Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

May 29, 2013
Soul Blinders
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left (Deuteronomy 5:32, NIV).

Friend to Friend
When I was a young girl, I rode horses with my cousin, Beth. When she was prepping her horse for shows, Beth would often add blinders to the bridle of her horse. Horse trainers believe these blinders, also called blinkers or winkers, keep the horse focused on what is in front of him, and encourage him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds. Now, I'm not a horse, but at times my heart sure does wander and get distracted from what really matters. It makes me think that I could really benefit from some "soul-blinders."
           
You see, I have this distraction problem. At times I look around at what others are doing, being, and accomplishing and feel ineffective, unproductive, and unnecessary. When I'm distracted it becomes harder for me to trust God. There. I said it. It's not pretty, but it's true.
           
When do I have this problem? When I look around instead of looking to God. (How bizarre! I even know the answer to my problem ... and I still struggle with it!) Do you ever do that? Do you compare yourself to others and, as a result, determine that there are great deficiencies in your life? Do you ever feel like you don't measure up to those around you? Join the club. I bet we all struggle with this at times.
           
The good news is that God doesn't leave us without direction or help. He gave us His Word, the Bible, to direct our thoughts, behaviors, hearts, minds and souls - to be our soul-blinders! Scripture reminds us of this in Deuteronomy 5:32-33: So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
           
God inspired King Solomon to say it this way in Proverbs: Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and to insight, "You are my relative" (Proverbs 7:2-4, NIV).
           
Ahhh ... and the light bulbs turn on! When we look to the LORD – to His plan for us – to the one that is unique to each of us, we will prosper. And when we look to the right and to the left, we lose our focus, we worry about comparison, we become distracted and we fail to trust God and His Word. So, like Paul, let's press on. Forward. With a gaze committed to the path ahead - not to the path that is behind us or on either side. Sister, like the apostle Paul says, ... I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV).
           
Today, I pray that you will join me in asking God to give us soul-blinders. Because when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, the things of earth -- the distractions, the comparisons, and stuff that causes us to lose our focus – will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Our faith and trust in God will blind us from all these earthly concerns.

Let's Pray
Dear God, thanks for giving us the Bible to direct us in life. I ask that You would put blinders on my heart so that I will be solely focused on living for You. I pray as the psalmist does: "I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws" (Psalm 119:104-106). Please help me to fully trust in You and follow Your ways.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Take time to evaluate what people or things might be distracting you from God's best and keeping you from fully trusting in Him. Spend some time in prayer about it.

How much time have you been spending in God's Word each day? Each week? Each month? Consider adding ten minutes to your current commitment for one week. Ask God to give you a greater clarity of His plans and direction for your life and the faith to trust in His plans.

Ready to commit? Make a public declaration! Swing over to my blog and leave this comment, "I'm in for the ten minute challenge!" Then add ten minutes of Bible reading to the time that you already spend with the LORD each day for a week. I know it will bless you big!

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 go deeper with God? Ready to begin a new faith adventure? Get a copy of the book!

Get a FREE song download and practical Biblical encouragement from Girlfriends in God co-founder, Gwen Smith, when you sign up to receive her Newsletter at www.GwenSmith.net.

[Judy Harder]

May 30, 2013
How to Enjoy Your Family, Part 1
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm. A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised (Proverbs 31:11-12; 30, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Family means different things to different people. What is a family? Well, I can tell you that it is not what it used to be. Family is no longer simple, but blended and complex. It has changed to include many different relationships of people who live together.

Couples with children
Couples with no children
Single women with children
Single men with children
Grandparents with children
Parents with grown children who have left and then come back home
Close friends living together
Unrelated people living together
And they are all family. Family is a group of persons belonging to or forming a household. We've looked at what a family is, but the more important question is, "What is the purpose of family?" There are no perfect families. There never have been. However, the purpose of family is to illustrate the nature and character of God. In other words, family is the primary place we learn about God.

A Sunday school class of first-graders was asked to draw a picture of God. When the pastor stopped by to inspect their work, the children were happy to show him their drawings. One had drawn God in the form of a brightly colored rainbow. Another had drawn the face of an old man coming out of billowing clouds and there was one drawing that looked a lot like Superman. Perhaps the best drawing was the one proudly displayed by a girl who said, "I didn't know what God looked like exactly, so I drew my daddy!"

Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love. To be part of a family is to be loved. So the challenge is ... how can we love our family?

I know we all want to be part of a family where we give and receive love. Proverbs 31 is a portrait of a wife and mother, painted by a King as the kind of woman his mother wanted her son to marry. It is a standard of excellence, not only for women but also for every member of every family. In the life of this woman, we find several ways to love our family.

Build trust.

Proverbs 31:11 tells us "her husband has full confidence in her." "Full confidence" literally means to trust, to take refuge in or to lean on. The Proverbs 31 woman spent a lifetime building trust. She trusted God and had a personal relationship with Him. We cannot be trustworthy if we are not trusting – and if we don't trust God, we cannot truly trust others. If we are not "taking refuge" or "leaning on" Jesus Christ, when others take refuge and lean on us, we will crumble and fall. Trust shatters fear.

Psalm 56:3 "But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me?" (NIV)

Trust is fragile and once broken, very hard to rebuild. When our son was a little boy, he constantly rode on the trusted shoulders of his dad, and loved it. Then, one day, at a church youth activity, one of the youth was playing around and punched Dan in the stomach. Dan was caught off guard and the youth hit him harder than he meant to. Dan doubled over and Jered tumbled to the ground. The next time Dan tried to put Jered on his shoulders, Jered flatly refused. It took months for Dan to earn Jered's trust again. To enjoy our family, we must first trust God, which then enables us to build trust in our family. Our family needs to be able to trust us, no matter what – with no hidden land mines. There will be no joy in our homes if there is not an atmosphere of trust. Family is a "team" idea and nothing is more deadly to the success of a team than a lack of trust. Trust God and then build trust in your family. In tomorrow's devotions, we will explore other ways to enjoy your family. Don't miss it!

Let's Pray

Father, thank You for the family You have given me. I want to love them like they need to be loved. Help me to build trust in them as I learn to trust You more. Lord, help me to be trustworthy and to be the woman You want me to be in my family.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Make a list of ways your family can trust and depend on you.
Identify any areas where you can build more trust.
Have a family meeting to discuss what it means to be a team. 
Constantly look for ways to foster the mindset that your family is a team.
More From The Girlfriends

Everywhere I look, splintered and broken families abound. Why? I believe that somewhere along the way, trust was broken by an affair, a betrayal or a forgotten vow. What is even more frightening is the casual approach to that broken trust. God is calling us to trust Him and then to build that trust in our family. Right now, no matter how many times you have failed, begin again. We are with you!

For more information about how to enjoy family or how to deal with a difficult child, check out the MP3s, How to Enjoy Your Family and Tough Love for Tough Kids in my online store.

Join women from across the world in Bible study by enrolling in my weekly online Bible study, Light for the Journey. The current topic is Power Up With Proverbs. Connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.

Seeking God?

[Judy Harder]

May 31, 2013
How to Enjoy Your Family
Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy (Proverbs 31:13:15, 20, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love. To be part of a family is to be loved. Yesterday, we saw that the first step to loving our family is to build trust. The second step is to serve our family with joy.  We are told by many to serve ourselves - not others. The Proverbs 31 woman had every opportunity to live a life of leisure.

She has a prominent husband.
She had a lot of influence.
She was visible and active in community.
She was in charge of charity events.
But she got up while it was still dark to make breakfast for her family and for those who served her. Proverbs 31:13 tells us she worked with "eager" hands. The literal meaning of "eager" is "in delight or in chosen joy." In other words, she chose to serve with joy, which means we can choose to serve our family with joy as well.  Jesus teaches the truth that service is a natural result of love.

Galatians 5:13 "For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other."

Yet, many of us find it easier to serve everyone in love except our family. When my husband, Dan, was a youth pastor, we saw a variety of family dynamics. At one church, a young man came to us in tears. I will never forget his words; "My parents are getting a divorce because mom has time for everyone in the world except my dad and me!" Service to those we love and call family should not be a burden. In fact, an attitude of service is contagious. The best way to teach your family to serve is to serve them.

From childhood, making the bed was one of my kid's daily chores. I told them that one-day a week, I would make their bed for them. It could be on a day when they were running late for school, when they were too tired or didn't feel well. Whatever the reason, I would serve them by making their bed one day a week. One morning, I was running behind and in a hurry to visit my husband was recovering from an emergency appendectomy. I had been at the hospital day and night and was exhausted. I got up very early, took one look at my bed and decided I just didn't want to make it. I went to take a shower, hoping it would wake me up.  When I came out, Danna, our eleven-year-old daughter had made my bed. To love our family, we must serve with joy!

Plan well.

Proverbs 31:15b, 21, 27 (LB) "She plans the day's work. She has no fear of winter for her household, for she has made warm clothes for all of them. She watches carefully all that goes on throughout her household."

Planning prevents chaos. This woman is in control of her home and her life. The control came from good planning. She mastered the skill of homemaking before she ever set foot in the workplace. She set her priorities; then arranged her life around them. She didn't allow others to set them for her but did what was important, not just urgent. Have you noticed that the urgent things in life barge in demanding attention while the important things wait to be chosen? We can spend a lifetime on the urgent and miss the important. We must set family priorities because if we don't, the world will.

The Proverbs 31 woman knew what needed to be done and made sure that it was done first and in the right way. She didn't fear winter or the hard times because she was prepared. Family should provide the most satisfying earthly relationships. If it doesn't, the problem may be with our planning. Here are some practical tips for planning:

Budget your time. 
Choose one day a week to plan.
Eliminate. Have an "elimination" meeting once a month with your family. Eliminate the things that hurt your family.
Learn to leave the "lesser" things undone.
Delegate. Include everyone in the family in the work as well as the playing.
Simplify. Give up on perfection. It's for heaven - not earth.
Plan well. It demonstrates your love for your family.
Work hard.

Proverbs 31:16-18 (LB) "She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her own hands she plants a vineyard. She is a hard worker. She works far into the night."

There is nothing lazy about this woman! Laziness should not be part of our character as women of God. This is a busy woman, but not too busy ad not busy doing the wrong things. Busyness does not always equal productivity. I believe a woman can have it all - a career, a family. I'm just not sure she can have it all at the same time. This woman has a strong sense of who she is and what God created her to be.  She has a clear plan for life. And notice she doesn't do all of the work herself. (By the way, this is your scriptural justification for a maid or as I tell my children,"Why do you think God made kids?") Working together builds a sense of family.  In a nationwide survey, thousands of school children were asked, "What makes a happy family?" The most-mentioned key to happiness was "doing things together." Plan "family projects" and family workdays. At the end of day, order a pizza and rent a movie as reward. You can build some of your greatest family traditions and memories around work. When our kids were younger, we bought our Christmas tree and put up our Christmas lights every Thanksgiving weekend.  While it is a lot of work, it is also a family tradition. I never had to ask the kids to help. They were eager to join in ... and have carried this tradition into their own families.               

A woman who loves her family is willing to work hard for them and with them, planning well and building trust.

Let's Pray

Father, family is so important to You and I want it to be that important to me as well. Thank You for the family You have given me. I love each one of them and want them to be sure of my love. Please help me love them in ways they can understand. I pray that our family will be filled with trust and become a haven for each family member. Be glorified in our home and in our family.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Identify areas of your family life that need to be more structured.
Establish a weekly family meeting to plan and connect as a family. 
Use the principles in step three to become a better planner.
Establish a new family tradition that invites every family member to participate.
More from the Girlfriends

I once heard the statement, "Home is the place you go where they have to take you in." I love that statement. And it really is true. Tomorrow, we conclude this study on how to enjoy your family. I pray that it is making a difference in your life and in your family. Remember, your home and family is the best place for God to show up and demonstrate Who He really is.

For more information about how to enjoy family or how to deal with a difficult child, check out the MP3s, How to Enjoy Your Family and Tough Love for Tough Kids in my online store.

Join women from across the world by enrolling in my online Bible Study, Power Up With Proverbs. And I would love to connect with you through email or on Facebook.

[Judy Harder]

June 3, 2013
How to Enjoy Your Family
Part 3
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says (Proverbs 31:26).

Friend to Friend

Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love. To be part of a family is to be loved. Over the last two days, we have examined the first steps to loving your family: to build trust, to serve them with joy, to plan well and to work hard.  We can also love and enjoy our family by guarding our words.

Control your tongue.

The power of the spoken word is great. Words are like seeds. What we plant will grow.  If we plant negative and critical words, we will reap a family that is negative and critical.  Look for the good in your family and then speak it. Be a cheerleader for your family because everyone needs a cheerleader.

A little girl was eating breakfast with her Daddy. They were on a "date," spending special time together. He was telling her how wonderful she was and how proud he was to have her as a daughter. When he had done what he thought was a sufficient job, he picked up his fork and began to eat. His daughter put her hand on his arm and stopped him with these words, "Longer, Daddy, longer." He didn't eat much food that day, but a little girl's hungry heart was fed. Do you have any hearts like that in your family?

CBS released a movie about Karen Carpenter, the great singer who rose to stardom singing with her brother, Richard. At the age of 32, she died unexpectedly of heart failure due to many years of abuse caused by Anorexia. What brought on Karen's fatal obsession with weight control? It seems that a reporter once called her "Richard's chubby sister."

Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD: keep watch over the door of my lips."

Before speaking, ask yourself the following questions.

   T       is it true
   H      is it helpful
   I        is it inspiring
   N      is it necessary
   K      is it kind

Think before you speak. Use the five to one ratio when correcting - five positive remarks to one negative comment. The harder the truth, the more love we should use in saying it. It is our responsibility to use our words to train and instruct our family about the daily things in life, but more importantly, to instruct them about the eternal things. We are very concerned about providing for our children when we need to be more concerned about caring for our children. To care for our children, we must disciple them by speaking words of truth. Guard your tongue.

Take care of yourself.

The Proverbs 31 woman certainly did. "She is energetic. Her own clothing is beautifully made--a purple gown of pure linen. She is a woman of strength and dignity and has no fear of old age" (Proverbs 31:17; 22; 25).

Families are hard work. In order to make our family relationships replenishing, we must be replenished. Psalm 46:10 instructs us to "be still and know that I am God." Let'sapply this verse specifically.

Be still, MY MUSCLES, and know God's RELAXATION. 

Be still, MY NERVES, and know God's REST.

Be still, MY HEART, and know God's QUIETNESS.

Be still, MY BODY, and know God's RENEWAL.

Be still, MY MIND, and know God's PEACE.

In order to be all that we can be to our families, we must be all that we can be mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. We must be balanced. The Proverbs 31 woman was energetic and hard working for the tasks she was gifted and called to do. Proverbs 31:25 tells us that this woman could laugh "at the days to come." The picture here is of a woman who enjoyed her life. She worked hard, but she knew how to stop and plant a vineyard. She liked to shop and watched for bargains. She liked to look beautiful, dressing in purple fine linen.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body."

We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies for ourselves. When you take care of yourself, you are honoring God and loving your family.

Remember your audience.

The final way to enjoy and love your family is to remember who your audience should be.

Proverbs 31:28-31 "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

It's so easy to run the race of life before the wrong audience. The truth is that our audience determines how we run the race. Our audience should be God, our mate, our children - and then others. One day we will stand before God as keeper of the family He has loaned to us for a short time. Will He be pleased? Will He say, "Well done?" Will our family stand and bless us? Will others say this woman loved and enjoyed her family?

Let's Pray

Lord, you know my inadequacies. You know my weaknesses, not only in parenting, but also in every area of my life. As you broke the fishes and the loaves to feed the five thousand, now take my meager effort and use it to bless my family.

Please make up for the things I did wrong. Satisfy the needs that I have not satisfied.  Wrap your great arms around my family and draw them close to you. 

And be there when they stand at the great crossroads between right and wrong. All I can give is my best, and I, today, choose to do that. Therefore, I submit to you my family and myself and the job I have done and will do as a wife and mother. The outcome belongs to you. (Author unknown)

Now It's Your Turn

How would you define "family" in your life?

Which one of the steps covered in this series of devotionals do you need to take in order to have the family God wants you to have?

Set aside time to pray for each family member.

More from the Girlfriends

I truly believe our greatest opportunity to impact the world is to love and enjoy our families in a way that honors God. I pray that you have been blessed by these devotions. I encourage you to examine your family in light of these principles. Identify one that needs some work, and get started. It is never too late to start, and it is always too early to give up, girlfriend. And know that Gwen, Sharon and I are right there with you on this journey. Blessings!

For more information about how to enjoy family or how to deal with a difficult child, check out the MP3s, How to Enjoy Your Family and Tough Love for Tough Kids in my online store. And be sure to check out Mary's NEW weekly Online Bible Study, From a Mess to a Miracle, beginning July 8. Enroll now and have access to all 2013 lessons. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

June 4, 2013
Lessons from a Dirt Clod Fight
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms," (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

Friend to Friend

In my early years, I was a rough and rowdy tomboy who climbed trees, skipped rocks, and made skid marks on the asphalt with my glittery pink banana seat bike. My backyard was the envy of every kid in the neighborhood. It came equipped with a drainage ditch across the back border that separated us from a vacant, thickly wooded lot. The ditch tunneled beneath six city blocks through concrete pipes large enough to stand up in and walk through, and culminated in a very large crater we dubbed "The Canyon." How do I know you could stand up in them? You guessed. We did it.

To the kids in the neighborhood, the ditch was a virtual wonderland filled with all kinds of creepy, crawly critters to be discovered. I felt like the luckiest kid around to have such an attraction right in my own backyard.

On the other side of "The Canyon" lived another neighborhood that was a bit rougher than ours. We dubbed the boys who lived there the "Canyon Boys." Great animosity existed between the Canyon Boys and the boys in our neighborhood (of which I thought I was one).

One day the warring factions decided there was going to be a big rumble between the two. The time: 2:00 p.m. The place: the drainage ditch bordering my backyard. The weapon of choice: dirt clods.

We boys gathered in my yard on the east side of the ditch as the enemy gathered in the vacant lot on the west. We piled up our ammo, hunkered down behind mounds of dirt and trees, and waited for the first shot to be fired. Then it began. Clods of hardened mud flew left and right. At some point during this heated battle, I peeked out from behind a tree to throw a grenade, and something hit me square in the forehead. I wasn't sure what it was, but it didn't feel like dirt. As blood poured down my brow, I looked on the ground and saw the culprit. A brick.

"You cheated!" I yelled at the enemy forces.

Fearing I had suffered a fatal blow, the enemies ran for their lives. My buds ran to get my mom, and I was whisked away to the hospital. The doctor shaved a patch of hair from the top of my forehead, sewed my skin back together, and placed a patch over the wound. Oh, it wasn't as nifty as a broken arm or a broken leg, but having your head spit open by a rival was pretty cool.

Some of my hair never grew back in that spot and I have a scar to remind me of a few facts about fighting foes.

1.    The enemy cheats.

The enemy slings more than just dirt.
The enemy has great aim.
The enemy's attacks sometimes leave scars.
The enemy is not playing a game.
I don't fight with bullies anymore—at least, not the human kind. But I do have one nemesis that challenges me regularly. The Bible calls him the "great deceiver," "the accuser," "the devil," "the evil one." Interestingly, the same lessons I learned from that dirt clod fight apply to him today.

What about you? Do you know how to fight the spiritual battles in your life? Ephesians 6:10-20 is a great place to start.

If you are ready and willing to take your stand against the enemy today, click over to my blog page and say, "According to Ephesians 6, I'm taking my stand!"

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, today I put on the full armor of God to stand against the enemy's schemes: the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the sandals of the gospel of peace. I also take up the shield of faith in one hand and the sword of the Spirit in the other. Now I'm ready to take my stand. In Jesus' name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Go back to the list of 5 things I learned about the enemy during my dirt clod fight. Now, consider how each one of those principles applies to spiritual warfare.

Read Ephesians 6:10-20 and list the pieces of the armor of God. Envision putting on each piece as you write them down.

Notice there is only 1 offense weapon. What is it? How do you take up the Sword of the Spirit?

More from the Girlfriends

Do you love a good story? I do! Stories tug at the heart and open the eyes to the truths of Scripture in a way only God can do. I have complied 100 of my favorite stories and devotions into one book titled, Listening to God Day-by-Day. It is the perfect book for a quick pick-me-up before you start your busy day or a sweet dreams closure before you turn off the bedside lamp at night. And here's some good news, this book is specially priced for the month of June. Get one for yourself, and we'll include another free for you to share. It won't show up on your receipt, but we'll make sure it is included in your package.

[Judy Harder]

June 5, 2013
You Really Don't Have to Worry
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks (Philippians 4:6, GW).

Friend to Friend

History tells us that some Indian tribes tortured and killed their enemies by staking them to the ground. They then took a wet leather strap and placed it around the neck of their enemy. As the leather strap slowly dried in the blazing desert sun, it would gradually cut off the air supply until their enemy finally choked to death. Worry does the same thing. "Worry" literally means "to be pulled in different directions." The old English root from which we get our word "worry" means "to strangle." Worry literally strangles our peace and weakens our faith.

Worry is a control issue.

Worry is wasted energy.

Worry is consuming and unhealthy.

Worry is a joy thief.

Worry is the interest that we pay today on tomorrow's problems.

Worry is practicing atheism.

Worry makes everything seem bigger than it really is.

When we choose to trust God, we are choosing against worry. In Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah voices a powerful prayer of faith that should be our prayer as well. "You, Lord, give true peace. You give peace to those who depend on you. You give peace to those who trust you." It is simple. God rewards our trust with His peace.

I saw a bumper sticker that read "Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed."  How true! I can only imagine what it does to the heart of God to see His children caught in the trap of negative attitudes when His plan is a peaceful mind-set. We will never live in freedom and power until we consistently choose against worry and deliberately choose to trust God alone.

It is possible not to worry. It must be. God never asks us to do anything that He doesn't empower us to do. The problem is that we like to play God in our lives. Playing God is the root of worry. When we take life into our own hands, worry will always be the result. The apostle Paul certainly had plenty of reasons to worry. He was in jail, facing a trial and an almost certain execution. Paul's health was failing rapidly and the churches he had spent his whole life building were struggling to survive. Yet, Paul refused to worry and lived a life marked by peace. We can, too.   

Paul gives us the formula for eliminating worry and establishing peace when he writes "in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks." In this verse, "prayers" are thoughts spoken to God while "requests" are specific needs presented to God. In other words, if it is big enough to concern us, it is big enough to concern God. Then why do we get serious about prayer only as a last resort instead of making prayer our first response? We have forgotten that aside from God's power, we are helpless and lost. Peace comes while we are on our knees before Him in prayerful dependence. Paul reminds us that we are to pray about everything. Prayer should be a habit instead of a last-ditch effort.

Notice that Paul says if we want to experience peace, we must give thanks while we are praying, the perfect picture of praying in faith. To pray in faith is to believe that God not only can answer or will answer prayer, but that He is answering even as we pray.

The story is told of a small town in west Texas that was experiencing a severe drought. One Sunday morning, a pastor in that town announced there would be a prayer meeting that night and encouraged every member to meet at the church to pray for rain. The pastor challenged them to come in faith, believing that God would hear and answer their prayer. That night, the church was filled with every leader of the church and community. The preacher stood, looked out over the crowd and said "Only one of you has come in faith." He then pointed to a little girl seated in the front row. She was holding an umbrella. Faith eliminates worry and feeds peace.

Let's Pray

Father, I come to You today with a sense of helplessness. I am desperate for You, Lord. I need Your strength and power to sustain me because everything seems to be falling apart. I want to be a woman of faith and stand strong when trouble bombards my life but I cannot do it alone. I am afraid and seem to worry about everything. Today, I turn to You and celebrate the truth that You will turn to me and be my refuge.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Look back over your life. When did God take something bad and bring good out of it? Describe that experience. Remember the truth that God is the same yesterday, today and forever and what He did in your past ... He can do today and tomorrow. He is faithful – even when we are faithless.

Read and memorize Psalm 59:16. Choose to sing a new song of praise – no matter what happens today. Record this verse on an index card and keep it with you. When fear and doubt come, meet them with this powerful promise from God.

More from the Girlfriends

Need help dealing with worry? Get Mary's E-Book Bible Study, Getting a Grip on Fear, for practical ways to deal with fear and worry in your life. And be sure to check out Mary's new weekly Online Bible Study, From a Mess to a Miracle, beginning July 8. Enroll now and have access to all 2013 lessons. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

June 6, 2013
When the Thief Uses Your Key
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin, (Psalm 32:3 NIV).

Friend to Friend

When I was a teenager, my high school was just a few miles from my home. My lunch break was a mere 35 minutes, but I enjoyed driving home and taking a respite from the hustle and bustle of the crowded hallways.

Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was a sleepy little town with a railroad track that ran down the middle of downtown, dividing it into two counties. There was a fledgling minor league baseball team that ranked in Sports Illustrated as the worst housing conditions in the league, and a Hardee's fast-food restaurant on every corner, reminding us that the corporate office for the chain was just down the street. We slept with our windows open, left home with our doors unlocked, and as children we rode our bicycles all over town without a hint of reservation.

But times changed in the late sixties and early seventies. We began to keep our windows closed at night and our doors locked even during the day. Kids stayed much closer to home. At our house, we kept an extra key in the mailbox just inside the doorless garage. The only people who knew it was there were our family and the mailman...or so we thought.

During my high school years when I went home for lunch at 12:10 every day, I simply retrieved the key from the mailbox and then placed it back until I came home again at 3:15.

One day I came home after school at the usual time, used the hidden key, and let myself in. Before grabbing a snack, I made a beeline to the television to turn on my favorite program. When I opened the door, I realized the TV was missing.

I didn't know anything was wrong with the TV,I thought. Mom must have taken it into the shop for repairs.

I called Mom at her craft store.

"Hello, Bee N' Beetle. May I help you?"

"Hey, Mom. This is Sharon. Did you take the TV in for repair?"

"No, I didn't. Why?"

"Well, because it isn't here."

"What do you mean, it isn't there?"

"It's not here. The cabinet is empty."

"Is anything else missing?" she asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"I don't know. Let me check."

I didn't have to look far to see that a few other items were gone. When I came back to the phone to report, my mother said, "Sharon, quick! Get out of there!"

When the police came, we discovered that someone had indeed broken into our house and taken many things. And how did he get in? Why, he used the hidden key!

Apparently, someone had been watching me. He knew I came home at 12:10 and left again at 12:45. He also knew I came home from school around 3:15. So one day between 12:45 and 3:15, he simply took the key from the mailbox, let himself in, and helped himself to our belongings. Then, when he had what he wanted, the thief locked the door behind him and put the key back in the mailbox for "safe keeping."

That's exactly what Satan does in our lives. He watches us and knows exactly where that hidden key to our secret places lies. Then, at the most opportune time, he unlocks the door to steal our peace and joy. The Bible tells us that Satan is a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:. Sometimes the hidden parts of our hearts, the ones that we have not given to God, are where Satan wants to sink his teeth. As long as we have that key hidden, Satan can get to it.

There's only one solution. Don't hide the key. Give the key to every compartment of your heart to God.

Is God prompting you to give Him the key to a hidden room in your heart today?

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, I give You the key to my heart—my whole heart. I give You the key to every secret closet, every hidden room, every messy nook and cranny of my life. No longer will I keep those keys to myself but hand them over to You totally and completely to do with what You will. In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Psalm 32:1-11.

Is there any area of your heart that you have not given to God? A relationship? A past sin that you're clinging to? A present insecurity? A future worry?

If so, I suggest you hand it over. One of the best ways to do that is to tell someone what you've been hanging onto and commit to let it go. (James 5:16a)

If you're willing to give God the key to every part of your heart, click over to my blog page and leave a comment that says, "I'm handing the key over to God."

More from the Girlfriends

Do you love a good story? I do! Stories tug at the heart and open the eyes to the truths of Scripture in a way only God can do. I have complied 100 of my favorite stories and devotions into one book titled, Listening to God Day-by-Day. It is the perfect book for a quick pick-me-up before you start your busy day or a sweet dreams closure before you turn off the bedside lamp at night. And here's some good news, this book is specially priced for the month of June. Get one for yourself, and we'll include another free for you to share. It won't show up on your receipt, but we'll make sure it is included in your package.

And if you'd like to learn more about how to give every part of your heart to God, check out my book, Becoming Spiritually Beautiful. In it you'll learn how to live fully and free!

[Judy Harder]

June 7, 2013
The Trust Fall
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you (Psalm 56:3, ESV).

Friend to Friend

Our arms were braided across each other's and our hands were locked tightly. As the young girl stood on the tall tree stump above us she looked over her shoulder and saw with her eyes that our formation was tight...that we were ready for her. She heard with her ears that we would catch her...that we would not let her get hurt. Yet the fear that screamed in her head told her not to do it. Not to fall backwards.       

Her legs shook and lips quivered. Other campers had gone before her and her cabin mates had successfully caught each one. But this camper hesitated – allowing the looming possibilities of failure and pain to paralyze her from action. The risks just seemed too great.         

She trembled.           

We encouraged.           

She cried.       

We encouraged.         

Then, finally, with determination in her heart, she took the plunge. She fell straight backwards onto the safety net of our arms. We bent low to the ground giving way to her fall and caught her with cheers of excitement. She did it! As her trembling legs regained their confidence, she stood tall and beamed from ear to ear – realizing that she had faced her fear. Joy was felt from heart to heart as each of us rejoiced with her.           

Mission accomplished. Early in the day, we had trekked across the campgrounds to the "Trust Fall station" as a group of counselors and campers who didn't have a shared experience among us, an unconnected strand of strangers. Now our wooded team-building time had come to an end and we left the trust fall station having bonded deeply as a group of new girlfriends prepared for a fresh journey of fun and adventure.         

Each of us took turns at the Trust Fall that day. We all faced a set of scary circumstances and were forced to work through our doubts, tremblings and fears. As a result, we learned valuable lessons and strengthened our relationships.           

Since my days of being a camp counselor, I've faced many scary life Trust Falls: financial trials, relationship strains, relocations, sick loved ones, and difficult family matters. I've trembled and I've cried. I've been paralyzed by "what ifs" and "whys." We all go through difficult seasons and trials; times when we want to see the invisible arms of the One who says He will catch us; times when we are afraid to fall into them.         

Wherever we go and whatever we face, God is with us – yesterday, today and forever. He bids us to live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). He wants us to trust Him. He catches us when we Trust Fall,when we live by faith. And to encourage us along the way He spurs us on by sending a cloud of witnesses who testify of His faithfulness. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"  (Hebrews 12:1, NIV).           

Today, whether you identify with the shaky young camper on the Trust Fall stump or with the cabin mates who were filled with encouragement for another, God wants you to trust Him...right where you are. It might be scary. Tears might be shed. But God is faithful and can be trusted.         

Like the Psalmist, let's choose to say, "But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?" (Psalm 56:3-4, ESV)         

When we Trust Fall from our struggles into the faithful arms of God, we are freed from the fears that paralyze us. Trust Him today, friend. A cloud of Girlfriend in God witnesses are cheering for you!

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, You are good, loving and faithful – and You know exactly what I'm facing. Please take this burden from me. Help me today to fall into a deeper place of trusting you.

In Jesus' Name I pray,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

What is God asking you to trust Him in or through? Spend a few moments in prayer over this. Then click over to my blog so we can take the conversation deeper. Leave a comment about what God is calling you to trust Him with today.

Who has been there for you when you faced scary circumstances?  Consider writing her a note or sending her an e-mail of thanks.

Do you have a friend(s) who seems to be struggling to trust God with her tough places? Maybe God wants you to encourage her or him. Perhaps you could write a letter or share a hug – call and pray with her – bless them with a meal or a plate of brownies. Forward this devotion with her! Post it on your Facebook wall. Ask the Lord for ideas!

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! This is the perfect book for individual study or for gathering a group of friends in what we call GiG Groups. With impactful devotions, study questions, journal pages, free on-line video intros, and an index of trust-building Scriptures...this book is a resource you'll refer to time-and-time again.

Love music? Worship through the songs of Uncluttered. This CD is filled with songs that sweep you away from excess 'life-noise', this music focuses your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. Order your copy today from iTunes or from www.GwenSmith.net.

[Judy Harder]

June 10, 2013
The Gates of God
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:9-11, NIV).

Friend to Friend

As a grandmother, I can testify to the importance of gates. Our youngest grandson, Hudson, just had his first birthday and is starting to walk – but he has been a champion crawler for several months - and he loves stairs. We just happen to live in a townhouse that has three flights of stairs, much to Hudson's delight. Oh, we buy him toys, but they are nothing more than momentary distractions from his favorite toy – the stairs.

When Hudson first learned to climb up the stairs, we bought a gate to keep him from falling down those same stairs. I wondered how he would react to his new confinement. It didn't take long to find out. When our daughter dropped him off for a visit, Hudson played with the toys I keep for him downstairs in the living room. After a few minutes, his sparkling blue eyes caught mine, and I knew what was about to happen. Yep! He made a mad dash for the stairs. Halfway up, he looked back at me with a mischievous smile as if to ask, "Are you coming, Mimi?" Laughing, I scrambled up the stairs behind him. When we reached the landing, I quickly scooped him up in my arms, put the gate in place, and sat him on the floor to play. Hudson clapped his hands and laughed ... until he saw the gate.

With a look of suspicion and doubt ... definitely doubt ... Hudson reached out to touch the wall now separating him from his beloved stairs. He glanced back at me and seemed to ask, "What have you done, Mimi?" I tried to play the gate up as a good thing that was for his safety and protection, but Hudson was not buying one word of my cheery explanation. His chubby little hands tentatively grasped the gate as he pulled himself to his feet for a closer inspection. I watched as our precious grandson peered through the bars of the gate to the stairs below. He then turned to stare at me in disbelief and promptly burst into tears. He was not done. He pulled and pushed the gate with every ounce of toddler strength he could muster, wailing in anger and frustration as he tried to dislodge his prison wall. Hudson made it crystal clear that he is not a fan of gates.

I tend to react the same way to the gates God places in my life.

I have a plan – one that I think is right. I like my plan and don't really see the need to bother God with the details of that plan. After all, my plan is logical and could even be described as good since it fits within the parameters of Scripture. It must be His will for my life, right? So I scramble through the steps of my plan until I run smack dab into a wall or, as Hudson would call it, a gate. My first reaction is suspicion and doubt – definitely doubt – and I quickly conclude that Satan must have placed the gate there.

I try everything within my human strength to knock down the barrier to my beloved plan. The gate does not move. Frustration and anger fill my heart as I cry out to God, pleading for Him to remove the unwanted obstacle from my path. It is then that He takes me in His arms and gently explains, "Child, the gate is for your good. It is for your protection and safety."

When will I understand that God's plan for my life is higher and better than any plan I can possibly imagine? When will I learn to wholly trust Him? When will I realize just how much He loves me? When I look back over my life, I cannot count the number of times I first considered a closed door to be the work of Satan, only to discover it was really the hand of God protecting me or keeping me from making a terrible mistake.

How about you? Has God closed a door that you thought was the perfect opportunity? Has He placed a gate across the path that you thought was so right? Trust Him. Wait on Him. He is at work in your life.

Let's Pray

Father, I come to You today, choosing to trust You. Thank You for the perfect and amazing plan You have for my life. Help me learn to trust You more. Teach me how to praise You for the doors You have closed - as well as the ones You have opened. Today, I rest in Your unfailing love for me and lean wholly on You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Look back over your life. Pinpoint five "gates" God placed in your path that you now see are for your good. Record them in your journal. Thank God for each one.

Read and memorize Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight." Record this verse in your journal. Circle all of the action words. Which ones of these actions do you need to take? I would love to hear how God increases your faith. Email me or share your story on my Facebook page.

More from the Girlfriends

Need help finding God's plan for your life? Check out Mary's new E-Book Bible Study, It's Never Too Late to Be Great. And be sure to check out Mary's NEW weekly Online Bible Study, From a Mess to a Miracle, beginning July 8. Enroll now and have access to all 2013 lessons.

[Judy Harder]

June 11, 2013
Shabby Chic Refinishing
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

(2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).           

Friend to Friend

Junk. That's what my family and friends thought of most of my purchases. But to me, they were treasures waiting to be revealed.

When I was in my late teens, I had an unusual fetish for beat-up antique furniture. While most of my friends were at the mall shopping for clothes, I was at estate sales, flea markets, yard sales, and auctions hunting for antiques. Often, when I brought my purchases home, my family would roll their eyes and say, "I can't believe you paid money for that old piece of junk." But I never saw my purchases as junk. They just needed a little work...okay, sometimes a lot of work. But I loved the shabby chic projects!

At one estate sale I spied a little drop leaf kitchen table with three spindle-back chairs. I could just imagine a sweet little older lady spending many years sitting at that very table drinking her morning coffee or perhaps her afternoon tea. I could almost hear the faint whispers of thousands of conversations from generations past. The set was painted a hospital green, but I saw that it had great potential. Obviously the other bidders didn't recognize a treasure when they saw one, because ten minutes and $35 later, the set was mine.

I brought the dinette set home, all excited about my great buy, and couldn't understand why no one else shared my enthusiasm.                                 

"Sharon, do you realize how much time and energy it is going to take to make that old green rickety table look even slightly presentable?" they asked. At that point in my life, I had a lot more time than money, so the time wasn't a problem.

Refinishing furniture is a dirty, grueling task. First, I stripped off the paint with paint remover and discovered that not only had the table been green, it had also been blue, and before that white. But underneath it all was pure walnut.

The paint remover raised the grain of the wood, so I had to go back and sand it smooth. If the sanding isn't done well, the finished product will always be a little rough. A few joints were loose from wear and tear, so I glued them back together. Then I applied a warm walnut stain which deepened its color and made the beautiful pattern of the wood grain stand out. Finally, I applied a polyurethane coat to seal and protect the piece.

As I worked I began to think of the old broken table as a symbol of my own life. I was also on the auction block, and God had purchased me with His Son's precious blood. I had layers and layers of my old self that had to be stripped away to reveal the beauty hidden beneath. This raised my grain, but God sanded me with life experiences and trials to remove the rough edges. He glued my loose joints and mended my broken pieces, for He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Then He put a sealer not only on me but in me – the Holy Spirit who brought out the beauty of who God created me to be.

After I finished refurbishing the old table and chairs, I sat in the garage thinking about all that God had done in my life. My mom opened the door, looked at the old table, and said, "I never thought something so ugly could turn out to be so beautiful."

I said, "Amen."

Where are you in the refinishing process? It's never really over, this side of heaven. But as we listen to God day by day, He will show us what needs to be stripped off, sanded away, and polished smooth to be all that He has created us to be.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, I was such a mess before You transformed me. Thank You for restoring my soul, renewing my spirit, and redeeming my life to become Your treasured possession...a true work of art.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 to learn more about your refinishing process.

Think back over the past year. What has God used as His sandpaper to refine your rough edges?

What has God used to glue your broken pieces back together?

What has God used to polish your shine?

Click over to my blog page and tell me one thing that God has used to "refinish" you this year.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you love a good story? I do! Stories tug at the heart and open the eyes to the truths of Scripture in a way only God can do. I have complied 100 of my favorite stories and devotions into one book titled, Listening to God Day-by-Day. It is the perfect book for a quick pick-me-up before you start your busy day or a sweet dreams closure before you turn off the bedside lamp at night. And here's some good news, this book is specially priced for the month of June. Get one for yourself, and we'll include another free for you to share. It won't show up on your receipt, but we'll make sure it is included in your package.