Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

August 16, 2012
I Want to Be Pursued
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he us in mind, and had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love," - (Ephesians 1:4 MSG).

Friend to Friend
I was in college when I first eyed my husband. He was sitting on the floor at a friend's Bible study gathering with his back against the wall, dressed in scruffy jeans and a red flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled halfway up his muscular forearms. His thick brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes left me weak in the knees. And the best part was that this handsome hunk of a man had a tattered Bible in his lap. He laughed easily, prayed humbly, and read intently. I was smitten from the first time I laid eyes on Steve.

After a few weeks, he finally asked me out on a date. We continued seeing each other over the next several weeks, but I was still accepting invitations from others as well. One night, Steve asked me to a college football game, and I agreed to go. Then he said, "Can I just ask you? Will you go with me to all of the football games for the rest of the year?"

"I'm not going to answer that question," I replied. "You'll just have to ask me each week."

Looking back on those early days, what I was really saying was that I wanted to be pursued. None of this blanket invitation for the entire Fall business. I wanted to be wooed and won. Even though he had me the moment I saw him sitting on the shag carpet floor, I didn't want him to know that. I wanted him to show me I was worth putting forth the effort to capture my heart. Isn't that the desire of every woman's heart?

And nobody does it better than God.

The entire Bible from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22:21 is a record of God's passionate pursuit of the human heart. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, a string of kings, both good and bad, intermingled with prophets wooing and warning God's people. We end the last chapter of the Old Testament with silence. And then 400 years later, God breaks the holy hush with the cry of a babe in a manger as the story picks back up in Bethlehem.

From God's first question, "Where are you?" until Jesus' final words, "It is finished," we see God drawing mankind with cords of kindness that sometimes appear anything but kind—drawing people back to Himself with ties of love (Hosea 11:4). We've wiggled and wrangled trying to break free of those cords, but He continues to lasso us with love and draw us in again.

Passionate pursuit. He's pulled out all the stops to woo and win your heart. 

Be on the lookout today. God is pursuing you. Sending you love notes in the sky. Serenading you in the song of a bird. Salting your thirst to know him more. This email is simply one of the many ways he's pursuing you today.

Let's Pray
Jesus, I am almost blushing at the many ways you have pursued me. Love struck, really. Forgive me for not noticing your advances or taking them for granted. My eyes are open to moments of sudden glory today-moments when you make your articulate presence known.
In Your Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read through the Song of Solomon. If your Bible has headings, read the parts with the heading Lover.  Read them as Jesus pursuing you.

What are some ways that Jesus has pursued you lately? Click over to my blog/devo pageand leave a comment. Just look for today's post.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you long to feel close to God but sense there's something missing? That you've missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do have a glory ache – a persistent longing to experience God's presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me and discover how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred and experience a deeper more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

August 17, 2012
Be Still
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

Friend to Friend
There was a crisp chill slipping through the window as I headed to the couch to get with God before rushing into my day. I filled up my coffee mug, lit a cinnamon bun scented jar candle and nestled into my corner spot. Before I could get comfortable, however, I realized that the combination of the morning breeze and the ceiling fan were a bit much for my shorts-clad legs. I jumped up from the couch and turned the ceiling fan off ... for possibly the first time in five or six months.

As I got back into my comfy prayer corner, I looked up at the fan, now still, and drew a deep breath of surprise. Dirt! All over the blades of my ceiling fan! And when I say that I saw dirt, let me tell you, it wasn't just a smidgeon ... it was a good amount of dirt. Yuck. When did that happen? How did it get there? Note to self: clean fan today.

I brought my Bible and prayer journal to my lap, ready to talk to God and seek His direction for the day, but before I could even lift my pen and open the Word, I heard a soul whisper, "Be still."

"I'm here, Lord! Ready to talk. Ready to pray," my heart responded.

Again...the whisper, "Be still."

"Like the fan, LORD?" I wondered?

Then it hit me: when I slow my soul to still and listen quietly, God gently shows me the dirt on the blades of my heart. You see, I'm an action girl. I love to move and chat and go, go, go. Dust doesn't settle on my days – but – as God reminded me, dirt sure can settle on my heart.

I nod knowingly. "It's Your kindness that leads me to repentance, oh Lord." (Romans 2:4)

When I slow to still and know that He is God, I am face to face with His holiness. In light of His holiness, my wretchedness is revealed. His love and kindness brings revelation that causes my heart to ache for restoration. So I confess. I confess my mess. My heart dirt. And His mercy runs. Before the confessions leave my tongue, the blades of my heart are sparkling. Wiped clean with the righteousness of Grace. Beautiful, far-reaching grace.

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to thosewhose heart is blameless toward him" (2 Chronicles 16:9, ESV).

This grace is for every one of us – and it begins and ends with Jesus Christ. It's for me. It's for you. Whether you are at work, at home, at the hospital or in a jail cell. He's whispering, "Be still." Whether you are struggling with life strains or are in a season of reprieve. "Be still." Whether you have a house full of crazy noise or an apartment filled with ordered quiet. "Be still." Whether the diagnosis is cancer, the sting of betrayal is fresh, the Hope you cling to resounds, or you are weary and unsettled. "Be still." Know that He is God. Know that He is good. He is in control. He loves you. He is able. He is holy. He is worthy. Oh, so worthy.

Then, in the stillness ... respond.

O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.
You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!
Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
(Psalm 139:1-6, 23-24, NLT)

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I'm here. I'm still. Please reveal my heart dirt. (Pause to listen and reflect.) I confess these sins to You ________________ and I ask that you remove them as far as the east is from the west. Thanks for capturing me with Your grace once again. Help me to know and love You more today.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now it's Your Turn
·         Read Psalm 139 in its entirety. Pray responsively or journal about the inescapable presence of God.
·         Be still before Him.
·         Visit my Facebook pageand leave a comment about where this finds you today.

More from the Girlfriends
The noise of life can be so loud. I'm right there with you trying to hit the mute button each day. Failing on many days. One way I've found to center my heart on God is to hear stories of His grace. Broken into Beautiful is a book filled with stories – real stories ... gritty and honest, not cleaned up and phony. It's also filled with Scripture that will inspire you toward the life-changing grace of Jesus. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

LOVE MUSIC? Check out Gwen's CD, Uncluttered.The songs of Uncluttered are purposed to help your soul be still. They will sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Join Gwen on PINTEREST! You can find her boards here: www.pinterest.com/GwenSmithMusic.

[Judy Harder]

August 20, 2012
Learning to Abide
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
John 15:4-5 (NASB) "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing."

Friend to Friend
It's that time of year again. Schools are recruiting parents to help with classroom duties, sports teams are looking for team moms, your church is asking for help ... and the list seems to go on and on. How do you react when an opportunity for service presents itself? Do you feel guilty saying "no" and end up saying "yes" because if you don't do it, no one will? Why do women feel as if they have to do it all? Oh, I am certain that a woman can do just about anything she sets her mind to do. I'm just not sure she can or should do it all at the same time.

For years, I tried to earn the love and approval of God by doing everything I could find to do. If a position needed filling, I filled it. If a job needed doing, I did it. If volunteers were called for, mine was the first hand raised. After all, if I was doing all of these important things, I must be important - right? The result was two dark years spent at the bottom of a deep, ugly pit called clinical depression. It was as if God allowed me to run to the end of myself, then shut the door and turned out the lights. I heard Him loud and clear, "That is enough! It is time for you to abide in me." I knew very little about "abiding" but a whole lot about "doing." I soon learned that to abide in God, to rest in Him requires a balanced life with right priorities.

One of the main factors in my battle with clinical depression was that I didn't understand how to live a balanced life. I found it difficult to set boundaries, failed to establish margins of time for the unplanned or unexpected, and unwittingly surrendered my God-ordained priorities to the empty, vain addiction of just "doing the next thing" or pleasing the loudest voice. Balance can easily become a casualty of this ongoing battle. While sitting in the darkness, waiting on God, I discovered that the pit of despair is a very common destination for those who refuse to measure and balance the sometimes overwhelming demands of home, family, friends, work and personal growth. I had been running the race for the wrong audience and was relying on my own very limited power instead of God's power.

I wish I could tell you that I now lead a perfectly balanced life, but the truth is that I constantly have to examine and evaluate my priorities and goals in order to find the holy balance God intends. Many of you tell me that you have the same struggle. Just like you, I have to make difficult choices between the good things and the best things. When I make the wrong choices, I can sense myself sliding toward the dangerous edge of that deep, dark pit. I don't want to go there again – so the battle continues. The good news is that I don't have to fight this battle alone and neither do you. God is with us, urging us toward the light and His restoration power that comes from a heart and life that rests and abides in Him.

Let's Pray
Father, I desperately need Your guidance in setting priorities and goals. I am so tired of trying to please everyone in my life. I want to please You and do what You alone have created me to do. Help me learn how to listen for Your voice. Teach me how to see and do Your perfect plan for my life. I want to live each day abiding in You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Set aside 30 minutes this week to spend alone with God.
Examine your life for areas that are out of balance.
Record each area in your journal.
Surrender that unbalanced area to God and ask Him to show you how to abide in Him instead of relying upon yourself and your own strength.
Set aside one day this month for a silent retreat. Go to the beach – a park – or even your back yard! Just get alone with God and take a spiritual inventory of your priorities, time management and goals. The results may surprise you. 
More from the Girlfriends
I have decided that a perfectly balanced life was lived only once on this earth – by Jesus Christ. My chances of doing so are slim. It would be so easy to just throw my hands in the air or dive back under the covers and pray that the world will just go away and leave me alone. Been there? You are not alone, girlfriend. Gwen, Sharon and I fight the same battle every single day. We are all in different seasons of life, but the struggle is the same as we learn how to put God first and then allow Him to set our agenda for each day.

Need help?Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. The current topic is "Stop! Drop! Roll!" Learn how to set goals and priorities that honor God and give you peace and purpose. Join now and have access to all of the topics covered in 2012. And be sure to drop by Mary's online store where you will find MP3 downloads, CDs, Video downloads and E-Book Bible Studies that will equip and empower you to live a life of victory. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

August 21, 2012
God's Relentless Romance
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"The whole earth is full of his glory," (Isaiah 6:3 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Steve and I were driving home from dinner when I posed a question about romance.

"Steve, I heard someone once say that a woman defines romance as the feeling of being continually pursued. What do you think about that?"

"I don't think that is very realistic, or practical," he replied. "A man can't continually pursue a woman. Why should he? A man pursues a woman, but at some point, she has to make a decision to marry him or not. To let herself be caught or walk away. A decision has to be made. The pursing has to stop at some point."

"And I think that is one of the problems in marriages today," I answered back. "The man stops pursuing the woman's heart after she says 'I do'."

"I don't understand what you mean," he said. "You pursue something to catch it. When you get married, that means you caught her."

"I know it doesn't make sense to a man," I continued. "But a woman wants to continually feel pursued. Maybe that's why married women escape with movies like Pride and Prejudice or get absorbed in Romance novels. They are trying to grasp for, cling to, or stir up that feeling of being pursued. But for a guy, after the ink on the marriage license dries, it seems the man thinks the need for pursuit dries up as well. The bride and groom walk across the moat of singleness, into the castle of marriage, and he pulls the drawbridge up as if it's a done deal. The End."

"But a man can't spend his life pursuing someone he's already captured," Steve argued.

"Why not?" I asked.

Oh, friend, are you getting tired? I know this conversation made no sense to Steve. And listen, he is a very romantic guy. He puts forth more effort than most men I know. But this idea of romance being a continual pursuit was beyond his male ability to comprehend or execute.

Not so with God. He gets it. He does it.

C. S. Lewis, in his work, The Weight of Glory, argued that the most fundamental thing is not how we think of God but rather what God thinks of us. "How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important."  God thinks that you are worth romancing with glory moments to capture your heart time and time again.

The question is, do we get it? Do we see God's continual wooing of our heart? Daily? Hourly? Do we recognize the romance of God in the routine of life?

Right smack dab in the middle of writing this chapter, God sent me a love note. I stopped writing, turned aside, and paid attention. Then I opened by journal and jotted it down. It may seem out of place here, but I want to show you how God can interrupt and infuse your life with sudden glory moments. Some ridiculously outrageous and others relatively subtle. Here's my journal entry:

It is gray outside. The sky is gray and in turn, the lake beyond my window is gray. The water reflects the sky in a monochromatic palate of gray. The gray trees are bare with a smattering of dead, brown leaves that refuse to release their grip. A naked weeping willow's graceful gray fingers wave with a gentle breeze. And a light drizzle falls from the sky. More gray. I'm writing today. Gray words on a white screen.         

And in the middle of my gray world, a vibrant red cardinal is perched on a nearby limb. His face is ringed in black. His Mohawk feathers stand perfectly groomed atop his regal head. His orange beak accents his crimson face. He looks at me and keeps me company for hours. I wonder if he even knows the joy he brings to my pale world today. I wonder if he is God's love note to me. I choose to believe so. In the grayness, God has sent me a splash of color. And I swoon.

When you expect God to make His presence known, you begin to see His hand and hear His voice in moments of sudden glory—as you live and move and have your being in Him. Signs of His presence brighten even the dullest days when you have eyes open to see. When you tune your senses to God's timbre, you begin to hear His song. Receptivity and attentiveness are the frequency of His voice. Hearing God's voice and sensing His presence is not difficult, but it is otherworldly. So pay attention to His advances. He rejoices when you glance His way.

Let's Pray
Jesus, Thank you for never giving up on me, even when I am so think-headed. Thank you for continuing to pursue my heart, even when I miss your love notes time and time again. I am paying attention to your advances today.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
I hope you got a chuckle from my conversation with Steve about romance. What would you say is a good definition of romance?

Today pay attention to the ways God is romancing you. Don't miss it.

Just for fun, what is the most romantic thing anyone ever did for you? Let's share on my blog/devo page.Click over and leave a comment on today's post.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you long to feel close to God but sense there's something missing? That you've missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do have a glory ache – a persistent longing to experience God's presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me and discover how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred and experience a deeper more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

August 22, 2012
Oh, no!  She's awake!
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.' " (NIV)

Friend to Friend
For many years, I did everything I possibly could to hide or erase any weakness in my life. When that didn't work, I simply pretended that those weak areas didn't exist. Why? Because if I was weak, how could Jesus love me? How could anyone love me? How could I love myself?

When our son, Jered, began to walk, I immediately noticed that his feet turned inward. Our pediatrician recommended a specialist who examined Jered thoroughly, then ordered several x-rays. The more he examined Jered, the more concerned we became. When the specialist finally called us in for a consultation, we braced ourselves for bad news ... just in case. The doctor's stoic face revealed nothing but his diagnosis was a gift. "There is nothing wrong with Jered's feet," he said. "They are simply the feet of a natural athlete and were designed to give him great balance." What we feared as a weakness, an obstacle to overcome, was, in reality, a great strength and part of the Master's plan for Jered who graduated from college with the help of a football and academic scholarship. 

The same is true in our lives as children of God. We were created by God, according to His plan, in love and with purpose – weaknesses and all. "God in heaven appoints each person's work." (John 3:27 NLT) We tend to view our weaknesses as liabilities. However, since our worth does not depend upon us in any way, we can and must be honest about our weaknesses, knowing they do not diminish our value in the heart and mind of God but can, in fact, become the areas through which God does His greatest work.

Instead, we try to ignore weaknesses, hoping no one will notice. We live in denial, assigning blame to others when we fail. Eventually, we attempt to bury our weaknesses only to find them resurrecting themselves when we least expect it. A powerful life embraces pain, brokenness and weakness and understands that perfection is for Heaven, not Earth. The words of Paul are profound, "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27 NIV).

When we are honest about our weaknesses, we are conceding the fact that only God can accomplish anything good in or through us. God's power is instantly recognizable in obvious weakness. God has always allowed man's weakness to validate the immeasurable need of His redemption and His sufficiency in our lives. He can and will use us if we allow Him to do so – not despite our weaknesses – but through our weaknesses. We are not the message – just the messenger. Our weaknesses are not excuses to escape God's plan but divinely appointed opportunities for that plan to work.   

Noah was a drunk.
Abraham was too old.
Isaac was a daydreamer.
Jacob was a liar.
Leah was ugly.
Joseph was abused.
Moses had a stuttering problem.
Gideon was afraid.
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young.
David had an affair and was a murderer.
Elijah was suicidal.
Isaiah preached naked.
Jonah ran from God.
Naomi was a widow.
Job went bankrupt.
John the Baptist ate bugs.
Peter denied Christ.
The Disciples fell asleep while praying.
Martha worried about everything.
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once.
Zaccheus was too small.
Paul was too religious and Lazarus was dead!

(Author unknown)

More important than where you have been or even where you are, is where you are headed. Don't wait until you have it all figured out. That won't happen, this side of Heaven. Don't wait until you think you are good enough. You never will be. Step up to the plate and be the imperfect you; allowing God's perfection to shine through each and every weakness. Do not listen to the doubts and lies of Satan. His goal is to render you helpless and defeated, no longer a threat to him or his kingdom. I recently told a friend, "I want to get to the place in my walk with God, that when my feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, "Oh, no! She's awake!"  I know I have a long way to go, but join me in the choice to embrace weakness and pain, allowing God's strength and restoration to shine through each broken place.

Let's Pray
Father, right now, I yield to the truth that I am weak and You are strong. Forgive me for the arrogance and pride that makes me think I can do anything good on my own. Keep me broken, Father, and on my face before You. Please use the broken places in my life to let Your light shine through.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Make a list of the weaknesses you see in your life.
Read the story of Gideon in Judges 6:1 – 27.
What was Gideon's response to God when God called him to serve? What is your usual response to God's voice?
Whose strength accomplished the task God called Gideon to do? How can you relate that to your own daily life?
More from the Girlfriends
For years, I struggled with not being good enough. Many of my hopes and dreams were lost or paralyzed by doubt and fear ... until I found myself in a clinical pit of depression where God taught me so many life changing lessons. No one can take my place in the Father's heart. I am indispensable to no one but God. I will never be "good enough" but my relationship with God does not exist because of good works, nor will it be sustained by what I do. Instead, He lives through me and I live by His power. Do not let the enemy backhand you with the lie that you are nothing to God. Girlfriend, you are everything to Him. Go for it!

Need help?Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. The current topic is "Stop! Drop! Roll!" Learn how to set goals and priorities that honor God and give you peace and purpose. Join now and have access to all of the topics covered in 2012.

And be sure to drop by Mary's online store where you will find MP3 downloads, CDs, Video downloads and E-Book Bible Studies that will equip and empower you to live a life of victory. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

August 23, 2012
The King and His Maiden
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"But made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant," (Philippians 2:7 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Soren Kierkegaard crafted a parable titled, "The King and His Maiden" to demonstrate the lengths God took to win our hearts. It goes something like this:

Suppose there was a king who loved a humble maiden. The king was like no other king. Every statesman trembled before his power. No one dared breathe a word against him, for he had the strength to crush all opponents.

And yet this mighty king was melted by love for a humble maiden who lived in a poor village in his kingdom. How could he declare his love for her? In an odd sort of way, his kingliness tied his hands. If he brought her to the palace and crowned her head with jewels and clothed her body in royal robes, she would surely not resist-no one dared resist him. But would she love him?

She would say she loved him, of course, but would she truly? Or would she live with him in fear, nursing a private grief for the life she had left behind? Would she be happy at his side? How could he know for sure? If he rode to her forest cottage in his royal carriage, with an armed escort waving bright banners, that too would overwhelm her. He did not want a cringing subject. He wanted a lover, an equal. He wanted her to forget that he was a king and she a humble maiden and to let shared love cross the gulf between them. For it is only in love that the unequal can be made equal.

The king, convinced he could not elevate the maiden without crushing her freedom, resolved to descend to her. Clothed as a beggar, he approached her cottage with a worn cloak fluttering loose about him. This was not just a disguise—the king took on a totally new identity—He had renounced his throne to declare his love and to win hers.

Likewise, the King, your King, lowered himself to a place of putting on human flesh in His pursuit of your heart. Paul described it this way:

[Jesus] who, being in very nature God,
Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
But made himself nothing,
Taking the very nature of a servant,
Being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled himself
And became obedient to death –
Even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
And gave him the name that is above every name,
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
In heaven and on earth and under the earth,
And every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
To the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11)

Why would God do such a thing? Because He loves you and longs to have an intimate, personal relationship with you. It was a high price to pay, but Jesus knew you were worth it.

Oh friend, you are not only chosen, you are pursued to the utmost! Chosen. Pursued. Loved. And when you understand the great lengths God has gone through and continues to go through to win your love, it changes how you view all of life.

Let's Pray
Jesus, sometimes I can barely take it in – all that You gave up for me. For me! Help me to lead a life worthy of the price You paid.
In Your Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
How has knowing all that Jesus gave up for you changed your life?

How does knowing all that Jesus gave up for you, change the way you see yourself?

Click over to my blog/devo postand share your answers. I'm going to randomly pick two comments and send them a free copy of my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you long to feel close to God but sense there's something missing? That you've missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do have a glory ache – a persistent longing to experience God's presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me in discovering how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred and experience a deeper more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

August 24, 2012
Finding Strength in the Fire Swamps
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." (Isaiah 40:30-31, NIV)

Friend to Friend
There's a scene in the whimsical and quirky film The Princess Bride in which some bad guys were chasing the movie's two main characters, Princess Buttercup and Wesley. In order to escape, Buttercup and Wesley ran into the treacherous Fire Swamp. (Insert scary music and creepy feelings here.) The Fire Swamp has three challenges: fire spurts, quicksand, and the ROUS - rodents of unusual size. (Stay with me...) At one point in the Fire Swamp adventure, Princess Buttercup fell into a pit of dry quicksand, instantly vanishing. Her brave hero, Wesley, quickly grabbed a sturdy vine then plunged in to save his true love. Moments later both characters emerged from the quicksand gasping for breath, stunned by the events that just took place.

Life clutter can sometimes consume us just as fast and leave us gasping for breath, stunned. When we find ourselves in the fire swamps, we ask question after question: How did this happen? How did I get here? How do I get out of this scary place? Does anyone know I'm in this pit? Who will be my hero?

Falling into the quicksand of situational fire swamps becomes a greater risk when we run on empty. Without a doubt, I'm more vulnerable on the days when my schedule is so full that my God-time is minimized. You probably know what it feels like to have a day filled with activity but a heart filled with empty. I imagine you, too, feel at times as if all you do is work, work, work and give, give, give. You feel lonely among crowds of people and wonder if anyone really sees you or if anyone really cares. At times, you have too many obligations, too much stress, and not enough strength.

In order to survive these pitfalls, we must wait upon God – the One who won't grow tired or weary. He has strength readily available for us and knows where to direct our steps. "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31, NIV)

King David said it like this, "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God" (Psalm 40:1-3a).

Fire swamps of life come and go. There's really no avoiding them. We can, however, be spiritually prepared to face their challenges. God equips us – strengthens us – as we wait on Him. As we trust in Him. As we dwell with Him.

Have you refueled in His presence lately? Take time to meet with God one-on-one today. As the psalmist wrote, "Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool – arise, O LORD, and come to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might" (Psalm 132:7-8).

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, You are my Strong Tower, my Deliverer, and my Shelter. I'm running to You now. Please renew my strength. Please lead me with Your Holy Spirit and guide my day.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now it's Your Turn
·         Are there obligations in your life that could be eliminated? Take a few moments to consider your schedule and your circumstances. What needs to stay and what needs to go? Make a list and then make an action plan.

·         Go to God with your list and lean in to listen to His leading!

·         You may or may not know this, but I'm a total worship chick. I'd love to share a song / music video with you that coordinates with today's devotion. Ready to go deeper? CLICK HERE

More from the Girlfriends
Today's GiG devotion is adapted from Trusting God by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland by permission of Multnomah, division of Random House, Inc. Are you ready to begin a new faith adventure? Get a copy of the book!

Need some help un-cluttering on a soul level? Uncluttered is the perfect title to my latest CD. An album that sweeps you away from excess 'life-noise', this music focuses your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. You can download the songs from iTunes or Amazon– or order CDs on www.GwenSmith.net.

Gwen Smith's testimony is featured in the book Broken into Beautiful, along with Scriptural truths and stories of how God has brought restoration the hearts of many other women who have found themselves trapped in the Fire Swamps of life. Experience God's healing and hope in your life today as you read Broken Into Beautiful. To order the book online, please visit Gwen's website or grab a copy from Amazon or your favorite Christian bookstore.

[Judy Harder]

August 27, 2012
Saved to Sit and Sour?
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing (Ephesians 2:10, NCV).

Friend to Friend
I recently decided it was time to clean house ... I mean really clean house. I gave my husband fair warning and gathered my supplies. I bought a huge box of garbage bags along with just about every kind of cleaning product imaginable. I was serious!

I made my plan. I would attack one room a day and thoroughly clean every square inch of that room. I went through every drawer, cabinet and closet in our home – cleaning and organizing. If it had not been used in the last year, it was either tossed or given away. I put on my favorite praise music and scrubbed and cleaned like a mad woman.

Of course, I had a list. With each passing day, the list grew shorter while my sense of accomplishment and satisfaction increased. At the end of each day, I wearily but happily marked something off of that list.

But when I got to the kitchen and began to work on the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink, a foul odor slapped me in the face and stopped me in my tracks. I could not imagine what was causing such a nasty smell. And then I spotted it. A few weeks earlier, I had cleaned the oven with an old sponge. Evidently, I hadn't squeezed all the water out of the sponge and had just tossed the slightly damp sponge in the back of the cabinet and forgotten about it. The sponge was now slimy, nasty and stank to high heaven.

When we come to Christ, He fills our lives with blessings and then wants us to share those blessings with others. When life puts the "squeeze" on us, what comes out should be a sweet smelling aroma – not a stagnant and rancid odor. We are not saved to sit and sour. Jesus wants us to get up and go – sharing what He has done in our lives – letting His joy and love spill out of our hearts into the hungry and searching souls of others.

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing (Ephesians 2:10, NCV).

The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are made of the same water that flows down, clear and cold from the heights of Hermon and the roots of the cedars of Lebanon. The Sea of Galilee is a place of great beauty because it has an outlet. It gathers in its riches and then pours them out again to fertilize the Jordan plain. However, the Dead Sea, with the same water creates horror. The Dead Sea has no outlet. It gets to keep.

When we come to God, one of our first "natural" responses is to serve Him. In fact, our service to God should be spontaneous, enthusiastic and tireless. If there is no desire to serve or we find it hard to serve, then there is something wrong in our relationship with God.

We were created to serve God and to worship Him – here on earth and for eternity. Worship and service cannot be separated. When we worship God, we will naturally serve Him and when we serve God, we are worshipping Him.

There are many Christians who are doing nothing, but there are no Christians who have nothing to do. When we think of a servant, we may think of someone who reports to work for a specific amount of time and is paid a specific wage. That is an employee - not a servant. The word "serve" comes from the Greek word "latreuo" and is often translated as "worship." It is not the picture of a slave serving a master. It is the picture of a love relationship that compels action.

Romans 12:1 (NIV) "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

We worship God by pleasing Him in the daily routines of life. In other words, we should consider each day as a worship service to God.

·         Cleaning house
·         Cooking meals
·         Making beds
·         Taking care of children
·         Helping a neighbor
·         Buying groceries
·         Teaching a bible study
·         Listening to a hurting friend

Service begins in the heart where it was conceived in love and then works its way out in daily life as an act of praise and gratitude. No doubt about it, girlfriend. We were saved by God to serve – not sit and sour. 

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for sending Your son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place and pay for my sin. I can never thank You enough for Your grace, mercy and love. I want to serve You with my whole heart. Please lead and direct me in the way You have for me to go. I want to be Your servant.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

List several talents and gifts that you recognize in your own life.
How are you using those talents and gifts to serve God?
Ask those who know you best to identify your strengths. You may be surprised at their response.
Look for ways to serve in the areas that give you the most joy.
More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. The current topic is "Stop! Drop! Roll!"Learn how to set goals and priorities that honor God and give you peace and purpose. Join now and have access to all of the topics covered in 2012.

And be sure to drop by Mary's online store where you will find MP3 downloads, CDs, Video downloadsand E-Book Bible Studiesthat will equip and empower you to live a life of victory. Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

August 28, 2012
Hearing God's Love Song
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing," (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV, 1984 ed.).

Friend to Friend
I was riding on a chairlift at Keystone ski resort in Colorado. "Single," I had called out while standing in line—the proper etiquette for those skiing alone. No one took me up on the offer to share the chair...and I breathed a sigh of relief. I was alone. I was glad.

As the gears churned and the cables strained to pull my metal chair up the mountain, I sensed God's presence surrounding me. I wasn't alone after all. Wrapped in the down of His love and zipped up with the security of His grace, I settled in for the brisk morning ride. The great Rockies dressed in winter's garment of glistening snow stood tall all around me. Strong. Powerful. Majestic. Sure. The lapis vault of heaven canopied the earth with wisps of feathery brushstrokes. Delicate. Winsome. Graceful. Changing. It seemed as if the breath of God kissed my cheeks with the tingling crispness of that Colorado morning.

As the braids of metal drew me higher and higher, I heard a mother and her daughter begin to sing. "Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing. Power and majesty praise to the king. Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name."

Like an old couple that warms with remembrance when "their song" comes on the radio, I basked in knowing that God had specifically pushed G-5 on the jukebox just for me. For they were singing our song—God's and mine. It had been our song since I first heard the words in 1994. And it seemed God had just commissioned two of his children to serenade me. He was wooing me once again with music that wafted from behind and embraced my heart.

"He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing," (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV, 1984 ed.). God sang His love song and I drank it in.

I closed my eyes, captivated by His evident love for me. A moment of sudden glory in the Rockies. I didn't want to get off the chair lift. I thought of Peter's words to Jesus after he had seen the transfiguration up on another high mountain two thousand years ago: "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah" (Matthew 17:4). Like Peter who had seen Jesus' sun-drenched face illuminate and His body clothed in light, I didn't want the moment to end. I wanted to pitch a tent and settle in. But just as Peter had to return to the valley below, I had to return to the flatlands.

Treks down the hill are always part of the mountain peak moments of sudden glory. That moment in the Rockies, when God wooed me with our love song through the timbre of two of his children, He was simply giving me another reminder of His love for me. Remember, He whispered. "I have loved you, with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness," (Jeremiah 31:3).

I slid off the chair lift and onto the snow packed ramp. With a push of the poles and a dig of the skis, I headed back down the mountain once again. And our great love story continued from the peaks of the Rockies to the muddy, slushy, slopes and masses of people below. God had pursued and romanced my heart once again.

God has pulled out all the stops in pursuit of your heart. But many, I dare say most, don't see it, don't hear it, and don't taste it. "Blessed are your eyes because they see," Jesus said, "and your ears because they hear," (Matthew 13:16).

We yearn to be cherished as a rare treasure. We dream of a love that is fresh every morning with anticipation of what the day may hold. We long for a love that will not wane with time or diminish with the doldrums of everyday life. And that is exactly what God wants to give you. I pray that you will hear God's love song and find His love notes lavishly tucked in the moments. That you will recognize the romance of God in the routine of your life. That is exactly what you can expect when in him we live and move and have our being becomes a reality in your life. It is then that you experience a sacred union with God. 

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You for relentless romance of my heart. Thank You for love that is fresh every morning – a love that will not wane or diminish with time. Thank You for the moments of sudden glory where You make Your presence known in my life.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What does Psalm 136 tell you about God's love?

What does Jeremiah 31:3 tell you about God's love for you?  What picture do the words "drawn you" paint in your mind?

Do you and God have a favorite love song? Click over to my blog/devo post and share your favorite. I've already told you mine. Now, what's yours?

More from the Girlfriends
Do you long to feel close to God but sense there's something missing? That you've missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do have a glory ache – a persistent longing to experience God's presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me in discovering how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred and experience a deeper more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

August 29, 2012
What's the Plan?
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart! (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV).

Friend to Friend
I want to be successful – don't you? And the awesome news is that God wants us to be successful as well. When we know and seek God's perfect plan for our lives, we will find success. Our immeasurable value rests solely in the fact that God created us, that His stubborn love sets us apart and the amazing fact that He designed and empowers a unique plan for each one of us. Yes, I know that plans are rampant in your life. God loves you and everyone else has a plan for your life, right? But the only plan that matters is the plan made for you by the One who formed you - the One who loves you, knows you and has set you apart to be His own. And it is a great plan!

1.Your life plan is customized. Psalm 139:16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!

You were born in response to the determined plan of God, not as an afterthought. Before you took even one breath, every day, every step and every circumstance in your plan was recorded. God's plan uses your strengths as well as your weaknesses. We all have strengths - they are part of the plan. We all have limitations - they are also part of the plan. We all have seasons of life that are essential to the plan as well. True success comes when, instead of constantly fighting against or trying to change the plan, we learn to identify and build on our strengths, accept the limitations as hedges of protection from God, and yield to the seasons in life as God's avenue of perfect timing. God's plan for you is not a "one-size-fits all." It is customized and just your size.

2. Your life plan is good. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord," plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

For some reason we tend to think that God sat down one day and designed a sinister life plan laced with pain and defeat. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This train of thought contradicts the very nature of God and misunderstands His heart - the heart of a loving Father who wants the absolute highest and best plan for His child. It is a good plan!

3. Your life plan is guaranteed. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

God always empowers what He calls us to do. With the plan comes every resource that we will need to accomplish that plan. For many years, my life mission was really quite simple. I tried and often succeeded in filling every waking moment with activity. Oh, it was wonderful activity filled with good things - but they were not the best things or the highest things for my life. I did many of those things in order to feel worthy and important, hoping they would bring my life into balance and under control. I hoped that doing good things would provide a purpose and plan for the restlessness in my soul. While sitting at the bottom of a deep, dark pit named "Clinical Depression," I discovered a truth that has redefined who I am and altered my soul perception of God. I now realize that the most powerful life flows from a clear life plan not to it!

How do we discover our life plan?

At first glance, that question may seem complicated and almost impossible to answer, but when we spend time with the Plan Maker, that question is easily answered as we step out in obedience to God. When we begin to saturate daily life with His truth and continually turn our hearts to conversation with God, His plan naturally unfolds as we take every "next step" in obedience. Consider the following questions when praying about and asking God to reveal His plan for your life:

·         What are your spiritual gifts?
·         What are you passionate about?
·         What are your natural abilities?
·         What is your personality type?
·         What are the spiritual markers in your life?
·         What do others see in you?   

After a two-year battle with clinical depression, I realized that I had lived a great deal of my life based on the wrong plan. I began to ask these questions, looking for the gifts He has given me instead of the ones I thought I should have or wanted to have. I began to accept my limitations knowing that He had woven them into the seams of my journey for my good. I began yielding to the seasons of life, trusting Him to lead the way through this foreign land called life.

Guess what? I looked around one day to find myself smack-dab in the middle of His life plan for me. It was suddenly so simple and amazingly clear! I am learning to say "no" to those things that do not fit into that life mission. Certainly, I fail and have to begin again. And sometimes I am misunderstood because I have chosen to follow God's plan instead of someone else's. But I would rather be misunderstood than disobedient. I had to choose a new audience for this race of life and so must you. I had to make a decision about the One I wanted to please and so must you. Don't waste another minute on anything but God's very best plan for your life.

Let's Pray
Father, I want to know and live out the plan You have for me. Sometimes my faith is weak but I really do want to please and honor You. Guide my steps, Lord. Give me Your strength to be obedient. Thank You for giving my life purpose and meaning. Today, I choose Your plan above all others and celebrate the joy I find in knowing You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read and memorize Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Spend time alone with God in prayer and ask Him to help you answer the following questions:

·         What are my spiritual gifts?
·         What am I passionate about?
·         What are my natural abilities?
·         What is my personality type?
·         What are the spiritual markers in my life?
·         What do others see in me?   

More from the Girlfriends
Want to be successful in your work? Check out Mary's four-week study, Take This Job and Love It, to discover six principles from the life of the Proverbs 31 woman that will help you be successful in your work, no matter where you work or what your job may be. Study guide included.

Stop! Drop! Roll! is Mary's NEW Online Bible Study that will teach you how to experience power and find God's purpose in your life. Enroll now and have access to all 2011 lessons. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.