Trust - Renewing Your Mind

Hi Ladies,

You are ALL amazing woman and I feel so blessed to be a part of your family.  Today's class offered me so many "aha moments."  The Holy Spirit awakened in me so much about my myself and my relationship with God.  I'm so excited to be and to share this journey with all of you.  I'm posting the readings today from Jesus Lives by Sarah Young.

RENEWING YOUR MIND

DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.  I understand your struggles; I know that the world exerts relentless pressure on you, trying to squeeze you into its mold.  This is why you need time along with Me.  When you open up to me and invite Me to transform you, I can work freely in you and accomplish amazing things.  One of my most challenging tasks is renovating your mind, and My Spirit is always at work on this project.  He does not overwhelm you with His Power.  Instead, He prompts you gently and convicts you cleanly - showing you where you need to make changes and helping you develop new attitudes.

Many Christians are unable to discern My will because their minds are entangled in worldliness.  The glitter and glamour of this world distract them from Me, so they do not sense My nearness.   As you are transformed by the renewing of your mind, you progress in your ability to discern my good and perfect will. You also become increasingly aware of My loving Presence with you.  This awareness is so pleasurable that it draws you ever closer to Me - increasing the effectiveness of My work in you, creating an upward spiral of transformation.  Thus you grow not only closer to Me but also more like Me.  This is a foretaste of what is to come when I am fully revealed: You will be like Me, for you will see Me as I am.

TRUST

TRUST ME IN EVERY DETAIL OF YOUR LIFE.  Nothing is random in my Kingdom.  Everything that happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me.  Instead of trying to analyze the intricacies of the pattern, focus your energy on trusting Me and thanking Me at all times.  Noting is wasted when you walk close to Me.  Even your mistakes and sins can be recycled into something good, through my transforming grace.

While you were still living in darkness, I began to shine the Light of My Presence into your sin-stained life.  Finally, I lifted you up out of the mire into My marvelous Light.  Having sacrificed My very Life for you, I can be trusted in every facet of your life.


As I am typing this post and was searching for the second reading from Sarah Young my Bible opened up to the following reading.  I have to share..makes me want to cry and smile at the same time.  So much I want to say but the words won't come out.  So I will share and I will take the leap of faith and "dive off the diving board." 

DEPENDING ON HIM

I WANT YOU TO BE ALL MINE.  I am weaning you from other dependencies.  Your security rests in Me along - not in other people, not in circumstances.  Depending only on Me may feel like walking on a tightrope but there is a safety net underneath: the everlasting arms.  So don't be afraid of falling.  Instead, look ahead to Me, I am always before you, beckoning you on - one step at a time.  Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate you from My loving Presence.

Good Night!

TRUST: Week Two class NEW VERSES and HOMEWORK

Hi ladies!
wow--thank you, ladies, for once again making this a truly wonderful class discussion on a HUGE topic! So, because of the incredible diversity, depth and breadth of the "pathways" that the HolySpirit took us on, we kinda felt like we were just barely scratching the surface of the many perspective-revealing perspective-changing facets of What IS Trust? Therefore we decided to continue our discussion into next week.

For THIS week, please continue to mull over the verses you have written in your journal as well as the new ones that were brought up today (I've listed them all below). IF you haven't already done so, PLEASE START WRITING THESE VERSES DOWN IN YOUR STUDY JOURNAL.  There is something that happens...when we fully focus upon the Scriptures and allow our spirit and minds to slowly but surely contemplate what our hands are purposefully writing down.  THIS is what our journals are for: to allow a means for our spirit to hear the Word of God through the words of God. And by writing them down, word by word, line by line, we are giving our minds undistracted "time" to literally "see" what we are writing, "hear" what our minds are reading, and "feel" each word as it passes from our eyes through our hands and onto the page.  Somewhere along that line, those very words bounce back into our hearts and open the door to the HolySpirit presence within our own spirit.  The Living Word is like that.  TRY IT.

FOR THIS WEEK:

(1) WRITE down each of the new verses in your journal. (Ok--this is our chance to catch up from last week's verses too. WRITE. THEM. DOWN. IN. YOUR. JOURNAL. I promise--the HolySpirit WILL speak into you through His word! Wait for Him. Watch for Him. And in the meantime, WRITE IN YOUR JOURNAL!!!!)

(2) Prayerfully consider WHICH of these VERSES spoke into you this week and HOW? Circle or star the verse(s) in your journal and jot down why/how they spoke into you.

(3) Consider if your understanding of What Is Trust? has CHANGED...DEEPENED...been CLARIFIED and then answer the following questions in your journal:

  (a) How has this impacted my faith perspective and my ability to walk with more confidence in Christ through any or all circumstances?

  (b) How and where in my life might the HolySpirt be asking me to journey into deeper trust in God?

So--here we go. FROM LAST WEEK:
Psalm 28:6-7
Psalm 143:8
Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 3:7-8
John 14:1-4
Psalm 144:1
Psalm 63:1-8
Psalm 118:8
James 1:5-7

New from today:
Matthew 16:16-17
Romans 12:2
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Isaiah 41:10

Ok, Red Tent Sisters--there was an incredible amount of powerful outside readings and commentaries that were shared today.  PLEASE--POST them in this blog--start a new post and don't forget to title it. This is the place to share with all of those who could not be with us this morning!

love
maggie

I have learned that faith and trust are tied together

I have learned over the years that faith in God and trusting God are tied together. The more I believed, the more I trusted that God loved me and would always love me. Faith is where we start. Faith then leads us to hope and trust. Jesus tell us to place your trust in God Almighty. When we rest in God's loves, we have nothing to fear. God increases our faith and faith increases our trust in God.
Philippians 4 : 6-7
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need.
Because of God's love for us, He gave us His son to die for us on the Cross. He sent the Holy Spirit to us as our counselor and spiritual compass. We don't have to go it alone. The Holy Spirit guides us, leads us into truth and protects us.
John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Ecclesiastes:4;12 A Cord of three

Good morning! For what ever reason I am unable to make a comment on Maggie’s post, and can only make a new post. In Ecclesiastes 4;12 it says Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. This reminds me of what Maggie said about the Triune. We have physical strength when there are many , we have spiritual strength when two or more are gathered in his name. The father, son and Holy Spirit are the three cords that bind us securely in prayer directly to each other. My dear friend Donna and I had a close spiritual connection in that the Holy Spirit would put a burning in our hearts to get on our knees for one another. She was and is still a very godly women who went home to be with the Lord last year. Oddly I don’t feel I lost that spiritual connection with her, because in Christ we are still connected. The cords that connect us to Our triune God connects us to each other, and while on earth we find strength.

In my Inbox this morning

Ok, so these morning devotions keeping speaking into our homework over this past week. I'm beginning to think that our Arlington VA study group leader MUST be taking her devotions from a book titled "Messages to the Red Tent Sisters from God"... Here is it:

October 28, 2018

Today, make this promise to yourself and keep it; vow to be a hope-filled Christian.  Think optimistically about your life, your profession, your future, and your spouse.  Trust your hopes, not your fears.

Gotta love when the HolySpirit wants His message to get through!! Are we hearing Him yet??

Sent out in Twos and Threes

The devotion in my mailbox this morning:

October 27, 2018 

Sometimes we fall prey to worry, frustration, anxiety or sheer exhaustion, and our hearts become heavy.  What’s needed is plenty of rest, a large dose of perspective, and God’s healing touch, but not necessarily in that order.

I remember one of my teachers telling us about our "triune nature"--that we are body, soul and spirit. And that it is important that all three stay healthy and well-nourished and protected...how if one of our triune elements becomes weak, the other two can pick up the slack for only a short time before they start faltering as well. And if two are weak, well then, the third has little chance of carrying all three for very long.

My dad, who is 93 this year, is incredibly healthy, even-keeled and clear-minded, deeply compassionate, a brilliant writer of poetry, a true romantic, quietly humble and filled with the faith of a favored and dearly loved child.  But this past weekend, he awoke from an afternoon nap with a spasming pain by his spine that persisted despite massage, warm showers and NSAIDs. As his pain persisted, the seeds of uncertainty began to grow and he started to worry that something terrible might be happening inside of him. As his anxiety began to build, the pain magnified, radiating through his flank to the front of his abdomen, suddenly and effectively sucking away any hope that he had merely "fallen asleep in the wrong position," furthering his growing desperation and convincing him that the very worst version of his impending demise was becoming reality. As my sister Skyped with me, I found myself literally watching my dad fold into himself--he had become unable to think outside of his pain, unable to imagine a future beyond his current misery, unwilling to pray for something he thought was beyond his asking. In the background of my computer screen, I could see him curled up in a fetal position...and I could sense more than his discomfort. I could sense his fear...an intense fear that more than just overtook his pain; it engulfed his mind and had already quenched his spirit.

By the end of his time in the ER, after all of the cardiac tests, CT and flow scans of every major organ and vessel in his abdomen and chest came back normal (and probably better than mine would have been!), after a nice dose of Toradol granted him the best rest he'd had in months, and after the reassurance that no, we don't have a diagnosis but we DO know you aren't departing this world any time soon...he finally began to relax and think straight again. Perspectives were readjusted, futures regained, hope (and sound-mindedness) were restored...and the giddiness in my dad's voice the next morning made me truly wonder what else he might have received through that iv.

As I mulled over the unfolding of last weekend's events, I was struck by the effectiveness of physical illness to take us out of the soundness of our minds...placing lead weights of despair and doubt on our hearts, directing our mindfulness away from the light and hope in our spirit and effectively encasing our souls in the darkness of fear and doubt.  I was reminded how incredibly physical beings we are--even when we think we are strong in our spirit and freed from bondage in our souls. How something like a teeny paper cut can still bring me to my knees and make me forget everything but myself in that moment.

And then I understood once again why God sends us out into this world in two and threes. I know that my dad was surrounded by concerned family and friends who could cover for him, serve him, reassure him that they were there by his side when he found himself knowing only the singularity and disconnectedness of his fear. I know that we had extremely competent medical staff members, diligently searching for answers, attending to his acute needs, knowing they were ready and able if needed to move quickly and accurately when he was unable to grasp anything beyond the paralyzing realm of his pain. But even more importantly, I know that we had powerful prayer warriors lifting my dad up into the throne room, petitioning for the miracles and the covering that he found himself unable to even imagine, much less ask for.

When we willingly walk with each other no matter what the calling of the ministry of the moment--be it for physical healing, soul strengthening, or spirit defining--we allow ourselves to partner with the Lord to protect, nourish, strengthen and heal our triune nature. He sends us HIMSELF in each other to help us heal on whatever level needs healing, to help us give rest to the overburdened, to regain Truth perspective...and allow us to remember who we are in God and in each other.

What an incredible gift to be given another to walk alongside.  I am realizing now that this is just another way that God teaches us to Trust in His provision--the giving of Himself through each other.

AN INTRODUCTION FROM THE LADY GADGET :)

Hi Ladies,

Your blog designer here. :) I wanted to jump on here on a post that won't be permanent (will leave up for only a few days) and check in on the new site design. Are you guys liking it? Is it easier to navigate and read?

Maggie,
Are all authors able to comment and are you all receiving post notifications and comment notifications now?

This is one of my favorite spontaneous designs/color palettes I have done with the blogger templates because I was able to bless you guys and be creative with the color palette which I think is so relaxing and inspiring at the same time!

It truly was a joy to make this for you and I hope you all love it. :)

Love and blessings,
Rebekah
The Lady Gadget

What IS Trust?? WEEK ONE class discussion

I've been thinking about the definitions that started off our discussion on Wednesday:

FEAR: an unpleasant emotion caused by the BELIEF that something or someone is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
TRUST: firm BELIEF in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something

As Lorraine pointed out, BOTH are based in a belief in something...

So, we jumped right into What DO we believe about "God"? And, How do our beliefs in this "God" impact our ability to walk in Trust in Him? and, as Lorraine mused aloud: Ok, so, where am I putting my BELIEF...in Fear? or in Trust! oh my...

I loved the concept that Lorraine revisited from our first topic of Fear: our unshakeable belief in a God that we can depend upon...rest in...lean on...can only come through personal experience with and in Him through our times of trial and tribulation. BUT to walk in Trust in God no matter what, we really need to remember to...well, to remember to remember: what He did, how He worked, who He was for us, and how He was present...in times of plenty and in times of want.

We were not surprised that every verse subsequently brought to the table--and the heart-filled pearls that were left to share and be gathered--were all about trusting in what we already KNOW of Him.  In essence, these were all incredible declarations of how we have individually learned WHO God REALLY is...and who WE are in Him! These were testimonies--incredible personal and powerful testimonies--of insane trial and increasingly steadfast hope in our ever-growing experiential ginōskō ('intimate knowing") in God.

If you were not able to join us on Wednesday--please take the time now and look at your verses of choice. Why did you choose that one? How has God walked with you through trial and Fear...and carried you into Trust?

Ok, so I loved that the most common verse(s) chosen were Proverbs 3:5-8, and so I have decided to include it in this summary. Here it is from the NIV:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

and in the Amplified:

5
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6
In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
7
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.
8
It will be health to your body [your marrow, your nerves, your sinews, your muscles—all your inner parts]
And refreshment (physical well-being) to your bones.

and finally, in the New Living Translation:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.

Pearls shared included experiences in:
--recognition of God's timing--how perfect it is no matter how off-kilter it might seem to us in the moment
--acknowledgement AND surrender to HIS partnership and plan that allow to us "hear" how to accomplish the impossible, to work through the insane, to "right" our mis-taken thoughts or perspective and maybe...maybe even to be overtaken by the "eucharisteo! JOY" of recognizing something SO much greater than the circumstance that surrounds us!

And from the rest of our discussion, we also talked about:
--knowing and trusting AND walking in the confident HOPE of life and beloveds healed and reunited in "my Father's house"
--the unchangeable NATURE of God, declared through our lips as we stand upon powerful words of hope and trust in His unfailing strength, protection and provision for us, no matter what is happening around us...making us remember HOW and WHY we CAN trust in Him.
--clinging desperately to the love of Christ that transcends life and (crazy at it may seem!) exalts us with and IN Christ
--learning that we can trust in the Lord and in all that we have experienced in Him and in His manifested love for us...BECAUSE He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow
--asking for, searching for, anticipating, and then seeing the miracles...but not necessarily in the way we were expecting!

SO much to mull over, ladies. PLEASE start as soon as you can to consider the pearls you shared, the pearls you took home, the pearls the HolySpirit may be pressing into your heart for your circumstances. And SHARE with us!!

WHO IS GOD WANTING TO BE FOR YOU THAT HE COULDN'T BE FOR YOU...UNTIL NOW...?

WHAT IS TRUST: Week One VERSES and HOMEWORK

Hi ladies!
Once again--what an amazing first session on our new topic: WHAT IS TRUTH? And once again, thank you for all of your truly profound and thought-provoking testaments about the experiential nature of our relationship with God! SO amazing!

Ok, I wanted to get WeekTwo's homework and verses out to everyone so we can get started earlier than later on our careful consideration of where and how God is speaking into our lives through this topic. I will get a summary POST of the class discussion out once I've gotten a chance to mull over my own notes!

Remember to:
(1) WRITE down each of the verses in your journal. (If you feel that a certain passage is just way too long for you to copy, then just write down the specific phrases or words that the HolySpirit seems to be highlighting for you. But remember: you might actually "get more" from writing every verse down anyway!! lol we've already learned how much the HolySpirit loves to bring to light new revelation through things we might otherwise dismiss as tedious or mundane...just saying'!!)

(2) Prayerfully consider WHICH of these VERSES spoke into you this week and HOW? Circle or star the verse(s) in your journal and jot down why/how they spoke into you.

(3) Consider if your understanding of What Is Trust? has CHANGED...DEEPENED...been CLARIFIED and then answer the following questions in your journal:

  (a) How has this impacted my faith perspective and my ability to walk with more confidence in Christ through any or all circumstances?

  (b) How and where in my life might the HolySpirt be asking me to journey into deeper trust in God?

So--here we go:
Psalm 28:6-7
Psalm 143:8
Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 3:7-8
John 14:1-4
Psalm 144:1
Psalm 63:1-8
Psalm 118:8
James 1:5-7

Start early, ladies--and then we can really take our time resting in His words and in His Word throughout the rest of the week.  Let's be definitive in our CHOICE AND DECISION to give over our time to Him--and give our hearts the real chance to HEAR God speak His rhema through these verses. Let's ponder well His amazing work in and on our lives this week as He deepens our walk in TRUST with Him!

Trust what do I place my confidence in

I loved what Lorraine said about comparing trust to belief. My early morning
quiet time took me into the direction of trust and what do I place my confidence in. I discovered that
Biblically there is a list of verses of what not to place our trust in and what to place our trust in and the benefits that we reap from placing our trust in God. Although many are found in psalms , the one that was most comforting was in Sirach 33;1. If you trust the Lord, you cannot lose. No evil will ever come to a person who fears the Lord; however often danger comes the Lord will come His rescue. Looking back there have been times where the fiery arrows from satan were landing all around our family. A brother who was more spiritually established in his walk reminded me constantly, No evil weapon formed against you will prosper! It took 10 years to get through this particular trial but the Lord  continually gave us glimmers of hope to see His light at the end of the tunnel.  The best spiritual progress I made in my walk was during this time of darkness. Love Lela

Trust that God is Listening

Woohoo! So, I KNOW we must be on the right track, ladies, because what do I find in my inbox last night? An article about pushing through "unanswered prayers" with confidence, TRUST and speaking against FEAR! Aha! so, here is an excerpt from the article--enjoy!

It’s tough to pray someone all the way through a messy, hard, complicated situation and not see answers. Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now.

Can I speak hope into your heart with three ways to press through unanswered prayers?

1. Know with confidence God hears your prayers.
First John 5:14 reminds us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (NIV).

2. Trust that prayer makes a difference, even when you don’t see the difference.
It may take a while for you to see God answer your prayers. But don’t miss an “in the meantime answer” you can receive right away. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us of the immediate answer to every prayer: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV, emphasis added).

Did you catch it? It’s the peace of God that will guard your heart and mind in the process while you’re waiting for God to reveal His answer to your request. When you pray, you can trust you’re doing your part, and God will certainly do His part.

3. Tell fear it has no place in this conversation.
These prayers are your gateway to feel an assurance you don’t see yet. But fear will beg you to focus on the problem more than God’s promises. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (NIV).

So--how's it going with our new topic: What IS Trust?? Like Confronting FEAR, Trust is a yet another biggie. Speak up and let us know what pathways the HolySpirit is directing you onto and how things are changing. transforming, clarifying--so we can change/transform/be clarified with you!

CONFRONTING FEAR: Week Two class discussion

As I try to gather my thoughts for our Confronting FEAR Week 2 summary, I am feeling so, well, blessed by everyone’s sharing over these past two weeks--the hard and often painful testimonies of trials, labor, and redemption, the humbling paradigm-shifting revelation, followed by the quiet, eucharisteo-filled gathering of those beautiful personal life-changing pearls. THANK YOU for your sharing, ladies--both online and in class. I am truly on my knees in thanksgiving for all of you.

But once again, as I peruse my way-too-sparse hastily scrawled notes from class, I am realizing how much more was said, was experienced, was shared in class today. And I am sad that, truly, I can only relate to everyone what pearls I was privileged to take home with me today...and that isn’t a summary at all! SO! I am asking that everyone PLEASE add your thoughts from today--your aha! moments, the pearls and HolySpirit-revelations that YOU took home today and that maybe have been spoken into YOU throughout these past two weeks. Start a new POST or just add your COMMENT below. It doesn’t have to be wordy or grammatically perfect--just put down your thoughts and...it will be perfect!

Ok, so onward:

How did the verses impact me this week:

I think that the most important thing that I made myself do this week was to write down every verse in my journal. Somehow, that whole focus of transcribing each word from my bible into my journal by hand, checking the accuracy of every phrase with my eyes (not how I kinda-sorta “remembered” them but how they were actually written!) made my mind start taking notice of words and concepts I had not really paid much attention to in the past. I found myself circling words, underlining and even capitalizing them in my journal...suddenly pausing to take in what I had not noticed before. Crazy humbling HolySpirit moments for sure.

Unfortunately, I do wish that I had started right away--not because I left it to the last minute, but because I was hit with a terrible sinus headache (that is JUST today beginning to abate) that left me unable to tolerate much reading, much less doing any concordance work on the computer. Ugh. And so I ran out of time to delve deeper into the words I had circled or the phrases I wanted to understand better. I’ll get to it this week, I hope, but it reminds me of that bumper sticker I used to see in the 80’s that warned of the “dire consequences” of procrastination:

If we are waiting til the 11th hour to be saved...what happens if we die at 10:59?

Haha ok, so that’s a bit stark and religious, but the underlying lesson can be taken for anything that I’m thinking about putting off til a “tomorrow” that may not allow me the privilege and time of “today”!

This week we were supposed to consider how the verses and our discussions helped change/deepen/clarify our understanding of Fear.

I have to say that all of our discussions and testimonies not only CHANGED my perspective on the concept of FEAR--but it made me change our “topic” to a more appropriate title: CONFRONTING FEAR. Like I had mentioned in class, I found early on in this study that God was not speaking into my Fear so much as He was addressing what was causing FEAR to manifest….what FEAR was actually a manifestation of.  For me, the bigger issue is my decreased time spent with Him. Through the verses spoken by each of you, I was reminded the HE has never abandoned nor forsaken ME, however, in my “busy-ness” I actually managed to forget HIM...His nature, His hand, His words, His touch, His promises and provisions, His ACTIVE PRESENCE, His partnership in all that I do. I forgot how to rest in the shadow of His wings and work effectively in MY partnership in Him.  Like, what the heck, right? That's NOT supposed to happen. But it did.

And so to answer the question: How and where in my life might the HolySpirit be asking me to journey into deeper trust in God?

My answer is unequivocally EVERYWHERE.. He is asking me to return to Him on ALL fronts, on ALL levels, with EVERY thought, EVERY breath, EVERY moment. To not take a step without Him, to not speak a word without Him...to take EVERY thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (who IS love, has total sovereignty over every aspect of my life, and who I CAN trust, depend upon, lean upon, rest in).

Pearls I took away from class today:

When I call upon Him, He WILL answer--for He is always there, but always a gentleman, waiting for MY request and MY answer to HIS call.

Make sure that I pray--always, deeply, with fervor and great anticipation of HIS answer--no matter how it comes.

“Bad” in MY eyes, is often NOT “bad” in God’s. To see with HIS eyes would be awesome and make so many things SO much easier, but...it's hard to see through the hazy lenses of my humanness. So, in the meantime, learning to TRUST in HIS knowledge and plan and LOVE for me--no matter what--is key to walking in true intimacy and effectual relationship with God--especially when things goes SO differently from what I could have imagined on my worst days... It is through these “trials” that HE will show me the “treasures of darkness...the hidden riches of secret places” (Is 45:3 NKJV).

The journey to TRUST is...experiential...because relationship with God IS experiential.

Which brings us to our NEW TOPIC of discussion and study:

WHAT IS TRUST?

Ok--I’m stopping there! I’ll go into more detail for our new topic in a separate email!

Blog away ladies!! Let’s keep everyone who couldn’t be with us in the loop with your thoughts and aha! moments!!

Love you all SO much!

Saved By Suffering

Hi ladies!! Eye-opening small group discussion today! THANK YOU for your heart revelations and testimonies...I am still digesting all of the pearls!! Before I forget, I wanted to post the commentary I talked about this morning--the one that exemplifies how things that we might call "bad" may not actually be "bad" at all in the eyes and in the KNOWING of the God who is sovereign over all things. Maybe even recognizing "the treasures of the darkness" (Is 45:3)...? Let us know your thoughts!

ps I will send out a summary and our NEW TOPIC for the week as soon as I can get my thoughts together. LOVE YOU ALL!!


“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 (NIV)

I woke up on what I thought would be an ordinary Monday two summers ago. But nothing was normal. I felt as if knives were mercilessly carving their way through my insides. Waves of nausea left me convulsing and desperate for relief. I tried to step out of bed, but I collapsed. I screamed. My family rushed me to the emergency room where we all hoped I could find some relief and help. But as panic gave way to desperation, I cried out for God to help me: “Take the pain away! Please, dear God, take this pain away!” But He didn’t. Not that moment. Not the next. Not even the next day. His silence stunned me. I kept picturing Him standing beside my bed, seeing my anguish, watching my body writhing in pain, hearing my cries but making the choice to do nothing. And I couldn’t reconcile that. How could God do that? How could He say I’m His daughter whom He deeply loves but let me lie there in excruciating pain? These are the thoughts and questions that tumbled around my brain during a time of such pain and distress. I think we have all asked questions like this. Where are You, God? Do You see me? Do You care? After five of the longest and most excruciating days of my life, a new doctor came to my hospital room. He ran one last test. And, finally, we had some answers. The right side of my colon had ripped away from the abdominal wall and twisted around the left side. The blood flow was completely cut off. My colon had distended from the normal 4 centimeters in diameter to more than 14 centimeters. It had been in danger of rupturing when it was around 10 centimeters, at which point I would have felt relief from the intense pain. And it’s at that exact time when many others suffering with this medical situation feel that relief and go to sleep. Their bodies turn septic, and they die. The surgeon explained that he needed to rush me into emergency surgery, and he’d be removing most of my colon. He was hoping to save enough that my body would eventually function properly again, but he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t even sure I’d make it through surgery. And with that daunting news, I hugged my family, prayed with my pastor, and I was wheeled into the surgical unit. Thankfully, the surgery went well, and weeks later while I was home recovering, the surgeon called me. He’d gotten the report back from the mass that was removed, and there was no further treatment needed. However, there was an alarming part of the report he couldn’t reconcile. He said, “Lysa, I don’t really like how people throw around the term miracle. But honestly, it’s the only word I know to use in your case. The cells in your colon were already in a state of autolysis. This is where your brain has signaled your body to start self-digesting. It’s decomposition. It’s what happens when you die. Lysa, you can’t get any closer to death than that. How you survived this, I can’t explain.” I hung up the phone, stunned.  And I suddenly thought of those days before the surgery when I was begging God to take away the pain. I had questioned God because of the pain. I had wondered how God could let me be in so much pain. And I had cried, because I thought God somehow didn’t care about my pain. But in the end, God used the pain to save my life. The pain was what kept me in the hospital. The pain was what kept me demanding the doctors run more tests.The pain was what made me allow a surgeon to cut my belly wide open. The pain was what helped save me. Had God taken away the pain, I would have gone home, my colon would have ruptured, my body would have turned septic, and I would have died. I now have a completely different picture of God standing beside my hospital bed while I was hurting and begging Him to help me. He wasn’t ignoring me. No, I believe it took every bit of holy restraint within Him to not step in and remove my pain. He loved me too much to do the very thing I was begging Him to do. He knew things I didn’t know. He saw a bigger picture I couldn’t see. His mercy was too great. His love was too deep. Indeed, He is a good, good Father. He was not far off like I’d imagined as I lay writhing in pain. He was near. So very near. Just like Psalm 145:18 tells us, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” He was loving me through the pain. It was necessary pain — life-saving pain I can see now with new eyes. It’s given me a whole new outlook on times when God seems silent. His silence was part of the rescue. Father, You know the heartache and pain we are facing. Help us trust and believe You are not far off, but are very close — holding us, comforting us. We know You are good. And we trust You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Lysa Terkeurst--Proverbs 31 Ministries Oct 16, 2018)

When God Has A Plan For Our Weakness

Hi Ladies~ Found this in my inbox this morning.  Loved how it spoke into the concept of confronting FEAR. Does it speak to anyone else this week? Let us know!

"Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

“What if God is inviting you to serve out of your weakness instead of your strength?”  We were sitting on a saggy couch surrounded by clamoring kids when my friend posed the question.  Our preschoolers were singing, and our toddlers were shrieking. The baby on my lap was whimpering, and the phone in my purse was ringing. But those words soared above the clatter and landed in my heart with quiet clarity.  I’d been offered an opportunity to serve the Lord in a new way, and I felt completely unqualified for the challenge. The position didn’t line up with my natural gifting or maximize my strengths. It didn’t plant me in my sweet spot or ignite my personal passions.  Yet, after weeks of prayer, I felt like God was asking me to say yes to the assignment. I wanted to walk in obedience, but it didn’t make much sense. I could think of a dozen other people more equipped for the challenge.  Then my friend’s wise words reminded me of a truth I don’t often consider:  God has a script for our strengths, but He also has a plan for our weaknesses.  That thought is uncomfortable, don’t you think?  We’d rather build God’s kingdom through our gifts, not our gaps.  We’d prefer to serve our Savior from our savvy, not our shortcomings.  Yet, in today’s key verse, we’re reminded that when our weaknesses are infused with God’s grace, they don’t foil His plans. Instead, they frame His power.  “Each time he said ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) My friend’s words were running through my mind as we followed the kids to the backyard where a swing set beckoned their play.  My 4-year-old daughter climbed on the swings while her 6-year-old brother climbed to the top of the monkey bars.  We all applauded as he glided across the silver rungs with ease.  My daughter watched with wide eyes, then climbed up the ladder and reached for those monkey bars, too.  She took hold of the first bar and let her slender frame dangle free. She shrieked with delight and stretched to take hold of the next rung. She kicked her legs and wiggled her hips, but the bar exceeded her reach. Instead of gliding across the monkey bars, she merely dangled, stuck.  Soon, her little arms grew tired, and her lips began to tremble. “I guess I can’t do it,” she whimpered.  In an instant, her big brother was at her side. He wrapped his arms around her swaying torso and steadied her flailing frame. “It’s okay,” he soothed. “I’m right here. Try again.”  With her brother’s hands holding her up, my girl crossed the monkey bars with a yelp of joy. When she dropped to the ground, she stepped back and studied her brother with 4-year-old admiration. “I never knew you were so strong!” she declared with a sigh of wonder.  We laughed as my son took a sheepish bow.  My friend caught my eye with a wordless wink, and I returned her gaze with a knowing nod. Right then and there, I gave God my humble yes. Perhaps God was asking me to serve in weakness so I could more fully know His strength.  Maybe He was inviting me out of my comfort zone so I could find my comfort in Him alone.  I didn’t know where my yes would lead, but I knew I’d been called to trust in God’s sufficiency, not mine.  It still felt awkward. And vulnerable. Frightening and risky. But I knew God was asking for my surrender, not my strength. And I knew His arms would hold me every step of the way.  My daughter was climbing back up that silver ladder, her hands reaching for the monkey bars once again. And right below, her brother stood with a giddy grin and arms lifted high. Dear Jesus, thank You for inviting me to partner with the King of Heaven, even when my knees are quaking here on earth. Take all of me — my weaknesses and my strengths — to use for Your story and for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

CONFRONTING FEAR: Week One class discussion

Ok ladies! So here is where the blogging begins... this is where we can share what is in our hearts, whatever it is that the Lord is pulling to the forefront of our vision, gently bringing the dark corners of our life into His light, so that HE can help us with whatever needs cleaning, acknowledging, confronting, overcoming...! Share your thoughts in the comments below--or start your own new POST with your own HolySpirit-revelations and new understanding. This IS our safe-haven for sharing!

So--why DID I choose this concept?

There is something about busy-ness that makes it so easy to forget what’s important...and to be able to clearly discern what’s the big stuff vs the little stuff. In the last two years, I have found myself becoming more and more busy such that I left little time for studying, conversing, really listening to the Lord. Many many years ago, I had asked God when I would be able to just, you know, "KNOW" Him well enough to not have to spend “so much time” praying and studying and listening--when I could just, like, shoot a glance heavenward, quickly send Him a query, and then hear and then know what to do. His hard and immediate answer was: “NEVER.”

And now I know why.

I have found that in any relationship, my ability to honestly and truly KNOW someone is directly related to the time I spend with them in REAL togetherness--conversing, truly listening, considering, learning, and most importantly, just resting. The longer I stay away, the more likely that the person can become my own version of what I remember from my imprecise and less-than-perfect memory.
I found that the busier I became, not only was I less attentive to the call in my spirit to rest and inquire of the Lord, but I found myself less willing (and eventually, less able) to spend time, take time, make time to even just rest and truly pray. It’s like I had been away for so long, that I had forgotten what to do, how to do, etc. Before I knew it, I found my soul filled with the concerns and thought-patterns of the world, and eventually, this past year, found myself unable to remember the confidence that I used to KNOW--that peace that transcends all understanding, that fearlessness that comes from surrendering my all to someone who I know knows all--and yet still faithfully and fiercely loves me. I KNEW it in my mind, but it wasn’t enough to convince my soul….it was like my soul had forgotten.
And in its stead, I found my soul filling with fear. Fear about not only the things I couldn’t control, but also the things that I felt that I SHOULD be able to control.
Thankfully, I’ve always known that when I feel fear, it’s not of God. And so, when I called Lorraine and told her that it’s been really really weird lately, cuz, I’ve become so fearful of Michael’s future, his decisions, his, well, life... she literally laughed out loud at me (i.e. Lorraine truly knows Michael, truly knows me, but most importantly, she truly knows God). And I realized that it was time to come back home.

How does this concept impact my ability to walk in absolute Trust in God?

Contemplating “fear” this week was difficult--more so because I didn’t think that I really wanted to dredge up whatever it was that was causing me to fear. It was doubly discomforting because it seemed like the HolySpirit was trying to show me that “fear” was pervasive in many many areas of my life--literally, I would “walk into an arena” and immediately I was pulled in a billion different directions--like taffy. The pullers were invisible, hidden, but strong and immediate. Crazy scary and uncomfortable.

That’s why I decided to take a different tactic--ask instead, what does GOD say about my fear? I presented to Him in prayer, an instance when I was afraid, and He immediately placed into my mind, Jer 29:11. When i wrote it down and started to mull over it, the words “And I will be found by you” says the Lord”, popped out..and all of a sudden I was filled with a great comfort and peace. And I realized that in the knowing that Michael was totally and absolutely in the hands and mind and heart of God, there was little I needed to worry about. Once again, I knew that I knew that I knew...God IS sovereign over all things in Michael's life.

So--for me this week, it’s not so much that FEAR hinders me from trusting in the Lord, but that FEAR is a significant indicator--a warning sign--that I have wandered from the assurance of His friendship, from the comfort of the protection of His wings. That I have stopped communicating with Him, that I have stopped spending time with Him, that I have forgotten what He sounds like, what He looks like, what He feels like, what He smells like--somewhere along the line, I stopped seeking HIS word and HIS mind and HIS heart for my every step and breath and thought. I was beginning to “forget” Him...and who He is, and who I am in Him.

And THAT is what directly impacts my ability to walk in absolute trust in Him. It's all about maintaining true and active relationship.

From this point on, EVERY verse that was shared, that came to me through my inbox, on bumper stickers, in books and on calendars, and through each of you, spoke so powerfully of maintaining my active and honest and dedicated relationship with my Father...so that I do not forget.

Here are some of the pearls that I caught from Wednesday:

"He has given us a spirit of power, love and self-control" (for me, it was more that HE gives me a truly "sound mind")

"There is no darkness dark enough that HE cannot be there--He IS the light in every part of my life"

"Concentrate on love, not fear.  Cuz perfect love casts out fear."

"God ALWAYS goes before me...so when I am in fear, I'm just not looking in the right direction"

"Invite Him in to light up my corners...'even if I go blind, I wanna see the light""

"Seek Him FIRST and ALWAYS and ONLY...and all these other things will come."

"Ask Him...trust Him...rejoice in Him...and HE will fill you with the peace that transcends all understanding"

"What is biggest obstacle to trust? Pride." (hooboy...that was a biggie for me!)

Ok ladies! Your turn! Write in your comments or thoughts or start a new POST of your musings on this concept of "confronting FEAR"!

FEAR: Week One VERSES and HOMEWORK

Woohoo!! Well, we are in and we are on, ladies! So here we go:
Blog Rules:
-ALL concept-related discussions, summaries and commentaries should be posted here in the blog, so that everyone can access them at their own leisure and all in one place.
-Prayer requests and administrative notifications will continue to be sent via email so that everyone can access them (and share them, if needed) in a timely manner.
-Any member can COMMENT in response to a blogpost--just make sure you are signed in.
-Any member can start a new POST, say, for instance, about a testimony or a different tangent off of the current perspective--just make sure to title it to reflect your new thoughts or musings.
-Please keep all postings/comments to written form--no photos, images or videos (uses too much gigabytes and slows down the page).
-And finally, as with all of our group discussions: be kind, encouraging and edifying. Always use “I” testimonials in lieu of “you should” directives or advice. Keep our blog a safe-haven for honesty, openness, acceptance and confidentiality. (Once we figure out our last few members’ invitation issues, we will go completely PRIVATE). And, as always--pray before posting.
Ok, onward!

Wednesday’s session was awesome--thank you for your patience, willingness and persistence in working through a VERY difficult concept in our faithwalk: confronting FEAR (and all of its many facets and faces). I know we didn’t have as much time for discussion due to first getting through administrative stuff (blog set-up issues, distribution of our pretty study journals, rules for discussion and comments, etc), but what we were able to touch upon was truly eye-and-heart opening for me! So, thank you for your thoughts and your truly precious pearls!
Unfortunately...I have somehow misplaced my own notes from the class (did someone happen to pick up my pile of worksheets and class presentation layouts after I left? Let me know!)
But! I DID write down (in my new journal!) all of the wonderful verses everyone shared. Here we go:

Jeremiah 29:11, 14
2 Tim 1:7
Psalm 23:4
1 John 4:18
Deut 31:8
Matt 6:25-34
Phil 4:6-7
Psalm 37:4
Prov 3:5
Psalm 28:7

As we discovered in class, the readings were diverse and rich, beautifully touching upon so many different ways that the HolySpirit is teaching us to approach, confront and overcome fear in our walk of Trust. So, our assignment for THIS week:

-Jot down each of these verses in our journal (as well any more that you may have of your own).
-Consider how these verses (and the discussions in class, online, etc) have helped/are helping change/deepen/clarify your understanding of “fear”
-Answer in your journal:
How has this impacted my faith perspective and my ability to walk with more confidence in Christ through any or all circumstances?
How and where in my life might the Holy Spirit be asking me to journey into deeper trust in God?

Our discussion on confronting “fear” will continue next week! Happy blogging!

Revving up our blog for our 2018-2019 study season!!

from maggie

HI everyone!! Wow--this is absolutely awesome.  Our blog from many years ago is still up and running and ready for our start-up. God is SO good!! So, I have sent private invitations to everyone who is "new" to the blog, or whose email has changed since 2011.  For anyone who is already a contributor with the same email address, I have sent the link to reconnect.  IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH ACCESSING OUR SITE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Once we are all settled in, let's get blogging!!! Woohoo!!!

Couple of administrative reminders:
-This is a private blog--only invited members will be able to view and comment on our posts.
- All members can contribute to this blog--just start a NEW POST and blog away as the HolySpirit urges you! Just remember to title your new post so we can find them later.
-All members can COMMENT on any post--just hit the COMMENT link and write as little or as much as you would like to say! THIS is where those little "thank you's" and "love it" comments will be greatly appreciated!
-PLEASE keep all posts to WRITTEN words only--NO PHOTOS, VIDEOS or IMAGES please! We are only allowed a limited amount of gigabytes per page and pictures eat that up quickly, effectively slowing down our page downloads and viewing.  Thanks for your understanding!


Ok--here we go, ladies! SO excited!!