Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

October 11, 2012
God's Circle of Encouragement Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV).

Friend to Friend
When I went through my first major battle with clinical depression, I was amazed at the compassionate people God sent to encourage and comfort me. One of the most precious groups of encouragers was the elders of our church where my husband served as pastor. With my permission, Dan shared what I was going through and asked the elders to pray, which they did. They then put feet to those prayers and came up with what they called the "Rescue Mary Plan" for me.

Our church had five services each weekend and because I was so emotionally frail, I never knew if I could even attend or which service I would be able to attend until I was literally dressed and headed out the door. I called Dan to let him know I was on the way. Dan then relayed the message that I was coming, and the elders went into action. One would meet me at the car and escort me inside. Another would keep an eye on me during the service in case I needed help. Our church auditorium had three main aisles. An elder would walk those aisles before and after the service, watching and waiting. Many times, the elder would press a note of encouragement into my hand as he passed the offering plate. If he sensed I was in trouble or caught in a draining conversation, he would swoop in, take me by the arm and say, "Excuse us, please. Mary is needed elsewhere." I was then ushered to my car, hugged and told, "We are praying for you. We love you. Go home." I know. It was amazing!  It was not only an important factor in my recovery - but an amazing example of comfort and compassion at work in my life.

Looking back, I realize that many of these men who so freely and faithfully encouraged me had endured great pain in their own lives. They had experienced the compassion and comfort of God and were quick to share it with me. Now that I am on the other side of that pit, I am motivated to encourage others in God's circle of encouragement.

You have heard the old saying, "What goes around, comes around." Truer words were never spoken when talking about comfort and encouragement. We all need the love and comfort of God - especially during tough times. Those "tough" times can come in all shapes, sizes and forms and can vary from person to person. We have one child who has been known to run an extremely high fever, walk around on a broken foot, and have a headache that would put me in bed ... all without a word of complaint. The doctors have always been amazed at this child's high level of pain tolerance. We have another child who has been known to dissolve into hysterics at the sight of a splinter embedded in a finger and turn ghastly pale and almost faint at the mere antiseptic smell when we walked through the door of the doctor's office. The doctors have been amazed at this child's low level of pain tolerance. The difference between these two children does not reflect a right or wrong reaction. It is what it is. When each child is in pain, they each need understanding and comfort.

What about you, girlfriend? Do you long for someone who will offer you just a word of encouragement? Does your broken heart cry out for compassion and comfort? Do you need something for your pain? Come to God. He will be your comfort.

Let's Pray
Father, I am amazed at how You love me through others. Your compassion heals and encourages me and is a gift of love from Your heart to my life. Help me receive that gift and then give it away to someone else in need. I want to be Your hands and feet to those who are hurting around me. Give me eyes to see them, Lord. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

·         If you need encouragement and compassion, think of two people with whom you can share that need and make a plan to do so.
·         Look for people in your life to encourage.
·         In your journal, record a recent time when you received and/or gave encouragement.  What were the results?
·         Write a note of encouragement to someone in need, letting them know you are praying for them. Offer to take care of a specific need such as preparing a meal, dropping by the grocery store to pick up a few items or picking up their cleaning. Many times, people in pain can't or won't ask for help. If you see a need, meet it.
·         Write a note of thanks to someone who has encouraged you.

[Judy Harder]

October l2, 20l2
Friends That Sharpen
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose]" (Proverbs 27:17, AMP).

Friend To Friend
Whether it's over a steaming mug of dark roasted coffee, a frilly lunch served at the local sushi restaurant, or a power walk in the wee hours of the morning, my accountability partner and I meet regularly to speak into each other's lives.  We trust each other.  We challenge one another.  I'm a better woman because she's my friend – because she speaks with honesty and courage – because she is for me – because she turns my heart toward God and His ways.

As much as I love girlfriend time – and I truly do love girlfriend time – there's a depth to this particular friendship that flows to the core of who I am.  I often feel uncommonly exposed during our conversations.  Vulnerable, yet safe.  She gets in my grill about my priorities, marriage, mothering, ministry, and faith matters ... and I welcome it.  I need it.

We all need friends. We need people in our lives that will love us where we are and help us get to a place of higher living. We need friends that will hold us accountable to God's standards - friends that sharpen us.

The Bible makes a compelling point about this type of friendship. "Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose]." (Proverbs 27:17, AMP)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Biblesays of this principle: "We are cautioned to take heed whom we converse with.  And directed to have in view, in conversation, to make one another wiser and better."

Take time to consider your friendships today.  Do you have any friends who sharpen you and challenge your "worthy purpose"?  Who make you wiser and better?  Is there anyone in your life who asks you tough questions, shares godly truths, and confronts you when you need confronted?  If so, thank God for her.  Purpose to connect with her regularly, grant her permission to continue to speak into your life, and ask that she give you permission to do the same.

Are you that friend to anyone?  Do you long to have deeper friendships?  If you find yourself in a wide pool of shallow friendships, I'd encourage you to pray about it.  Pray that God would bring meaningful friendships to your life and that He would teach you what it looks like to be a good friend.

Sharon, Mary and I delight to come along side of you each day as your Girlfriends In God – to spur you on and encourage you towards Christ, but we could never replace the real-life friendships God intends for you to have. "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NIV)

When we have a friend that sharpens and we become a friend that sharpens, our lives are enriched.  Think about what our churches, our neighborhoods, our marriages, our work places, and our lives would look like if we all had this type of friend in our lives. Helen Keller said it beautifully: "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."

Let's Pray
Dear God, Thank You for friendships. You know the people in my life and the needs of my heart.  Please help me to grow as a woman in my ability to pour into the lives of my friends.  Help my heart be open to godly, constructive feedback that a friend might speak to me, and give me the capacity to love my friends as You love them.
In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

What friends came to your mind as you read this today? Consider forwarding this email to them.
Send a card, an email, a letter, or a text to a friend today ...  just to bless her.
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Are there any friends in your life that are toxic?  If so, prayerfully consider how that relationship affects you, your family, and your faith.  If a friend encourages you to make bad choices and to live contrary to God's Word, then it's probably time to reconsider the friendship.
Where does today's devotion find you? Let's talk about it – and pray about it – on my facebook page:www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.
More From The Girlfriends
Need help finding a trustworthy accountability friend?  Pray about it first, then connect with the women's ministry director or family pastor at your church and ask if they could introduce you to some women who would be well suited and available for such a friendship.

Ready to Go Deeper with God? Learn how He wants to bring you beyond your past mistakes and your present challenges to His wholeness, strength and beauty. 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.

[Judy Harder]

October l5, 2012
I'd Be Happy If...
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers (and sisters). Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:16, 17 NIV)

Friend to Friend
Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world. All their needs were cared for. They had perfect communion with God and each other. They were "naked and unashamed." The only restriction placed on them was that they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil located in the middle of the Garden. God warned them, "If you eat of it, you will surely die."

As they basked in the light of God's love, darkness slithered into the Garden with his plan to kill, steal and destroy the image bearers. And how did he do it? He did it with the most powerful weapon of all...lies.

"Now the serpent..." The great deceiver clothed himself as a serpent and slithered up to Eve with a game plan to destroy God's prized possession. He didn't come with a sword, or a gun, or even a knife for his attack.  He simply wielded lies.

The serpent knew Adam and Eve would not buy into a radical flamboyant denial of God, so he slithered into the garden with a twist and a turn of the truth. He began by causing Eve to doubt... "Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?" (Genesis 3:1).

Satan knew exactly what God had said. He was simply trying to confuse Eve. Perhaps he was evaluating just how well she knew the truth. He found out.

"We may eat fruit from the tress in the garden," Eve replied, "but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die" (Genesis 3:3).

Bingo. She didn't know the truth that well after all. God never mentioned not touching the fruit.  That seems like a pretty good idea, but it was not what God said.

Second he denied God and lied about the consequences of disobedience. Satan said, "You will not surely die." (3:4). He didn't even try to disguise the deception. He told a flat-out lie.

And finally, he told her she could be like God: "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). In other words, "God doesn't know what He's talking about. He's holding out on you. You don't need Him. You can be your own god."

Eve rejected the truth and believed the lie. She believed that she could be like god...in control of her own life. "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her."

And as she sunk her teeth into the forbidden fruit of deception and the lie slid down her delicate throat, the temptation settled in her soul and fermented into shame and condemnation. Her husband, who chose the woman over God, also felt the sickening rot of sin settle in his very soul. Suddenly shame and fear entered the world, and Adam and Eve hid from God like wayward children.

All temptation is an attempt to get us to live our lives independent of God. Satan is not very creative, but he is very affective. And he has been lying to us ever since. Why?  Because it works.

Every one of his lies springs from the idea that happiness is just a decision away. Satan wants you to believe God is holding out on you. You can be like God. You can be your own god.

Rather than being thankful for what we do have, he points out what we don't have. Think about it. Eve had at her disposal every tree in the garden except one.  Every one! That is a smorgasbord of goodness! But rather than being thankful, she bought the lie that the one thing she couldn't have was the one thing that would make her happy. I would be happy if... Is any of this sounding familiar to you? It should. Satan uses the same tactics with us that he used with Eve. Ingratitude is the infection of Eden, and it is cured with praise.

Eve believed the enemy's lie over God's truth. His plan worked. But what the serpent did not know was that God's amazing plan of forgiveness and grace was about to unfold. Satan did not win the battle for man's soul in the garden. Jesus Christ won the war on Calvary's Cross. When Jesus said, "It is finished," and then breathed his last, He made a way for all mankind to regain all that Adam and Eve had lost.

Let's Pray
Dear God, help me to recognize the lies of the enemy.  I am so thankful for all that You have given me.  I commit, right now, that I will not entertain thoughts that "I would be happy if..." but rather praise You for all that You have given me: freedom in Christ, eternal life, access to You though prayer, salvation, redemption, purpose. I love You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
When was the last time you said or thought, "I would be happy if..."?

What does that thought imply?

Where does true joy come from?

The way we fight Satan's lies is with the Truth. What is one lie he has told you and the truth that proved him wrong? Share your answer in the comment section on my blog page at www.sharonjaynes.com. Look for today's devotion.

Here's one of mine. Lie: You can't do anything right. Truth: I can do everything through Him (Christ) who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13 NIV)

More from the Girlfriends
Are you ready to begin seeing yourself as God sees you?  Are you ready to begin living the abundant life that God planned all along?  Well, let's grab hands and begin the journey of walking in the truth together.  My book, I'm Not Good Enough...and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves, will open your eyes to the truth and set you free from the lies. Just visit www.sharonjaynes.com, read a sample chapter or watch the video trailer to begin the amazing journey.

[Judy Harder]

October 16, 2012
Master Designer
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
For he [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10, New English).

Friend to Friend
Our son was born to be a builder. From the time he could hold a plastic red hammer in his toddler-sized hands, Jered began hammering imaginary nails into the coffee table, fixing everything that was broken in our house, and drawing crayon blueprints of various objects he planned to build. No wooden surface in our home was safe from Jered's scrutiny or design.

Since my husband enjoyed woodworking as a hobby, he decided to build Jered a miniature workbench beside his own in the garage. Several nights each week, Dan and Jered headed out to the garage to pound and hammer and do what they called "man stuff." I thought it was cute – a philosophy that would drastically change in the years to come.

I knew we had a true builder on our hands when Jered built a clubhouse inside our garage. And what a clubhouse it was – complete with four walls, a roof, windows and a door, carpeted flooring and a window air conditioning unit – all of which he scrounged from neighbors, dumpsters and piles of discarded wood at construction sites. He built a jewelry box for my birthday and a toy box that held his prized Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If we needed storage cabinets in our garage, Jered drew up blueprints and built them. When we moved to a house with small bedrooms, Jered designed and built a queen-sized bunk bed over a built-in desk and book shelves to conserve space in his room. We no longer bought furniture. Jered simply built it. Looking back, I did not realize that those crayon blueprints and plastic tools would pave the way for our son's career. Today, he owns his own construction business and is a master carpenter and builder.

Jered reminds me of another young man who was destined to become a builder – Jesus. Jesus's earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter by trade and taught Jesus everything he knew about being a master carpenter. It was not uncommon for the son to carry on his father's business in those days. I often wonder if Jesus didn't have a little workbench beside Joseph's. I am sure Jesus must have followed His daddy around, hammering alongside His father's true blows. I imagine Joseph had to remove a few stray nails driven by Jesus and even repair a few of his Son's "jobs." Did Jesus make a jewelry box for His mother or did He build a piece of furniture that Mary treasured like I treasure everything Jered has ever built for our home? Jesus was and is the ultimate Architect and Builder.

Yes, God is the Master Creator, but His greatest creations are not made of wood or stone. Jesus was and is the creator of eternal masterpieces like you and me. His blueprint for our lives is second to none. His plan is the Word of God and is without flaw or error as it molds us into the image of God – a process that is sometimes painful.

I once promised myself that I would never buy a house that could be described as a "fixer-upper." I don't like fixing things. I want everything to be fixed before I move in. But there I was, buying a town house that needed so much work even the realtor couldn't believe my husband and I wanted to buy it. Why didn't someone stop me? No one did, so the sale was made, and we went to work. Actually, my son and husband went to work while I went crazy.

I had no idea how horrible the process of remodeling could be. Layer after layer of dirt, grime, stains and ugliness was stripped away. Rotten kitchen cabinets were torn from the walls, and rusty appliances were replaced. We basically gutted the whole place and rebuilt it – while living in it. I was not happy!

I will never forget the day I woke up to see a toilet sitting at the foot of our bed. It was at that moment I resolved to never set foot in another house that required so much work. I am so thankful God does not feel that way about me.

Honestly, I used to wonder why God didn't just demolish the old me and build a new one. Then He did just that – through a two-year battle with clinical depression. While sitting at the bottom of that deep, dark and slimy pit, the Father lovingly stripped away old fears and insecurities. From the walls of my heart, He tore the rotten attitudes, undisciplined thoughts and unholy desires that had walked me to the edge of my pit - then pushed me in. He replaced rusty old dreams with new ones and basically, gutted my life to build a new one, a better one, and a stronger one.

I know there are days when the plan of God seems completely wrong and we simply do not understand. Every moment is pregnant with darkness, and our hearts are numb, paralyzed by fear and doubt. We are treading water in the storm-tossed sea of life, desperately longing to see Him walking on the treacherous waves toward us, rescue in His hand. It is in those shadowed moments that we must choose to trust the Plan Maker, the Master Designer, even though our faith is small, and we cannot understand the plan. His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. And one day, every one of our question marks will be yanked into exclamation points as we see that high plan as He sees it – perfect.

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT).

Today, girlfriend, set aside your meager agenda. Lay down your limited life arrangement and look for God to meet you at the point of surrender, power and victory in His hands. Now that is a great plan.

Let's Pray
Father, please forgive me when I stubbornly choose to ignore Your plan for my life. Thank You for always being there for me, ready to rescue me from my own selfish desires and decisions. Help me to remember that Your plan is the highest plan for my life and give me the strength to follow that plan. I want to honor and please You, Lord. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read Psalm 139. What does this passage of Scripture say to you about God's plan for your life? Do you think certain areas of your life reflect the image of God? Which areas? In what way(s)? Now get brutally honest. Which areas of your life do not reflect the image of God? Are you willing to surrender those areas to Him so He can "remodel" them?

Read and memorize 1 Corinthians 3:16: "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" How does this verse impact the way you live, think, act, etc.?

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Study, Strength for the Storm, and discover the sufficiency of God – even in your darkest moments.

Looking for a Bible Study? Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journeyand learn how to deal with the anger in your life. (Join now and have access to all lessons covered in 2012 including a study on the armor of God, how to tame your tongue and how to live a balanced life.) Be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

October 17, 20l2
I'm not_______ enough.
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" - (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Friend to Friend
I'm not _____________ enough. You can fill that blank in with smart, talented, gifted, spiritual, or any number of positive attributes. But the root source of each one of those lies is "I'm not good enough." It is one of the enemy's favorite weapons and he uses it to keep God's children in bondage to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy. The bottom line is, the enemy wants you to believe that you are "not enough." Period.  But you are enough. You are enough and have been equipped by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do everything that God has called you to do.

It seems the message of "I'm not good enough to earn my way to heaven on my own," has been transformed into I'm not good enough... period. God created man and woman and said, "It is good." We are so valuable to God that He gave His only Son to restore our brokenness.

To be honest, I could have been the poster child for the lie, "I'm not good enough."  If feeling inadequate was an Olympic event, I would have been on the Corn Flakes box. It was the undercurrent of my entire existence until I finally realized who I was in Christ. Bible teacher Beth Moore said, "In the dead of the night when insecurities crawl on us like fleas, all of us have terrifying bouts of insecurity and panics of insignificance. Our human natures pitifully fall to the temptation to pull out the tape measure and gauge ourselves against people who seem more gifted and anointed by God." That was me.

Many women are living in silent defeat, comparing themselves to other women who are living in secret defeat. I'm not a good mother. I'm not a good wife. I'm not a good Christian. I'm not a good witness. I'm not a good housekeeper. I'm not a good decorator.  I'm not a good cook.  I'm not a good....  Women are caught in a cycle of the "I'm not good enoughs." One by one the petals fall from the beautiful flower God created us to be. Like ticker tape, our fragmented pieces of confidence litter the streets like the Macy's parade passing by.

Unfortunately, I wasted many precious years held captive by the enemy's lies before I held up my chained hands to God and said, "I'm ready for you to set me free."

Consider this:
Jacob was a liar.
Moses was a stutterer.
Gideon was a coward.
David was an adulterer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Esther was an orphan.
Balaam's donkey was...well, a donkey.

And yet God used each one of them to impact His kingdom.

God doesn't call us because we are particularly gifted or talented. He uses us because we are obedient and dependent on Him. He doesn't call the qualified – He qualifies the called.

The truth is, if you have experienced new birth in Christ, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus.  And friend, Jesus is good enough.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You today. Because of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption in me, I am deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing and totally accepted by You.  Because of Jesus Christ in me, I am equipped and empowered to do all that You have called me to do. Now, LORD, help me act like it.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Go back to that first sentence in today's devotion.  What would you put in that blank?

Is that the truth?

What do you think God would say to you about what you have written in that blank?

OK, I want you to tell me one truth about who you are? Need some help picking a truth? Click over to my website, click on the Free Living Life Resources, and open up the list that says "My New Identity in Christ." Print it out! Tell me just one of the truths that you're going to ponder today. Leave a comment at www.sharonjaynes.com on the blog post with the same title as this devotion, or on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.

More from the Girlfriends
Are you ready to begin walking in the truth rather than stumbling over the lies?  Are you ready to begin seeing yourself as God sees you?  Then you'll want to read Sharon's new book,I'm Not Good Enough...and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves.  Visit her website to read an excerpt. But be warned.  This book could change your life!

[Judy Harder]

October 18, 2012
Words: Power Tools
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things - (Matthew 12:34-35, NCV).

Friend to Friend
Words are power tools that, in the right hands and used correctly, can build and encourage. However, in the wrong hands and used incorrectly words can destroy or, at the very least, cause confusion. Life is filled with men and women who have been hurt and even defeated by words spoken in anger or words rising out of a wounded and bitter heart. In fact, many people are guilty of speaking damaging words with the ulterior motive of flaunting power or demonstrating control. It is so easy for my mouth to be in motion before my mind is in gear, and the result is rarely good or godly. The words we speak can clarify or complicate a situation. I have watched my husband, Dan, defuse an emotional bomb and avoid a potentially explosive situation with a few carefully chosen and quietly spoken words of wisdom. I have also observed him in the art of confrontation – and with Dan, it really is an art. In fact, one person told me that she was halfway home before she realized that she had just been corrected by Dan.

Church bulletins are prime examples of the confusion that misused words can cause. Here are a few real and interesting examples:

"This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north end of the church.  Children will be baptized at both ends."

"Tuesday at 5 p.m. there will be an ice cream social. All the ladies giving milk - please come early."

"Wednesday, the Ladies Literary Society will meet. Mrs. Johnson will sing, 'Put me in My Little Bed' accompanied by the pastor."

"Thursday at 5 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All those wishing to become little mothers will please meet with the minister in the study."

"This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Brown to come forward and lay an egg on the altar."

"The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind, and they can be seen in the church basement on Friday afternoon."

Yes, these illustrations are humorous, but there is nothing funny about the grief that careless words can cause. Unless strained through discipline and holiness, words can impart false perspectives and untruths. However, the right word, spoken at the right time and in the right way can bring order in the midst of confusion, light on a very dark path as well as wisdom and insight.

I believe God gives us spiritual "radar" so we can assess a situation and speak the right word for that circumstance. In fact, Paul writes, "Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone" (Colossians 4:6). We just need to check the "radar screen" before we speak.

Solomon offers great wisdom concerning the use of words, "Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin" (Proverbs 13:3, GWT). If we do not learn to use and control our tongue, it will use and control us. While it is true that we need to choose our words carefully, it is just as true that the tongue is a spiritual thermometer that reflects the condition of the heart.

I am not a good patient and tend to think that most medical rules apply to everyone else in my life – but not to me. After all, I am a woman and I am a Southerland. According to my husband, it doesn't get much tougher than that. Two years ago, I was slammed with a high fever and blinding headache that sent me to bed for days, something highly unusual for me. I called my doctor. When he heard my symptoms, he told me to come in immediately and even though his waiting room was full, he would make room for me in his already crammed schedule. His urgency was not encouraging.

The minute I walked in his office, the receptionist waved me back to the patient area where a nurse promptly escorted me to an examination room, hurriedly recorded my symptoms, took my temperature, glanced briefly at my tongue and quickly left the room. Minutes later, the doctor and a nurse walked in and stood on the opposite side of the room, almost smiling at me. At this point, I realized that whatever I had was evidently highly contagious and probably fatal. I felt so awful that the latter was most appealing.

"Mary, I am almost certain you have viral meningitis," the doctor said. Seeing the blank look on my face, he explained, "Your abnormally high fever of 104 and severe headache are classis symptoms of meningitis, but we need to run some tests to verify my suspicions. Oh, and by the way, how long have you had the solid white coating on your tongue?" I was stunned! What coating? Why is the color of my tongue even important in determining my illness? The doctor continued, "The health of the tongue is a very strong indicator of the health of the entire body."

The same is true when it comes to the words we speak. "The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things" (Matthew 12:34-35 NCV). If my words are boastful, my heart is insecure. If my words are filthy, my heart is impure, and if my words are critical, my heart is filled with pride and anger. In other words, the problem is not really my mouth, it is my heart. As my mama would say, "What's down in the well comes up in the bucket!"

A minister was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed a little boy who had wandered into his yard and was carefully watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would eventually get bored and leave, but he didn't. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, "Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?" The little boy grinned and replied, "Nope, I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."

The subject of taming the tongue is a hard one. Since communication is a gift from God, He has a plan for the right way to use it. My problem is that I tend to think my plan is better. I know. I can be arrogant ... and stubborn. Someone recently sent me this prayer: "Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth." Amen!

It has been estimated that most people speak enough words in one week to fill a large 500 page book. In the average lifetime, this would amount to 3,000 volumes or 1,500,000 pages. Let me ask you a question. What kind of book did you write today for your children – your spouse – your friends and co-workers? Did you use words to encourage someone today? Join me in a fresh commitment to carefully choose and lovingly speak words of life.   

Let's Pray
Father, I can be so careless with the words I speak. Please forgive me and help me learn how to control my tongue. Create in me a clean heart, God, so that I can speak words filled with grace and love. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read Colossians 4:6. "Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone."

How would you describe words that are "gracious?"
How can our words be "effective" in the lives of others?
What do you think Paul means when he says that we can have the "right answer for everyone?"

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Study, God's Answer to Stress, and discover the peace of God – even in your most chaotic moments.

Looking for a Bible Study? Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey and learn how to deal with the anger in your life. (Join now and have access to all lessons covered in 2012 including a study on the armor of God, how to tame your tongue and how to live a balanced life.) Be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

October l9, 20l2
Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh, My!
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
I love you, O Lord, my strength. - (Psalm 18:1, ESV)

Friend to Friend
I will never forget how the movie The Wizard of Oz lingered in my heart for days after I first saw it. I was just a child like the heroine Dorothy who won me over the instant she sang the dreamy lines of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I was deeply moved by the story of this young girl who had been caught up by a complicated dog matter and a whirling tornado that transported her to a strange land far, far away.

While watching the adventure play out on our humble television set, I joined the story in my imagination. I cheered for Dorothy as she came to the defense of her spirited puppy, Toto, when a mean, witchy woman wanted to have him killed. I sank deep into the couch cushions and trembled with fear when the black and white farmhouse was lifted in a storm then fell crashing down in an unfamiliar place of Technicolor.

Along the yellow brick road, I made friends when Dorothy made friends. Never again would I look at a scarecrow, a lion or a tin can the same way! I shared in her longing for a safe return home to her Auntie Em and their farm in Kansas. My heart-hopes soared with hers as Dorothy was told that there was a powerful man in the Emerald City who could help her: the Wizard of Oz!

As with any good story, there were scary struggles and frustrating setbacks. Flying monkeys captured her... a wicked witch tried to destroy her... but even still, determined Dorothy continued on the yellow brick road toward the Emerald City because her hope was there. Her hopes were placed in the powers possessed by the famed Wizard of Oz.

Sadly, after all the ups and down they went through, Dorothy and her friends found out that the wizard was, in fact, powerless. Powerless! What a stinkin' disappointment!

Dorothy was crushed. Her buddies were crushed. I was crushed. How in the world could this happen? Hope had skipped along side of them the entire journey down the yellow brick road. How could anticipated strength possibly fade to weakness?

Alas, it did.

Hearts were heavy with ache.

All seemed lost as Dorothy and her companions confronted their disappointments. Then a surprising shimmer of hope broke through when it was revealed that Dorothy actually possessed the power that she needed to get home. She had the power all along. Her ruby red slippers were the key!

Woohoo!

Let me just say – at this point – happy dances were thrown down both on the screen and in my living room.

Tears fell as goodbyes and hugs were shared. Then Dorothy grabbed Toto and made her way home by calling on the power that had been with her all along. Within seconds, they found themselves somewhere over the rainbow of a dream: home. Safe and sound.

To this day, that story still moves me.

I can relate to Dorothy on so many levels. She was a girl with a dream and a song in her heart. An average, ordinary girl who had to deal with complicated people and sort through difficult circumstances. A girl who knew what it was to place her hope in other people and be disappointed. A girl who finally came upon the strength she needed to find her way home.

Isn't that all of us?

Aren't we continually looking for the strength we need to bring our hopes into reality?

Moses was a man who faced complicated challenges and whirling storms of circumstances too. Born in a time when he, as a Hebrew baby, was supposed to have been killed, Moses was saved by God's sovereign grace when Pharaoh's daughter pulled him from the Nile and kept him as her own.

A Hebrew among Egyptians, Moses was raised in a land and culture that was far, far removed from his heritage and from the One true God of Israel. As far as black and white is from Technicolor.

You know this story! We saw it on the flannel graph boards in Sunday school as little girls. We watched Charlton Heston acted it out on the movie "The Ten Commandments." Moses had it all in the palace – lost it all when he murdered an Egyptian soldier – then, eventually, risked it all for the holy God who called out to him and commissioned him from a flame. (Need a refresher course on the details? Go read the book of Exodus. It's completely amazing.)

Moses set out to free his people in the power of God. Though the Pharaoh doubted God's strength, the Lord displayed His might, plague after plague, until finally it looked like Pharaoh got the memo. He let God's people go. Moses's yellow brick road of rescue led him and the Israelites out of Egypt and into a dry and dreary desert. (Say that ten times fast!) As they ran away from Pharaoh's army, the Israelites ran smack dab into a seemingly insurmountable obstacle: the Red Sea. Major problem.

Not one to be hindered by impossibility, the LORD took care of business in a huge and powerful way as He parted and held back the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites so they could escape destruction and experience deliverance. After His people crossed over safely, God made another strength statement by sweeping the Pharaoh and his army into the sea, killing every last one of them. (Exodus 13 and 14)

My goodness. What a story! What. A. God! Girl – if this doesn't get you excited about the strength of God, I'm not quite sure what will!

"Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses." (Exodus 14:31)

Then a big ole' party went down as Moses and the Israelites sang to the LORD a song that's commonly referred to as the Song of Moses.

The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father's God, and I will exalt him.(Exodus 15:2)

In Exodus 15, Moses calls God his Strength and celebrates the power that brought salvation to his people. Oz is the Hebrew word for strength. How about that!? El Sali, is a Hebrew name for God of my Strength; God my Rock.

King David also calls God his Strength in Psalm 59:9, O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress. Then again in verse 17, O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. (Psalm 59:17)

You might be struggling with this... wondering where the strength of God is in your story. Maybe things are good for you right now, but you know of others who are in shady places along their yellow brick roads. Each of us is guaranteed life challenges, but God promises to be our strength when we call on Him. He is not a puffed up and powerless wizard of Oz hiding behind a curtain, pulling strings. He is the God of Oz – El Sali –the God of Strength who loves you and longs to move in and through your life.

Will you trust Him deeper today and allow His joy to be your strength?

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, my Strength, El Sali, You are powerful and loving. Thank you for allowing me – this average, ordinary girl with complicated relationships and difficult circumstances – to have access to your perfect Strength when I am weak. Help me to trust you when all my heart sees are lions and tigers and bears.
In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read the first half of Psalm 84:5. Blessed are those whose strength is in you. Who is this comment directed to? In what ways has this been true in your life?

Nehemiah 8:10 says, "...the joy of the Lord is your strength." What do you think the joy of the Lord looks like? Have you seen it lately? If so, in whom?

More From the Girlfriends
Don't you just love a good story? I sure do. I'd love to hear your strength story! Stop by my Facebook page right now and leave me a comment about how God has shown himself mighty in your life! The strength-party is here: www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.

To be honest, there are a million times that I feel more weak than strong. What a battle! Yet, I know the best response is to trust in God's strength and choose to praise Him...in and through it all. Music really helps me. My new CD, Uncluttered is purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. We are running a great CD Special now, so swing by www.GwenSmith.net...or you can download the songs from iTunes or Amazon.

[Judy Harder]

October 22, 20l2
Set Free
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," (John 8:32 NIV).

Friend to Friend
For fifteen years, Leeanne was emotionally and verbally abused by her mother. Every day she heard that she was a stupid worthless failure. Her mother told her that she was "ugly" and "fat" and "not good enough." "No man will ever want you," she scorned.

Leeanne grew up afraid of women and hating herself. "Why can't I be different?" she wondered.  She believed her mother's estimation of her and lived in defeat. Leeanne grabbed attention any way she could, and by the time she was twenty-three, she had three abortions on her medical record. The guilt and shame of those abortions compounded her feelings of worthlessness.

But something amazing happened to Leeanne when she was twenty-four. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and became a new creation. She knew that God forgave her the moment she asked – totally and completely. However, Satan continued to remind her of the terrible mistakes of her past.  How could I have killed my children?  What would my friends think if they knew the truth? I can never let anyone know about my past. Some things are simply unforgivable in human eyes.

Leeanne met and married a wonderful Christian man. They began their life of ministry as he pastored a church in a small community. God blessed them with three wonderful children, but still the shame of her past lingered.

"I felt so unworthy of my husband's love," she said. "I felt I wasn't good enough to be his wife.  I never told him about my past. It was a secret that weighed me down."

Leeanne went to a women's retreat and picked up one of my books, Your Scars are Beautiful to God.  For the first time, she began to heal from the wounds her mother had inflicted on her little girl heart.  She realized that is was Satan who continued to taunt her with those lies and make her feel as if they were true. Then she did something that really made the enemy mad.  She forgave her mother. Even though her mother had since died, she forgave her as if she were standing before her that very day.

Leeanne imagined Jesus erasing away all her faults, especially the ones that her mother had so maliciously written on the chalkboard of her mind. "All gone," she said. "I'm set free."

But there was one more step to Leeanne's freedom. See, as long as she kept her past a secret, she would never be totally free. "I prayed all day and night for the courage to tell my husband about the three abortions, and I finally did. No one in the world knew about the abortions but me.  I had to tell my husband the secret so Satan could not use it against me any longer."

"Finally, I did it. I told him the truth. But he did not react the way I imagined he would. He held me in his arms and cried. 'I can't believe you have held on to this for so long alone,' he said."

Leeanne went on to say...         

"I am no longer shameful. I am pure."   

"I am no longer ugly. I am beautiful."           

"I am no longer unlovable. I am dearly loved."           

Leeanne recognized the lies. Leeanne rejected the lies. Leeanne replaced the lies with truth. She is now walking in the truth as a holy, chosen, dearly loved, child of God.

Let's Pray
Dear LORD,   thank You for setting me free from condemnation.  Thank you for Your grace – receiving the gift I don't deserve, and for mercy – not receiving the punishment I do deserve.  Thank You for making me a new creation in Christ – pure, holy, cleansed.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Is there some secret in your life that the enemy is holding over you?

Do you want to be free?

Often, an important step to freedom, after receiving God's forgiveness, is telling someone and using what you have been through to help others. Then the enemy can't use it against you any longer. If you don't have a trusted friend with whom to share, I would like to be that friend. You can simply e-mail me and tell me how God has forgiven you. You can write me directly at Sharon@sharonjaynes.com. If you would like to tell your story publically (and I encourage you to do so) click over to my blog page, look for this blog entry, and share your story with your sisters. 

More from the Girlfriends
Do you want to experience the freedom that Leeanne experienced in her life? It begins with recognizing the lies and replacing them with the truth. It's time to renew your mind and think God's thoughts rather than being held in bondage by the enemy's deceptions. If you would like help on that journey, check out my book, I'm Not Good Enough...and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves.   Also, if you have wounds in your life that have yet to heal, Your Scars are Beautiful to God will walk you through the steps to freedom, and then show you how to begin sharing your story...turning your pain into purpose.

[Judy Harder]

October 23, 2012
How to Manage Emotions Part 1
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28, NIV).

Friend to Friend
You have probably discovered the truth that you simply cannot trust your emotions because they are unreliable, misleading and will constantly betray you. A friend verbally blasts you and rage consumes your spirit. Your business is in decline and depression slithers into your heart. Caught in the comparison trap, you find yourself avoiding those who are more successful. Anger is a constant companion, finances are tight and rest is a distant memory. A sense of bone-deep weariness saturates your soul as your own heart ridicules the authenticity of your life. "You might as well give up. It's no use. Just quit!" the enemy taunts.

Each day seems to offer the perfect setting for negative emotions to take hold of and destroy a life, but daily life is also the perfect setting for emotional control to shine. Control puts emotions in their God-shaped place, discarding negative emotions as the spiritual leeches they are while safeguarding and reinforcing positive emotions. I am amazed at the number of people who base eternal decisions on feelings while seeking confirmation and even direction from emotional responses. I almost missed one of the highest plans for my life because it didn't feel right.

My husband, Dan, was Youth Pastor at Sheridan Hills Baptist in Hollywood, Florida, where Bill Billingsley, one of the greatest men I have ever known, was senior pastor. He and his amazing wife, Betty Jean, had an enormous impact on me personally and on the ministry of speaking and writing to which God has now called me. It was in the midst of my God-ordained transformation at Sheridan Hills and the youth program's greatest growth that Dan dropped the bomb – he felt God calling him back to Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Well, I felt God calling him to stay put!

I loved Sheridan Hills. It was home. Going back to seminary meant I would have to go back to teaching elementary school. Teaching wasn't the problem, but placing our son, Jered, in daycare was. We had waited so long for this chosen baby, and the thought of handing over his care to strangers broke my heart. How could this possibly be God's plan when it felt so wrong?

My favorite worship time at Sheridan Hills was the Wednesday night service -- for two reasons. I enjoyed the contemporary worship and in-depth Bible teaching. I also treasured the fact that, each week, while Dan was in meetings and Jered was in the nursery, I could slip into the empty, darkened auditorium for an hour of solitude.  However, the Wednesday night after Dan shared the numbing probability of our return to seminary, my usually refreshing solitude dissolved into a tantrum of crying, praying and pleading with God to let us stay.

When a hand gently patted my shoulder, I looked up into the tear-filled eyes of my pastor. "I have something to tell you," he said. Pastor Billingsley was not only a spiritual mentor in my life, but a loving father figure as well.  Expecting a word of wisdom or encouragement, I was shattered by his words, "I have cancer." Speechless, we sat in pain-filled silence, weeping; each flailing in our own sea of emotions and questions. Bill Billingsley then spoke the words that have guided my steps from the moment he gave them life. "Mary, just remember that God's will penalizes no one."

I immediately knew I had a choice to make. I could stubbornly hold on to my emotional comfort or submit to God's will. My choice to obey God plotted the course for an incredible journey filled with purpose, a life of sharing God's hope and healing with women across the world through speaking and writing. Had my emotions ruled, I would have missed God's best and highest plan for my life.

Emotions are a gift from God. While emotions themselves are not sin, the place we give them can be. Since God created us with the capacity for strong emotions, we can rest assured that He has a plan for managing them. It is a step-by-step plan that begins with our commitment to being honest and transparent about every emotion, especially the negative ones.

Step one:Identify the source of negative emotions. Proverbs 23:7 (NIV) reminds us of a simple but powerful truth, "For as a man thinks, so is he." Negative emotions are nourished in many ways – by daily challenges, a painful past, hurt or rejection, an undisciplined thought life or Satan himself. Some people qualify as "carriers" because they not only transmit negative emotions but constantly use others as their personal dumping ground.  In managing negative emotions, it is imperative that we identify their source and eliminate it.   

Step two: Label negative emotions correctly. We are masters at mislabeling emotions because we fear exposing our true emotions will affect the way others see us. It is time for us to take off and burn the emotional masks we wear because healing and restoration begin at the point of emotional integrity.

Going back to seminary proved to be a spiritual marker for our family. At first, I cried every day and seethed in anger each night. I couldn't blame God so I blamed Dan! I missed being home with Jered, even though he loved the seminary daycare and Miss Nancy, his incredibly gifted and caring teacher. I complained about others raising my son, even though Dan picked him up after lunch each day and kept him every afternoon. I resented having to work, even though my teaching assignment was at one of the best elementary schools in Fort Worth and my principal was a precious Christian man.

Gradually, God broke my hardened heart as I realized that Jered was flourishing in daycare as he made wonderful friends, learned how to adjust to changes, and enjoyed priceless time with his dad. Teaching school became a passion and, in many ways, prepared me for the calling I now live.

Looking back, I now see how I gave negative emotions free reign. The result was wasted emotional energy, health problems, spiritual disobedience, and mental exhaustion. Do not walk that path, girlfriend. Instead, right now, commit to emotional integrity and discipline. God will surely empower that commitment.

Let's Pray
Father, I come to You, knowing I have allowed emotions to dictate my actions. I no longer want to live at the mercy of my fickle emotions. I want to control and manage them in a way that pleases You and brings emotional discipline to my life. Today, I choose to surrender the control of my emotions to You. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Take a few minutes to make a list of the top five emotional responses common in your life.  What one of these emotions do you experience the most?

Beside each emotion, write one habit you can incorporate into your life that will enable you to control that emotion.

Identify the activities, relationships or habits that drain you instead of replenish you.  Eliminate those that are negative.

Keep an emotional diary for 5 days. Record any emotional outbursts and the reason behind those outbursts. Surrender each emotion to the power of God.

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Study, God's Answer to Stress, and discover the peace of God – even in your most chaotic moments.

Looking for a Bible Study? Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey and learn how to deal with the anger in your life. (Join now and have access to all lessons covered in 2012 including a study on the armor of God, how to tame your tongue and how to live a balanced life.) Be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

October 24, 2012
How to Manage Emotions Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. - (Proverbs 25:28, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Many people are imprisoned by feelings of inferiority, and the results are always disastrous. Constructive criticism is perceived as an emotional attack. Jealousy burgeons as others receive the accolades we desperately crave. Decisions are made and the course of a life is determined so that fragile egos are fed, excluding God's plan and purpose. Comparison reigns as a false idol attempting to validate worth and success. Inferiority crosses over to pride, and sin reigns. It is time for us to take control of and learn how to manage negative emotions.

Step one:Identify the source of negative emotions. Proverbs 23:7 (NIV) reminds us of a simple but powerful truth, "For as a man thinks, so is he." Negative emotions are nourished in many ways – by daily challenges, a painful past, hurt or rejection, an undisciplined thought life or Satan himself. Some people qualify as "carriers" because they not only transmit negative emotions but constantly use others as their personal dumping ground.  In managing negative emotions, it is imperative that we identify their source and eliminate it.   

Step two: Label negative emotions correctly. We are masters at mislabeling emotions because we fear exposing our true emotions will affect the way others see us. It is time for us to take off and burn the emotional masks we wear because healing and restoration begin at the point of emotional integrity.

Step three: Learn to manage emotions. It is not enough to acknowledge the presence of negative emotions or even understand why they exist. We must take action because if we don't, negative emotions will. We must not only be able to manage negative emotions, but we must be able to respond correctly to negative emotions produced by the sometimes abrasive behavior of others. The people in our lives watch carefully, curious to see what happens when the pressure is on. Our prayer should be the same as the psalmist, "Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires" (Psalm 51:10).

On the other hand, we can put negative emotions to work in our lives. Emotions can be like runaway horses.  You are trampled by someone with a hidden agenda, kicked in the gut by a friend, thrown by the lies of a family member or crushed by a lack of integrity and character in those in authority over you. Emotions can easily stampede out of control and into sin.

The success of emotional integrity lies in the one who holds the reins. We must constantly choose to surrender every emotion to the supernatural control of God because when we do, the Holy Spirit empowers that choice, produces control and transforms emotional bondage into emotional freedom. Learning to control anger is a crucial life lesson. The people around us want to see what happens when life pushes our buttons or squeezes our emotions. While God created us with the capacity for emotions, it is our responsibility to control them instead of allowing them to control us.

When Jesus saw money-changers desecrating the temple of God, He was furious! Yet, He modeled the right way to harness emotions and use them for good. I have heard many Bible teachers and preachers attempt to soften the response of Jesus, but the truth is - He was irate! I can almost see His face shrouded in plain old fury as He contemplated His options. If I had been in His place, I can tell you that those wicked men would have been toast, but before Jesus faced the intruders, He stepped aside to braid a whip, not because He had completed "Whip Braiding 101," but because He was taking the time to harness His emotions. Jesus then used that harnessed anger to drive the money-changers out of the temple, correcting a wrong. We choose where to invest every ounce of emotional energy we possess. Like Jesus, we must learn to invest wisely, in order to reap the benefits of healthy emotions, harnessed and trained by godly discipline.

Emotional bankruptcy is too often responsible for the destruction of our emotional health as well as the health of our relationships. When we value success over obedience or comfort over character, the result is a life without balance and purpose. We must intentionally monitor emotional withdrawals and the impact they will have on the life journey to which God has called us.   

Daily life provides the opportunity for countless emotional withdrawals that are good, right and ordained by God. I will never forget the night we found a broken and defeated young pastor standing at our front door. With tears streaming down his face, he told us his wife was having an affair and wanted a divorce. Certain that his ministry was doomed, this precious and gifted servant poured out his pain and defeat. For months, Dan and I ministered to this stellar young man, loving him, encouraging him, making him part of our family while he tried desperately to save his marriage.

When it became clear that his wife was determined to leave, we repeatedly assured him that God would once again use him for Kingdom work. Today, that once broken young man is married to a beautiful, godly woman who adores him and they have three incredible children. The church he now pastors is exploding in growth, changing lives and impacting the world for Jesus Christ! The time and energy we poured into this young man was a worthy emotional investment, to say the least, and one of our greatest blessings in ministry.

However, some emotional deposits are not good, right, healthy or God-ordained. Each day is jam-packed with lifeless places in which we can invest emotional energy. There are those who look to us to be their faithful savior or an always available crisis manager. Those roles belong to God alone.

We all know about bounced checks. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why banks don't adopt my obviously superior philosophy about checking accounts. It goes something like this, "As long as there are checks, there is money." Sadly, my current bank is rather narrow-minded in this area, so the reality is that our checks will bounce when our bank account is overdrawn and out of balance. The same is true in life.

We constantly need to check our emotional balance, guarding the emotional withdrawals we allow and diligently making consistent emotional deposits. Prayer, solitude, Bible study, friendships, service, accountability and a guarded thought life are just a few of the deposits that can make the difference between emotional health and emotional bankruptcy. Paul says it well, "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). In other words, we need to do what God has called us to do – period.

Emotional imbalance occurs when we operate in our own strength, doing our "own thing" instead of wholly depending upon God and living in the parameters of His will. When we abandon all that we are to His strength, purpose and power, the Father deposits everything we need to accomplish every good work He created us to do.

Let's Pray
Father, I praise You for giving me the gift of emotions. Please help me learn how to manage and control those emotions so that they are assets instead of liabilities. I want to become a godly woman of discipline, but I can't even start that journey without your power. I choose to spend time in Your Word and in prayer. I submit my emotions to You and ask that You use them in my life for Your glory. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Take a few moments to consider the following questions:
Who or what pushes your emotional buttons the most?
What are your present emotional management skills? How well do they work?
What factors in your daily schedule make you more prone to lose emotional control?

Read and memorize our key verse for today. Record it in your journal. In your own words, write how this verse can help you manage your emotions. Determine one change you need to make in your life in order to allow God to help you control your emotions in a way that honors Him.

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Study, Anger Management 911, and discover the peace of God – even in your most chaotic moments.

Looking for a Bible Study? Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey and learn how to deal with the anger in your life. (Join now and have access to all lessons covered in 2012 including a study on the armor of God, how to tame your tongue and how to live a balanced life.) Be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.