Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

May 14, 2014
A Praying Mom Who Didn't Give Up
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe(Ephesians 1:18-19, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Is there someone who you are praying for, and honestly, you are questioning whether or not it is doing any good? Oh friend, let me encourage you, don't give up.         

Monica saw the fruits of not giving up on her son. From the time he was born, she prayed he would surrender his life to Christ and impact the world for God. However, Augustine's pagan father was just as zealous to lead the young man into sin as his mother was to introduce him to Christ.

Augustine himself said that from the time he was born, he was "sealed with Christ's cross." However, he sidestepped God with the determination of a prizefighter.

In his early heathen years, Augustine attended the University of Carthage and received an excellent education in grammar, logic, literature, language, and oratory. During his years of higher education, he also experienced heavy doses of corruption, brothels, and friends in low places.

He graduated into a lifestyle of immorality, alcohol, and sexual promiscuity, living with one woman for 15 years and fathering a child with her. However, they never married. Eventually, he joined what could be compared to a modern-day cult.

Even though Augustine was living in apparent destitution of the soul, his mother continued to pray for him. Her light burned brightly with rays of hope, forever pointing him back to Christ. Twice a day she went to church and cried out to the Lord on Augustine's behalf.

One day Monica approached a bishop who was bold in confronting others about their relationship to God and their need for salvation. She begged him to talk to Augustine, but he refused, saying that her son was "unteachable." Still, as the bishop walked away, he replied, "It cannot be that the son of these tears should perish."

Shortly afterwards, Monica sensed that Augustine was planning to leave Carthage on a ship to Rome. When she confronted him at the dock, he denied it and said that he was only there to bid a friend farewell. However, the next morning, she discovered that her son had lied. He had set sail for Rome and escaped her influence–or so it seemed. What she did not realize was that as her wayward son turned his eyes toward the shores of home, he pictured in his mind's eye that faithful beacon, pointing him to the safety of Christ's harbor and the one true God.

Monica's prayers followed her son to Rome and God continued to put people in his path to point him to the Savior. One day, while Augustine read one of Paul's letters in the Bible, the Holy Spirit touched his heart and opened his eyes. He knew those letters were written to him, and he committed his life to Jesus Christ.

Augustine went on to write more than 100 books and 1000 sermons. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as "the dominant personality of the Western Church of his time...generally recognized as having been the greatest thinker of Christian antiquity." His books, City of God and Confessions are classics still read today. Sixteen hundred years later, the church still reaps the benefits of this praying mother.

Shortly after Augustine became a Christian; his mother said that she felt her work on earth was accomplished. One week later, at the age of 56, she died.

In one of his prayers Augustine wrote the following about his mother: "She poured out her tears and her prayers all the more fervently, begging You [God] to speed Your help and give me light in my darkness."

Another entry reads, "My mother, Your faithful servant, wept to You for me, shedding more tears for my spiritual death than other mothers shed for the bodily death of a son. For in her faith and in the spirit which she had from You she looked down on me as dead. You heard her and did not despise the tears which streamed down and watered the earth in every place where she bowed her head in prayer."

Monica remained a beacon of light, a visible sentinel pointing her son to the safe harbor of Christ's arms. Augustine, indebted to his mother for unceasing intercession,rose up and called her blessed.

The Beacon

Her love is like an island
In life's ocean, vast and wide.
A peaceful quiet shelter
From the wind, and rain, and tide.
'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the west.
By tender Counsel on the south,
And on the east by rest.
Above is like a beacon light,
Shining Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And through the changing scenes of life,
I find a haven there.
Author Unknown

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, there have been many people who have prayed for me all through my life. I am so glad they never gave up on me. Help me to never tire when it come to praying for those I love, but press on, continue on, pray on. Help me to be persistent and consistent in praying for others to come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

What does Monica's story tell you about the importance of persistence in prayer?

Is there someone that you have been praying for many years?

What does Jesus tell us about persistency in prayer in Luke 18:1-8?

Want to join me in being a diligent prayer warrior who does not defeat in battle, but presses forward with resolve? Click on my Facebook page and say, "I will not give up!"

[Judy Harder]

May 15, 2014
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 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. Verse 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. (LB)

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. 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)

15b She plans the day's work

21 She has no fear of winter for her household, for she has made warm clothes for all of them.

27 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:

1. Budget your time.

2. Choose one day a week to plan.

3. Eliminate. Have an "elimination" meeting once a month with your family. Eliminate the things that are

   hurting your family.

4. Learn to leave the "lesser" things undone.

5. Delegate. Include everyone in the family in the work as well as the playing.

6. 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)

16 She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her own hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She is a hard worker,

18 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 work days. 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! Every Thanksgiving week-end, we buy a Christmas tree and put up Christmas lights. While it is a lot of work, it is also a family tradition. I never have to ask the kids to help. They are eager to join in!         

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 me. Thank you for the family You have given me. I love each one of them. Help me to show them that love in ways they can understand. I pray that our family will be filled with trust and become a haven for each person. Be glorified in our home and in our family. In Jesus' name. Amen

Now It's Your Turn

Identify areas of family life that need to be more structured.

Establish a weekly family meeting to plan, to keep up and, in short, connect as a family.

Use the principles in step three to become a better planner.

Establish a new family tradition that requires the work of every family member.

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! And it really is true. Remember, your home and family is the best place for God to show up and show off!

[Judy Harder]

May 16, 2014
There's a Snag in My Nag
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife (Proverbs 21:19).

Friend to Friend

My nerves were raw because of the faint, repetitive sound in the background of our conversation. As I sat in my parents' kitchen talking to my mom, the faucet behind her was dripping... and dripping... and dripping.

It. Drove. Me. Bananas.

I got up and tightened the handle.

It didn't help.

I wanted to grab the nearest screwdriver and fix it. But, I couldn't. I'm not a sink-fixer. I cannot express to you how severely lacking my sink-fixing skills are. And although I'm sure there is an online instructional video that could teach me how to fix that faucet in five quick steps, I had neither the desire to learn nor the patience to try.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Isn't it amazing how something so small and seemingly insignificant can bother us? It was torture! I left the room. I had to. I needed to get away from the sound of the drip.

Once I composed myself, I got to thinking. The Bible compares this type of drip to a quarrelsome and nagging woman. The MESSAGE paraphrase of Proverbs 27:15 reads, "A nagging spouse is like
the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet; You can't turn it off, 
and you can't get away from it." Likewise, the NIV version of Proverbs 19:13 says, "...a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof."

The word "nag" is defined by Webster's Online dictionary this way:

· to find fault incessantly: complain

· to be a persistent source of annoyance or distraction

· to irritate by constant scolding or urging

Zinger!

Obviously, this behavior is not gender specific – men can surely nag and be quarrelsome too. Whether the behavior comes from a man or a woman, a friend or a foe, the impact is universal: nagging is a negative behavior that drives people to frustration, drives others away, and does not bring glory to God. Period.

I wonder how many times we drive our co-workers, our husbands, our children, our friends or even our acquaintances away because of nagging or quarrelsome behavior?  Are we even aware of it in our own lives? Do we justify it or brush it off when another person fails to meet our expectations?

Am I stepping on some toes here? I assure you, mine are bearing the weight too. Oh, how we can complain and vie for control. Our expectations of others can stir us up: how we think they should act, communicate, behave, respond, and dress.Blah. Blah. Blah. The truth of the matter is, we cannot choose behavior for others, but we can choose for ourselves.

We can choose to walk worthy of our calling in Christ. (Colossians 1:10) We can choose to call on God so that His Spirit can be evidenced in and through us in the spiritual discipline of self-control. Nagging fuels the fire of contention and frustration. Quarreling does the same. But don't take my word for it... take God's Word for it!

"As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife." (Proverbs 26:21)

"Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people." (Philippians 2:14-15)

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29)

So you see? There's a snag in our nag! We can try to justify nagging all we want, but when push comes to shove, it is not a behavior that is supported by Scripture. Say it with me, "There's a snag in my nag!"

In light of this, what will your behavior look like next time you are tempted to nag, quarrel, complain, or attempt to control another? Here are a few ideas to help eliminate our drips:

Replace nagging with prayer. (Not with: "Lord, change him or her!" But with: "Lord change me. Help me. Strengthen me. Give me Your grace. Give me Your wisdom.")

Leave the room or conversation if possible or appropriate. (Don't even give yourself a chance to get the words out!)

Change what you can control: your response.

Eventually, my parents got their leaky faucet fixed. I'm still working on my leak, but with God's help, I know I can do all things. We all can. Would you join me today in asking God to help us honor Him with our words and responses?

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, Please forgive me for the times when I have attempted to control my circumstances and other people through nagging and quarreling. Forgive me for the times when complaining has been my response. Help me to sift my words and my thoughts through Your grace. Help me grow in You and show You in all I do.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

Now It's Your Turn

Where does this find you today? Spend time journaling and praying about this. Confess what needs to be confessed. Restore what needs to be restored.

Need PRAYER? Click over to my blog or my Facebook page and leave a prayer request in the comments section. Then pause to pray for some of the other prayer needs on my wall.

More from the Girlfriends

One of the best ways we can avoid ungodly behaviors is to fix our hearts and minds on Jesus. Ready to fix your heart in his strength? I'm living proof that it is possible for anyone. God delights to deliver us from our hard places in and through the pain. Experience God's healing and hope in your life today as you read Broken Into Beautiful. To order the book, go to Amazon, your favorite Christian bookstore, or for a signed copy, order from Gwen's store.

Gwen's website is filled with videos, posts, songs and resources that will be a deep well of encouragement to you. Please swing by to visit: www.GwenSmith.net. (Get a FREE song download when you sign up for her newsletter!)

[Judy Harder]

May 19, 2014
Praying Scripture Over Children
Sharon Jaynes                                                                       

Today's Truth

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 1:4, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Proverbs 31 introduces us to the mother whose children rise up and call her blessed. She is a "wife of noble character" (NIV), "an excellent wife" (NAS) and "a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman" (AMP).

The actual Hebrew word for excellent or virtuous is chayil and is sometimes interpreted as "virtuous, boldly courageous, powerful, mighty warrior." The mother whose children rise up and call her blessed is a warrior who battles in prayer for the hearts, minds, and souls of her children. She prays a hedge of protection around them and stands in the gap for them. She meets the enemy head-on, dressed in the armor of God with the sword of the spirit (the Word of God) drawn and ready for action. We may never know the many times that the enemy's schemes against our children were thwarted by the power of our prayers.

As a mother, grandmother, aunt, or friend, you may feel that your burden for a child seems more than you can bear. Peter tells us to "cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

When my son was young, I created a 4 x 6 laminated card with prayers that were my defense against the enemy's attack. You, too, can pray that your children will:

Know Christ as Savior early in life. (Psalm 63:1, 2 Timothy 3:15)
Have a hatred for sin. (Psalm 97:10)
Be caught when guilty. (Psalm 119:71) (My son really wanted me to remove this one.)
Be protected from the evil one in each area of his life: spiritual, emotional, and physical. (John 17:15)
Have a responsible attitude in all his interpersonal relationships. (Daniel 6:3)
Respect those in authority over him. (Romans 13:1)
Desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. (Proverbs 1:10-11)
Be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
Be kept pure until marriage (as well as the one he marries). (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
Learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all things. (James 4:7)
Be single-hearted, willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ.(Romans 12:1-2)
Be hedged in so he cannot find his way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to him. (Hosea 2:6)
A mother wears many hats during the years of raising her children. And while we take off those hats one-by-one as they grow and mature, there is one that will always remain—the hat of a mother who prays.

Let's Pray

Dear God, I agree with John who wrote, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." That is my prayer today...that my child will walk in Your truth.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Now it is your turn to pray. Go back to the verses listed above and pray them over your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or children of your closest friends.

[Judy Harder]

May 20, 2013
How to Stay Young
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10, NIV).

Friend to Friend

In April, I will celebrate my 64st birthday! Honestly, I didn't think I would live this long. Seriously! Where have the years gone? It seems every day of life has been jam-packed full of both wonderful and horrible things I wondered if I would survive, and yet here I am, going strong and wondering why there always seems to be some kind of helicopter still landing in my life.

I have some advice for you, girlfriend. If you are a young woman, it really is true that you should cherish every day and every moment with your friends and family, because the older you get, the quicker the days fly by. I look at my children who are married and having children of their own and wonder where all of those years went. How did this happen?

If you are an older woman, take a deep breath and celebrate the fact that you are breathing. I believe if you are alive, God has a purpose and plan for your life. Give yourself a pat on the back for your survival skills. Take a few moments to reflect on your life, and don't get hung up on what might have been. Celebrate what is and what will be.

I have discovered some wonderful advantages to growing older and have learned some valuable lessons along the way. Each chapter of life seems to grow more exciting, and I keep wondering when that "slow down" thing is going to kick in. I am no longer overly concerned with a lot of things that once kept me awake at night. There is great freedom in having paid a lot of "life dues" because I have already been there, done that, and don't really care about getting the T-shirt.

I can say with authority that you probably will live through that crisis you think will be the death of you. What defines you today may very well seem ridiculous in ten years or even ten days. Stupidity will give way to wisdom learned the hard way. I now give myself permission to do or not do things I once would have felt compelled to do simply because it was someone's ridiculous expectation ... not God's plan. My audience has certainly changed over the years. I am no longer desperate to please the people who leer at me through the glass bowl in which I live. Nope! I truly strive to run the race of life for an audience of One.

Yes, there are moments when I have made a frenzied and desperate attempt to stay young. But then, why would I want to do that? There are many years of my life I really do not want to revisit, and there is so much of my life now that I love. During one of those youth seeking moments, I came across the following list of ways to stay young and found it quite interesting.

How to Stay Young

1. Throw out non-essential numbers such as your age, weight and height.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. If you really need a grouch, there are probably family members to fill that need.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Just never let the brain idle.

4. Enjoy the simple things. When the children are young simple is all you can afford. When they are in college simple is still all you can afford. When they are grown, and you are on retirement, that is all you can afford.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Laugh so much that you can be tracked in the store by your distinctive laughter.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person that is with us our entire life is ourselves.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies or whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Go to the mall, the next county, a foreign country - but not guilt.

10. Tell the people you love how much you love them every chance you get. Never assume they know.

11. Don't worry about things you cannot change or do anything about. Accept them and move on.

12. Read more and dust less.

13. Spend more time with your family and friends and less time working.

14. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. Recognize these moments now and cherish them.

15. Do not "save" anything. Use your good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the next blossom of flowers you see.

16. Wear your best outfit to the market.

17. Don't save your good perfume for only special occasions. Use it even if you are going shopping or just to the bank.

18. "Someday" and "one of these days" should vanish from your vocabulary. If something is worth seeing, hearing or doing, go and see, hear or do it now.

What about you? Are you living each day to the fullest? Jesus is all about living an abundant life in the here and now ... whatever stage of life that might be for you. Jesus came so that we can live abundantly and eternally. Eternity began the moment you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.

Let's Pray

Father, I want to live life to the fullest. I want everything you have for me and don't want to miss a single blessing or trial that is for my good. Please help me keep my eyes on You and celebrate every day and all that it holds. I trust You, Lord, to work all things together for my good and Your glory.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Who or what is stealing the joy from your life?

What circumstance are you facing that you need to see through God's eyes and boldly trust Him for?

Look around. What can you find in your life to celebrate?

Are you living out God's purpose for your life or are you bowing to the wrong audience and listening to the wrong voices?

Today, make the decision to celebrate life and all God has for you.

Read Romans 8:28 and know God is at work to make your life exactly what He wants it to be.

More from the Girlfriends

As a pastor's wife, I have talked with so many women who feel as if they were worthless, a freakish accident. Listen, my friend, you were planned and wanted by God. God is crazy about you and wants an intimate relationship with you. I pray that you will see yourself in the eyes of God, a chosen child.

Need help getting the Word of God into your life? Check out Mary's NEW E-Bible Study, The Secret of Contentment.

Need help learning to study the Bible?Check out Mary's weekly Online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. Connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.

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

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 1311
Huntersville, NC 28070

info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

May 21, 2014
God's Masterpiece called YOU!
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I was sitting in a crowded restaurant with my family when she walked by in her full-length white satin dress delicately trimmed in lace and studded with tiny "jewels," crinoline that swished as she moved across the room, a rhinestone tiara upon her head, and pearl-studded slippers on her feet. Golden ringlets framed her rosy cheeks and puckered lips glistened with a hint of gloss. She knew she was beautiful and glanced around at the admiring smiles of onlookers as she walked through the crowd. She was three-years-old.

I'm not sure when the dream to be beautiful enters a little girl's mind, but I do know when the dream ends—when the preacher says, "may she rest in peace."

I remember as a little girl sneaking into my mother's closet and slipping my child-size feet into her size 7 high heels. I'd also stand on my tiptoes on a chair, pull a hat off the top shelf, and plop it on my head like an oversized lampshade. Her satin evening jacket with sleeves that hung eight inches below my fingertips gave a nice elegant touch to my outfit.

A lady going to a party would never be caught without "putting on her face," so I crept into the bathroom, opened the forbidden drawer, and created a clownish work of art on the palette of my face. Red rouge circles on my cheeks, heaps of blue eye shadow on my munchkin lids, and smeared orange lipstick far exceeding the proper border were finished off with a dusting of facial powder with an oversized brush.

From the time a little girl stretches on her tiptoes to get a peek in the mirror, she desires to be beautiful—perhaps like her mommy. As the girl moves into the teen years, she experiments with makeup, delves into fashion, and attempts various hairstyles. Then it's on to makeover ideas in magazines and on talk shows. If one idea doesn't work, well, there's always next month.         

I believe the dream to be beautiful is not cultural, but at the very core of womanhood. John Eldredge, in his book Wild at Heart, describes three longings that lie at the heart of every man: a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue, an adventure to live.

He also ventures to say that women have three longings of the heart as well: to be fought for, to share in an adventure, and to have her beauty unveiled. "Not to conjure," Eldredge explains, "but to unveil. Most women feel the pressure to be beautiful from very young, but that is not what I speak of. There is also a deep desire to simply and truly be the beauty and be delighted in. Most little girls will remember playing dress up, or wedding day, or 'twirling skirts,' those flowing dresses that were perfect for spinning around in. She'll put her pretty dress on, come into the living room and twirl. What she longs for is to capture her daddy's delight."

A woman was and is one of God's most magnificent creations. As a matter of fact, she was His grand finale. After He fashioned Eve, creation was complete and He took a rest! God has placed in our hearts a love for beauty and a desire to be beautiful—as He defines it.

In the New Testament, Paul writes, "For we are God's workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10). The Greek word for workmanship means a work of art. Listen to these words as David describes the Creator at work.

For you created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

When I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

Your eyes saw my unformed body. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Like an artist who sees the finished work in his mind's eye, God saw your unformed substance and then began to fashion you from head to toe. He made no mistakes but planned each detail of your being. You do not need to compare yourself to other works of art, but thank the Artist for how He chose to create the masterpiece called...YOU!

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, thank You for making each and every part of my being. For eyes that see, ears that hear, legs that move, fingers that feel, arms that hug, feet that run, a heart that beats, a brain that thinks, a tongue that tastes. Oh Lord, forgive me when I complain about Your workmanship and wish for something different. Help me to always remember that I am Your workmanship...and you make no mistakes.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Make a list of all the parts of your body that you are thankful for. This could take quite some time and perhaps you'll need to come back to your list several times before it is complete.

Get out an anatomy book or visit a web page that shows the various body systems (the circulatory system, the nervous system, the skeletal muscles, etc.) and read about the intricacies of the human body.

Look up the following verses and note what they say about your beauty.

2 Corinthians 3:18

Psalm 45:11

I Peter 3:3-5

Proverbs 11:22 (This verse describes a woman who is beautiful on the outside, but unattractive on the inside.)

What is one feature of your magnificent being that you are most thankful for today. Click on to my Facebook page and let's share. Come on now, don't be modest! Be thankful!

More from the Girlfriends

All little girls have dreams, but for most of us, life doesn't turn out like we thought. But did you know that God has great dreams for you? Yes, He wants to fulfill your little girl dreams in His own way. And that's not all, He has greater plans for you than you ever imagined. Put your hand in His and dare to dream again! To learn how to dream again, see my book, The 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Longs to Fulfill Them. You can also download a free chapter and watch a video. Here's what Patsy Clairmont had to say about it: "Tenderly, Sharon Jaynes has pressed her fingers onto the pulse of women. She has heard our heart's cry and understand even our lost dreams."

[Judy Harder]

May 22, 2104
Get Out of that Boat!
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Between three and six o'clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. When his followers saw him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, 'It's a ghost!' and cried out in fear. But Jesus quickly spoke to them, 'Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.' Peter said, 'Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water. Jesus said, 'Come.' And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He shouted, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter(Matthew 14: 25-31, NCV).

Friend to Friend

Jesus and His disciples fed more than five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Now that is what I call a miracle! The disciples not only saw the miracle Jesus performed, but were the ones Jesus actually commissioned to distribute the bread and fish. Witnessing the miracles of Jesus was not a new experience for these men. In fact, I am sure they considered themselves mature, devoted and unshakable disciples. But when Jesus sent them out onto the water in a small fishing boat while He went up into the hills to pray – their faith was put to the test.

Everything was fine - the disciples' faith in tact - until the storm hit. It is easy to believe God when the skies are blue and the nets are full of fish. How strong is our faith when we are clinging to the side of a rocking boat in the death grip of a brutal storm? The disciples cried out in fear, and Jesus came – at the right time and in the right way. Like the disciples, we often question God's timing and His ways. When they don't translate into methods we can understand, we surrender our faith to the tyranny of fear. Fully devoted followers of Christ are willing to forsake the known for the unknown. They choose to trust God and walk by faith – not by sight or human logic. The response of Jesus to the disciples' fear was encouragement and a call to step out in faith and obedience. The only taker in the boat was Peter.

Matthew 14:28-29 (NCV) "Peter said, 'Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water.' Jesus said, 'Come.' And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus."

Faith demands a willingness to give up what we can see in exchange for what we cannot see. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV). This verse indicates a persuasion or conviction in response to unseen evidence. But just because we can't see it, does not mean it isn't there.

John Paton and his wife were missionaries in the New Hebrides Islands. One night, hostile natives surrounded the mission headquarters, intent on burning the Patons out and killing them both. Paton and his wife prayed all night, asking God to strengthen their faith. At dawn, they were amazed to see their attackers simply turn and leave.

A year later, the chief of that tribe became a Christian. Paton asked him what had kept him and his men from killing them that night. The chief answered with a question, "Who were all those men with you?" Paton answered, "There was no one with us. My wife and I were all alone." The chief said they had seen hundreds of men standing guard, big men in shining garments with drawn swords. God is not only able to answer our prayer of faith, He delights in doing so. The problem is that we don't always like His answers.

As a fisherman, Peter knew all about boats and storms. However, I feel safe in saying that Peter had probably never tried walking on any kind of water, much less tempestuous water. It didn't matter. Jesus said, "Come." Jesus wrapped a world of truth in that one word. Strength for every trial, faith for every storm, courage for every conflict, the promise of His presence and absolutely everything we need to obey is promised to those who are willing to leave the safety of the boat and "come" to Jesus. God never forces us into obedience. He invites us to obey and leaves the choice to us.

Peter chose obedience when he slipped off his sandals, hitched up his robe and climbed over the side of that boat. Peter left the "known" behind and stepped through his fear in a radical faith that pleased God. Peter then did what we all have done at some point in life. He took his eyes off Jesus. And when he began to sink, Peter cried out in fear. I love the fact that Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed the flailing hand of Peter. I would probably have let the doubting disciple sink like a stone to teach him a lesson. Not Jesus. Grace covered it all – the storm, the sin and Peter's plea for rescue. Love heard Peter's cry. Mercy saved him.

What about you, friend? Are you trapped in a storm, clinging to the sides of a rocking boat and wondering where God is and why He is silent? Is your heart in the grip of fear and doubt? Cry out to God. Take one step of faith, and He will meet you there.

Let's Pray

Father, my heart is filled with doubt and I am afraid. I want to believe You, Lord. I want to step out in faith, trusting You to meet me at the point of my greatest need, but I am so weak. Please teach me to listen for Your voice above the crashing waves of fear and the deadly whispers of human logic. Give me the strength to keep my eyes on You – no matter what my sea of circumstances may be.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Psalm 56:3 (NIV) "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You." What do you think it means to "put" your trust in God?

Read John 14:27 (NIV) "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Does peace help us control emotions, or do controlled emotions produce peace? Right now, take a step of faith by making the choice to let peace rule in your heart.

More from the Girlfriends

Peace is not the absence of conflict, a lack of trouble, or scarcity of problems. Peace is not a feeling. Peace is a Person – Jesus – and when we know Him, we can experience true peace.

[Judy Harder]

May 23, 2014
Keep Watch!
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith... (1 Peter 5:8-9a, NIV).

Friend to Friend
I was really excited that evening because I actually had a fun dinner plan ... which is not always the case. There was some grilled chicken left over from dinner the night before, so I decided to bust out my griddle and whip up some yummy grilled chicken quesadillas – a simple, yet very popular Smith-family delicacy. I know: it's a crazy-easy make, but for some reason my kids think I'm a genius when quesadillas are on the menu. Go figure.
           
I grabbed a knife, a chopping board, and the leftover chicken from the fridge. Minutes later, the chicken was ready for it's cheese and tortilla companions. While the griddle was heating up, I turned my attention to a few other family matters. I don't even remember what those matters were. It might have been a buzzer noising from laundry room – alerting me of dry clothes that needed hung. I might have turned away to set the table or perhaps I had to intervene between my children who perpetually struggle to keep their hands to themselves. Whatever it was that drew my attention away from dinner prep was innocent – normal stuff – nothing out of the ordinary.
           
When I turned back to the business of quesadilla making, confusion gripped me as an empty cutting board glared at me. With an eyebrow raised quizzically, I asked my husband if he had moved my chicken.
           
"No Honey. I haven't touched your chicken." He replied, with a twinkle in his eye.
           
Hmmmmm. A chicken mystery. How odd.
           
I grew a bit anxious and quickly began to interview each of my children, "Did you take the chicken off the cutting board?"
           
"No, Mom. I didn't touch the chicken," they said one after another.
           
I wondered, "If I didn't move the chicken and my family didn't move the chicken, then where is my chicken?" I looked around the room once more just to be sure that I hadn't simply placed the chicken somewhere else.
           
Then I saw it ... a look of guilt. A look that screamed and pleaded, "Yes! I took your chicken, but please don't be angry with me. It smelled so good and ... and ... I'm a big dog – I need my nourishment. Was it wrong? Okay. I know it was wrong. Please forgive me. I did it. I ate your chicken. I'm sorry. I'd like to go to my crate now..."

His ears lowered as my eyes met his. My brows furrowed. "Rocky! YOU ate my chicken! Bad dog!" I lamented in frustration as I began to make a new chicken-less dinner plan...
           
Rocky's just a dog. He's not out to get me and he didn't mean to mess up our dinner plans, but he did prey on our family meal that night. He came and took what wasn't his because I had let my guard down. I wasn't watching over my chicken.

As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I must guard our hearts and watch over our homes. The Bible warns Christians to keep watch. Beyond things seen, there are spiritual battles taking place around us continually. If you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, then you have an enemy and his name is Satan. If you live to listen to the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, then strap on your battle gear, girlfriend, because your enemy has a mission to destroy you.

Beware!
           
In the New Testament book of John, chapter 10, Jesus identified himself as the exclusive way to our salvation – as the Gate for the sheep of God – as the One who loves, leads and rescues us. In John 10:10, Jesus warns that though His plan for us is protection, love and help, the enemy ... Satan, "...the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full."
           
The Bible has a lot to say about this. It tells us time and time again to be alert to the schemes of Satan. To keep watch. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."(1 Peter 5:8-9a, NIV).
           
Though we have an enemy with a real plan to mess with our emotions, our health, our marriages, our children, our relationships, our jobs and our thoughts, we are not without help or hope. We have both. God's power and protection are readily available to believers. 24/7. "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3, NIV).

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people" (Ephesians 6:10-18, NIV).

I was caught off guard the night that our dog, Rocky, took the chicken off the counter... and there have been times when I've been caught off guard in the midst of spiritual battles. As Christian women, let's remember to keep watch – over our hearts, our minds, and our homes. Let's purpose to proactively pray for protection, power and perseverance. May we always keep watch.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, You are all-powerful and mighty to save. I praise you and delight in your plan for me to have abundant life through Jesus. Please cover me in Your Spirit today and equip me to fend off attacks from the enemy in your power and help.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Can you identify an area where you feel the enemy is attacking you? Grab your journal and write about it. Pause to pray for specific people and relationships that you feel need protection.

Are you an armed and dangerous Girlfriend in God? Be that woman! Let's PRAY for one another today. If you want to link arms with GiGs from across the globe and stand unified in prayer against the schemes of the devil, click over to my blog. For FUN: I'm posting a picture of our dog Rocky so you can see the cute chicken thief!

More from the Girlfriends
God delights to deliver us from our hard places in and through the pain and temptation we all face. Experience God's healing and hope in your life today as you read Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful. To order, go to Amazon, your favorite Christian bookstore, or for a signed copy, get your copy from Gwen's web store.

Gwen Smith wants to help you think big thoughts about God – to inspire you toward His grace and truth. Her website is filled with videos, posts, songs and resources that will be a deep well of encouragement to you. Click hereto visit her site. (Get a FREE song download when you sign up for her newsletter!)

[Judy Harder]

May 26, 2014
When the Problem is YOU
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty(Zechariah 4:6, NIV).

Friend to Friend

It was the incompetent and the inexperienced being led by the inept—the day our Sunday school class worked on the Habitat for Humanity house for an unsuspecting, extremely grateful Vietnamese family. Among the crew were two dentists, an investment banker, a lawyer, an engineer, two pastors, a receptionist, several homemakers and a marriage counselor. It's always good to have a marriage counselor on hand when a home improvement project is taking place.

A team had already framed the 1,000square-foot, vinyl siding house the week before. Today was Sheetrock, or drywall, day. The site supervisor's name was TA. That's all the information he gave—just TA. TA became a Christian one Easter when he reluctantly agreed to go to church with his praying wife.

"I never went to church," he told my husband. "I was a mean man who worked seven days a week. But one Sunday I put on a suit and told my wife, 'I'm going to church with you today, but don't ask me to do it again. This is a onetime deal.' But Jesus saved my soul that day and I've been livin' for Him ever since."

That was TA. A country carpenter who had hammered more nails for Jesus than Noah and his sons put together. He grabbed his clipboard and began.

"Does anyone here know anything about drywall?" he asked.

Jeff reluctantly raised his hand.

"OK, you'll be a team leader." TA checked the list and moved right along.

"But that was thirty years ago when I was in college," Jeff clarified.

"You'll be fine," TA said as he waved his hand. "Like riding a bike."

I could tell you many stories of the day filled with wacky work and lively laughter laced with caring community, but let me share just one.

Palmer was part of the Sheetrock team. Like Rambo, he wielded his screw gun and popped those babies in the Sheetrock like a hot knife through butter. Piece of cake. After several hours of neck craning, screw popping, dust in your eyes labor, Palmer took a fifteen-minute break.

Re-energized, Rambo picked up his machine gun and once again attacked the ceiling. A lot of forgetting can go on in a fifteen-minute break and, for some reason, the screws forgot how they were supposed to spin out of the gun and magically implant flush with the ceiling.

"That's strange," Palmer thought as he examined the screw protruding one inch from the ceiling.

He moved the gun over a couple of inches and tried again. "Maybe I just need to push harder" he mused. So with all the force of a trained counselor, Palmer pressed the gun into the ceiling and pulled the trigger. Once again the screw hung down one inch from the ceiling.

Like a tennis player who examines his racket after missing an easy lob, or an outfielder who stares at his glove after missing a simple fly ball, Palmer looked at the gun in frustration. "Something is definitely wrong with this gun," he mumbled. "I guess I need to push even harder." Palmer set his jaw, clinched the gun, and firmly pressed the screw gun into the ceiling. "I'm a man. I can do this. I'm going to make this work."

After a third attempt, a frustrated Palmer stared at a neatly placed row of three taunting stalactite screws protruding from the ceiling.

About that time, TA bounced through the room and casually commented to Rambo still holding his gun. "Hey Buddy, you might want to take that gun out of reverse."

A flush of embarrassment rose from the tip of Palmer's dusty shoes to the top of his sandy- blond head. He nonchalantly flipped the switch to forward and proceeded to shoot flush screws efficiently and effectively like nothing had ever happened.

Later, Palmer laughingly said, "Sometimes I'm not the brightest person in the world, but I wonder how many rows of protruding screws I would have shot into that ceiling before I stopped and even considered that the problem might be me?"

OK sisters, stop the cameras.

Suddenly I saw myself staring up at those protruding screws with my baffled friend. "What's wrong with her?" I complain about a friend who's let me down.

"What's wrong with him?" I complain about my husband who's not acting according to my plan.

"What's wrong with them?" I mumble about family members who are not living up to my expectations."

In frustration I continue repeating the same ineffective behavior, never stopping to consider the problem might be me.

Whether it's a string of jobs where you're always treated unfairly, a pileup of relationships that seem to repeatedly end poorly, or a series of marriages with spouses who've let you down...could the problem be...dare I say... you? We push harder. Press more firmly. Repeat the same ineffective behavior again and again.

May I quote TA? "Hey, Buddy. It might help if you take it out of reverse."

May I translate TA the way I heard it? "Hey, Buddy. You are the problem. You've got life in reverse. Turn and go in the opposite direction."

And you know what? That is the definition of repentance. It means to turn around and go in the opposite direction. To change your mind.

Palmer could have pushed that screw gun into the ceiling until its nose broke through the Sheetrock. He could have forced those babies in—even hammered them flush. Then he could have slathered a coat of Sheetrock mud over the holes and applied a nice coat of paint. On the outside, it might have looked like the screws were properly installed. But the truth would come out eventually. The screw threads would have simply cut a hole in the material and the purpose for which they were created lost. There would be no grip of the screw threads into the drywall. No security in the construction. Just a nicely painted ceiling on the verge of collapse.

Oh friend, when it comes to a life that is not working, we can try harder, push harder, and even pound with emotional hammers to try and make it work. With a fresh coat of pretend—a smiling face, spit-shined kids, and a well-marked Bible, we might look OK—even downright good. But underneath, the construction remains shaky at best.

But when trying harder is replaced with repentance, shaky is replaced by secure. If life isn't working for you, consult with the project manager—Jesus Christ. Trying harder is not the answer. Pushing with more force won't get the job done well. Repeating the same ineffective behavior will only leave you frustrated. But relying on the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, God's love flowing through us, and Jesus Christ's redeeming grace surrounding us, well, that is the key to building God's ultimate habitat for all humanity.

Let's Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I just don't get it. I try harder, but with the same results. I repeat the same ineffective behavior and then wonder why I don't have more victory in my life. Help me to stop trying harder in my own strength, but start depending more on Your power. Show me when I need to turn and go in the opposite direction, and give me the courage to do so.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Today's assignment is to read Romans 7.

What was Paul's struggle?

Have you ever felt like Paul?

What was Paul's answer to the struggle?

What does "walking in the Spirit" look like to you?

Did today's devotion make you smile? I hope so.

More from the Girlfriends

Have you been trying hard to live the Christian life with little success? Well, here's the bad news and the good news. The bad news is that you can't do it. The good news is that Jesus can do it for you and through you. If you would like to learn more about how to move from being stuck in Romans 7 and moving into the victory of Romans 8, see my book Becoming Spiritually Beautiful. It takes you right back to the very beginning of how you got in your fix in the first place, and how God gives you the way out!

[Judy Harder]

May 27, 2014
Strength for the Storm
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation (Romans 5:3-5, NLT).

Friend to Friend

Life is filled with storms of one kind or another. In the midst of those storms, we tend to respond as if God has somehow been caught off guard. The storm makes no sense. We can't explain why terminal illness strikes godly people. We don't understand how our strongest friends can become our fiercest critics. The anguish of a broken marriage or the overwhelming heartbreak of a prodigal child drives us to doubt God's purpose, plan and provision. The fear of financial ruin paralyzes us. God understands.

The Bible is filled with men and women who were storm survivors – people of God who endured great pain and weathered intense life storms because they chose to follow Him. The Apostle Paul, known for persecuting and murdering Christians, was forever changed when he met Jesus Christ. While God gave him a life of great power and eternal impact, it was also a life filled with great storms. Paul learned to "patiently" endure the troubles, hardships and calamities that came his way.

Because grain was a precious food source to the Romans, threshing grain was a natural part of every day in ancient Rome. In pictures of early Rome, one man is always seen stirring up the sheaves while another rides over them in a crude cart equipped with rollers instead of wheels. Sharp stones and rough bits of iron were attached to these wheels to help separate the husks from the grain. This simple cart was called a "tribulum" from which we get our word "tribulation."

No Roman ever used his tribulum as a tool of destruction - only refinement. God uses our trials and storms as tools of refinement to build in us endurance. The word "endure" comes from two Greek words that when combined, give the meaning "to remain under." It is the capacity to stay under the load, to remain in the circumstances without running away or looking for the easy way out.

The purpose of every storm is to purify and cultivate endurance. Like Paul, we may sometimes feel as if we are being torn to pieces under the pressure of circumstances. But his challenge to the Romans compels us to re-examine our perspective and response to each storm we face. "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation" (Romans 5:3-5, NLT).

Endurance is never passive. It is the picture of a soldier staying in the heat of the battle under terrible opposition but still pressing forward to gain the victory.

There are few things that we can count on in this unpredictable life - but we can count on storms to come. We can also count on God's continual and unfailing strength for those storms. When the hard times come and when bad things happen, we do not have to wonder where God is. Instead we can hold on to the promise that is found in Jeremiah 16:19, "Lord, you are my strength, and my protection. You are a safe place for me to run in times of trouble" (NLT).

An old seaman once said, "In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way to survive. We must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there." Richard Fuller commented on the old seaman's words:

"This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may -- winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers -- no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God's faithfulness and His everlasting love in Christ Jesus."

No matter what storm rages in your life today – no matter how fierce the winds or how high the waves may be – where you are is no surprise to God. Heaven is not in a panic. Keep your gaze on Him and your glance on the raging waters. "Lash yourself" to Him, and He will supply everything you need to stand firm in the storm.

Let's Pray

Father, I am so tired of trying to weather the storms of life on my own. I need Your power and strength to face each one. Please teach me to turn to You first. Help me learn to patiently endure the hard times and honor You in the midst of them as I walk by faith.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Look back at the storms you have come through. Have you learned more about endurance? Are you stronger now than you were then?

Memorize Romans 5:3-5. Examine the storms you are facing today. Choose to rejoice in the midst of each one, knowing it is an opportunity to trust God.

More from the Girlfriends

We lived in South Florida for many years. As hurricane season approached each year, residents of South Florida raced to the grocery stores and nearest lumber yards to stockpile supplies. Batteries, flashlights, canned food, bread, peanut butter and bottled water were the first to go. Weathermen issued constant warnings to get ready and stay ready for a storm. We must do the same. Make no mistake – a storm is on the horizon. Get ready. Stand firm, knowing God is Lord of every storm you will ever face.