to acknowledge and embrace that though. My passion is for women to know God’s truth and for them to live fabulous lives as a result of living in that truth. Sometimes I am passionate about moms of little ones, or moms of teens, or women in general.
Now we can discuss our journey. The details will look different for everyone, but it will be much the same for everyone.
I began my journey when I married Gene. I didn’t know it then, but the man he is and the life we have lived together has perfectly prepared and launched me in the journey God planned for me. As I shared before, many years ago, before Kerry was born God put in me a desire to speak God’s truth to women. It started small and I didn’t know what I was feeling at first. Over the months it grew and because it seemed to impossible and not at all “my style” I ignored it like a package delivered to the wrong address but with no return address. What do I do with it? It’s here and it’s not going anywhere.
The desire grew and finally I had the nerve to share it with Gene. After more months of frustration because I had this thing in me and I didn’t know what to do with it or how to quiet it, Gene urged me to do the only thing we knew to do—I had a friend whose sister-in-law was a writer. So I talked with her then with the sister-in-law. Nothing happened from those conversations, but that was then God started moving events along.
God: Solution
Let’s look briefly at another hero of mine—Caleb. Joshua 14. Caleb has a great story about his journey. Back Story in Numbers 14. Start reading Joshua 14:6.
Verse 7—Caleb was 40 when he was given his big mission. 40. Caleb spent those 40 years becoming the man we see in Numbers 14. You girls are so young. You are in the years of laying your foundation and of taking your roots deep in the Lord. Do it well. You are going to need all the strength and wisdom of the Lord to raise your families.
Verse 8—Read it. Which of these will we be—will we cause others’ faith to fail or will we “follow the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” The NASB reads, “I followed the LORD my God fully.”
Verse 9 goes on to quote Moses commending Caleb and promising him the land he spied out because “you have followed the LORD my God fully.”
Verse 10—Caleb “followed the LORD fully” for 45 more years. That’s a lifetime of dedication and focus on living for God.
Verse11—I believe because of this Caleb states, “I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in.”
Verse 12—He asks for the hill country with the giants and fortified cities. He believes God for big things as God promised.
Verse 14—Hebron became Caleb’s, but he had to fight for it. And he did because “he followed the LORD fully.”
You: Application
What can we learn about our journey from Caleb and his amazing journey?
• Follow God fully all our days.
• This is a lifelong assignment. Discuss the hazards of today’s society to make an idol out of everyone making it seem they are the norm.
• Keep your blinders on. Don’t compare. Everyone’s assignment is different.
• God is not in a hurry. Caleb was 85 years old before he took his promised territory! Why are we in such a hurry? We have all the life God has given us and He doesn’t intend on wasting a minute of it.
• Stay strong physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. And get your house in order—literally. The organizing you do today will make your ability to move when God says move possible and immediate because you won’t be looking for the car keys, unpacking the suitcases from last summer’s vacation, or trying to pay the overdue bills.
• Believe and live the truth—As long as you are alive, God has a plan and mission for you. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise retirement.

Congratulations, you are the strong confident princesses. Live it well!

April 27, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday–Princess Unaware–A Few One More Things

Filed under: Bible Study,Christian living,Confidence,Encouragement,Hard Times,Life as God's Girl,Others' expectations,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God,Risks,The Unknown,Trusting God,Waiting on God,Walking with God,adventure,celebrate life,confident living,moms,next step in life,parenting — Brenda @ 7:06 pm

This is the last of the notes for Princess Unaware. Next week I will have questions and answers from the Bible study group.

I am famous for my “one more things.” After a conversation I have been known to call back with “one more thing.” With the gals I have mentored I have been known to email “one more thing.” My mind isn’t as quick as I would like and often after I’ve had a chance to think things through I come up with “one more thing” I would like to add.
So today as we finish this study I want to give you “a few one more things” that I want you to take and never forget and live out—things that we discussed that are important and things that we didn’t get a chance to talk enough about.

Here we go:
~God is crazy about you. Never ever forget and constantly remind yourself that God loves you. He wants a relationship with you—stuff and all. Visual aid with wagon full of stuff.
~Live a life worthy of the Lord. Colossians 1:10. Sure we all have stuff, but let’s give it to God and not wallow in it. No more making excuses for the way we are. What not to be—2 Timothy 3:6-7. Take what we have learned and live like God’s princesses.
~Throw off the fear. We’ve talked about this often this study. Fear makes us ineffective and it’s not God’s plan for us. 2 Timothy 1:7. A fearful attitude is not from God. This leads to the next one. . .
~Live with confidence—in your relationships; your marriage, your parenting, your ministry. We can because the last half of 2 Timothy 1:7 says, but a spirit “of power and love and discipline.”
• Power–We have the Holy Spirit in us and thru us. Our obedience with the Holy Spirit’s power accomplishes great things in our lives. Keep your accounts short with God and others. Then yield to what God wants, what He shows us next to do no matter how small. His Spirit then works through us to accomplish His plan and what we couldn’t do otherwise.
• Love –what is best for the other person. Let this definition guide you in your relationships.
• Discipline—woman up. Our lives are too important to waste on things that don’t matter. Take care of yourselves, your homes, your families, grow your relationship with the Lord, step out in faith to the next exciting thing He has for you.
~Get a mentor. I cannot tell you the depth my life has been changed by my mentor. Also, I cannot tell you how I have been blessed by the women I have mentored. Prayerfully consider who God would have you to ask. Your life will never be the same. When choosing my mentor I looked to a woman who was where I wanted to be when I was her age. Also consider being a mentor.
~When you don’t know what to do next, find out. Ask God or your mentor or someone who knows. James 1:5.
~Keep your mouths shut. Don’t say anything about anyone that you don’t want them to know you said. It will get back to them. James 3:3-12. I have sinned in this area and been caught and called on in it. People were hurt. It’s easy to avoid. Just don’t say anything about anybody. You will be surprised at the new depths your conversations go and at the freedom of not worrying if anything will be repeated.
~Quit caring about others’ opinions of you and your family. Matthew 15:1-14. Read v. 12-13. If you live the fabulous life God has for you, you will become a target for others to offer their opinions of how you are doing life all wrong. Go back through each of these points and live them. That is where your fabulous life is—not trying to keep others happy.
~Life is hard. God is faithful. Judges 6:1-16. Read 1-10. The Israelites were suffering because of their own disobedience.
Read v. 11-13. You may now be living the consequences of others’ sins and wondering why God abandoned you.
Read v. 14. “Go in the strength you have.” Do what you can do and then a little more (we all have a little more when pressed). Go back to the above instructions—get godly counsel. Don’t hide out in the winepress. Get in the game.
~”Am I not sending you?” Have you heard these words from God. Staying in the winepress, hiding from life is not an option. Yes, life is hard, but I have never done passed what I thought I could ever do and known God more than when I was facing an impossible-beyond-me situation and He said to me, “Am I not sending you?”
Read v. 15. I, too, responded as Gideon in v. 15, “But Lord, how can I? You know my background, my insecurities. I am not the best one for the job.”
Read v. 16. God has always been faithful to equip me, help me, put words in my mouth and strength in my legs as I stand and say what He wanted me to say.
Why do we look at others and think they have it all together so God is using them powerfully? Instead why don’t we look at others doing what God called them to and praise God for working mightily in them and through them? He will do the same for us.
You, precious warrior Princesses of the Lord’s, have so much of your fabulous life ahead of you. Wear your crown well.

I would love your comments or questions from this study. I will answer them next week.

April 20, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday–The Gift God Wants to Give and We Seldom Take

Filed under: Christian living,Confidence,Disappointment,Encouragement,Fighting Fear,Hard Times,Joy,Life as God's Girl,Relationship with God,The Unknown,Trusting God,Waiting on God,Walking with God,celebrate life,confident living,discouragement,facebook,life changes — Brenda @ 6:02 pm

Today’s Bible study started with a skit that Libby Snyder wrote. For the sake of space I did not include it. If you would like to read it, email me (contact page) and I will email it to you. What follows is the teaching portion of today’s study.

So what do you think the sucker represents?
That’s right. Joy. The sucker represents joy. In the midst of our messy lives God wants to give us joy.
The thought occurred to me the other day—in the midst of my messy life God put a tiny piece of joy—I think to see if I would nibble and then He would give me more. But I hesitated. Just like Libby I thought I can’t take this. Not now. I’m not ready for it. I have more to do before I can experience joy.

Have you ever been there? God puts a spark of joy in your heart and encourages you to let it burst into your whole heart, but you tell God, “Not now. Too much going on. I’ll get back to you when it’s the right time for joy.”

God has much to say about joy and as I learned studying for this lesson. The best place to camp for our study of joy is 2 Corinthians 6:1-10. This is a chunk of heavy-duty Scripture to chew on. Read verses 1-10. Go back to v. 1—Receive the grace of God—make it count. Grace here is from the same root as joy in v. 10 which we will get to in a minute. Here it means “divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in life, including gratitude.” So when Paul says, “not to receive the grace of God in vain” he means to let God work in you and change you and live it out, being grateful for everything God has done for you.
V. 2—Paul emphasizes this truth. He says, “Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’ “ He is telling the reader—this is it. On earth it won’t get any better. We’re not going to get a better offer from God. Now He is offering us His grace—His involvement in our lives. We just need to get in a posture to hear and cooperate.
V.3—Paul tells us how to live out our faith—“giving no cause for offense in anything.” Keep out of trouble and stay away from anything that might discredit the ministry.
V. 4—Then he begins a lengthy list of situations/issues/conditions we may find ourselves in and tells us to present ourselves as servants of God in each one. Read thru them one by one.
V. 10—“as sorrowful yet always rejoicing.” This is the joy God was trying to get Libby to take hold of. The definition for joy in this verse means cheerfulness, calm delight, great gladness. As I said, it is from the same root as grace in verse 1 which means calmly happy or well-off. Paul is telling us as we present ourselves as servants of God we are going to go through some hard stuff, but in it all we are to have calm delight and be calmly happy.

Other definitions for joy throughout the Bible mean to be glad, clamor in acclamation of joy, shout for joy. These are used to describe times of celebration. When we are sorrowful, going through a hard thing, it is not appropriate to shout for joy. But it is appropriate to have calm delight.
But how?
• By knowing God has you covered. Deuteronomy 31:8. God got where we’re going ahead of us. He will be with us when we get there. He will not fail us. He will not forsake us—slow down the car tell us to get out while He picks up another sister, leaving us alongside the road till He comes back our way. That’s not the way God rolls. Because of all this He tells us to not fear or WHAT? What does it say—be dismayed—which is what we learned last week is the same as discouragement and we know what that leads to—disobedience! And we don’t want to go there so let’s back it up and we won’t fear what is causing our sorrowfulness because God has us covered—Deut. 31:8!
• Then we can start to flail closer to God. Get ourselves in a posture that says, “God, this stinks. I hate it. I don’t know what You’re doing here, but I want to be on track with You.”

As a family we end every day in Gene and my bedroom for prayer time (it is short and to the point). It gives us a few last moments to be together for the day. (I know for moms of little ones you have had enough moments in your day! When your kids get bigger you will grasp for each one.) We sit in our room and talk and be silly and Gene and Riley play. This is Riley’s favorite part of the day. When we head back to the bedroom she runs ahead of everyone and sits by the chair that Gene sits in, waiting for him to sit down and play with her. (Show picture of Riley at Gene’s feet.) See her smiling face? See her look of calm delight? Of calm happiness? You bet you do because no matter what happened that day she is now at the feet of her master and all is well.

Can we do that? Can we be as simple as my dog and sit with calm delight at the feet of our Lord?
There we will hear from Him and He may be saying we’re in for a wait, so we will need to get comfortable and in fellowship with Him through this time.
There we will hear from Him what to do next. But we can’t hear if we are at our own pity party. We can only hear Him if we are in a posture to hear.
So flail your sad little self to the feet of God. Sit. Reach out and take the sucker. Take the joy. Enjoy. It may be a long while till the time for shouts of joy come, but “Behold, now is the acceptable time” for joy!

Today in small groups we shared times of accepting God’s joy in the midst of a hard time and the challenge of doing so. Please feel free to share with me and the other readers your experience of taking God’s joy in the midst of a hard time or your struggle to do so.

As my youngest daughter would say–Sadness! Next week is our last week in Princess Unaware. I will continue to blog, but next week is the last lesson from Princess. See you next week.

One more thing–recently I took up residence on facebook. If that’s your thing check out my Brenda Garrison fan page and leave a note. I would love to see your pic on my page.

March 30, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday–Looking Over Our Shoulder

Filed under: Bible Study,Christian living,Comparison,Confidence,Encouragement,Life as God's Girl,Overwhelmed women,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God,Trusting God,Walking with God,confident living,discouragement,priorities,saying no — Brenda @ 7:16 pm

Princess Unaware–Chapter 8
Principle of Blinders
God is so fun, isn’t He? Last week after I spoke on setting and living our priorities, I had to opportunity to put it into practice. My schedule had taken on a life of its own, dragging me along for fun. It needed to be tamed, but that meant that certain people who did not make the top of my list were not going to be happy when they discovered that fact.
Also, I talked with my doctor’s nurse last week and my high blood pressure is here to stay, so exercise and eating right will take permanent residence at the top of my priority list.
It was not a fun week of living out my priorities. I was misunderstood. I don’t have much discretionary time as my friends so I must say no often. Ick. I hate that. I want to be part of the party instead of at home working. Don’t get me wrong. I love the life God has given me, but I want it all—all my life and some of what others have as well. They seem to have lots of time to have lunch and hang out. They don’t seem to have deadlines nipping at their heels, or young adult kids randomly popping in and out, calling, texting, or needing rides. I love it, but like I said I’m tempted to want it all—the full, satisfying role of mom/author and the free time to do with what I like.
We: Identification
What about you? Do you find yourself looking into a friend’s life and wishing you had part of it? Do you ever look at a friend and wish you had her waistline, curly hair, or porcelain complexion? Do you ever wish your husband was as spiritual as hers?
I think most women struggle with the temptation to compare any or all parts of our lives to someone else’s. It is a most effective tool of Satan’s, because we compare the area we feel we are lacking to the area we feel is their strength and we come up short. Then we sit in our self-pity and are useless.
God: Solution
That is one reason God instructs us to not compare ourselves to others. In John 21 Jesus gave Peter strong words regarding this temptation.
At the beginning of John 21we find the disciples feeling and acting like lost boys. Jesus has appeared to them off and on, but He hasn’t given them a final word of mission. They don’t know what’s next (a whole other lesson), so they are hanging around. They go back to what they know—fishing. They don’t catch anything. Then Jesus showed up and told them to try on the right side of the boat. They caught more fish than they can handle. Finally they discover it’s Jesus. Peter was so excited that he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. Jesus had prepared a fire with fish cooking and fresh bread. They ate their first meal together since the Last Supper. What a great time!
After breakfast Jesus talked directly to Peter. (verses 15-18) He gave Peter the chance to express his love for Jesus after his denial of Jesus before His crucifixion. Jesus also gave Peter his life mission—feeding and shepherding the church.
Think about all Peter enjoyed in this short morning—seeing Jesus, eating a perfect breakfast with his resurrected Lord, the sweetest of fellowship, hope restored, a personal commissioning by Jesus. Does it get any better?
What did Peter do next? Something silly like we would do—(verse 20-21) Peter turned around—away from the intimate conversation he was having with Christ—and saw John following them. In this context “see” means to know, behold, consider, have knowledge of. This was more than a glance to see who’s behind him. Peter turned his attention from Jesus to behold and consider what Jesus had for John—as if it’s any of his business.
So Peter asked Jesus, “What about him?” I don’t know if Peter was feeling especially “in” with Jesus or thought he had been elevated to “vice-Savior” in this conversation. For whatever reason Peter stepped outside what’s his and into what’s not his.
Jesus responded in His classic non fuzzy style—“If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
There are two messages we need to get here.
First, in essence Jesus is saying—No matter if I give your friend
• A husband who is a spiritual leader
• Four perfectly behaved children
• Legs that never stop
• Barbie’s waist and bustline
• Enough money for all her needs and wants
• An incredible career
• A successful, exciting ministry
• In-laws that are helpful and supportive
No matter if I give her all these things (which you will assume she has from your vantage point of comparison), “what’s that to you?” In other words it’s not our business. It’s getting our noses into “what’s not ours.” Here Jesus is telling us without a doubt or loophole to mind our own business. [Farmer visual here.]
The next thing Jesus is telling us is, “You follow Me!” This is the second time in a short conversation that Jesus told Peter to follow Him (verse 19). Now the second time, Jesus is more explicit. He lets Peter know exactly what He wants him to do—Follow Me!
Follow here means to “be in the same way,” “to accompany.” Peter was to follow where Jesus led him. As Jesus previously told Peter, that would be to feed and shepherd the church—as if that weren’t enough!
Jesus’ words are for us too. “You follow Me!” We are to put on our blinders and see only what is ours from Christ. We are not to lift them as Peter did and look at what is our friends’ from Christ. Jesus tells us to follow Him. To go where He leads us.
You: Application
This week notice how many times you are either tempted to or actually do compare any part of your life or yourself to others. Acknowledge the thought (don’t deny it) then address it–Is this mine or is this not mine?
If it’s not yours, then don’t concern yourself with it. Elizabeth Elliott said, “I am to mind my own business and I have discovered that very few things are my business.” (my paraphrase)
Praise God for all He is blessing your friends with and then get your focus back on Jesus’ plan for you.
• Make a list of your husband’s best qualities.
• Make a list of the things each of your children do that makes you smile.
• Make a list of the five things you love about your home.
Then change the next diaper. Switch the next load of laundry. Do whatever the next thing is God has given you to do. It probably won’t be glamorous or exciting, but it’s yours!
Conclusion:
If it’s on your to-do list from the Lord, it has eternal value!
We: Inspiration
Oh, what freedom and joy we would experience if we would never again compare or behold our sister’s life. If we would feel her pain, celebrate in her victories, and love her as we love ourselves. Oh, what freedom and joy we would experience if we would stay in step with our Lord.

Who do you most often turn around from your relationship with Christ to “behold” the good things in their lives? How will you stop and keep your focus on following Christ? I would love to hear.

March 23, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday--Priorities--The Wisdom to Know What's Ours and What Not

Filed under: Christian living,Confidence,Life as God's Girl,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God,confident living,priorities,saying no — Brenda @ 11:59 pm

Years ago I allowed certain people in my life to have my attention and help whenever they desired. If they called I listened for hours to their woes (they never wanted or heeded my advice). If someone felt overwhelmed all they had to do was call and I would be there (whether or not the need was legit). It was a messy and dysfunctional relationship. But I thought I was doing the right thing. Finally, God slowly showed me that something wasn’t right. I was out of His will for my life. This was not what He planned for me. Their issues were not mine. God began to show me my priorities and how to live them.

Do you ever feel pulled in a million directions? So many people expecting so many things from you. Maybe your extended family or your in-laws intrude into areas that aren’t theirs. Maybe the leadership at your church keeps asking for more and more and it’s invading your time with your family. Maybe a friend just won’t be happy until you volunteer in the same place she does. Maybe your child’s school never ceases to have a need and you have a hard time saying no.

Others can never get enough of us. The problem is there is only so much of us—of our time, energy, presence. So we need to learn what is ours to do and what is not. That’s where defining our priorities come in.
Jesus is a great example of living His priorities.
~He knew His purpose on earth.
In John 4:34 Jesus tells the disciples His purpose on earth, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent me and to finish His work.” That is a succinct mission statement. And how did Jesus know what the will of God was?
Answer: John 8:28-29, “I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught Me. The One Who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” Jesus knew God’s will because He listened to what God told Him—taught Him. I’m sure this happened in part during the times Jesus pulled away from everyone for time with God.
We can know what God has for us by following Jesus’ example:
•Have a heart open to God’s Word and leading. We can’t have our way and God’s way. Jesus made it very clear He was here to serve and please God only.
•Spend time listening to God in His Word. So many ways to study the Bible. Don’t make it complicated. Read your way through a book of the Bible. Ask God He wants you to know what each verse or story is telling you. Write it in a notebook. I figure if God has something to say to me, it’s important enough to write it down.
•Pray. Talk to God like you would a friend. Then listen. Sometimes He starts talking when I’m talking. Then I know to shut up and listen and write. Again if God has something to say to me, I better get it written down.
~Jesus owned God’s will for Him.
Own what God shows you. To do that you must first empty out what you hold near and dear.
Visual Part: Load my arms (bosom) up with all my stuff. Then other people’s stuff because I can’t say no or I feel guilty. Then have Libby pile on God’s stuff.
I can’t own God’s will for me because I can barely see it.
Briefly explain deciding priorities as on pages 163-165, 177-178.
Visual: Go thru the stuff and say, “Mine. Not mine.” The “mine” gets put in my arms. The “not mine” stays on the table. Talk about each item as Libby puts it in my arms so the gals have an idea of how this works. Have Libby reload with God’s stuff first and what’s left with my stuff.
Do you see why we need to say no to what is not for us? We don’t have room for it.
When God’s stuff is close to our bosom it is near and dear to us. It is what drives us. What is important to God becomes what is important to us—so important we eagerly forsake our stuff.
~Jesus lived God’s will for Him.
Read from Bible Luke 4:42-43. The previous day Jesus healed many people and drove demons out of many people. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns, because that is why I was sent.” (emphasis mine) Preaching to other towns was His. Staying there and doing more ministry was not His (even though it sounded Christian.)
For Jesus living God’s will was so strong a driving force in Him that He forsook other needs (and they were real) to continue with what God purposed for Him to do.
Jesus knew why He was sent and He lived it. I think when we really know why we are here, that passion will burn to hot in our hearts that we would have to fight to put it out. We will be compelled to live it. (Check out 1 Cor. 9:6.) We will know so confidently what is ours that we won’t let anything stand in our way from living it.
That happens when we put God’s stuff near and dear to our hearts. My stuff is ok if it’s not against God (sin). It is part of who I am (creative, physical, social, etc.) but it doesn’t rule my life.
You: Application
So what is your stuff?
• Go home and gather representations of it.
• Then physically lay it on the floor at the feet of God.
• Ask God what is His stuff for you. (Some of your stuff maybe God’s stuff, too.) You know first and foremost it’s to glorify Him and have relationship with Him so you can start with your Bible and journal (represents my relationship with God).
• After God has showed you all that is yours these are your priorities. These are the people and responsibilities that are yours—yours from God. The time given to each one will change as the seasons of our lives change. New ones may be added and some drop off.
• Give these priorities your best. Guard them. Defend them to the death. Graciously and lovingly say no to anyone who tries to intrude on them.
• Don’t take on anything that is not yours.
We: Inspiration
Remember at the beginning I said I was misunderstood? I am still misunderstood and most likely will always be. But I am in the center of God’s will, living the plan He has for me. My life is much simpler and more joyful and satisfying. I am not involved in drama or pulled away from what is mine.
Imagine your life after you know what is yours from God. Imagine the peace and joy you will have when you embrace what is yours from God and forsake what is not yours.

March 9, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday–Life as a Believer 101

Filed under: Christian living,Encouragement,Life as God's Girl,Relationship with God,Trusting God,adventure,life changes,next step in life,persistence,priorities — Brenda @ 7:00 pm

Story from book of being in Target with girls. I know the impression I give doesn’t always say follower of Christ.

What about you when you’re out and about?
• Do you drive crazy even with the fish symbol on your car?
• Are you kind and thoughtful in public? (story of Jill’s experience at bookstore)
• Do you smile at others?
• Do you merge politely or drive bumper-to-bumper so no one can get in front of you?
• Do you include others or let them stay on the sidelines lonely and uncomfortable?

How we live our lives both in public and private are part of our testimony—what we are saying about Jesus to others.

God feels pretty strongly about our testimonies—about how we live our daily lives.
“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Philippians 1:27.
Wow. Think about it. “Worthy of the gospel of Christ.” There is no way we will ever live in a way that is worthy of the gospel of Christ. But it is our goal, our call, our job description.
Let’s see if we can begin to get our minds around this call.
First what is the gospel of Christ?
• We are all sinners. Romans 3:23. No one is perfect. Even the slightest imperfection/sin disqualifies us.
• The penalty for sin is death. Romans 6:23. The consequences of our sin is death—spiritual death—not ceasing to exist, but eternity separated from God in hell.
• Jesus, God’s perfect, holy Son—equally God, equally man—came to earth, lived the perfect life and then gave Himself totally (all God and all man) to pay the penalty for our sins. We are made right and perfect to God and we enjoy relationship with Him as a precious child of His. Romans 5:6-11, 21.

That’s it. That’s the Gospel of Christ—totally awesome Son of God gives His life for totally unworthy slugs (and sinners) so we can have a totally awesome life here and forever with God and Jesus.

So how do we live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ? What does God want from us? Let’s take a look at a verse I like to call “Life as a Believer 101.” I like things boiled down. Let’s get to the heart of the issue. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t assume I can or will understand your innuendoes. I will most likely miss it altogether.
The text for our “Life as a Believer 101” class is Micah 6:8.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Require—to seek or ask, specifically to worship. The three “requirements” of God are part of our worship of Him. Our purpose on earth is to glorify God and have relationship with Him–worship. So living out this verse is an extension of our worship and to be woven into every area of our lives. “Living as a Believer 101.” Things we are to do every day, all day.

~Act justly—a verdict; formal decree.
The first “requirement” in our life of worship is to be fair and just to everyone. No preference. This totally throws out treating some people with more respect than others. Everyone deserves our smile and kindness.

~To Love Mercy—
• Love—affection
• Mercy—kindness, favor, good deed.
The next way we worship God is to have an affection for others and to be kind, showing favor to others (not over others, but ourselves). Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Do you let the other person go ahead of you, even if you were there a split second first? Treat your kids as patiently as you treat your husband, your best friend, the pastor.
~Thoughtfulness.
~Words of encouragement/compliments.
~Be the first to speak to others.

~Walk Humbly with your God.
• Walk means walk. Literally walk with God. Keep in step with Him. Go where He goes at the speed He goes. No lagging behind or rabbit trails.
• Humbly—lowly. It’s an attitude that says “I know You are God and I am not, therefore, I will trust you with my life and not think I know better than You.”

The third requirement is to keep in step with God in humility. Example of Riley on leash pulling me her direction, her speed, stopping to sniff all road kill, barking at other loser dogs who are in an electric fence. She does not walk with me and she definitely is not humble in any way. She is out of the house and she is going to do her best to have her fun her way.

But when I put the harness on her, her attitude changes. She is unable to pull me or zigzag or jump. She must walk humbly with me. We have a great walk then. We stay on the road. We stay in step and both of us benefit from a good workout—no waste of time chasing rabbit trails (literally). She doesn’t get her nose filthy with roadkill germs.

When we walk humbly with God we are going where He says when He says. We benefit by accomplishing God’s plan for us. We have great fellowship with Him. We avoid the feelings of defeat or uselessness that comes with doing our own thing.

There are so many distractions in life and we have only so much time. We cannot stretch the hours in our day. We must make the most of what God has given us and the way we do that is by staying in step with God.

Again, I will pick on Facebook. Facebook is for this generation what the soap opera was to my mom’s generation—a huge waste of time wrapped in the packaging that read “harmless diversion.” It’s not all bad, but we must be careful.

What is keeping you from walking humbly with your God? Where have you thought you knew better than God? Over-extended budget? Going against your husband’s word? Time on Facebook with an old male friend?
As we have said before—walking humbly with God is one seemingly small yes at a time.

Now What?

How do we live this out? Pay attention to the little (there are no little things) in your life.

~First, are you a believer, a follower of Christ? If not think about the gospel of Christ. Do you believe you are a sinner—you have done/thought anything not pleasing to God—gone against God? Hey, we are all sinners. Don’t let your pride keep you from God. Like I’ve said before—we’re all in this boat together—no one better, no one worse.
If you’re not a follower, you can pray along with me silently in our three minutes of quiet time. (if you’re reading this you don’t need me. talk to you right where you are.)

~If you are a follower of Christ, do you get the gospel? I mean do you really get what God has done for you and does that drive you to sit at His feet, to know Him better, to let go of everything you think you must have in order to pursue everything He wants for you?

~If you are crazy in love with Christ and you are pursuing what He has for you, are you doing it in a way that makes the world notice? Not because you are advertising, but because you are so radical that your light shines in their darkness? Do you—
• Share a smile and kindness with everyone?
• Send a card of encouragement or bake a chocolate cake for someone struggling?
• Ask God what is important to Him today and then walk with Him? It may be cleaning the house or building a fort. It may be taking the whole gang on a walk and cleaning the house tomorrow (wrap the kids is old towel, spray them with Pledge and let them go nuts!). Lay down your agenda.

Inspiration
I dream of the day when I walk into the grocery store and every Christian woman is smiling back at me, when I hear the clerks whisper to each other “What are they on? I want some!” I dream of the day when a car with a fish on it does not speed around me to get to the church parking lot first and almost run over an elderly person trying to get the last parking spot. I dream of the day when we all will
• Act justly
• Love mercy
• Walk humbly with our God.

It’s Life as a Believer 101.

February 2, 2010

Bible Study Tuesday–Prayer

Filed under: Bible Study,Christian living,Life as God's Girl,Prayer,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God — Brenda @ 7:52 pm

Hi, Everyone,

This is the last of the foundational chapters of Princess Unaware. As I told my small group this morning, if this was all you would read of Princess Unaware and truly understand and live it, that would be enough for your life time. Our lives are all about relationship with God. Without that nothing else matters. So, dear friend, as you read today’s notes, sink deep in relationship with your heavenly Father Who is crazy about you. It is all about relationship.

Wow. This was a tough one. Looking over the truths of God discussed in chapter 3, and seeking God’s guidance on which one to address today, I was thinking, hmm, we covered God is love pretty well last week. Sovereignty of God—yep, that’s good, especially for moms. The faithfulness of God—oh, now that’s a good one for moms! Then came the section on prayer. Ugh. I’m definitely not qualified to dig in to that (I know I wrote that section!). And then that’s all. What to do? Back to prayer. My prayers of late have not been great. Maybe God is trying to tell me something.

As I struggled to decide which part of the doctrinal elephant of prayer to bite off and attempt to digest for you, I asked myself, “What does God want me to know about prayer?” As I hinted, my prayer life has been lacking. What’s the deal? Then I asked God, “What does He want you to know about prayer?”

First let me tell you my deal and see if you can relate. In a few moments of raw honesty I admitted why my prayer life is lacking.

  • Many prayers seemed to go unanswered for a very long time.
  • My prayer list became more of a grocery list. Read it and check it off.
  • I wouldn’t have said it, but my thoughts and actions revealed I was believing the lie that my prayers weren’t working. (Hint—problem in my theology)
  • So many situations not changed. So many people still in hard times or not walking with God. Were my prayers making a difference?

I allowed Satan to stir up discontent and disbelief in me. That took away my passion to pray and put distance in my relationship with God. When I’m not in relationship with God, I’m not praying.

God showed me four truths that we all need to know and cling to.  But first we need to have a working definition of prayer. This is deep so be ready to take notes—Prayer is relationship. Yep, that’s the crux of prayer—it is relationship. Turn to someone near you and tell them, “Prayer is relationship.”

The first relationship with God started in the Garden of Eden. God was “walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8). It doesn’t say exactly why God was in the garden, but it is implied that it was His habit to meet with Adam and Eve there for a time of fellowship and possibly teaching. Look back to 2:15-17. God surely taught Adam how to care for the garden and He also tells him about the trees in the garden and not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In verse 22 God set up the first blind date—He introduced Adam to Eve. I’m sure that after a brief introduction God didn’t need to do much else. Adam probably took one look at the woman straight from the Creator’s hands and said, “I’m in!” See the interaction between God and Adam from the very beginning. God is all about relationship. It must have been a fun time in the Garden of Eden while it lasted.

 

So in that relationship what does God want us to know?

 

  1. He cares. He cares deeply about our lives and everything that concerns us. Psalm 144:3, “O LORD, what is man that you care for him, the Son of Man that you think of him?” Never think God is too busy or your situation is too small. God thinks about us. O-o-o. He cares about us. Thinking God is too busy is contradictory to who God is so it is a lie. We are doing warfare on lies this semester.
  2. He hears. Psalm 145:18-19, “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.” God hears us. We don’t have to get His attention. We always have it. We don’t have to wait till God is in a good mood. He is always has time for us. He always hears us.
  3. He answers in His sovereign will. John 11:1-44. This is the story of Jesus and His very good friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Read 1-6. V. 4—Jesus states the point of Lazarus’ illness. We almost never know the point of what God is doing in our lives or our loved ones’ lives at the beginning. (expound) V. 5-6–Jesus loved this precious family. He knew that in order to glorify God and accomplish His will these dear people would suffer deeply.

Verse 11—15. Lazarus has died and now Jesus is on His way. The disciples don’t get it, and to us observers it seems a bit late. Again in v. 15 Jesus states the purpose of His delay—“and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”

Verses 21–Martha tells it like it is. “If You were here, if You came when we sent for You Lazarus would still be alive.” Then she adds in her faith in Him, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” She believes, but she doesn’t realize the power of God or Jesus.

Verses 28-36 tell of more of the story, but let’s jump to verse 37. Oh , the Monday-morning-armchair quarterbacks! They like to suppose and speculate. But they don’t know Jesus or His power.

Verses 38-44. God’s sovereign will revealed.

God always has a sovereign will that will be accomplished. Isaiah 14:26, “For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him?”

God is God and He loves us. Put both of those together and we can trust His sovereign will for us. We may not understand it. Think of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Try to add up everything the angel told her, Joseph’s communication with God, knowing Jesus and witnessing all of His life and then the death He died, His resurrection and His ascension. But still all was not well. Life was still hard. Most people still did not believe.

Which brings me to the last thing I think God wants us to know.

 

 4. He wants us to rest in Him, abide in Him, and trust in Him.

Remember, prayer is relationship. Relationship is doing life with God. John 15:5-7. “Remain in Me,” “Abide in Me,” “Come to Me. . .Take My yoke” (Matthew 11:28-29)—it all means do life with God. When we do we can rest in Him and trust in Him. 

Living It 

How will all of this doctrine help me live a fabulous life? Prayer is relationship. (Turn to your friend and remind her that prayer is relationship.) In a minute we will have our three minutes of prayer. Be raw honest with God about what is the problem in your prayer relationship (which is your whole relationship) with Him. Then continue that conversation with whatever is on your heart. Maybe you just want to sit in the love of God for the rest of the time. That’s great, because why—prayer is relationship—and in relationships we don’t do all the talking all the time. It’s great to just sit with God and be with Him. Maybe you want to open your Bibles and meditate on a verse or two that God is speaking to you through. Whatever. This is the beginning of a lifetime of relationship with God. When our 3 minutes is up, continue on in relationship with God, talking to Him throughout the day and being aware of His presence continually.

Three minutes of prayer.

Did you start a lifetime of prayer/relationship with God today? I would love to hear about it.

January 26, 2010

Tuesday Bible Study

Filed under: Bible Study,Christian living,Confidence,Life as God's Girl,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God,confident living — Brenda @ 7:13 pm

We just finished our Tuesday morning Bible study from Princess Unaware. Below are my teaching notes. I hope they enrich your study and relationship with your adoring heavenly Father. As I said last week–feel free to use these if you are leading the Princess Unaware study.

 

 

Who You Are

Princess Unaware—chapter 2

Last Tuesday fifty-four Haitian children went from being orphans to being part of a family in a matter of hours. They got on a plane and flew from their homeland to the United States. Miles of red tape was obliterated in order to quickly unite the children with their new families. Their identity was change almost overnight—Haitian orphan to precious, treasured child of American family. They now have all the benefits that go with that—health care, education, clothes, safety, warm home, maybe even a dog or cat. How long will it be before they feel like a part of their new family? How long will it be before they believe they are Americans? How long before they don’t fear when they wake up in the morning it will all be gone and they’ll be dirty, hungry and back in the streets of Haiti? How long will it take them to believe it, to live it, to own it? I don’t know. Maybe days or weeks, but more likely months or years.

We, too, were once orphans with no home. We were unprotected and uncared for. We lived in the rubble of our sin so we were filthy, never able to get clean. But our heavenly Father loves us so much that He went to a lot of trouble to adopt us and make us His.

Let’s look at all He did for us and where we are now.

  1. He planned for Jesus to be our sacrifice. God knew we would need a Savior if we were to have a relationship with Him. He knew what we would do—make a mess of everything. Last week we looked at Eve’s encounter with Satan and how she gazed at the fruit, trusted her own discernment, and ate the fruit. We do the same thing. We need a Savior.
  2. He provided us with a Savior—His Son. Hebrews 10:5-7 (Psalm 40:6-8).

My husband was in the Marines and the Vietnam War when I was in junior high. (He is ten years older than me.) So I have never said good-bye to a family member especially a husband or child to go and put their life on the line for someone, especially strangers. Have you? If you have—Thank You. I cannot imagine your thoughts or emotions. You have given the ultimate gift.

This sacrifice is from one person to another. However, God gave His Son and Jesus gave His life. The almighty, holy God gave His Son for humanity—across the board. We who are wretched, totally in capable of anything good apart from God, totally undeserving.

  1. Jesus left heaven to come to earth. Think about it. Jesus left the glories of heaven to come to live a life like ours on earth. He endured not only life without the creature comforts, but the normal discomforts of life—aches & pains, scratches, heat, cold, dirt everywhere. He also endured living with sinful humans. Can you imagine the mean kids He showed love to? Or the gossip that surrounded His family because He was considered illegitimate? He left perfection to live life as we do.
  2. He draws us to Himself. John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day” (NIV).
  3. Jesus allowed Himself to be captured, tortured, and crucified for you. He then gave up His Spirit. God resurrected Him and the third day and then He was ascended into heaven and reigns with God—all for you.
  4. He made you holy and clean by Jesus’ sacrifice of His body and life. (Hebrews 10:8-10).

 

Your New Identity—Who you are now.

If you have accepted Jesus and all He has done for you, you are His. You have flown from your homeland of Separated from God to your new family—God’s family. You have a new identity and a new life (more on that in the weeks to come).

This is your new identity:

  • You are loved by God. God did all this because He loves you. (1 John 4:8-10).
  • The dirt of your sins has been washed off by Jesus’ blood. (1John 1:7, Hebrews 9:22). You are acceptable to God. He has received us—to take to oneself, admit to friendship/loyalty. He doesn’t see your past. He sees His beautiful child. I know this may not be the way you view God and your relationship with Him, but it’s true. If you don’t believe see if you can back your view with Scripture—the correct use of Scripture.
  • You are treasured by God. Psalm 147:11, “the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” You are His princess. His eyes never leave you (more about that on our last day). You are never

~just a______.

~or I only work as a ____________.

~or no one special.

You are special and priceless enough to God for Him to go to all the trouble we talked about at the beginning.

I think we get numb to what God did for us. We think God looks at us like one big social project. I’ll do what I can for those pathetic humans, because that’s the kind of God I am. But no! Don’t forget—God is love. He does what He does because He loves you. He went to all that trouble because He loves you. He’s not frowning at you. He’s looking at you like you look at your precious child (at least when he’s sleeping). He delights in you. He made you the way you are because He wanted you that way—your looks, your personality, your talents and the ones He didn’t give to you are all because that makes up you—the you He delights in.

This may be hard for you to get your mind around. It’s a process. Use one of the verses I’ve shared today or any verse that speaks to you about this. Put it on an index card and meditate on it this week. It’s part of the process of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

  • He wants to hear from you and grow in relationship with you. Hebrews 4:15-16, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (NIV).
    • James 4:8, “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (NIV).
    • Micah 6:8, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (NIV).
    • Your prayers are kept in golden bowls in heaven (Rev. 5:8).

Are you starting to see the truth about yourself? Are you seeing yourself as God’s child and not the dirty orphan you once were? You have a safe, loving, perfect Father Who has a place for you when you leave this earth. It is crucial that you believe this and live it if you are to live the fabulous life God has for you.

Here I showed a clip from Pride and Prejudice where Mr. D’Arcy with sad, puppy dog eyes declares to Elizabeth, “Surely you know I did it all for you.”

Surely you know God did it all for you. If you accept what He did for you have a new identity. If you have not accepted all He did for you, you may now with a prayer something like this.

“Jesus, I come to you with a lot of baggage and stuff I’m not proud of. I want to be clean and perfect in Your eyes. I’m sorry for the junk in my past and my life. I ask your forgiveness. I want to be Your princess, Your girl.

Thank you for making me holy and perfect. Help me to know you well.

I love you.”

 I would love to hear your thoughts regarding the realization of “who you are.”

January 19, 2010

Something New!

Filed under: Fighting Fear,Princess Unaware,Relationship with God,parenting — Brenda @ 8:04 pm

I am thrilled to announce a new feature to my blog–Bible Study Tuesday. During the winter/spring semester I will be teaching my book, Princess Unaware, to the moms group at Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, IL. Instead of rehashing the material the women read during the week, I will be digging a little deeper on a subject or issue from the chapter. So each Tuesday afternoon I will post my teaching notes here on the blog. If you are going through Princess Unaware, this will be supplemental material. If you are teaching Princess Unaware, feel free to use these notes as you teach your group. (This blog will be much longer than usual.)

Also, this week I became a Tweeter on Twitter! If you like to tweet, please look me up–Brenda Garrison. My pic is by my name to you will recognize me.

Here are today’s teaching notes on

FEAR

Princess Unaware Chapter One–Fear

Intro:

This morning I want to talk about one of the most effective traps the enemy uses on women—Fear. If the enemy can get us to fear and stayed focused on fear, he can just about stop any good thing God has going in our lives. In reality if the enemy can get us to fear he stops us from walking in faith.

And our fear seems good and reasonable. If we didn’t have a measure of fear what kind of mom, wife, friend or even woman would we be? If we aren’t concerned about the situation who will be?

We are fearful for

~our financial security

~our health and our families’ health

~the stress on our husbands

~everything that involves our kids—no matter their age

~we are not a good enough mom, wife, volunteer, even Christian

~what others think of us

~we have displeased God so He doesn’t like us.

We are like Charlie Brown when “Dr. Lucy” discovers he is fearful of everything!

I.                   Remember fear stops us from walking in faith. Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” The Kings James and NASB say, “that He is.” In order to have a relationship with God we must first believe all He says about Himself is true. Fear convinces us that some of what God says about Himself is not true. We wouldn’t admit it, but our thoughts and actions reveal it.

Let’s look at Genesis 3. Read v. 1. “Did God really say. . .?” I intro’d this thought last week. Did it come to mind over the past week?

Did God really say. . .

~He will give you strength when you’re so tired you are shaking?

~He will give you wisdom and discernment to parent this kid that is nothing like you?

~He will help you stay committed to your husband who is acting more like a cranky child than a man?

~He will help you when you act more like a tired, cranky child than a grown woman?

~He will be with you and care for you in all stages of your life?

Did God really say. . ?

II.                Fight Fear with the Word of God.

Read Genesis 3:2-3. Eve was ready for Satan’s temptation. Why? How? She quoted God’s word to Satan. Shot down! God’s Word in our minds will be our best weapon against Satan’s attacks. I know–I’m terrible at memorization and who has time? Let’s break this down and make it life app.

A. Stay At the Feet of Christ. But first, we must deal with another thought that may be keeping some of us (yes, me!) fruitless and going nowhere, and defeated about Scripture memorization—Quit thinking, “I’ll never get it all done!” You know why? Because you won’t. So quit beating yourself up with the thought. But when we get our being at the feet of Christ, and unload everything we think we must carry, (because who else will) then we can hear the precious, comforting voice of our LORD. He speaks to us comfort and peace, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Are you weary? Are you burdened?  He goes on to tell us how, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gently and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (verses 29-30)

~Take My yoke—do life My way—get in step with me. Don’t run ahead and don’t lag behind.

~Learn from Me—Get to know Christ—How He related to people, how He loved on people, His relationship with God, how He dealt with opposition and difficult people, how He lived His priorities, etc.

~I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest.—Jesus speaks to us in a way we can hear and that is gentle to our hearts—even if He has a hard word for us. Any voice we hear or thought we have that is derogatory, demoralizing, accusing (reminding us of past sins), putting us down, etc. is never from Jesus. It is always the enemy. Get at the feet of Christ and listen. This is where we should live. Anything that takes us away from the peace that comes from sitting at the feet of Christ is the enemy, even in hard things we can stay at the feet of Christ. It is a discipline and the earlier you start the better you will be when the hard stuff comes.

B. Get it in our minds/hearts/being.

Now we are ready to get the Word in our heads. Put one verse that speaks love, comfort, peace, or instruction on an index card. Place it where you will see it often. Read it throughout day. It’s not hard. It’s something we can all do. Then right before you go to sleep say as much as you can remember–or even the main idea. You now have a piece of God’s truth in your mind/heart/being!

C.  Don’t look/consider the lies/fears from the enemy. Consider the Word of God only.

Genesis 3:4-5. Okay, Satan must up his attack. That whole Word of God thing gets him every time.

Verse 6—“When the woman saw. . .” Saw means—consider, discern, gaze, take heed. After Satan tries to put more doubt in Eve’s mind, she stops and gazes at the fruit. Now in her own wisdom she discerns and considers the fruit. She “takes heed” that yes, it would taste good and yes, it would help her gain wisdom (not all the truth), and then she eats it. She believes only what Satan told her and did not consider the rest of God’s truth.

When we are fearful we are considering—gazing—at only what Satan tells us. We are not considering all of God’s Word to us and for our situation. We must study the Word, even a little at a time. In this study I hope you get you started on that quest for a lifetime. God’s Word is where it’s at. And for us moms it is doubly important. We must know God’s Word so we can teach it and live it. Our kids will learn more about God and His Word from our mouths and lives than they ever will at church. Know it. Believe it.

III.             Finding the Fabulous—Living It.

A.  Walking in Faith, not fear this week.

  1. James MacDonald, “Emotions make a great caboose but not a great engine.” When fear comes let it alert you that you are believing a lie  or have a situation to take to God. Either way you need to seek God’s truth.
  2. Pray, cry out to God. Get at His feet.
  3. Take Christ’s yoke. Get in step with Him.
  4. Identify the lie (s). Write it in the back of your book—pg. 277.
  5. What’s truth? Read the verses on your index card.
  6. Learn from Jesus’ example. What would Jesus be doing/thinking in this situation? Do that.

B. This is finding the fabulous. This is the beginning of your fabulous life.

We ended with three minutes in silence to get at the feet of Christ and talk to Him about our fear or whatever we needed to.

Grace and Peace,

Brenda