Rich Indeed! July 31, 2009

Friends – girlfriends in particular, are a precious gift from God.  Women need other women with whom to talk, listen and relate.  Even after marriage girlfriends play a vital role in our sanctification and growth in godliness.  I’ve learned that my husband will never be like my girlfriends – He thanks God for that and for them!  He is totally unable to relate to me in the way my girlfriends can and this is how God intended it to be.  However, my husband is my dearest and closest friend.  I should never share things with friends that I haven’t already talked over with my husband.

Some of my closest friends are those I made when we were first married, sharing weddings, births of babies and church life together. We were all growing side-by-side in like things.  We shared common desires and goals as well as a wealth of fond memories.

Other friends God brought into my life at different seasons.  Some of these friends were only temporary and served a purpose for that time.  If I were to see them today, they would still be my friends; however, we’re not as close as we once were.

Then, there are the friends I have today.  These are those I am purposing to get with on a regular basis.  God has used my husband to help me determine which friendships to pursue.  Each year we’ll have this discussion, and most often we separately come up with the same names, confirmation that God is leading us.  Yet there have been years when he named someone I would not have thought of, and I can attest to the fact that some of these relationships have become dearest to my heart.  He regularly reminds me I should have older friends that I respect and long to be more like, those who are similar to me in age and season, and those younger who I can pour my life into as a mentoring friend.

It would be easy to be comfortable with the quality of friendships with which God has so graciously blessed me, but He won’t let me selfishly relax.  No, His desire for me is to continue pursuing others for my benefit and His glory.  I never know when the next woman I meet will end up becoming a lifelong friend.  So, I must always keep an open heart, ready and willing to embrace the godly friendships God has planned for me in the future.

I’m reminded of the simple song I learned as a Girl Scout:  Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.

That being said, God has made me rich indeed!

Posted by Debi

Friendships Stand The Test Of Time July 30, 2009

I love my friends! I am so very, very grateful for my friends! I have friends of all ages (some as young as 2 years old! haha!) and friends in all different walks of life. And they have all, in various ways and to varying degrees, been a means of grace in my life. They have spoken the truth in love, laughed with me, challenged me, goofed off with me, exemplified the fruits of the Spirit and the very love of Christ to me, cried with me, shown amazing amounts of patience with me, forgiven me, comforted me, taught me…the list just goes on and on. And most of these friends are ones I’ve made within my local church. What a privilege it is to have developed relationships over the years I’ve been here that have lasted and withstood the test of time and changing seasons!!

Recently I had the opportunity to celebrate a fun milestone with some friends. I realized that we’ve enjoyed deep friendships for years and years but…several years ago…things started changing for them. Hubbies came along, and then so did the babies. And nothing really changed for me. I worried how that might affect our relationships: would they have time for me? Would it be hard for me to be around them when I wasn’t in the same season?

The answer is yes. They did have time for me, though it now looks a little differently. And it was sometimes hard to be around them while not in the same season…ok it was OFTEN hard. But this was due to my own sinful cravings! The Lord used those times to show me that a friendship is not defined by the season of life you’re in or even how much you really have in common. My friends were still a means of grace in my life and still very much able to speak into my life! Though I’m still not in the same season as some of my friends, I am overwhelmed by the richness of friendships the Lord has given me through the years – and I wouldn’t trade my friends for anything….though I’m always up for adding to them!

And a few months ago I added my favorite one so far to the list. His name is David.  When Sheree asked me to post a pic of us together…well…I eagerly agreed.

Posted by Jennifer

New Series on Friendship! July 28, 2009

Girls love having friends.  My earliest memories as a toddler over 50 years ago involve friends.  When I trace my life I see faces in my mind — some of which are stuck in the 60′s or 70′s because I don’t have a facebook and haven’t seen those girls in decades.

Most of my memories are warm and good.  Like walking hand in hand; anticipating sleepovers; picking out “just right” birthday presents; and making sure we were on the same kickball team by moving in the line so we’d both be “2′s.”  Other memories are painful and involve jealousy, gossip, self-pity, resentment and feeling displaced by the “new” girl.  Like the time I told my 3rd grade friend I didn’t like her anymore or the year I forfeited a close friendship because the guy we both liked chose her instead of me.

I still love having friends.  And because my friends and I are all sinners, sometimes friendships are still painful.

So we’re starting a new series on friendship.  We’ll be sharing from our hearts about the blessings, responsibilities and sanctifying aspects of relationships with other girls.

Even at my age I still enjoy laughing with them.  Sharing my heart with them.  Praying and crying with them.  And I’m still tempted with jealousy or self-pity or fear of man when I allow my subjective feelings, rather than God’s word, to define what a good friend is.

We hope you will join us for this series.  We’re not exactly sure where it’s “going” right now.  But we’re praying God will use it to make us laugh and cry once again as we are reminded of the gift of friendship — and how God uses other women to enrich our lives and help us grow.

Posted by Sheree

Friday Favorite July 24, 2009

Okay, if you’re thinking about adopting a parrot and have a small baby in the house…you might want to think twice!  This is hilarious!

Have a joy-filled weekend!

Posted by Debi

More Love To Thee – Part 2 July 22, 2009

I shared my devotional prayer with you on Monday.  As a result of my prayer – God in His kindness gave me the secret key that will open more love in my heart for Him.  I must confess it wasn’t what I expected, nor what I wanted; but I see it is exactly what my soul needed to hear on this day when I am tempted to despair over the sins of others.

What is the key to unlocking more love in my heart for Christ?  It came to me in my Inbox from Grace Gems and was written by John Newton.  Only two little lines, but they pack a powerful truth:

The more vile we are in our own eyes

the more precious Christ will be to us!

So, on this day are you being tempted to despair over the sins of your children? your spouse? a friend or extended family member?  Are you longing for more love for Christ?  As we meditate on the reality of this truth – Christ and His sacrifice will become more and more precious to us.  And we will find ourselves with “more love to Thee”.

Posted by Debi

More Love To Thee July 20, 2009

I awoke this rainy morning with the following prayer on my heart – “Lord, give me more love for Thee!”  and this truth dawned on me…even my love for God originated with Him.  He is my source, my strength, my hope and my greatest friend!  And He is closer than I know.

It’s Monday, the day when most of us are tempted to be overwhelmed with the week ahead and the tasks to be completed.  Whether it’s starting school, moving, having a baby, returning home from a week away, or caring for a sick family member (these are all things our blog team writers are currently facing), we have this great hope:  God is our ever present help in our time of need.  And His Word is there to anchor our souls to Him.

So, go about your “to-do” list, but keep this prayer (a classic hymn) on your mind:

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Elizabeth P. Prentiss, 1818-1878

Posted by Debi

Love and Trust God’s Word! July 17, 2009

This post wraps up our series on “Loving and Trusting God’s Word”.  I decided to take some questions from each post to reflect on as a reminder of what we have read. Each question will be linked so that you can read the entire post again if you desire.

1. Do I honestly believe in the strength, power, and wisdom of God’s word?

2. Has God’s word — in part or in whole — become white noise?  Something humming in the background of my decisions, convictions, behavior and affections?  Are there imperatives of Scripture that I functionally view as optional?

3. Am I consistently a respectful wife who makes the hard task of leadership as easy as possible for my husband?

4. Feelings are an ever present reality in our lives. How do I deal with them? Is God’s word a lamp to my feet or white noise?

5. Do I find myself busy with everything but God’s word? Is it a priority for my day?

6. When I read my Bible or hear a sermon I am usually more affected by what I need to do and not by what He has already done for me?

7. Am I desperate for God in every season of my life and no matter what my current circumstances are?  Good and bad?

8. Is God’s holy Word the most reliable and profitable source for help and change in my life?

I am thinking this might be a great opportunity to sit down, write out some honest answers in my journal, and reflect back on them again and again.  Maybe even be able to give some better answers down the road!

I want to love AND trust God’s word everyday, no matter how busy I am; how challenging my circumstances are; or how much my kids trash my house.  The good news is, with His help, I can love and trust His word!

Posted by Jaime

Are You Desperate? July 15, 2009

Do you ever find that consistent time in God’s word can be “white noise” unless you feel like you really “need” Him?  Perhaps you feel like life is going well, your family life is going smoothly, and nothing dramatic has happened or is happening, so you can easily get comfortable with not making a devotional life a priority. 

I know for me this has been somewhat of a pattern in my life.  There have been times over the years I’ve found myself running after the Lord during desperate times, but not so much during normal times.  I would become too comfortable living in my own strength and not relying on God unless I felt there was a “real” need for Him.  Doesn’t that sound terrible?  The good news is, God did not “punish” me for that.  His grace still sustained me in my most desperate hour and need.  His love carried me even when I was not pursuing Him all the time, or if I was up with babies for a couple years and felt like it was all I could do to just pray before falling asleep.

A couple months ago I went through a difficult time in my life.  In the months leading up to the situation, I found myself really desperate for God even though there was nothing really going on.  I wanted to become consistent in my devotions and to pursue God because he is God, not because I felt desperate.  After a few months, the difficult situation arose and the really cool thing is, I felt ready!  In the past I would really feel broken down when something happened, I would usually react in a fearful, overwhelmed way, and after many talks with my mom, realize there is a God in heaven and He is here for me.  This time, I felt the presence of God immedietly.  There was no “freaking out”, feeling overwhelmed, loss of hope, or sense of being alone. There were tears and fears of course, but I felt like the Lord was with me and I was able to mediate on many things I had been reading in the past months to help sustain me.

It amazes me how even through the times God’s word was “white noise” to me, He sustained me every time in the past.  What amazes me even more is how much more of His presence I felt when I pursued him during the times I was not so desperate.  It was like I was more ready for the attacks because my mind had been in His word.  

I pray now that I will never allow the word to become “white noise” to me again and I will not ever grow comfortable in my own strength again.  I know I will fail, and thankfully, we serve a forgiving and loving God who does not base His grace on what we do, but I want to always be desperate for Him in every season of my life and no matter what my current circumstances are.

Posted by Jaime

White noise to me? July 13, 2009

Has God’s Word become white noise?   I really had never thought of this before.  Now I can’t stop thinking about it.

Is most of what I read and hear in God’s Word white noise to me?  Is this why my sanctification in areas seems so painfully slow?  Is the Gospel really just background noise to me, not really affecting the way I live each day?  I so wish I could say an unequivocal” No” to all these questions, but sadly I cannot.  If I take an honest look at my life, which sometimes I really don’t want to do, I must admit that there must be parts of God’s Word which have become white noise to me.

Day by day and minute by minute my life is not always informed by the gospel.  When I read my Bible or hear a sermon I am usually more affected by what I need to do and not by what He has already done for me.  I am looking for a plan to change or answers to my questions or a list to tell me what to do.  I am not looking at the One who has done it all for me.  I tend to glaze over the parts which talk about my Savior and focus on what I think I need to hear.  I don’t really see myself as the chief of sinners who has been forgiven much, so my perspective is skewed.

So much of this shows itself in my self-sufficiency.  In these areas and much more, I try to do it all myself.  The head knowledge is there, but much of the heart, which can only come from fully embracing the gospel, can be absent from my daily life.

Father, give me a heart to embrace the gospel.  Forgive me for the many times I have pushed aside your word to meet my own agenda.  Help me to filter out the world and not any part of your word.  As I read your word or hear it preached let your glorious gospel be the thing that stands out above all else.  Let the lens of my life be filtered by the gospel, so that all passes through it before I interact with this world.

Time Flies! July 10, 2009

“How on earth can it be July already?! What happened to the first six months of the year?! What an insanely busy season this has been!” 

Yeah, let’s face it: there’s really never an “un-busy” season of our lives, is there? The circumstances look different at different times, but hours melt into days, which morph into months…and those months somehow manage to soar past us as years (Psalm 39:4-5). Before we know it, we’re in a new season of our lives: school, career, wife, new mommy, mommy with older children, empty nester – you get the picture.

Rarely do we hear people complaining they have nothing to do. Rather, it’s just the opposite! We often spend an inordinate amount of time complaining we have so much to do, lamenting the lack of time with which to get tasks completed and worrying about the effects of those unfinished tasks.

And, sadly, the first thing I often sacrifice in the midst of a busy day is my time spent seeking and pursuing the Lord. It’s not that the desire isn’t there – it is! It’s just crowded out – becoming “white noise” – by the things that “must” be done. People are waiting for me to be at work (or fix breakfast, turn in that paper, pick up the grandkids for the day…you fill in the blank) and I determine to carve out some time later in the day to spend a few minutes reading, praying and journaling. Suddenly, though, it’s 1:00am and I’ve filled my day with everything but some time with the Lord. The day He created for me to spend honoring Him, I’ve just scurried through half-heartedly looking for a way to fit Him in here or there. 

Are the effects noticeable? Can you immediately tell I haven’t been intentional about making it a priority to pursue my Lord? Probably not. However, there’s a yummy Georgia peach from my good friend Kathy sitting on my desk (by the way, the Summertime Peach Ice Cream really is amazing – I made some last night!) that is starting to look a tad wrinkly. I know that within a day or two, it won’t be so yummy anymore – it’ll be all shriveled up. What a picture of my soul! 

Amazingly, the effects really are there throughout the day. It is evident in my temptations to fear, my laziness, my lack of self-control, a harsh response to a teasing comment from a friend, giving in to the lustful thought, etc. There’s certainly nothing “magical” about spending time with the Lord. I know this. But to think that much of my day is taken up with needless and sinful thoughts and actions without the proper preparation for these temptations…it’s like a ship that is being battered by a storm and can’t tell which direction to sail. Or a privilege that has been relegated to the rank of “white noise.”

So I’m off – off to see what I can cut out of my day so I can spend time with my Saviour, off to make “white noise” the priority. I can’t wait!! 

Lord, thank You for the gift of your Word! Thank You for the privilege it is to be able to come before Your throne at any time! Help me to never take either for granted but to make the pursuit of You my first priority – each and every day. Open my eyes to see when it starts to become “white noise” and fade to the background of my life. Thank You for the grace You give every day!! In Your Name I pray, amen.

Posted by Jennifer